Asian Poker Tour 2022 highlights; first half of 2023 schedule revealed

 

Land-based operator Asian Poker Tour concluded a spectacular return to the live scene this year. Back in 2019, the brand experienced its most successful run and was headed for an even greater one in 2020 until the pandemic struck to send it to a hard halt.

Two years later, good news arrived. Most Asian borders opened during the first quarter of 2022 allowing for live events. The brand quickly seized the opportunity and lined up a list of festivals in the Philippines, Vietnam, Korea, and Taiwan. By year’s end, the tour completed a whopping 11 stops, amassing a grand total prize pool of over US$ 15.2 Million. The finale was held in Da Nang, Vietnam featuring 32 trophy events. Korea’s Nam Doo Sik captured the last Main Event title of the year, and pocketed a handsome ₫2,598,290,000 which was roughly US$ 110K. 

The tour will be back in 2023 with opening games set to take place in Hanoi, Vietnam. Players can expect  more details and announcements in the coming days. For now, here’s a look at the tour’s 2022 highlights and what to look forward to in the coming new year.

2022 Festival Highlights

Grand prize pool: ~US$ 15.2 million
Festivals: 11
New stops: Phu Quoc, Hanoi, Da Nang
Record APT festival: APT Korea Incheon – ₩2,970,722,000 (~US$ 2,320,440)
Richest APT Vietnam festival: APT Summer Festival Hanoi (VSOP) – ₫43,802,290,000 (~US$ 1,867,500)
Richest APT Philippines festival: APT Philippines II – ₱92,606,000 (~US$ 1,676,885)
Largest Main Event field: 722 (~US$ 930 buy in – APT Ho Chi Minh – Saigon Poker Club)
Record Main Event pot: ₩942,840,000 (~US$ 736,455) – APT Korea Incheon – 486 entries, ~US$ 1,560 buy in)
Record Main Event pot (Vietnam): ₫14,006,850,000 (~$593K) – APT Ho Chi Minh City – Saigon Poker Club)
Largest Main Event winner & first prize: Farhad Aghayev – ₩170,228,000 (~US$ 119,404)
APT multi major winner: Moses Saquing (APT Philippines I Main Event, APT Philippines II Championships Event)
APT POS multi winner: Mike Takayama (APT Philippines I & APT Philippines III), Vamerdino Magsakay (APT Phu Quoc & APT Philippines II)

2022 APT stops

The 2022 APT live festivals kicked off with a short four-day Mystery Bounty Weekend Series at Newport World Resorts, Philippines. This was the first series of its kind ever seen in Asia. For the rest of the year, the tour returned to this popular stop, hosting three full blown festivals of 13 days each. 

Out of all the countries visited, Vietnam saw the most APT stops with five festivals, each one experiencing its first ever APT event. The tour’s first stop was at the Corona Resort & Casino in Phu Quoc Island. The APT was the first international poker brand to host an event at this location.

Following the event, the brand staged two festivals in the capital city Hanoi – Grand Loyal Poker Club and Viet Nam Series of Poker (VSOP). For its fourth Vietnam stop, the tour returned to familiar ground, back to Ho Chi Minh City hosting a festival at the newly opened Saigon Poker Club. At this venue, the Main Event drew a tour record 722 entries (US$ 930 buy in).

The APT capped off its 2022 season at the Risemount Premier Resort in popular beach destination Da Nang. Out of all the five Vietnam festivals, the VSOP event (APT Summer Festival Hanoi) paid out the highest of ₫43,802,290,000 (~US$ 1,867,500). 

The other two APT stops were held at the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association (CTP Club) in Taipei City, Taiwan and at the Paradise City Casino, Incheon, South Korea. The South Korea Main Event was the most expensive of all the tours with buy in at roughly US$ 1,560. Despite this, players came in droves, mostly from Japan, to pump the field to 486 entries for a record ~US$ 736,455. Azerbaijan’s Farhad Aghayev shipped it for an APT six figure Main Event payout of ~US$ 119,400. It also amassed an overall APT festival record prize pool of ~US$ 2,320,440. 

2023 APT destinations

Players can start blocking dates on their calendars. In late-November the APT announced its first half of the year schedule. Initially, the Philippines was first on the list but that has since been changed. The season opener will now take place in Hanoi, Vietnam. Here’s a look at the released schedule. 

APT Hanoi, Vietnam
Dates: February 3 to 12
Venue: TBA

APT Phu Quoc, Vietnam
Dates: March 24 to April 2
Venue: Corona Resort & Casino

APT Taipei, Taiwan
Dates: April 28 to May 7
Venue: Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Association (CTP Club)

APT Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Date: June 2 to 11
Venue: Saigon Poker Club

For more info, head to the Asian Poker Tour website.