APT Main Event

China’s Jinlong Hu, a three-time APT title holder (2019 APT Ho Chi Minh Single Day, 2023 APT Hanoi Tick Tock, and High Speed Main Event), leads the pack of the VND 36M Main Event after topping Flight C with an impressive stack of 476,600.

Hu finished at the summit of the leaderboard by eliminating Manuel Blaschke, who had accumulated over one hundred fifty thousand chips before being Hu showed him the door and shot to the top of the chip counts in one of the last hands played on level 10 of Flight C.

This flight saw 92 survivors emerge from a field of 225 entries (164 unique), bringing the total entries to 618, with Flight D still ongoing and registration open until 12:30 am local time.

Do Tien Vu is chasing closely with 447,800 chips, followed by Truong Thang Minh with 357,000. Nopparat Kongjai (221,600) climbed up the leaderboard with a tricky bluff using ace-eight in the last level of play. Gukhwan Woo (190,700) had a strong start, delivering an early knockout with a rivered flush using king-deuce against Pham Duy Anh’s ace-queen.

Hong Kong’s Tsz Fai Tong (70,200) maintained a steady run and scored another elimination with a flush using his ace-eight suited against Kiyoung Kim’s ace-deuce.

Natalia Rozova (61,700), the 2023 APT Hanoi Billions Single Day High Roller Mystery Bounty champion, went aggressive with quads late in the second-to-last level. Though she didn’t claim elimination, she left her opponent short with less than 20,000 chips.

Thanh Phat Nguyen (37,100) chipped up in a three-way showdown by flopping a seven, taking the pot with his king kicker against Le Van Hung’s seven-six and delivering elimination to Thanh Luong Dang.

Taiwan’s Li Ta “Leon” Hsu continued the run of form that has seen him claim six APT titles this year in the last three festivals by bagging a top ten stack.

Top Ten Flight C Stacks

A full APT Main Event Flight C Survivor List can be found by clicking HERE.

Flight D is now underway, offering players a final chance to build a stack for Day 2. The latest updates can be found on the APT blog.

Flight C of the APT Main Event has ended. A recap of the day's action will follow shortly.

Gia Nguyen opened from the button and Xuddong Yang defended his big-blind. On T♠ 4♠ 2♥ Nguyen continued with a 4,000 bet to which Yang responded with an all-in with his 17,600 chips. Nguyen called and Yang was at risk busting at the very end of Day 1.

Xuddong Yang: T♣ 4♣

Gia Nguyen: A♣ 3♦

Yang had to fade the five to double up back to starting stack, and indeed the turn J♣ and river 3♠ ran out clean for the Chinese national.

The action was picked up on a flop of 5♣ K♥ 9♦ with around 8,500 chips in the pot when Jadsadakorn Chaihan bet 3,000 and Minh Truong Thang called.

Both see the board-pairing 5♠ land on the turn, where Chaihan checked the atciton to Thang, who led out 8,000 and forced his opponent to fold.

On the flop of 5♠ 6♦ 2♥ , there were around 13,000 chips in the middle when The Tien Nguyen from the small blind and Beibei Sun from the big blind checked the action to Hao Nguyen from under the gun, who then led out for 5,500. Manuel Blaschke put in a raise to 12,000 from the cutoff. Only Nguyen dropped in a call.

The 9♥ landed on the turn, where Nguyen checked the action to her opponent, and Blaschke fired out 9,500, which Nguyen made the call.

The river brought a 4♠ , and Nguyen checked over again. Blaschke fired out 16,000 this time, sending Nguyen into the tank. After a long time, Nguyen eventually mucked her hand.

Tuan Tai Nguyen raised to 2,500 from under the gun and received three callers.

On the flop of 3♣ 5♠ Q♥ , Hung bet 3,000 from the small blind and only Nguyen dropped in a call.

The J♠ came on the turn, where Hung bet 2,200 and Nguyen stuck around to see the 7♥ fall hit on the river. Hung bet 3,000, which made his opponent return his cards back to the dealer.

The Thai Nopparat Kongjai opened from early-position and got four callers. The flop came down 5♥ 3♥ 3♣ and Kongjai continued with a 7,500 bet. Only his fellow countrymen Supanat Rojsukthavorn on the button called.

The turn brought the T♣ and Kongjai continued to fire 13,000. The button called once more and the river came the J♦ For a third time Kongjai put in a bet, this time 23,000. Rojsukthavorn seemingly was in a tough spot.

