National Cup Championship (15,000 TWD)

Inside Red Space, Taipei, the final chapter of the opening stages of the National Cup Championship unfolded as Flight E took its seat under the bright Friday night lights. Across 23 fast-paced 15-minute levels, the atmosphere never eased for a moment. A total of 343 entries jumped into the last-chance madness, and by the time chips were bagged, only 48 players had secured their place in Day 2.

Those final bags also confirmed a moment of genuine Asian Poker Tour (APT) history. The five opening flights combined for 2,398 entries (1,157 unique), officially making the APTC National Cup Championship the largest side-event ever run on the tour. The prize pool surged to TWD 29,855,675, shattering the TWD 12,000,000 guarantee and placing this tournament among the three richest non-High Roller events the APT has ever hosted.

Hong Kong’s Kevin Tang topped the Flight E counts with 1,233,000 chips after sealing his night by knocking out Wei Lun Wanh in the closing stages. Ting Chieh Yang followed in second with a strong 874,000, while Nicholas Go secured third place with 776,000 after eliminating Bao Qiang Ho on the bubble, completing a top-three lineup built on decisive late-night knockouts.

With 49 paid spots available, play moved into hand-for-hand mode, and the bubble burst in dramatic fashion as both Wanh and Ho were eliminated on separate tables at nearly the same moment, bringing the curtain down on the final starting flight and closing out a record-breaking start to the 2025 APTC.

Tang, who was one card away from elimination in the penultimate level, managed to bag the chip lead in fascinating circumstances. With just ten big blinds left, he got his ace-queen in preflop against the pocket jacks of Ryuichi Ikeda. Ikeda stayed ahead until the river, where an ace appeared to spark Tang’s late-night surge all the way to the top of the counts.

Hand-for-hand play then produced a rare double bubble. On one table, Wanh moved in from the cutoff with six-five and was called by Tang in the big blind holding ace-eight. Wanh paired up after the flop but was still trailing Tang’s flopped ace, and he could not find the improvement he needed to survive.

At the same time, on a different table, Ho was all in with pocket jacks against Go's pocket nines. Ho remained ahead through most of the board, but a devastating nine on the river sealed his elimination and locked up the money for the rest of the field.

For Go, the moment was unforgettable. His rail exploded the instant the nine hit, cheering so loudly that a couple of chairs were knocked over in the commotion. The timely knockout capped off a strong showing in Flight E and propelled him into a top-three finish with 776,000, giving him serious momentum heading into Day 2.

Other notables to make it through to Day 2 include Alan Lau (753,000), Konstantin Held (742,000), Matthias Lipp (603,000), Alan Pham (326,000), Joseph Sandaev (222,000), Nishant Sharma (210,000), and Dylan Foster (186,000).

For a full National Cup Championship Flight E Survivor List: Click here.

Day 2 gets underway at 11:15 a.m. with action resuming on Level 21 (8,000/16,000/16,000) and will play down to a winner with 30-minute blinds throughout the day.

Be sure to keep checking the APT blog for the latest updates and to see who can get their hands on a Pewter Lion trophy.

That's a wrap for the fifth and final flight of the National Cup Championship.

Stay tuned for a recap of the day's action.

After a few double-ups in hand-for-hand play, two players were eliminated simultaneously, bringing the rest of the field into the money.

First, Wei Lun Wanh shoved the cutoff for around 240,000 and big-stacked Kevin Tang called in the big blind.

Wei Lun Wanh: 6♣ 5♦

Kevin Tang: A♥ 8♦

Wanh needed to connect, and despite catching a pair on the K♦ 5♥ A♠ flop, he was still behind to the ace of Tang. Nothing changed on the 9♠ T♦ runout, and Wanh was eliminated.

On another table, Bao Qiang Ho had moved all in for around 200,000, and Nicholas Go had put him at risk with a bigger stack.

Bao Qiang Ho: J♠ J♣

Nicholas Go: 9♠ 9♥

If Ho could hang on with his pocket jacks, he would be in the money and hold a healthy stack. Go was screaming for a nine, but didn't find one on the 6♥ K♦ 8♠ flop. A 2♦ was also a brick, but a miraculous 9♣ river sent Go and his rail insane as he binked a set, sending Ho to the rail.

On the direct bubble, Winson Ho shoved his last 36,000 from early position and An Chi Tsai called without looking at his cards in the big blind.

Winson Ho: K♣ T♣

An Chi Tsai: 8♣ 4♣

Ho was ahead, and he stayed there through the A♥ 7♦ 7♠ 3♣ 6♠ runout, earning him some much-needed chips.

