National Cup Championship (15,000 TWD)

After a relatively short bubble period in Flight D of the 2025 APTC Taipei National Cup Championship play has concluded, after the bubble was burst and 91 players were left standing.

The remaining 91 players have now bagged up their chips to carry through to the final day starting tomorrow, November 16th, and merge with the 198 players who have already survived one of the earlier flights.

The APTC Taipei National Cup Championship is officially the largest non-Main Event field, with a massive 2,398 (1,157 unique) entries. The prize pool stands at a sizable TWD 29,855,675 (~USD 985,335) and has smashed the TWD 12,000,000 guarantee. This puts the event in the top three of the richest non-High Roller side events the tour has ever run.

It was Hong Kong’s Wing Fai Kwan who closed out the flight with the chip lead bagging an impressive 1,112,000. Hot on Kwan’s heels was China’s Yu Bao with 1,078,000 and rounding out the podium in third spot was Taiwan’s Wei Chun Kuo with 1,012,000.

Kwan was the silent assassin throughout the day and went under the radar for most of the day gradually building his stack without winning any major hands.

Bao picked up the majority of his chips when his pocket aces held against Puyen Fang’s pocket queens to burst the bubble and bring play to a conclusion for the day.

Filipino Christopher Mateo is sitting pretty in sixth spot with 700,000 in chips and will be looking for a deep run in the final day to take his lifetime earnings to over USD 1,300,000.

Mateo’s compatriot Edgar Asehan rounds out the top ten in ninth spot with 631,000 and will be hoping to take his lifetime earnings to the milestone one million USD mark with a final table finish.

Multiple APT event winner, Thailand’s Sukhum Kiwanont, is sitting in the top 50 with 244,000 in chips and will be striving to take his lifetime earnings to near the USD 500,00 mark with a deep run.

WSOP Bracelet holder, WPT Championship winner and dual APT Main Event winner, Filipino Mike Takayama, squeaked into the final day in 90th spot but will need some help to take his lifetime earnings across the USD 4,000,000 mark carrying a short stack of 50,000 into the final day.

For a full list of all flight D survivors with chip counts click HERE.

The final day plays down to a winner tomorrow, November 16th, starting at 11.15am. Remember to tune in here for all the day’s action and to see who takes down the record breaking 2025 APTC Taipei National Cup Championship.

With the bubble bursting play has now concluded for the day and the remaining 91 players are now bagging up their chips to take through to the final day tomorrow.

Stay tuned for a recap of the day and a full list of flight D survivors and chip counts.

Action folded to Puyen Fang in the cutoff who open jammed all in for 340,000 and it was folded to Yu Bao in the big blind who snap called.

Puyen Fang: Q♥ Q♦

Yu Bao: A♠ A♣

Not the door card Fang wanted to see on the A♥ 6♥ 5♦ flop and when the 7♦ peeled off on the turn he was drawing dead. The irrelevant 3♦ came on the river to seal the deal and Fang was sent home in 92nd place as the unfortunate bubble boy.

Cheong Lam open jammed from early position for 109,000 and action folded around to Yu Lin who made the call.

Cheong Lam: 5♦ 5♥

Yu Lin: A♣ K♥

A safe run out of 8♥ 7♥ 2♣ J♣ 3♣ for Lam and he was shipped the pot for a full double up.

Robert Cheung raised to 32,000 from under the gun and action folded around to Huyen Quach in middle position who moved all in for 156,000.

Action folded back around to Cheung who snap called.

Huyen Quach: A♣ J♥

Robert Cheung: A♠ K♦

No help for Quach on the T♥ A♥ K♠ flop.

"Queen, Queen" Quach begged the dealer as they peeled off the 8♥ turn.

"Heart, heart" changed the plea as the dealer flipped over the 5♣ as the river and the ever jovial Quach was sent to the rail.

Action folded around to Yaozhang Bai on the button who open jammed all in for his remaining 49,000.

Jing Huang sat in the small blind made the call and the big blind got out of the way sharpish.

Yaozhang Bai: K♣ 5♥

Jing Huang: Q♥ Q♠

Some help for Bai on the 4♦ 5♠ 6♠ flop and he picked up some chop outs on the 3♥ turn.

No miracle though when the 9♣ peeled off on the river and Bai was sent packing.

Sun Choi raised to 20,000 from early position and action folded around to Vamerdino Magsakay in the small blind who moved all in for 130,000.

Choi went into the tank for a short time before he tossed in the call.

Vamerdino Magsakay: 8♣ 8♠

Sun Choi: A♦ J♠

A safe flop came for Magsakay of 5♠ 7♥ 7♠ and the 6♥ on the turn was no danger either. But when the dealer rolled off the J♥ as the river Magsakay let out a sigh as he was sent to the rail when Choi hit his higher pair.

