Ultra Stack Championship (25,000 TWD)

The Asian Poker Tour Championship (APTC) continued today with the opening flight of the TWD 25,000 (~USD 812) Ultra Stack Championship, which drew 293 entries (254 unique), all packing into Red Space 多元商務空間 and battling it out at the tables over twenty 25-minute levels.

After a relatively short bubble period in Flight A, play concluded with a double elimination on the bubble. Filipino Michael Concepcion fell to Japan’s Hajime Watanabe and South Korea’s Hyeonsik Yun was eliminated by Thailand’s Teeraphat Rangkatekarn, ending both their dreams of making the Final Day.

The remaining 40 players have now bagged up their chips to carry through to the final day starting Wednesday, November 19th, and merge with the surviving players from the remaining five flights.

It was Japan’s Watanabe who closed out the flight with the chip lead, bagging a massive 1,831,000 chips. Trailing behind Watanabe was South Korea’s Jaeah Kim with 1,470.000 chips, and hot on Kim’s heels, rounding out the podium in third spot was Hong Kong’s Douglas Tak with 1,396,000 chips.

Watanabe picked up a big chunk of his stack by helping to burst the bubble when his pocket aces held against Concepcion’s pocket fives.

Kim & Tak were pretty active throughout the day, continuously building their stacks in various spots, but never really got involved in any huge clashes.

American Alfie Poetra is sitting pretty in fourth spot with 1,349,000 chips and will be hoping to make a deep run to take his lifetime earnings across the USD 1,000,000 milestone.

Second on Japan’s All-Time Money List and multiple APT title holder, Jun Obara, has a healthy 1,304,000 in chips sitting in fifth spot and will be looking to close in on the USD 7,500,000 lifetime earnings mark.

Multiple APT title holder Thailand’s Sukhum Kiwanont, finished up in eighth place with 1,071,000 in chips and will be aiming to put his hands on his first APT Championship Lion Trophy.

Natural8 Ambassador Hua-Wei Lin made it through the day with 467,000 and will be aiming to take her lifetime earnings to near the USD 750,000 mark.

The ever-active and jovial, Rangkatekarn, made it through to his second final day of a Championship Event here in Taipei, after qualifying for Day 2 of the National Cup Championship with a monster stack. The Thai player will bring through 992,000 in chips and sits just outside the top ten.

For a full Ultra Stack Championship Flight A Survivor List: Click here.

There are three remaining flights for the event on Tuesday, November 18th, with two flights also currently playing down to the money at the time of writing. All survivors will merge for the final day on Wednesday, November 19th and play down to a winner.

Keep your eyes glued to the APT blog for all the latest updates from the floor inside Red Space, Taipei.

With the double bust out on the bubble only 40 players have survived to day 2 and will make the money.

These remaining 40 players are now bagging up their chips to take through to day 2 on November 19th.

Stay tuned for a recap of today's action with full survivor chip counts.

During the hand-for-hand action, two players were eliminated on the bubble.

Everything was decided pre-flop in early position on the bubble of this Flight A. Michael Concepcion, under the gun, opened to 100,000 before being 3-bet to 250,000 by Hajime Watanabe sitting to his left. Concepcion shoved his stack with pocket 5♠ 5♦. Better armed with pocket rockets A♦ A♥, Watanabe called instantly.

The board offered Concepcion no chance, and he stood up before all the cards were fully revealed.

Board: A♣ K♣ 6♠ 6♣ 4♣

Hyeonsik Yun moved all in for 225,000 from late position and was called by Teeraphat Rangkatekarn on the button. The blinds folded quickly.

Hyeonsik Yun: Q♦ Q♥

Teeraphat Rangkatekarn: A♣ J♠

Not the flop Yun wanted to see when it came T♥ A♦ 2♥ and he needed to hit a queen or running straight cards to stay alive.

The 5♦ on the turn did not help and when the J♣ peeled off on the river Yun was sent to the rail as the bubble boy.

Kai Hsu made it 300,000 to play from under the gun leaving himself just one 1,000 chip behind and action folded around to Hyosung Kim on the button who made the call.

The flop came A♥ T♦ 6♥ and after watching the clock tick down to one second Hsu checked. Kim tossed in a minimum bet of 40,000 and again Hsu let the clock run down before he tossed in his solitary chip to make the call.

