APT Main Event (2,500,000 KRW)

With high anticipation since 2023, APT made its grand return to Paradise City Casino, kicking off the punishing marathon KRW 2,500,000 APT Incheon Main Event with the first starting flight. After ten grueling 60-minute levels, Day 1 Flight A has officially written its chapter in the history books.

Drawing significant attention, Flight A attracted a field of 250 entries. Fueled by ambition and unrelenting spirit, only 89 players emerged from the battlefield to bag their chips and keep the dream alive.

Leading the pack is Taiwan’s Chi Hsiang Chiu, fresh off a 17th-place finish in the National Cup just yesterday. Riding that momentum, he soared to the top with a commanding stack of 540,000 — the only player to cross the half-million mark by day’s end.

Japan’s Takumi Nakayama also impressed, bagging 306,000 in chips. Despite being cut down by Xinzhao Yuan’s bottom pair in the penultimate level, Nakayama held firm under pressure, showcasing poise and resilience to secure the second spot on the leaderboard.

Rounding out the top three is Nakayama’s compatriot, Shibuya Ryohei, who quietly built momentum throughout the day and bagged 282,600 chips, securing his seat in Day 2 with a confident stride.

All three top contenders are still in pursuit of their first APT title and have built solid stacks to set themselves up well for Day 2.

Similar to today’s chip leader, Min Sung Lee (118,300) carried strong momentum into the Main Event after leading Day 1A of the National Cup and ultimately finishing third. He maintained that rhythm and closed out Day 1A in solid form.

Bayarkhuu Batbayar (179,800) kicked off his day with a bang, securing an early elimination in Level 2 by cracking Zhuoqun Zhang’s queens with pocket eights — finding salvation on the river to complete a set.

Batbayar maintained his momentum throughout the night, later collecting another knockout against Qian Wu with runner-runner trips, rounding out a solid Day 1 performance.

More heavy names outside of the top ten leaderboard are multiple APT champion Abraham Ceesvin (157,700), 2024 APT Phu Quoc High Roller winner Jason Lau (151,300), 2024 APT Taipei Last Chance High Roller champion Hon Cheong Lee (101,200), and Jianfeng Sun (45,600), who boasts over half a million in live earnings.

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

Flight B of the Main Event kicks off tomorrow at 11 a.m. (local time), featuring six 45-minute levels followed by four 60-minute levels.

Stay tuned with us for more thrilling poker action and updates.

89 players has navigated through ten gruelling 1-hour levels and now are bagging up their chips for the day.

Stay tuned for a recap of Main Event Flight A's action.

From middle position, Australian player James Naisbitt opened the action. Kookchunantoine Priniotakis called from the small blind, and the big blind came along as well.

The dealer spread a flop of K♦ 8♣ 6♠, and action checked to Naisbitt, who fired a continuation bet of 4,000. Priniotakis made the call, while the big blind got out of the way.

The 5♦ landed on the turn. Undeterred, Naisbitt continued his aggression with a second barrel of 7,500. Priniotakis called once again.

The river brought the seemingly harmless 2♣, and both players checked it down.

Naisbitt tabled 8♦ 7♦ for second pair, which was enough to take down the pot.

The action was picked up on the turn with a board reading K♣ 8♠ 4♠ 5♣ and around 110,000 chips in the middle. Yunfeng Sun checked the big blind to Tong Li, who also knuckled it back from middle position.

Both players saw a board-pairing 8♣ river and it went check-check again.

Yufeng Sun revealed 6♦ 4♦, hoping the his four worked well to collect the pot; however, Li also tabled a four with J♥ 4♥, making it a chop hand.

We picked up the action on the turn, with Vietnamese player Van Pham betting 8,000 into a pot of approximately 18,000. Yuan Liu, on the button, made the call before Go Yanagida raised to 30,000, leaving himself with just 18,000 behind. After a brief pause, only Pham continued.

The river completed the board: A♠ T♥ 4♣ J♠ 6♠. Yanagida slowed down and checked—but Pham wasn’t about to offer a free showdown. He moved all-in, putting maximum pressure on the short-stacked Yanagida.

After some thought, Yanagida decided to fold, conceding the pot to Pham without a showdown.