Robert Cheung moved all in from early position for 53,000 and action folded to Kong Shum who also moved all in to isolate. The rest of the table folded.

Robert Cheung: A♥ A♠

Kong Shum: 9♣ 9♦

No miracles for Shum on the run out of T♥ Q♣ 8♥ 8♣ 5♠ and Cheung was shipped the pot for a full double up.

There was over 30,000 in the middle and the flop of T♠ K♦ A♦ was spread out by the dealer. Jia Lee checked from the small blind to Sukhum Kiwanont who bet out for 6,000. Lee made the call.

The turn brought the 6♦ and Lee now led out for 17,000, Kiwanont made the call and the dealer peeled off the A♠ for the river.

Lee checked to Kiwanont who fired out a bet of 27,000 which sent Lee into the tank. She thought for a while and the dealer pulled in a time bank before she released he hand to send the pot to Kiwanont with no showdown.

Cards are back in the air for flight D with 211 players remaining.

The players are now on the next 15-minute break of the day.

With 20,000 sat in the middle the flop of 2♦ 4♣ 2♥ was fanned out across the table.

Daniel Benor sat in the big blind led out for 7,000 and was looked up by Jaewan Park in late position. The dealer rolled off the 6♦ as the turn and Benor didn't slow down and fired out for 21,000, Park called.

The players checked down the T♦ that came on the river and Park tabled 8♦ 8♣ streak ahead of Benor's bluff with Q♣ K♥.

There was over 50,000 sat in the middle and the flop read J♥ Q♣ A♥ and all three players involved checked to see the 7♦ come on the turn.

Po Shen sat in the big blind pushed out a bet of 36,000 and action moved to David Lu in the hijack who went into the tank for a short time before he mucked his cards.

Chung Chen sat on the button then pushed out all his time banks and went deep into the tank. The dealer pulled in three of these before Chen released his cards and folded face up showing K♣ K♠. Shen knuckled the table as he was pushed the pot.

Action was joined with the board reading 5♦ 2♣ A♦ A♥ T♥ and Sorin Spataru had bet out enough to put Martin Sedlak all in.

Sedlak was in the tank for a while before he made the call and tabled K♦ T♦ but was way behind Spataru's A♠ K♥ and was sent to the rail.

Tian Lee raised to 6,000 from under the gun and action folded to Martin Astorga in the hijack who flat called. Chi Yeung in the small blind then three-bet to 22,000. Lee folded and Astorga four-bet all in and had Yeung covered. Yeung snap called.

Chi Yeung: A♥ K♥

Martin Astorga: K♠ J♥

A nice door card for Yeung on the A♣ 6♣ 8♦ flop to push him further ahead.

When the 8♠ turn and 8♣ river both bricked out he was pushed the pot for a massive double up.

Long Shiao made it 5,000 to play from under the gun only to face a three-bet to 25,000 all-in from Shao Tseng in the next seat. Action folded back around to Shiao who made the call.

Shao Tseng: A♣ K♦

Long Shiao: 5♥ 5♦

No help for Tseng on the T♣ 4♣ 3♥ flop nor the T♠ turn but when the dealer rolled off the K♠ as the river he hit his pair for a full double up.

Dmitrii Gnusaev raised from under the gun to 4,500 and action folded around to Kun Liao in the big blind who made the call.

The flop came 4♠ 2♠ 8♦, Liao checked and Gnusaev continued for 4,000. Liao made the call.

The dealer peeled off the 5♣ on the turn and Liao checked it over to Gnusaev for the second time who now bet out for 15,000. Liao instantly moved all in and Gnusaev instantly folded!

Jie Chew open jammed from under the gun for his last 12,500 and action folded around to Jongkwan Lee in the hijack who made the call.

Jie Chew: Q♥ Q♣

Jongkwan Lee: Q♠ J♥

A safe run out for Chew came of A♥ K♦ 2♠ 4♦ 5♠ and he was sent the pot for a full double up.

The floor have just announced that a total of 647 players entered Flight D and that the players will be playing down until 91 are left standing.

The final 91 players will then bag up their chips and carry them through to the final day tomorrow.

Hao Yen raised from the cutoff to 3,000 and found calls from Shuhei Nomura on the button and Kyota Henzan in the big blind.

The flop came 5♣ A♣ 2♣. Henzan and Yen checked to Nomura who fired out a bet of 7,000. Henzan called and Yen folded.

The turn brought the Q♣ and now Henzan fired out for 7,000 and Nomura made the call.

The dealer peeled off the 6♣ for the river and now both players checked.

Nomura tabled 5♥ 3♥ and Henzan 4♠ 2♠ and both played the board with a flush for a chopped pot!

Cards are back in the air for Flight D and the floor are just calculating how many will be played down to for the day.

Players are now on their second 15-minute break of the day.

Registration will close once play resumes.

