Kunal Patni Wins GOP Phnom Penh Main Event ($109,540)

The newest Gods Of Poker Main Event champion has been crowned! India's Kunal Patni entered the final table as chip leader and after 159 hands, he clinched it for his career first live main event title and a top prize payout of $109,540.

In his post-win interview, Patni summed it all up in just one word - “YES!!” 

Final Table Payouts

Relive Patni's victory run via the live reports.

For the payouts, click here. 

Winner's Story

Bottom (L-R): Miyoung Cho, Feng Yang, Alen Bakovic, Peng Sen Wu; Top :L-R:: Le Ngoc Khanh, Wei Yan, Kunal Patni, Rohit, Murata Haruto

Taking place for the first time at NagaWorld in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the event attracted 289 entries with 41 players shaving down the $500,000 prize pool. On the final day, only nine players were left, with Patni at the helm, seeking his first ever live career main event win. 

He picked up right where he left off on Day 2, striking early at the final table by eliminating Vietnam’s Le Ngoc Khanh, in 9th place. After Korea's Miyoung Cho eliminated Canada's Alen Bakovic in 8th place, she quickly established herself as Patni’s biggest threat. 

Rohit and Kunal Patni

Patni lost his lead on a mis-timed bluff against Rohit to drop to the middle of the pack then quickly recovered by eliminating China's Wei Yan in 7th place who bluff-shoved on the river.

Cho didn’t wait long to strike again; she took the lead after she tabled a higher straight against Rohit. But again, the tug-of-war for the lead was fierce and Patni soon reclaimed control after eliminating Peng Sen Wu in 6th place.

Feng Yang

At five-handed, Feng Yang railed Murata Haruto in 5th place, then in a rare moment in poker, Patni tabled a royal flush and got value off Yang. Both players met again with Yang getting lucky to avoid the rail and deny Patni an overwhelming advantage. 

Patni recovered by claiming his fourth bust in Rohit in 4th place to be at par with Cho in chips. Both players stayed within range of each other until Yang's lucky streak ended at the hands of Patni.

Miyoung Cho

Patni entered heads up with 73 bb to Cho's 42 bb. Yet despite the deep stacks, the aggression continued and on just the 17th heads up hand, Patni grinded down Cho to just 18 bb. 

He shoved with king-queen off, she called with ace-four off, a king found the flop to deliver the final knockout and reign victorious.