For multiple minutes he thought about his decision, even already counting out the calling chips. Kongjai did some acting himself. In the Rojsukthavorn decided to let his cards go. Regrets were coming fast though, as Kongjai tabled A♦ 8♥ for the airball bluff.

Kiyoung Kim raised to 2,500 from under the gun and Tsz Fai Tong three-bet to 6,000 on the button. Kim made the call.

On the flop of T♦ 5♦ 2♠ , Kim checked the action to Tong, who bet 4,000 only to face a raise to 12,000 from Kim. Tong then shoved all-in and Kim snap-called.

Tsz Fai Tong: A♦ 8♦

Kiyoung Kim: A♥ 2♥

Kim picked up the lead for a pair of deuces, and Tong received a flush draw from the board. The turn brought a 4♦ , completing Tong’s flush, leaving Kim no chance to win. A T♠ hit on the river only to complete the runout, sealing Kim’s fate and elimination.

On the flop of 7♥ 5♣ 3♦ , Thanh Luong Dang shoved all in, and Thanh Phat Nguyen put in a raise, which Le Van Hung called.

They saw the 2♦ fall on the turn, where Nguyen bet 4,000 and Hung dropped in a call. A Q♥ came on the river, and the action went check-check.

Dang tabled 8♥ 4♦ while Nguyen flipped K♠ 7♠ for a flopped pair of sevens and Hung turned over 7♣ 6♣ , meaning Nguyen scooped the pot and claimed one elimination.

Natalia Rozova opened from the cut-off and only Yung Lo in the big-blind called. Q♦ 7♣ 3♣ was the flop and Rozova continued with a bet of 2,500. Lo called and both players saw the 3♠ appear on the turn. Rozova bet 4,000, which Lo called once again.

The river came with another Q♥ , double pairing the board. Lo checked and Rozova fired for a third time, for an amount of 17,000. To her disappointment Lo folded his hand. Rozova showed Q♠ Q♣ for quads.

Brian Patterson shoved all in from under the gun for 700, and The Tien Nguyen limped on the button, which Thao Dang Hong put in a raise to 3,200. Nguyen called.

On a flop of T♣ Q♥ 7♥ , Hong led out for 5,000 and Nguyen called to see the 2♣ hit on the turn, where Hong then shoved all in, and Nguyen snap-folded.

Brian Patterson: 8♣ 3♥

Thao Dang Hong: K♣ J♦

Hong picked up the lead and received a straight draw, and Patterson was looking to an eight or three for next card. Soon, the dealer brought the bad news for Patterson as the river came a 5♣ , showing him the exit.

Kumar Kishor opened the cutoff to 2,400. Nguyen Dinh Hai Linh on the button and Chi Ho Yeung from the big blind made the call.

On the flop of 9♣ 9♠ 4♣ , Yeung checked the action to Kishor, who continued with a bet of 3,700, forcing Nguyen to fold, but Yeung stuck around.

The 2♥ landed on the turn, where the action went check-check. The river carried out 7♥ , and Yeung fired out 12,000, sending Kishor into the tank. Eventually, Kishor sent his cards back to the dealer.

The action started with Gia Nguyen opening from early-position. Changxiao Yan called before Jia Xiong three-bet to 8,000. Hai Nguyen in the big-blind got involved in the hand with a call, and the the two players behind him also called.

The flop came down 8♠ 7♦ 3♣ and the first player to act Hai Nguyen moved all-in for 22,500. The original opener Gia Ngyuen next to him called, and everybody else folded and the players tabled their cards.

Hai Nguyen: 5♦ 4♦

Gia Nguyen: 6♦ 6♥

Hai Nguyen managed to be up exactly against the hand he least wanted to see. He was dependent on the mercy of the poker gods, who let him down and busting him from the Main Event after turn brought the 9♣ and river 2♠ .

Ruihan Cheng raised to 1,200 from middle position and received two callers from the blind, Quang Kiem Nguyen and Gukhwan Woo.

On the flop of 9♦ 5♥ A♠ , three players checked through to see the 4♦ fall on the turn, which was another check round.

The river brought a 3♠ , and they all checked again to a free showdown. Nguyen tabled king-high with K♥ J♥ , but it was no match for a straight from Woo’s Q♥ 2♠ , leaving Cheng to much his hand.

The Tien Nguyen opened the hijack to 2,000 and Le Manh Cuong defended from the big blind.

Both saw the flop of T♣ 4♠ Q♥ , and Cuong check-called after Nguyen led out for 2,000. The 7♠ came on the turn, and the action went check-check.