Kai Hsu: A♣ 9♦

Hyosung Kim: 5♥ 5♦

The 3♠ dropped on the turn and gave Hsu some additional cards to dodge but when the 7♥ peeled off on the turn he survived for a full double up.

All action started with a pre-flop open from Ka Him Li in early position for 60,000, followed by calls from Ran Ilani in middle position and Zin Wee Lee on the button. Chien Chih Weng in the small blind then shoved her 411,000 chips into the middle. Li folded, while Ilani reshoved his massive seven-figure stack, forcing Lee to fold.

Heads-Up: Weng K♣ K♥, Ilani 8♣ 8♥

The board quickly ended Ilani’s hopes as the dealer flipped a K♦ on the flop, followed by 3♣ 2♣ T♥ 4♦.

Action folded to Frankie Cucchiara in the hijack who raised to 70,000. Tom Eady on the button pushed in all his time banks and the dealer pulled all of these in before Eady moved all in for 175,000 . The blinds folded and Cucchiara called leaving himself just 51,000 behind.

Frankie Cucchiara: A♠ Q♥

Tom Eady: A♥ 3♥

A dangerous looking flop came for Cucchiara of 6♥ K♣ 8♥. The turn of 2♦ was safe for him but when the 2♥ came on the river Eady made his flush and was sent the pot leaving Cucchiara with a bowl of rice.

Action folded to Chao Cheng in the hijack who raised to 140,000, leaving just 20,000 behind. Chamanan Arthachinta on the button then moved all in and had Cheng covered. Cheng snap called.

Chao Cheng: K♣ K♠

Chamanan Arthachinta: A♠ Q♠

Some help for Arthachinta on the Q♦ 4♦ 6♠ flop, but when the K♦ dropped on the turn to give Cheng a set, he was drawing dead. The irrelevant 4♠ came on the river to seal the deal and give Cheng a full double up.

All players folded around the table until it was Eunjung Sim’s turn in the small blind, who pushed her entire stack into the middle and was called immediately by Manapat Chuchaisri, holding a bigger stack in the big blind.

Eunjung Sim: 6♠ 9♠

Manapat Chuchaisri: K♠ J♠

Having lost any hope of hitting a flush, Sim could only rely on a 6 or 9 to stay alive in the tournament.

The 6♦ 2♠ A♥ flop connected with her six and the 3♦ turn still offered her a possible win.

Unfortunately, the brutal river Q♦ gave Chuchaisri a superior pair, ending Sim’s run.

Chao Ting Chen opened first for 20,000 under the gun. On the button, Kim Fernandez 3-bet to 40,000, only to face a 4-bet from Frank Cucchiara in the big blind. Chen wasn’t done—he shoved a 5-bet all-in with K♠ J♦. Fernandez folded, while Cucchiara, covered by Chen, took the risk and committed his entire stack with A♣ 3♠.

The flop smiled on Cucchiara, and he doubled up with a straight completed by the turn on a board 5♥ 8♦ 4♣ 2♣ A♦.

Players are now on another 15-minute break.

Just twenty minutes after sending Rusty Co to the rail with J♠ K♥, Howard Tang remained firmly in control at his seat, keeping a sharp eye on the action at his table. With a comfortable stack, he continued to pressure the short stacks and once again came out on top in a heads-up confrontation with a K J offsuit very similar to the hand that had busted Co.

This time, Sei Taniguchi fell victim. His pocket pair 5♣ 5♥ couldn’t withstand Tang’s J♠ K♣. The dealer spread a board of 4♣ 7♥ J♦ Q♥ A♦, securing another big pot for Tang.

Taniguchi exits the tournament, leaving 25 more eliminations before the bubble.

Him Li raised from under the gun to 35,000 and action folded to Witoon Ittiphuritat on the button who made the call.

The flop came 6♥ 9♠ 3♠ and the action went check-check for the dealer to peel off the T♠ as the turn. Li bet out for 25,000 and Ittiphuritat made the call.

The J♠ dropped on the river and both players checked, Li tabled A♦ T♦ for second pair and Ittiphuritat mucked his cards sending Li the pot.