Ryuichi Ikeda was on the button and shoved around 240,000. Kevin Tang was in the small blind and committed his 200,000, and the two found themselves in a coinflip

Kevin Tang: A♦ Q♠

Ryuichi Ikeda: J♥ J♣

If Ikeda's jacks could hold, he would be within touching distance of a stack worth 500,000, and he was looking good for it through the 3♥ 5♦ K♠ flop. A 9♣ on the turn left Tang with one shot at survival, and he came in clutch as the A♥ river gave him a pair of aces.

"Not the Barry Greenstein," joked Dylan Foster on the same table.

Bao Qiang Ho was one card away from elimination, but found a river card that kept him alive.

Ho had his stack of around 115,000 in the middle preflop and had been put at risk by Austria's Matthias Lipp.

Bao Qiang Ho: A♠ K♥

Matthias Lipp: A♥ 9♣

Ho had the best of it, but fell behind on the 9♦ J♣ Q♦ flop as Lipp paired his nine. Ho did pick up a gutshot, and added some chop outs on the J♦ turn. An ace would also do the trick for Ho, but it was the K♣ that gave him a pair of kings and the double-up.

Dylan Foster just talked himself into a call, that he said even his mother would be proud of.

Jung An Chiang opened middle position and then called a three-bet from Foster, who was in the hijack.

"Let's battle," said Chuang.

They both saw the 8♦ 4♦ 2♣ flop and checked through to the J♣ turn, where Chuang announced a bet of 3,000, but put 30,000 in. Foster was actually conversing in quite impressive Chinese to Chuang, and said, "Let's stick to Chinese," before he called.

When the 5♥ river dropped, Chiang correctly announced his bet sizing in English and stuck out 50,000.

"I'm gonna give you a gift, I think," said Foster. "I'm very nice," he added.

"I think even my mother would be proud of this call," were Foster's final words before he finally put in the call.

Chuang then revealed A♠ J♦ for a pair of jacks, and Foster said "You win, of course" before he mucked.

Pocket aces are two cards that every poker player loves to see, and Chih Wei Cheng just put them to good use. He got his stack of just over 100,000 in from the small blind and was put at risk by Juwon Kim in the big blind.

Chih Wei Cheng: A♠ A♣

Juwon Kim: K♣ T♣

Cheng was hoping for a clean runout, and the 3♦ 5♥ 5♠ flop was as safe as they come. A 5♣ on the turn meant all was said and done, with the T♥ river giving Kim a little needle as he improved to an inferior full house.

It's not all bad news for Kim, though, as he still has around 275,000 to play with.

Players are heading on a 15-minute break.

When they return, the field will play down until just 49 remain, then the survivors will bag up ready for Day 2.

Min Sung Lee shoved around 50,000 from middle position and was put at risk by Teck Yeow Yap on the button.

Min Sung Lee: 9♠ 9♦

Teck Yeow Yap: A♥ Q♥

Lee was in a flip, which didn't seem to be going his way as Yap found an ace on the 8♣ A♣ J♠ flop. No nines appeared on the 3♠ 4♦ runout, and Lee was out

Tsai Yu Chun, who came second in the Mystery Bounty Hunter Event earlier this year at APT Taipei, just hit the rail.

Chun shoved from under the gun for 44,000 and was put at risk by Chih Feng Li, who was on the button.

Tsai Yu Chun: A♥ 9♠

Chih Feng Li: A♠ J♠

Chun had to come from behind, but the best he could really hope for after the A♣ J♣ K♣ flop was a chop. The 5♦ meant that was the only way he could stay alive, but it never happened as the Q♣ river sent him on his way.

Nishant Sharma is building a stack and just took down a decently-sized pot to add to it.

The flop read 7♦ 8♠ 6♣ and with around 40,000 in the middle, Hon Leung Ip checked it over before Sharma fired 17,000. Another player folded, then Ip dropped in the call.

A 6♦ paired the board on the turn and again Ip checked. Sharma didn't slow down and announced a bet of 25,000 before he put the chips in, which eventually got a fold out of Ip.

Currently, just 103 players remain in the hunt for a spot on Day 2.

Jinlong Hu and Jeffrey Ip just played out an awkward hand, which resulted in one of them playing with their cards exposed!

Hu had raised to 60,000, leaving just a few thousand behind, and Ip called thinking that his opponent had shoved, then revealed Q♠ J♠. However, Hu wasn't all-in, and now had the knowledge of what Ip was holding.

The floor were called and instructed the dealer to run a flop, which came 7♦ J♥ 3♣. Hu let out a smirk and got his last few chips in anyway, knowing he was behind with his A♣ Q♣.