The river carried out a 4♦ , which both payers decided to check through to a free showdown. After Cuong table two pair with K♦ T♦ , Nguyen tossed his cards into the muck.

Minh Anh Nguyen opened the hijack to 2,000 and received two callers, Ryo Kotake from the cutoff and Ivan Ermin from the big blind.

Three players saw a flop fill out T♠ 6♥ J♥ , and Ermin checked the action to Nguyen, who continued with a bet of 2,500, which Kotake called. Ermin then put in a raise to 12,900 only to be jammed by Nguyen. Kotake got out of the way.

Minh Anh Nguyen: A♥ T♣

Ivan Ermin: J♦ T♣

Ermin picked up the lead for flopping two pair, but Nguyen took over the lead as a A♣ came on the turn. The river brought a bricky 7♥ , showing Ermin the exit.

Minjae Kwon raised to 2,100 from under the gun and Pham Truong Thu defended from the big blind.

The flop rolled off 8♣ Q♠ 6♦ , and Thu check-called after Kwon continued with a bet of 2,000. The board-pairing 6♥ fell on the turn, where Thu checked it to his opponent again, and Kwon led out for 7,500. Thu stuck around.

The river came 5♥ , and Thu changed his strategy and bet 5,000 this time, which Kwon dropped in a call. Thu tabled two pair with 8♥ 7♦ , but it was not enough to beat Kwon's J♣ J♦ , earning him a sizable pot.

Players are on a 15-minute break, with 6 minutes remaining until play resumes.

On the flop of 3♦ K♠ J♥ , there were 2,400 chips in the middle when both Minh Anh Nguyen from the small blind and Manh Tuan Nguyen checked through.

A 9♠ hit on the turn, where Anh Nguyen bet 1,100 and Tuan Nguyen stuck around.

The river carried out the 4♠ , and Anh Nguyen checked it over, which Tuan Nguyen counted out ten black chips and sent a small bet 1,000. This was enough to make his opponent muck the hand.

Minjae Kwon raised to 1,600 from under the gun and received three callers. N-Rak Lertphohanon then three-bet to 10,800 from the big blind, and only Tien Sang Phi from middle position stuck around.

Both saw the flop of 3♠ 9♦ 4♠ , and Lertphohanon shoved all-in. Phi snap-called.

N-Rak Lertphohanon: A♣ K♦

Tien Sang Phi: 9♥ 8♥

Phi picked up the lead with a flopped pair of nines, however, he handed it over to Lertphohanon as the turn brought the K♥ . The river came for another twist as it showed the 8♦ , improving Phi to two pair to scoop the pot, leaving Lertphohanon with a short stack.

After a middle-position open, Le Nam three-bet from the small-blind. The Japanese Koichi Kono came in hot with a cold four-bet to 12,800. The open raiser folded and Le Nam put in a five-bet to 30,300. Kono thought about it for quite some time and eventually decided on a call.

The flop came out low, as it showed 8♥ 3♠ 3♣ , and Nam could not have acted any faster when moving all-in covering Kono. Kono did make the call, deciding his hand is too strong.

Koichi Kono: T♥ T♣

Le Nam: A♣ A♥

Kono was in big trouble, only a ten could have saved his tournament life. But the turn and river brought the 9♥ and J♠ and Kono had to pack his bags, while Le Nam is sitting with a sizeable stack now.

An Hoang Binh opened the hijack to 1,800 and received two callers, Tran The Anh on the button and Xudong Yang from the big blind.

Three players saw a flop of T♣ K♠ 6♦ and checked it through to the Q♦ turn, where Yang checked in to Binh, who led out for 2,000. Only Anh made the call.

The river showed a board-pairing 6♥ . Binh checked it over, and Anh fired 3,000 this time, which didn’t deter Binh from dropping in a call. Anh tabled two pair with K♣ J♦ , making Binh fold and concede the pot.

Hun Choi opened from early-position and both blinds—Haiyang Yang in the small blind, and Jack Moore in the big blind—called.

On K♦ 6♠ 5♣ , all players checked their option. The blinds checked again on the A♠ turn and the open raiser put out a bet of 2,000. Yang called, but Moore had other plans as he raised it to 8,000. Only Choi called.

The river came the Q♥ . Moore again bet 8,000, only leaving himself around 15,000 behind. Yang responded with a raise to 20,000, which put Moore in a very uncomfortable position. Reluctantly, he let his hand go, not being able to shake Choi off.

Gukhwan Woo from middle position and Zhuoqun Zhang from the small blind limped in, to which Jadsadakorn Chaihan checked to take it into the streets.