Andres Vasquez raised to 24,000 from under the gun and found calls from Howard Tang on the button, Victor Chen in the small blind and Yee Chan in the big blind.

The flop came 3♠ 7♠ J♦ and it was checked to Vasquez, who continued for 54,000. Tang called, and the blinds both folded.

The turn brought the 6♥ and Vasquez now checked it to Tang, who fired out for 80,000, sending Vasquez into the tank. He used two time banks and then moved all in for 341,000.

Tang went deep into the tank and also used two time banks, debating if to make the call for almost his entire stack. He thought better of it and released his cards, sending Vasquez the pot uncontested.

All the action in this hand took place pre-flop.

Howard Tang opened to 24,000 from the cutoff, and Rusty Co in the big blind shoved his entire stack of 130,000 with pocket sevens 7♣ 7♦.

Holding K♥ J♠ and a comfortable stack, Tang elected to call.

The call paid off, as Tang paired his kings when the dealer ran out the board 6♠ 8♥ Q♦ J♦ T♠.

Tang now sits with a stack exceeding half a million in chips, while Co was sent to the rail.

Thai actor and rising poker figure Napat Chokejindachai, better known as “Top,” returned to Taipei this week with the same enthusiasm that has carried him across Asia’s growing poker circuit. His history with APT Taipei goes back to 2023, where he scored both his first APT cash and his first APT trophy, and he has watched the tour evolve rapidly since then. “The biggest change in the APT since then is that it’s more and more fun. Bigger crowd, bigger prize pools. And the structure is very good, too,” he said.

Taiwan itself remains a special stop for him. “Taiwan is always my second home. The people, the food, and of course, boba tea. Just three and a half hours away from Bangkok, it's a superb poker destination,” he shared with a grin. Red Space, the home of this APT Championship series, has also left an impression, though he offered a candid take on the venue. “To be honest, Red Space is a bit low ceiling to me. But after a big renovation, the airflow is a lot better."

Top’s strongest result on the APT stage came later in 2023 at APT Incheon, where he reached the Main Event final table and finished in third place. The final three traded the chip lead multiple times before he ran pocket threes into his opponents' pocket fives. With no help on the runout, he bowed out in third for KRW 222,200,000 ( ~$168,050), which remains his career-best cash to date. Of his eight recorded live final tables, seven have come at APT stops, underlining just how closely his rise in poker has been tied to the tour.

Balancing poker with his acting and hosting career has not always been simple, especially with the fast-paced entertainment scene back home. “It’s a bit hard to balance poker life because once you fly away from Bangkok, you lose an opportunity to host a lot of events that occur there. But, sacrifice has to be made to chase your dreams,” he explained. “I wanna be grinding when I’m young and in my early 30s, that's better than flying around in my 50s. So yeah, I only focus on all APT stops and WSOP in Vegas. That should do for a year.”

Top also spoke about the complicated legal situation surrounding poker in Thailand. “It’s indeed a rollercoaster, yes. Our government changes things a lot and fast. We do what we can do as the largest poker community in Thailand, as Taenaatak,” he said. Despite the uncertainty, he remains optimistic about the long-term future. “I don’t mind playing around Asia. It’s better than competing in Thailand, but you have to keep looking back over your shoulder all the time. Let's hope everything is 100 percent clear. If it is, I guarantee it’s gonna be the best poker destination in Asia, or even in the world.”

as for his APTC plans, Top is keeping things straightforward. “My plan for APTC is simple. Have fun and play the best poker of my life,” he said. “As I speak, I’m playing Ultra Stack. Firing one bullet each in Natural Cup and Mystery, but no dice. Will be playing the $3k freezeout and heading back home. Sadly, I can’t play the $10k due to my schedule.”

Top remains one of the most recognizable personalities at stops across the region, and his passion for the game continues to grow with every series. With a packed schedule and a positive mindset, he is ready to make the most of his time in Taipei once again.

Two Players Go Head-to-Head to See a K♦ A♦ 5♦ Flop

Manapat Chuchaisri in the small blind check-called the 20,000 bet from Chia Yun Wu in the big blind.

Same scenario on the 2♠ turn — check-call from Chuchaisri, while Wu fired 30,000.