The pot had been bloated to over 11,000 and the board read J♦ A♣ 8♠ 5♠. Shih Hu checked to Liam Jehu who bet out for 6,500. Hu called and the dealer flipped over the 2♥ as the river.

Hu checked again to Jehu who pushed out 20,000 which was enough to put Hu all-in. Hu went into the tank and used two time banks before he made the call and tables K♠ 8♦ for third pair which was good against Jehu's bluff with 3♠ 6♠.

Kit Chun jammed all in for 7,200 from under the gun and action folded around to Jing Huang in the small blind who came over the top to isolate and moved all in as well. The small blind folded.

Kit Chun: A♠ 5♥

Jing Huang: 9♠ 9♦

It didn't look pretty for Chun on the Q♦ 4♥ T♣ flop and he got no help on the 8♦ turn. Just as he stood up to leave the table the dealer peeled off the A♣ on the river to give him a higher pair and a full double up.

Daniel Smiljkovic opened to 2,000 from the cutoff and Chun Yau Lam shoved around 25,000 from the small blind. When it got back to Smiljkovic, he thought for just a few seconds before he called.

Chun Yau Lam: 8♥ 8♣

Daniel Smiljkovic: A♠ 9♥

Smiljkovic was in a flip and looking to beat the Snowmen of Lam, but instead it was his stacked that melted away some of its worth as the 7♥ T♠ 7♦ 5♣ 8♦ runout gave Lam a full house.

Smiljkovic will be looking to rebuild, but he is no stranger to grinding back in APT events. The German pro has posted several strong performances across the tour’s high roller and main tournament schedule, showing he can navigate tough Asian fields and apply pressure when it counts. With his experience and composure, he remains a dangerous presence despite the setback.

Sartsilp Chuaynum raised from late position to 1,600 and found calls from Yu Su on the button and Joel Loy in the big blind.

The flop came T♣ T♠ 2♥, Loy and Chuaynum checked to Su who bet out for 1,500. Chuaynum folded and Loy made the call.

The dealer peeled off the 9♠ as the turn and both players checked to see the J♥ come as the river.

Loy bet out for 5,500 and Su made the call but mucked her cards on seeing Loy table J♦ 2♦ for top two pair.

With over 10,000 sat in the middle and the board reading K♥ 5♠ 8♣ Q♥ Jinwoo Park bet out for 6,000 and was called by Koki Itabashi in the hijack. Feng Chua who was also in the hand folded.

The river brought the 7♣ and now Park bet out for 12,200.

Itabashi moved all in for 32,000 and Park snap called, tabling 8♥ 8♦ for a higher set than Itabashi's 5♥ 5♣ with bottom set.

Sheng Chen raised to 1,500 from early position and only to face a three-bet from Keisuke Tateda in middle position. Kuan Lee in the small blind and Chen folded.

The dealer rolled off the flop of 7♠ K♣ A♦ and both players checked to see the 3♠ drop on the turn. Lee led out for 3,300 and Tateda made the call.

The 2♣ peeled off on the river and Lee checked to Tateda who bet out for 6,500. Lee thought for a short while before releasing his hand to give Tateda the pot with no showdown.

Cards are back in the air for flight D with now 385 players registered.

The players are now on their first 15-minute break of the day.

Kok Leong raised to 1,000 from the cutoff and Puimast King on the button made the call. Yi Ke sat in the small blind then three-bet to 6,000 only to face a four-bet from Leong to 17,000. King exited stage left and Ke then five-bet all in for 39,100. Leong snap called.

Kok Leong: A♣ K♥

Yi Ke: Q♥ K♠

The flop came 8♦ J♦ T♠ causing Leong some concern, but when the Q♠ peeled off on the turn it made him a straight and left Ke drawing very thin to a chop.

The 7♠ brick dropped on the river to give Leong a full double up and left Ke with one one-hundred chip remaining.

Kim Chong raised to 2,000 from early position and action folded around to Kai Law on the button who made the call.

The flop came 7♠ 9♥ K♣ and Chong continued for 1,500. The action went check-check on the 2♥ turn and the dealer peeled off the 3♣ as the turn. Chong check-called Law's river bet of 2,000 and instantly mucked his cards when Law flipped over Q♣ Q♥ and Laqw was pushed the pot.

Shixiang Khoo, the 2023 APT Summer Series Danang Main Event champion, was back on the felt today as he jumped into Flight C of the National Cup Championship. He arrived in a calm and grounded mood, summing up his year with quiet honesty. “Yeah, it’s alright. This year, competition-wise, not so bad, not so so well,” he said with a small smile.

His start to the day felt steady too. “Yeah, it’s OK. For now it’s OK,” he noted, taking the early levels in stride as the room continued to fill around him.