Three players saw a flop of 5♠ 4♣ 5♣ , bringing flush and straight possibilities, and all checked through to the Q♦ turn, where Zhang bet 2,400 and only Chaihan stuck around.

The river came 3♣ , and Zhang led out 6,000 this time. Chaihan snap-called to take it to a showdown. Zhang flipped a straight with 7♦ 6♣ , leaving Chaihan to muck his hand.

Nguyen Hoa raised to 1,200 from middle position, and Seiji Sasaki three-bet to 3,000 only to face a four-bet to 8,200 from Hoa. Sasaki dropped in a call.

Both read a monotone flop of 3♦ 4♦ A♦ , and Hoa continued with a bet of 6,000. Sasaki called.

The turn showed a board-pairing 3♥ , which Hoa kept her aggression and fired 13,500, sending her opponent into the tank. After a long time, Sasaki eventually tossed his cards into the muck.

Battulga Ganbold shoved all-in and Nguyen Phat Nam dropped in the call.

Nguyen Phat Nam: K♦ Q♥

Battulga Ganbold: 9♥ 9♠

Ganbold held the lead with the pocket nines, but it didn’t last long as Nam took over the lead on the flop of Q♦ A♠ 4♦ , improving Nam to a higher pair of queens. The dry runout came A♣ 8♥ , busting Ganbold out of the table.

Natalia Rozova raised to 1,200 from under the gun and Kiyoung Kim called from middle position.

On the flop of J♦ 8♣ 7♦ , both checked through to see the 5♦ hit on the turn, where Rozova checked the action to Kim, who bet 1,200. Rozova dropped in a call.

The river came 9♦ , and the two elected to check and took it to a free showdown. Rozova tabled a flush with Q♦ 8♦ , leaving Kim no choice but to muck the hand.

On the flop of 4♠ J♥ K♦ , there were around 7,200 chips in the pot when Kim checked the action from middle position to Daniel Haywood from the cutoff, who then bet 1,800. Kim called.

Both saw the 6♦ land on the turn, where Kim checked to his opponent again, and Haywood fired out 3,400 this time, but this didn’t deter Kim from making the call.

A K♣ dropped on the river, and the action went check-check. Haywood tabled two pair with A♠ J♦ , leaving Kim to muck his hand.

Chak Kin Lo opened the button to 1,100 and N-Rak Lertphokhanon defended from the big blind.

Both read a flop of 5♥ 3♦ 9♦ , bringing flush and straight draw possibilities, and Lertphokhanon check-called after Lo bet 1,200 to see the J♠ fall on the turn, where the action went check-check.

The river brought an A♦ , and Lertphokhanon checked it to his opponent again. Lo bet 2,000 this time, forcing Lertphokhanon to fold.

Players are having the first 15-minute break.

Le Van Huang raised to 900 from under the gun, and Joon Kwan Park three-bet to 2,800, which Huang dropped in a call.

On the flop of 5♠ 5♣ 9♦ , Huang checked it to Park, who fired a barrel of 3,800. This was enough to force his opponent to sent the cards back to the dealer.

Kyosuke Nagami opened the cutoff to 1,000 and received two callers from the blind, Thao Dang Hong and Beibei Sun.

On a flop of 6♥ Q♠ K♥ , bringing flush possibilities, three players decided to check it through. The 3♥ came on the turn, where Hong and Sun checked it to Nagami, who sent another bet of 1,000. Only Sun stuck around this time.

The river brought a 4♥ , and Nagami bet 1,500 only to be faced with a shove for 11,800 from Hong, which forced Nagami to much his hand and forfeit the pot.

Wai Ching Chiang raised from under the gun, and Zhuoqun Zhang three-bet to 1,200, which only Donghyeok Lee called from the small blind.

Both players saw the flop of 9♠ A♥ 9♦ and checked through to the 6♠ turn, where Lee checked the action to Zhang, who bet 2,200 and Lee stuck around.

The 8♥ dropped on the river, and Lee checked it to his opponent again. Zhang then fired 5,000, forcing Lee to much the hand.

Nguyen Van Tung opened the cutoff to 700, and Nguyen Ngoc Son three bet to 2,200, which Tung dropped in a call.

Both read a flop of K♣ 2♥ 4♥ , and Tung check-called after Son bet 1,700. The A♣ came on the turn, where Tung check-called again after a bet of 4,000 from Son.

The river brought the K♠ , and the action went check-check. Tung quickly turned over A♥ J♠ for two pair, leaving Son to muck his hand.