When the dealer completed the board with the 8♠ on the river, Chuchaisri checked again, but Wu instantly shoved. Chuchaisri quickly called with top pair A♣ T♠, but Wu had flopped a flush with T♦ 3♦, allowing him to double up. Both players now have very similar stacks, slightly below the average.

Action folded to Jun Yeo on the button, who raised to 20,000 only for Eunjung Sim to three-bet all in from the big blind, and she had Yeo covered. Yeo snap called.

Jun Yeo: K♦ K♠

Eunjung Sim: K♣ Q♣

Some help for Sim on the 4♦ Q♦ 4♥ flop but when the 4♠ turn and 7♣ river bricked out, Yeo was sent the pot for a full double up.

Kai Hsu raised from early position to 20,000, and action folded around to Kim Fernandez in middle position, who made the call. Hao Wang in late position then three-bet all in for 62,000. Hsu four-bet all in to isolate and had Fernandez covered. Fernandez folded quickly.

Hao Wang: 9♣ 9♦

Kai Hsu: A♥ T♠

A safe flop for Wang came of 3♥ 6♣ 8♣ but when the T♦ dropped on the turn he was in trouble and needed help. No such luck on the 3♦ river and Wang was sent to the rail.

The 15-minute break is over, and Flight A of the Ultra Stack Championship is back in action at Level 15 and 115 players remain.

Players are now on their next 15-minute break.

The pot had already climbed to around 40,000 after the flop 2♥ 8♥ 8♠.

On the turn, the dealer peeled the T♦.

From the big blind, Sho Fujiki fired 28,000. Ryota Tamaguchi under the gun and Hyeonsik Yun in the cutoff both called to see the river.

The last card on the board was the K♠.

Fujiki kept the lead and slid 47,000 chips into the middle. Tamaguchi responded by announcing all-in, and Yun quickly came along. Sensing danger, Fujiki took a few moments, used a time bank, and ultimately folded, leaving the showdown to the two remaining players.

Tamaguchi tabled A♣ 8♣ for flopped trips, but Yun had improved to a superior set, allowing him to scoop a massive pot and send Tamaguchi straight to the rail.

With a stack of 572,000, Yun now has more than double the average stack of 225,000.

Noa Aki raised it up to 16,000 from the middle position only to face a three-bet from Aramis Basegio in the next seat. Action then folded back around to Aki who four-bet all in and Basegio had his chips in the middle before Aki could get his in there!

Noa Aki: A♥ A♣

Aramis Basegio: A♦ A♠

No crazy shenanigans on the 5♠ T♦ K♦ K♥ J♥ run out and the pot was chopped.

Sakan Dhangwatnotai raised to 16,000 from under the gun only to face a three-bet all-in to 54,000 from Jose Costa in the next seat. Action folded around to Sho Fujiki in the small blind who also moved all in and had both players covered. Dhangwatnotai reluctantly made the call for his final 13,000.

Sakan Dhangwatnotai: A♣ 9♥

Jose Costa: A♦ T♠

Sho Fujiki: J♠ 9♠

Costa was happy when he saw the 5♠ T♦ K♦ flop and also the K♥ turn but then not so happy when the dealer peeled off the J♥ on the river and gave Fujiki a higher two pair to send both the other players to the rail.

The dealer fanned a flop of 9♣ 3♦ 8♠, followed by the 9♦ on the turn.

Chun Shing Lau fired 14,000, and Hyosung Kim called on the button.

The river brought the K♣.

Lau attempted to steal the pot with a bet of 31,000 holding a missed straight draw Q♥ T♠. Kim tanked for a long moment, searching for a clue in Lau’s demeanor, before eventually placing in the calling chip. He also held a missed straight draw, but his hand A♠ J♣ was still ahead of Lau’s. Kim dragged the pot as several players at the table looked on in disbelief.

Action folded to Frankie Cucchiara in late position, who made it 10,000 to play, only to see a three-bet from Yi Wang in the small blind to 25,000. Cucchiara made the call.

The flop came 7♠ J♥ 9♣ and Wang continued for 20,000. Cucchiara called.

The turn brought the 7♥ and now Wang checked to Cucchiara, who fired out a pot-sized bet of 90,000. Wang thought for a while and folded his hand.