Tong Li made it 2,800 to go from the cutoff and Zhentao Long defended from the big blind.

Both player checked through when the flop came K♦ T♣ Q♦, bringing up flush and straight draw possibilities.

Long fired 3,600 after seeing a 2♠ hit on the turn, which was enough to take down the pot as Li returned his cards to the dealer.

With around 6,000 chips in the middle, a flop read 9♦ 7♣ 5♦. Both Jiaxin Wang from the big blind and Shitaro Kobori in the hijack checked through.

When the 7♦ landed on the turn, Wang fired out 4,000, which was enough to collect the pot as Kobori let go of his cards.

After opening preflop from middle-position, Takumi Nakayama put out a continuation bet of 2,300 against Xinzhao Yuan in the big-blind. The flop read K♠ 3♠ 2♥ and Yuan responded with a raise to 6,500. Nakayama then moved all-in, covering his opponent's remaining 16,000. The big-blind quickly put his remaining chips into the middle.

Xinzhao Yuan: Q♠ 2♠

Takumi Nakayama: A♠ 7♥

The board ran out with 9♥ on the turn and 8♣ on the river, giving Yuan a full double-up with his pair of deuces.

Bayarkhuu Batbayar made it 2,400 from early position and Kookchunantoine Priniotakis called from the hiajck. Qiant Wu then shoved all in for 22,000, which only Batbayar called to put the female player at risk.

Bayarkhuu Batbayar: Q♠ J♠

Qian Wu: K♥ K♣

Wu was in great shape to score a double-up and maintained her dominance on the 5♥ 3♦ 7♥ flop.

However, the deck had other plans and delivered the J♥ and J♦, giving Batbayar runner-runner trips to crack the kings and send Wu to the rail in the penultimate level of the day.

Dajia Chen opened the action from middle position and was met with a three-bet from Aleksandar Jakovljevic in the small blind. Chen made the call, and the two went heads-up to the flop.

The dealer spread 7♠ 4♦ 3♣, and Jakovljevic continued with a bet of 5,500. Chen called to see a turn.

The K♦ hit next, and Jakovljevic wasted no time, firing a second barrel—this time a small bet of 5,000. The king proved enough of a scare card, as Chen let his hand go, awarding the pot to the Romanian

Sho Katsura opened from middle-position and got three-bet by Chen Wang on the button. Katsura made the call, and they went heads-up to the flop.

This came down A♥ J♠ J♦ and both players elected to check.

The turn was the 5♦ and Katsura led out for 8,000. Wang made the call.

The river was the 6♠ and Katsura moved all-in. Wang instantly called.

Sho Katsura: J♣ J♥

Chen Wang: A♠ A♦

What an insane cooler. In a Cash Game with a bad beat jackpot, both opponents would be thrilled, however, there is only one happy player here, while Wang cannot believe it.

Three players limped in preflop: Chinzorig Batchuluun from under the gun, Xiang Yu Yu on the button, and Riku Ichimura in the small blind. Buhui Zhi then took the easy chance and checked it over from the big blind.

Four players checked through on the 4♠ K♦ 5♦ flop to see the board-pairing 5♣ hit on the turn, where Ichimura bet 2,000. Only Batchuluun dropped in a call.

When the river revealed a 9♣, Ichimura checked to Batchuluun, who fired out 5,000. It was enough to take down the small pot as Ichimura laid it down.

A board ran out 9♠ T♠ T♣ 5♣ with around 6,500 chips in the middle, and Haibo Yang checked over from the small blind. Yu Chien Kung then fired 4,500 in the big blind. Yang tagged along.

Yang check-called again to a bet of 8,500 from Kung on the 7♣ turn.

Kung revealed 6♠ 4♠ for a bluff while Yang tabled a flopped pair of nines to take down the pot.

Barton Wood made it 3,000 to go from middle position and got two callers: Xiaobo Pu on the button and Zhili Zhou from the big blind.

The action checked to Pu on the 2♥ K♠ 2♠ flop, and he led out for 3,000. Zhou then cranked it up to 8,500, which only Py drpped in a call.

Zhou then fired out 9,000 on the T♠ turn. Pu responded with a fold and relinquished the pot.

80% of the levels have been concluded and it is now time to fill the hungry stomaches. We see each other again in 75 minutes. There are still two more hours of poker left to be played today.