Wai Ching Chiang raised from middle position to 800, and Pham Duy Anh three-bet to 2,800 from the hijack, leaving 10,000 behind. Gukhwan Woo from the small blind and Chiang stuck around.

On a flop of A♦ 5♥ 6♦ , Woo fired 4,000, and Chiang tossed his cards into the muck. However, Anh threw his remaining two blue chips in the middle and shoved all in. Woo sanp-called.

Gukhwan Woo: K♦ 2♦

Pham Duy Anh: A♣ Q♠

Anh picked up the lead with a flopped pair of aces, and Woo received a flush draw. The dealer delivered a 3♥ on the turn, and Woo was still searching for a diamond. Fortunately for Woo, the river showed 7♦ , completing his flush and showing Anh out of the exit.

The action was picked up on the turn with a board rolling off J♠ 3♦ 4♠ 3♠ with around 9,500 chips in the middle. Jadsadakorn Chiahan checked the action from the small blind to Pham Duy Anh on the button, who fired out 3,000. Chaihan dropped in a call.

The A♦ came on the river, where Chaihan checked it over again, and Anh fired 15,000 this time. Chaihan snap-called.

Anh flipped Q♦ 9♥ for a bluff, and it was no match for two pair from Chaihan’s A♥ J♦ , leaving Anh cripped after this hand.

On the flop of 8♥ 2♦ 9♦ , Nguyen Ngoc Son from the small blind and Pham Duy Anh from the big blind checked it to Peter Kiem from the hijack, who bet 2,200, which Tripoak Worrakrit from the cutoff and Le Thanh Hung on the button stuck around. Son and Anh got out of the way.

The 5♦ fell on the turn, and three players checked through to see the 8♦ drop on the river, where Kiem checked it over, and Worrakrit fired out 2,200, forcing both of his opponents to fold.

Ivan Ermin raised to 600 from under the gun and received three callers, Gukhwan Woo on the button, Nhon Trran Thanh from the small blind, and Do Tien Vu from the big blind.

On the flop of 3♦ 8♥ 7♣ , players checked through to see the 8♣ fall on the turn, where Thanh bet 2,200, and this was enough to make the other three players toss their cards into the muck.

The Tien Nguyen opened the button to 200 and received calls from the blinds, Than Phat Nguyen and Nguyen Luong Khoa Toan.

Three player saw a flop roll off 5♥ 9♠ 5♣ , and Phat Nguyen bet 300. Only Toan Nguyen stuck around to the J♥ turn, where Phat Nguyen checked-called after Toan Nguyen bet 600.

The river brought the 8♣ , and Phat Nguyen check-called again after Toan Nguyen fired 1,200. Toan Nguyen quickly tabled trips of fives with A♣ 5♠ , leaving Phat Nguyen no choice but to muck the hand.

The action was picked up on the turn with a board showing 9♠ 7♠ 8♠ 2♦ when Donghyeonk Lee checked from the small blind to Tuan Tai Nguyen from the cutoff, who also checked after thinking for a while.

The river carried out a T♥ , and the action went check-check again. Lee tabled king-high with K♦ Q♦ , but it was not enough to beat the flopped pair of nines from Nguyen’s K♥ 9♥ .

Remo Marti opened the cutoff to 300 and received calls from the blinds, Joong Kwan Park and Gukhwan Woo.

Three players read a flop of 9♥ 9♣ T♠ , and Kwan bet 300, forcing Woo to fold. Marti dropped in a call.

The 2♥ landed on the turn, where the action went check-check. The river brought an A♣ , and Park checked over again, which Marti bet 1,500. This was enough to make his opponent muck the hand.

"Shuffle up and deal" has been announced, and the curtain has been lifted for Flight C of the APT Main Event.

Good morning, poker enthusiasts!

Welcome back to the Convention Center for another thrilling day of poker as we dive into the third flight of the VND 36,000,000 APT Main Event. The tables are set, and play kicks off at 11:00 am. Contestants will begin with blinds at 100/100, a 100 big blind ante, and a starting stack of 40,000. They will play through six 30-minute levels from Level 1 to Level 6, followed by four 45-minute levels from Level 7 to Level 10.

With 135 competitors surviving from the 393 entries recorded across the previous two opening flights, more hopefuls will join today, aiming to advance to Day 2. Registration ends at 5:30 pm local time. However, those who don’t make it through in Flight C will have another chance with Flight D, starting at 6:00 pm, where registration remains open until 12:30 am.

Stick with us for the coverage over the course of the day to see who will merge with the field for Day 2.