It had all begun on a flop 5♥ Q♥ 2♠.

Nicholas Go opened to 9,000 from middle position, and Konstantin Held responded with a 3-bet to 44,000. Go completed the difference to see the turn.

The dealer revealed a J♣.

Go continued for 28,000, and Held made the call.

The river brought the K♦.

Go announced all-in. Held took a few moments before calling off his remaining 83,000 with A♠ K♣. That was enough to beat Go’s small pair, as he tabled 5♦ 6♦.

The floor have made their calculations and announced that the flight had 293 total entries and play will contine until 41 players remain.

The remaining 41 players will then bag up their chips to take through to the final day on November 19th.

In some blind vs blind, action Vachiravit Paisarnkulwong raised to 8,000 in the small blind and was looked up by Rusty Co in the big blind.

The flop came Q♠ 2♥ 5♣ and Paisarnkulwong continued for 4,000. Co made the call and the dealer peeled off the 6♠ as the turn.

The action went check-check and the J♠ came on the river. Paisarnkulwong moved all in for 40,000 and after thinking for a short while, Co released his cards.

Rishi Mehra raised to 9,000 from under the gun only for Tom Eady to three-bet to 25,000 from the next seat.

Action folded around to Hua Wei, who called all in from the small blind. Mehra flat-called.

The flop came Q♦ 8♠ 3♥ and the action went check-check for the dealer to peel off the A♣ as the turn. Mehra checked to Eady, who fired out for 16,000. Mehra thought for a short while and then moved all in for 119,000, which sent Eady deep into the tank. The dealer pulled in two of Eady's time banks before he reluctantly folded his cards.

Hua Wei: K♦ T♦

Rishi Mehra: A♦ J♠

No miracle straight for Wei on the 8♦ river and he was sent to the rail.

The 15-minute break is over, and the tournament is set to resume at Level 11.

Players are now on their last 15-minute break before late registration and re-entries close.

Under the gun, Sangbeom Lim opened with a 10,000 bet on a flop of 4♦ Q♥ 3♦. Kai Cheng Hsu, seated in middle position, called to see the next card.

The turn came T♣. Lim checked, and Hsu fired 23,000. Lim opted to call.

On the river, the dealer completed the board with a 9♠. Lim checked again, before Hsu decided to put his tournament at risk, pushing his entire stack of 83,600 chips into the middle. Lim found himself in a tough spot, rearranging his chips, setting aside 86,300 to see what he had left, and used one time bank, then a second. Eventually, he called with a pair of Jacks J♣ J♦, a hand that wasn’t enough to take the pot. Hsu revealed 3♣ 3♠, claiming the pot with a set of threes.

WIth the board of 7♠ 9♣ Q♣ 6♣ spread out across the table and around 40,000 sat in the pot, Hua Wei Lin moved all in for her last 9,600. Ittipakorn Nuttawt snap called.

Hua Wei Lin: J♦ 9♥

Ittipakorn Nuttawt: 6♥ 6♦

No help for Lin on the K♣ river and she was sent to the rail.

Frankie Cucchiara raised to 5,500 from the cutoff only for Hsiang Huang to three-bet to 15,000 from the button. Action folded to Brian Ku in the big blind who four-bet to 40,000.

Cucchiara exited stage left and Huang five-bet all in for 90,400. Ku snap called.

Hsiang Huang: A♥ K♠

Brian Ku: T♠ T♣

A safe flop for Ku came of 6♥ 4♦ 8♣ but when the A♣ peeled off on the turn he needed some help. The river bricked out with the 4♥ and Huang was shipped the pot for a full double up and more.

All players folded to the button, where Kammatep Kanchanapamornpat opened to 4,000. In the big blind, Min Wei Wu three-bet to 17,000, and Kanchanapamornpat called to see a flop of 4♦ K♥ 9♥.

Wu fired a second barrel of 13,000, which was called.

The dealer peeled a 2♠ on the turn.

Wu continued his aggression with a hefty bet of 35,000. This time, Kanchanapamornpat folded, sending his cards to the muck, and Wu scooped the entire pot.

With 12,000 sat in the pot, the board read 4♦ 6♠ 5♦ 8♠ and Wei Ku bet out for 10,000 from the small blind. Aditya Agarwal made the call from the button and the dealer flipped over the 6♥ as the river.