Gleb Ershov was all in for 45,300 on the button and Poseidon Ho called from the big blind to put his opponent at risk.

Poseidon Ho: A♠ K♣

Gleb Ershov: 3♠ 3♣

It was a classic coinflip and Ershov had a chance to stay alive. The dealer quickly delivered a board of 7♦ 9♥ 5♥ J♣ J♠, locking up a much-needed double up for Ershov.

First-to-act Charlie Chiu opened the action to 2,000, and in an unusual turn of events for tournament poker, all six players behind him called — creating a rare seven-way family pot.

The flop came down A♦ Q♦ 7♥, and after it was checked around to the button, Yuan Liu decided it was time to break up the party. He fired out a sizable bet of 12,000 into the pot.

That show of strength was enough. One by one, his opponents folded, and Liu scooped the pot uncontested.

Yao Zhao made it 2,100 to go from early position and Igor Kan three-bet ot 5,500 from the hijack. Yifan Cao called from the small blind, as did Zhao.

Action checked to Kan, who bet 5,000 on the A♠ 4♠ T♣ flop. Only Zhao came along.

When the T♦ hit on the turn, it went check-check. The river then showed a 2♥, and Zhao fired out 17,500, which was enough to take down the pot as Kan folded.

Go Yanagida opened the action from middle position and received two callers: Guang Piao on the button and Yuan Liu in the big blind.

The dealer spread the flop: K♠ 9♦ 2♥. Yanagida fired a continuation bet of 3,500, which was called only by Piao.

The turn brought the A♣, and both players checked, slowing the pace.

On the 7♦ river, Yanagida ramped it back up with a sizable bet of 13,500. Piao went into the tank and burned a time bank before ultimately tossing his hand into the muck.

Quan Cui opened from early position and received a single caller in Poseidon Ho on the button.

The flop came down J♣ 6♠ 3♣, and Cui checked to Ho, who fired out a bet of 3,000. Cui made the call, and both players went to the turn.

The 9♦ hit the board, and once again, Cui checked. Ho kept up the pressure with a bet of 6,000—but this time, Cui sprung into action, moving all-in for his remaining 26,000 chips.

Ho took a moment but ultimately opted to fold, conceding the pot to Cui without a showdown.

A borad ran out Q♠ Q♣ 2♦ 6♦ J♣ with aorund 12,500 chips in the middle. Min Sung Lee tanked for around 1 minute from the early posiiton and eventually sent a chunky bet of 10,800. Long Zhentao then responded with a fold and relinquished the sizable pot.

Yuta Takimoto made it 2,200 to go on the button and Wencheng Lin called from the small blind, as did William Li sitting in the big blind.

The action checked it through on the 6♥ T♣ 5♠ flop, and Lin checked over again on the 7♥ turn. Li then fired 2,000, which only Takimoto made the call.

Li fired out another bet of 4,000 on the 9♠ river, and Takimoto cranked it up to 13,000. Li called.

After Takimoto showed a rivered straight with Q♦ 8♥, Li mucked his cards.

We picked up the action on the turn with the board reading J♠ 8♣ 3♣ A♣. American player Hal Rotholz, sitting in the big blind, led out with a small bet of 2,500 into a pot of roughly 7,000. Sho Katsura, on the button, responded with a raise to 7,700. Rotholz called to see a river.

The 9♦ completed the board, and both players quickly checked.

To the amusement of the table, both Rotholz and Katsura tabled the exact same hand — pocket deuces — resulting in a surprising chop on this board.

Zhiqiang Zhang made it 1,800 to go from under the gun and Tong Li three-bet the hijack to 5,400. Zhang decided not to back down and sent a four-bet of 17,000. Li stuck around.

On the 5♥ J♦ 9♣ flop, Zhang shoved all in for 45,000. Li took no time to call off his remaining 27,500 chips.

Zhiqiang Zhang: K♠ K♥

Tong Li: A♣ A♠

Zhang only got two outs to stay alive, but the runout didn't send a king to rescue him as it revealed 6♥ 2♥, shipping the pot Li's way.

The hand began with Yifan Cao opening from early position, picking up three callers behind him to create a multi-way pot.

