Reiji Kono Tastes Victory in Cambodia; Becomes Latest WPT Prime Main Event Champion ($131,731)
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The 2023 edition of WPT Prime Cambodia is now in the books after Japan’s Reiji Kono was crowned champion in the series $1,100 Main Event for $131,731 which includes a $10,400 ticket to the end of the season WPT World Championships.
Kono topped a field of 1,011 entrants and secured the winner's spoils after overcoming Bien Mai and Matthieu Lamagnere when play was three-handed. The trio agreed to an ICM deal which saw Mai pocket $117,842 while Lamagnere collected a $112,247 payday.
The tournament had a prize pool of $980,670 and saw the top 128 finishers make the money, with the mini-cash being set at $1,800.
WPT Prime Cambodia Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reiji Kono | Japan | $131,731* |
| 2 | Bien Mai | Vietnam | $117,842* |
| 3 | Matthieu Lamagnere | France | $112,247* |
| 4 | Charlie Chiu | Taiwan | $59,820 |
| 5 | Jose Catela | Portugal | $45,120 |
| 6 | Sho Katsura | Japan | $34,400 |
| 7 | Feng Ji Chua | Singapore | $26,510 |
| 8 | Lewis Cowell | United Kingdom | $20.660 |
| 9 | Nicolas Ragot | France | $16,280 |
*indicates three-way ICM deal
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Final Table Action
The first final table elimination came on the 54th hand of the day. France's Nicolas Ragot lost a significant flip to compatriot Lamagnere, who rivered the nut flush to crack Ragot's pocket jacks following an all-in preflop situation.
The next bust-out would occur 13 hands later, with Lewis Cowell being sent to the payout desk by Lamagnere. Cowell jammed preflop with ace-nine, but the Frenchman hit the river again to make Broadway.
Lamagnere soon secured a hattrick of knockouts after the ace-queen held by himself and Bien Mai chopped the pot after pairing up to eliminate Feng Ji Chua, who was all in with pocket nines.
Lamagnere continued to dominate the final table after winning another flip against Sho Katsura the very next hand. Lamagnere's pocket sevens remained best against his opponent's queen-jack.
At five-handed play, the pace began to slow until Jose Catela had Mai at risk. Catela had pocket tens, while Mai was in rough shape with a pair of sevens. However, Catela was left short after Mai rivered a set to get a double up. Shortly after, Mai finished off Catela after the former flopped two pair while Catela had top pair and held out on the turn and river to bring the Main Event to its final four players.
Twenty minutes later, Kono bagged his first final table casualty after sending out Charlie Chiu in fourth place. The duo were all in on the J-6-2 flop, with Kono ahead with pocket nines while Chiu held queen-six. A clean runout gave Kono the checkmark.
After eliminating Chiu in fourth place, the final three players made an ICM deal to adjust the final three payouts. The first-prize amount also included the winner's $10,400 seat for the season-ending WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas.
Kono managed to gain the chip lead as three-handed play unfolded and Kono secured his heads-up place after sending out Lamagnere in third. It was Kono's turn to hit the river as his eight-five paired up to move ahead of Lamagnere's king-three.
Kono then claimed the winner's spoils after he and Mai got their stacks into the middle on the A-K-8-7-7 board. Mai had queen-seven for trips but Kono had a full house with his eight-seven to secure the victory.
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