An ace is what Hu needed, but none were to be seen on the 7♥ K♦ runout, which meant he hit the rail.

An unfortunate hand for the 2024 APT Phu Quoc Main Event winner, but he took it like a champion as he exited into the Taipei night.

Dylan Foster and Sparrow Cheung are two of the more notable players in Flight E, and they just clashed in a pot.

The action was picked up on the turn with the board reading 2♥ 5♠ 8♠ J♥ and around 40,000 in the pot. Cheung checked it over to Foster, who bet 25,500. After a short time, Cheung decided to let it go.

Both players are cruising at the moment, and are hovering with stacks around the 200,000-chip mark, which is way over the average right now.

Foster has no less than ten APT cashes in 2025, including a third-place finish in the APT Manila Classic Main Event, a win in a High Roller event in Incheon, and four top-six finishes at APT Jeju. Quite the run he's on!

On a board that looked almost too pretty to be real, K♠ A♠ A♣ K♣ K♥, the table could not help but lean in.

With around 25,000 already in the middle, Kai Yang led out for 5,000 from under the gun, only for Juns Leong to bump it up to 12,500 on the button. After a short ponder, Yang flicked in the call as the two players admired one of the most symmetrical boards they will see all festival.

Leong then turned over K♦ Q♥ for quads on a board that fully deserved a photo. Yang could only sigh, nod, and slide his cards into the muck, conceding one of the nicest looking pots of the day.

Hong Kong's Eui Ho Cheun just got a nice boost to his stack after his top pair held against Jan Liu Chi's flush draw.

On the 5♦ J♣ 3♣ flop, Chi got his short stack into the middle and was put at risk by Cheun.

Jan Liu Chi: Q♣ 5♣

Eui Ho Cheun: A♠ J♠

Chi had pair outs to go along with his flush draw, but it was brick city for him as the 8♦ T♠ runout meant he hit the rail.

After a flurry of late entries, it looks like the total number of runners in Flight E stands at 343. That brings the provisional total for the National Cup Championship up to 2,398 - a new APT record!

Below are some of the players who registered just before or during the break. The target number for today is 49, and when that number is reached, the survivors will bag up their chips ready for Day 2 tomorrow.

Jedidan Tan just doubled up through Daniel Donohue, which left the latter short. The chips went in preflop, with Tan's stack of around 32,000 at risk.

Jedidah Tan: 9♥ 9♦

Daniel Donohue: A♣ 5♣

Donohue needed to find an ace, but instead it was Tan who improved as she made a set on the K♥ 8♣ 6♦ 2♥ 9♠ runout.

Players are heading on a 15-minute break.

The tournament clock in this photo shows that there have been 2,318 entries in the National Cup Championship. That number has since grown by then and will continue to rise until registration closes at the start of Level 11.

With this, the previous APT side event record of 2,305 entries has officially been broken. The National Cup Championship now stands alone at the top, and the final total is still climbing.

And remember, this is only Event 1 of the festival. If the opening event is already rewriting the record books, the rest of APTC is shaping up to be something special.

Chi An Tsai is among the chip leaders as the first break approaches, and that was aided by a pot he just took down against Jongkwan Lee.

With around 15,000 in the pot on a 7♣ 2♥ K♣ 4♥ board, Lee check-called a bet of 13,500 from Tsai to see the 3♦ drop on the river. Both checked it down, and Lee showed A♥ Q♦ for ace-high.

Tsai had that beat with a pair of sevens as he flipped over 7♥ 6♥, and that sent his stack to around 120,000.

Liam Jehu, who only has three recorded cashes in Asia according to The Hendon Mob, all at APT Events, just took a huge leap towards cashing his fourth..

He had his stack of 43,000 in the middle preflop over a short-stacked shove from Henzan Kyota. Ni Ching Chieh also put in the chips, which put his two opponents at risk.

Henzan Kyota: 8♣ 5♥

Liam Jehu: J♠ J♦

Ni Ching Chieh: T♥ T♦

Jehu had the best of it preflop, and the J♥ 2♥ 7♠ flop all but sealed it for him as he made top set. The 7♥ turn gave him an unbeatable full house, which meant the A♠ river was just a formality.

There was an open from Chen Li Cheng under the gun, which Ho Yi Chang called from the hijack. Ran Ilani was on the button and three-bet to 7,000, which got Cheng to fold, but Chang called.

Despite the preflop action, it was checked to the river on the Q♦ T♥ K♥ 6♥ 4♥ board, where Chang check-called a bet of 4,000 from Ilani. Seconds later, Ilani rolled over 9♥ 9♣ for a flush, and Chang quickly mucked.