Ku moved all in and had Agarwal covered who snap-called, tabling 6♣ 5♣ for a rivered full house which had got there against Ku's straight with 9♥ 7♣.

Ka Chun Kan opened under the gun for 3,500, only to be immediately three-bet to 10,000 by Kiyoung Kim on his left. Derek Chen on the button completed to see the flop.

The dealer spread a J♦ 4♥ 3♠ flop. Kan checked, Kim fired 5,000, Chen called, but Kan folded.

The 9♥ hit the turn. Kim continued with a 25,000 bet, and Chen stayed in the hand.

The river 7♥ completed a three-heart board. Kim decided to show strength, shoving his remaining 78,200 chips into the middle. Chen took some time, used a Time Bank, and finally tossed a chip in to call.

He revealed T♥ T♦, but it wasn’t enough as Kim turned over the nut flush A♥ Q♥ to take the massive pot.

After some pre-flop raising battles had occurred, the pot stood at over 30,000, and the dealer peeled off the flop of A♣ 5♥ 7♠. Wei Ku checked from middle position to Napat Chokejindachai on the button, who fired out for 7,000.

Ku made the call and the 3♥ came on the turn and the action went check-check as it did on the Q♣ river. Ku tabled A♠ T♠ for top pair and was pushed the healthy pot as Chokejindachai mucked his cards.

Sandagdorj Munkhbaatar raised from the button to 2,500, and Alexander Charron flat called from the small blind. Yeung Leung, sat in the big blind, then three-bet to 10,000. Munkhbaatar folded and Charron made the call.

The flop came J♣ 4♣ 5♠ and Charron check-called Leung's 11,000 continuation bet.

The 3♠ peeled off on the turn, and Charron again checked it to Leung, who moved all in for 36,400. Charron pushed in one time bank and then made the call.

Yeung Leung: A♣ A♠

Alexander Charron: 6♥ 6♦

No help for Charron on the 8♣ river, and Leung was sent the pot for a full double up.

The pot had grown to around 35,000 on a board 8♦ 6♠ J♣ A♠ 4♦.

Under the gun, Ka Him Li, holding a stack smaller than the pot, decided to shove all in. Yiu Yeung Leung, seated at the hijack, took a few moments to read his opponent before ultimately folding.

Ka Him Li revealed 8♠ 8♣ for a set, showing the table that his move was far from a bluff.

With over 25,000 up for grabs in the middle, a board of T♥ A♣ 2♣ 9♥ was spread out across the table.

Nattamon Kaweesorasak check-called Son Sungwoo's 12,000 bet and the players saw the 7♣ peel off as the river card.

Kaweesorasak bet out for 25,000 and instantly mucked her cards when Sungwoo tossed in the call and the pot was shipped to Sungwoo.

After a 15-minute break, the players returned to their seats and resumed at Level 6 with blinds 600 / 1,200 and a big blind ante of 1,200.

Several players have already built a super-ultra stack.

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

The field has now swollen to over 100 players are is increasing every minute.

With about 6,000 sat out in the middle, the flop read K♦ 8♣ 7♦ and Yongcing Zeng led out from the small blind for 3,800. Wai Cheung raised to 8,500 from early position, and Zeng made the call.

The dealer flipped over the 3♥ as the turn, and now Zeng checked it over to Cheung, who bet out for 17,000. Zheng made the call.

The river brought the T♦ and both players checked. Zeng tabled A♥ K♠ but was way behind to Cheung with 7♣ 7♥ and a flopped set.

There was over 20,000 sat in the middle, and the board read T♠ K♣ 3♦ 8♦. Juwon Kim checked to Jaeah Kim, who bet out for 10,000. Juwon Kim made the call.

The river brought the 9♥ and Juwon Kim checked again to Jaeah Kim who now fired out for 25,000. Juwon Kim thought for a short while and then tossed in the call tabling T♦ 5♥ after Jaeah Kim sheepishly turned over his total air holding A♣ 5♣ and Juwon Kim was pushed the sizeable pot.

Several players pumped up the action preflop — 2,500, then 8,000, then 25,000 — until Wai Tyng Cheung in the small blind decided to rip his entire stack into the middle with A♦ Q♠.

