Stephen Pang has to win APT Incheon Main Event twice after crazy false finish

And then the news was delivered.

Shoumin Zhang still had one big blind left.

With one big blind, an epic challenge laid before Shoumin Zhang.

What happened?

The hand that started it all saw both players with 28M chips in front of them, according to the APT live stream. The blinds were 300K/600K (600K). Zhang opened the hand by limping , prompting a raise to 3M by Pang with .

Zhang called and saw a flop of , keeping his fours ahead and adding a gutshot straight draw. Pang continued for another 3M with his overcards and flush draw. Zhang called with the best hand.

The turn changed nothing, but Pang kept up his aggression. He blasted in another 12M, more than half of each player’s remaining stack.

Sensing he was still ahead, Zhang moved in his 22M and was called by Pang. The hand would determine the tournament. Pretty much.

Pang needed a king, jack, or club. Zhang needed anything but.

The rolled off on the river. A wave of excitement flooded the room. Pang leapt from his chair, screamed, and pumped his fists. The celebration was on.

But the livestream graphics showed Zhang still with 700K.

As Pang celebrated with his friends and the word ‘champion’ appeared on the LED board behind the table, the dealer and tournament staff diligently counted down the stacks to confirm the players' chip totals.

The stream announcers reiterated that their counts were correct and that play would need to continue.

As that was all going on, Pang returned to the table for an interview with APT host Aditya Wadhwani.

“Congratulations, Stephen, you did it. You are the champion.”

Not so fast.

Because as Pang began giving his acceptance speech, Tournament Director Tyler Willse stepped in, apologized, and delivered the news.

The job wasn’t done just yet.

Pang's second interview would not be interrupted.

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But it’s basically done, right?

Pang would have to recompose himself while Zhang returned to the table, too, needing what the livestream announcers accurately called a miracle.

The math was done. Zhang trailed 78-1 and would need six double-ups to retake the lead.

He got one, and then another…

And then another… And then another.

Zhang was back to 14M chips to Pang’s 42M. Poker would need to be played again.

This couldn’t really happen, could it?

Heads-up play continued for far longer than Pang thought it would need to.

Everyone loves a chop pot

Four more hands were played before Zhang moved all-in for 11M, holding . Pang called with .

Zhang was in position to potentially double to within a 3-2 deficit. More than reasonable considering where he’d been.

The board ran out through the turn. Zhang was on the verge of that fifth double-up. Pang was dead to a chop with a ten. Then it was his turn for a miracle, as the fell.

Pang celebrated as he had minutes earlier when he thought he’d won the tournament.

Play continued for 16 more hands, mostly uncalled shoves, and by the time a 15-minute break arrived for the players to breathe and take in what had been happening, Zhang was back down to just nine big blinds.

For real this time

The duo returned to blinds of 500K/1M (1M), and on hand 149 of the day, the 64th of a heads-up match that these players, viewers, or anyone associated with the APT won't ever forget, it was finally, actually, truly over.

Zhang moved his last 8.7M in with and was called by Pang’s . There would be no further shenanigans. Pang won the flip and the tournament was really over.

The Golden Lion was now truly his.

There was no taking the trophy back from Pang this time.

What is there to say about all that?

After witnessing one of the craziest conclusions to a poker tournament that I’ve ever seen, answers were needed to the many questions I had.

What goes through a player’s mind when they think they’ve won a tournament, only to be told ‘not so fast’?

“Of course, I was shocked,” said Pang. “I felt like the championship must be mine, right? But even with my opponent’s one big blind left, I had faith to get my trophy.”

But after four double-ups, and a playable stack opposite you again, that had to have you wondering what you had to do to finish it, right?

“Actually, it was okay, because he still couldn’t do much other than move all-in or fold. I could still limp, raise, squeeze him; I could still afford to be patient to wait for good hands.”

You had to be a little scared that this could all fall apart, though?

“20 percent of my thoughts were scary feelings. 80 percent was still confidence.”

You were pretty happy when that ten saved you with a chop; otherwise, he’s really back in it. What were you thinking in that moment?

“Everyone loves a chop pot. That was actually a defining moment. If the ten comes, that’s a hint from my God, from Jesus Christ, that I’m going to get this trophy.”

And now that the trophy is really yours?

“I feel fulfilled. Truly fulfilled. I’ve always been dreaming about this lion for years, since I’ve been playing live games at the APT. Mission impossible, complete.”

You can watch both endings to the tournament on the livestream below, starting at 8:21:40.

Note that all dollar amounts mentioned in this article have been converted from Korean won, are approximate and correct at time of writing. A deal was done three-handed to flatten and lock in the final payouts. The final trio played for $29,060 and the coveted Golden Lion Trophy.

^{Images courtesy of the APT.}