It's not all bad news for Chang, as he still has a stack of around 90,000 to work with, while Ilani's was boosted to around 45,000.

There was a raise from Gao Yu Xuan in early position, which Chou Chien Fa called from middle position. Jin Pou Hong bumped it up to 4,500 from the button, which Cheng Chih Wei called in the small blind. Both Xuan and Fa also called.

They went to a flop of T♦ 6♦ 9♥, which saw Hong continue for 8,000 when it got to him. Only Fa called to the 2♦ turn, where he check-called a bet of 13,000 from Hong.

Both players checked to showdown on the 9♠ river, where Fa rolled over 7♠ 7♦ for a pair of sevens. Hong had that beat with a pair of jacks holding J♦ J♣, and that earned him the pot.

A sick runout just played out, which benefited Dongwk Yeom massively.

Yeom held A♦ J♣ and was dominating the hand of Cheung Tin Hau, who held K♦ J♠.

The board of 8♥ K♠ J♥ J♦ favoured Hau as he made a full house, but the brutal A♣ river shocked the table as Yeom made a bigger full house to double up.

After the hand, Yeom was back to the start stack of 40,000, and Hau dropped to around 15,000.

Andreas Tomazou just had to send a chunk of his stack across the table in a cooler situation. The cards were already on their backs on a full board of 8♣ 3♠ 7♥ A♠ 7♦ and Tomazou had Q♠ 7♠ rolled over for trips.

Unfortunately for the Cypriot player, Lien Ying Huang held 8♠ 8♦ for a rivered full house, which was enough to see him claim the pot.

Max Deveson has started the day well and has around 60,000 already, but it could have been a lot more.

Deveson opened middle position and then called a three-bet of 3,500 from Cheng Chi Wa in the small blind. The flop came 8♦ T♦ 9♥ and Wa went into check-call mode when Deveson bet 3,000.

Wa check-called again for 3,000 on the J♦ turn, and then both checked it down on the 7♦ river.

Wa showed a straight with A♥ Q♠ , and chopped it up with Deveson as he revealed Q♣ J♠ for the same straight.

The National Cup Championship continues to surge, with the total field now reaching 2,055 entries from the first four flights, while Flight E just got underway. The energy inside Red Space has been electric all day as players stream in for their final chance to reach Sunday’s final day, pushing this event toward historic territory.

It is not a question of whether APTC will set records, but simply when. The number to beat is the all-time APT side event record of 2,305 entries, set right here in Taipei during the APT Taipei 2024 National Cup. With the gap now within touching distance and hundreds still battling in the last flight, the record is well and truly in sight.

Flight E just hit 100 entries...

Douglas Costa has taken his seat in the Turbo Flight E, and he has done it in undeniable style. The Italian player is rocking a purple hat that already turns heads, but the retro multi-coloured jacket is the real highlight. Bright blue, bold yellow sleeves, and a mix of colours that make it look like he walked straight out of a vintage arcade.

It is easily one of the wilder outfits of the day and a strong contender for best dressed and wackiest clothes of the entire festival. Whether it brings run good remains to be seen, but he has already won the fashion side of the closing flight.

There was a raise from Jin Pou Hong under the gun to 400, which Ching Chih Wei called in the next seat. Tsai Kai Jen then squeezed it up to 1,500 in the cutoff, which Anthony Young called in the small blind. Hong and Wei both called.

On the 2♠ 2♥ 6♠ flop, the action checked to Jen, who took it down with a simple continuation-bet of 2,000.

Cards are in the air for the fifth and final opening flight of the National Cup Championship, with 25 entries from the start.

That number will no doubt rise much, much higher.

The final starting flight of the National Cup Championship has arrived, with Flight E set to kick off at 8:30 p.m. inside Red Space, Taipei. This fifth and last chance to qualify comes in a fast-paced format, featuring 15-minute levels and a starting stack of 40,000 chips. The blinds open at 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante, and players will battle through the night in hopes of securing a seat for Sunday’s final day.

The numbers have been rising all weekend. Flight A brought in 461 entries, Flight B followed with 263, and Flight C surged to 684. At the time of writing, Flight D has already reached 400 entries with several levels of late registration still to come. This puts the running total at a massive 1,808 entries (and counting) before a single card is dealt in Flight E, with the TWD 12,000,000 guarantee on track to be completely overshadowed.

Late registration for Flight E will close at the start of Level 11, and as with every flight, the top 14 percent of the field will finish in the money and return on Sunday for the final day. With one last window left to qualify and the room buzzing with anticipation, Flight E is expected to draw a strong final wave of players looking to make a deep run.

Stay locked in right here for live updates, key hands, and all the action as the final flight gets underway.