Holding the bullets A♠ A♥ Wongyun Lee in early position snap-called without a second thought.

The dealer spread a clean runout of 9♠ 5♠ K♦ 3♥ 6♥, bringing no sweat for Lee. His aces held with ease, scooping the full pot and doubling his ultra stack, while Cheung was left short.

Three players checked the flop 2♦ J♠ Q♣.

On the 8♣ turn, Eunhye Yang, opening under the gun, took the lead with a bet of 4,500, which was called by Jakkapong Apirattanachot in middle position. From the hijack, Chia Wei Kuo raised to 14,000. Yang and Apirattanachot called to see the river.

The dealer peeled a 4♠ to complete the board. Yang checked, and Kuo fired a massive 45,000-chip bet, putting maximum pressure on his opponents. Both Yang and Apirattanachot released their hands, allowing Kuo to scoop the full pot and extend his stack.

Guang Tan raised from early position to 1,500 and found calls from Peter Bennett in the next seat and Wongyun Lee in the big blind.

The flop came T♣ Q♥ Q♣, Tan checked and Bennett bet out for 2,500. Lee folded and Tan made the call.

The turn brought the 4♠ and now Tan check-raised Bennett's bet of 7,000 to 15,000. Bennett called.

The action went check-check on the 5♣ river and Tan tabled A♦ Q♦ and was sent the pot as Bennett sent his cards into the muck.

With over 8,000 in the pot, the flop of 8♣ 8♦ Q♣ was spread out by the dealer. Jaeah Kim checked to Konstantinos Stroulis who bet out for 3,000. Kim made the call and both players checked the J♠ which came on the turn.

Rinse and repeat on the A♥ river and Kim tabled A♣ 7♥ to claim the pot.

Action was checked around on the flop of J♥ 2♥ 6♦ and the players saw the A♦ come on the turn.

Guang Tan in the big blind bet out for 1,500 and was looked up by Chi Choi in the cutoff.

The dealer flipped over the T♣ as the river, and Tan now checked to Choi, who fired out a bet of 6,000. Tan thought for a while and then released his cards to send Choi the pot with no showdown.

Three players paid 2,000 to see a flop of 4♠ 7♦ 8♠. Juwon Kim, who had opened under the gun, led for 1,000. Jaeah Kim called from the hijack, and Kim Gyuman raised to 10,000 on the button. Juwon Kim called, while Jaeah Kim opted to fold.

The turn brought the A♠, and Juwon Kim fired 8,000, receiving a snap-call from Gyuman.

A fourth spade completed the board on the river with the K♠. Juwon Kim bet 10,000, only for Gyuman to respond with a 55,100 overbet. Juwon Kim didn’t spend much time thinking it over before mucking, and the dealer pushed the pot to Gyuman.

Action is relatively slow to start the day as we await additional players to join the event.

Juwon Kim raised to 800 from middle position and found a call from Kit Lo in the big blind.

The flop came 8♦ 3♥ J♥ and Lo checked to Kim who continued for 800, Lo called.

The turn brought the 6♦ and Lo checked it over to Kim again who bet out for 2,100 now. Lo thought for a while and mucked his hand.

Players have taken their seats with their 100,000-chip ultra stacks, and the dealers have pitched the first hand of the day. Level 1 is now underway, featuring 25-minute levels with blinds at 200/400 and a 400 big blind ante.

Flight A of the Ultra Stack Championship is set to begin at 11am local time at Red Space Taipei.

This will be the first of six available starting flights for this event, which features a TWD 25,000 (~USD 825) buy-in and a guaranteed prize pool of TWD 20,000,000 (~USD 660,000).

Players will start with 100,000 chips, giving them plenty of room to adjust their strategy throughout the 25-minute levels. The tournament will open with blinds at 200/400 and a 400 big blind ante.

Registration will remain open until the start of Level 11, at approximately 3:40pm.

The top 14 percent of players who make it through their flight will already be in the money and will return for the Final Day, scheduled for Wednesday, November 19 at 11am. The champion will also be awarded a bonus ticket to the ATP Championship Main Event.

Stay tuned for full updates as this tournament promises ultra excitement from start to finish!