Looking back on the two years since his career-defining win in Danang, Khoo spoke proudly about the growth he has witnessed at APT. “Oh, it’s definitely continued growing under great management. I feel that they have very good goals, and the scene in Asia has constantly been growing,” he explained.

He also highlighted the international shift he sees happening across the region. “Asia is the market to be at, where you see more Europeans coming over to play more poker. So we have to catch up on skills as well. We have to grind more hours, we have to have more associations within each country and within Asia itself to improve as a region.”

A♠ a past champion, that progress means a lot to him. “I’m hoping that we continue growing, APT continues growing, and as one of the champions, I’m very proud to be part of this competition as well.”

His first impressions of Red Space this time around were positive too. “Beautiful. The first time was freezing. This time around it’s much better. I brought such thick clothes this time around,” he joked.

Khoo plans to take on a strong schedule this series. “I’ll be playing the Main, all the key events, probably the Zodiac, but not the high roller ones,” he said. He also shared his humble outlook about continuing to improve. “Yeah, I feel that I still am lacking in some spaces of the game to be able to compete with players like Joseph and the better Singaporean players as well.”

Khoo settled back into his seat as Flight C continued, ready for a long grind and hoping to build another memorable run on APT soil. Good luck to him throughout the series.

The pot was sitting at around 7,000 and the flop of 8♠ 5♥ K♦ was fanned out across the table. Duy Hieu from middle position checked to Eui Cheun in late position who bet out for 1,500. Konstantin Urvantcev in the cut off called and Hieu folded.

The turn brought the 5♠. Cheun now checked and Urvantcev fired out for 2,500. Cheun called.

The dealer flipped over the 6♠ as the river and Cheun checked it again to Urvantcev who this time bet out for 6,000. Cheun thought for a while before releasing his hand to send the pot to Urvantcev with no showdown.

Shota Nakae raised to 600 from early position only to face a three-bet from Po Chao in the big blind to 2,500. Nakae counbtered with a four-bet to 6,600 and Chao made the call.

The flop came 6♣ 3♠ K♥ and Chao check-called Nakae's 8,000 continuation bet.

The dealer peeled off the 4♣ for the turn and Chao checked again to Nakae who fired out for 11,000. Chao went into the tank briefly before mucking his cards to send Nakae the pot uncontested.

Cheun Yip raised from the hijack to 800 and faced a three-bet to 1,600 from Jongkwan Lee on the button. Futa Murata in the big blind then four-bet to 6,200. Yip folded and Lee made the call.

The flop came 5♠ Q♥ 8♣ and Murata continued for 4,000. Lee made the call and the dealer rolled off the Q♣ as the turn. The action went check-check for the players to see the 3♥ come on the river.

Murata moved all in for 21,000 and Lee instantly mucked his cards.

Action was joined with 2,000 already in the pot and the flop fanned out A♥ 2♥ Q♣. Soo Kim checked from the big blind as did Yuji Ono from the cut off. Ping Feng in early position bet out for 1,500 and was called in both spots.

The turn came the 3♦ and again it was checked to Feng who then fired out for 4,000. Kim called, Ono folded.

The dealer rolled off the A♦ as the river and Kim checked again to Feng who again fired out now for 6,000. Kim made the call tabling A♣ J♥ and was streaks ahead of Feng's Q♣ 9♦ and was pushed the pot.

We are under way for Flight D of the National Cup Championship with 55 players already taking their seats.

Stay tuned for all the day's action in the penultimate flight of the opening event.

The penultimate starting flight of the National Cup Championship is upon us, here at Red Space 多元商務空間, Taipei.

Flight D of the opening event in the 2025 Asian Poker Tour Championship Festival kicks off at 4.30pm, in a semi-turbo format.

With the opening three flights already behind us (Flight C currently playing down to the money), the event has already pulled in (as at time of publishing) 1336 players who have ponied up the TWD 15,000 (~USD 490) buy-in to take their shot at a share of the massive TWD 12,000,000 (~USD 386k) guarantee.

The winner of the event will take home not only a tasty cash prize and the exclusive APT Championship Lion Trophy, but also pick up a seat into the APT Championship Main Event as an added bonus.

Players will start with 40,000 in chips and the blinds will start at 100/200 with a 200 big-blind ante. Levels are 20 minutes and the players will play down to the money (14%) before bagging up their chips to return tomorrow for the final day, when all starting flight survivors will combine to battle it out for the full prize pool and the coveted APT Championship Lion Trophy, and not forgetting the bonus seat into the APT Championship Main Event.

There will be a 15-minute break after every five levels during the late registration and re-entry period, which will be open until the commencement of Level 11 (approx. 8.20pm). Breaks will then be after every six levels. There is no scheduled dinner break.

Stay tuned for live coverage of all the day’s action from the opening event of what is primed to be a record-breaking APT Championship Festival.

For a full list of survivors and chip counts from previous flights click here > Flight A Flight B