The flop fell J♥ 8♠ 6♥, and Cao continued with a bet of 4,300. Only Yao Zhao, seated in middle position, stuck around.

The turn brought the 6♣, pairing the board. Cao kept up the aggression with a bet of 13,000. Zhao gave it some thought but ultimately released his hand, awarding Cao the pot without a showdown.

With around 17,000 in the middle, a flop of 4♥ 6♠ Q♦ was dealt. Maxim Sorokin checked from early position. Ilia Drobin then shoved all in for 33,000 in the cutoff. Sorokin called off his last 27,500 chips, putting himself at risk.

Maxim Sorokin: 9♣ 9♠

Ilia Drobin: K♣ K♥

Sorokin was looking to spike a nine to stay alive, but the dealer sent a runout of 4♣ 5♦, sending him to the rail.

Kota Yamaguchi raised to 1,800 from under the gun only to be jammed by Dicky Tsang for 24,000. Yamaguchi took no time to drop in the call.

Dicky Tsang: A♣ K♠

Kota Yamaguchi: A♦ A♥

Tsang's Big Slick collied with Yamaguchi's pocket aces, leaving him drawing thin.

The flop came 4♠ 7♦ K♥, improving Tsang to a pair, but still not enough to best his opponent's hand.

A runout of 6♦ 8♦, sealed Tsang's fate out of the field.

Time flies by quickly today. Already, six levels have been played, and the players get another 15-minute refresher. A total of 202 entries have been recorded so far, though registration is still open until the end of level 10.

A flop showed 2♠ 5♦ 9♠ when there were already 7,500 chips in the middle, and Qian Wu bet 3,000 from the big blind. Kunlei Xie called from the cutoff.

The 4♠ hit on the turn and Wu sent another bet of 6,000. Xie came along to see the 5♥ river, where it went check-check.

Wu tabled J♥ J♠, hoping to collect the pot. However, Xie's Ladies stopped her when he turned over Q♣ Q♠.

William Li opened the button to 1,500 and Donald Kurtz called from the small blind.

On the 2♥ Q♠ 3♣ flop, Kurtz check-called a bet of 1,000 from Li. The 9♥ then fell on the turn, and it went check-check.

Kurtz changed his pace and fired 2,300 on the 4♣ river. Li called.

Kurtz tabled J♠ T♦ for a bluff, and it pushed the pot to Li who revealed a flopped pair of threes with 6♣ 3♠.

The action began with Haibo Yang opening to 1,500 from middle position. Chak Chan, seated directly to his left, three-bet to 4,500, and Wei Chen cold-called on the button. Yang opted to fold, leaving the two to go heads-up to the flop.

The dealer spread T♦ 9♦ 7♥, and Chan continued with a c-bet of 3,500. Chen responded with a raise to 8,600. Without much hesitation, Chan moved all-in for roughly 30,000—and Chen snap-called.

Chak Chan: A♥ T♣ Wei Chen: 9♣ 9♠

Chan was drawing thin, and the runout of 4♣ 7♣ sealed his fate, sending him to the rail while Chen stacked the pot and is sitting now with a healthy stack halfway through the day.

With around 4,000 chips in the middle, the flop revealed 4♣ 7♦ 2♣, and Chang Liu checked from the small blind to Do Auang Trinh, who bet 12,500 from early position. Liu stuck around.

When the J♥ hit on the turn, Liu checked to Trinh again, who then shoved all in for 37,300. After thinking for a while, Liu called to put his opponent at risk.

Do Auang Trinh: J♣ T♣

Chang Liu: 7♠ 7♣

Liu was far ahead with a set; however, his hope to collect one elimination was dashed by the K♣ river, improving Trinh to a flush and keeping him alive in the tournament.

Koji Nagasaka continues to build momentum, with his stack steadily climbing throughout the day. In this latest clash, we picked up the action on the flop, where the Japanese national Nagasaka had moved all-in from the button, easily covering his fellow countryman Naiki Noda’s remaining 17,000 chips. With around 20,000 already in the middle, Noda made the quick call.

Naiki Noda: 8♦ 8♥

Koji Nagasaka: A♣ 4♣

The flop showed 8♣ 6♣ 4♠, giving Noda top set but also offering Nagasaka a flush draw and a backdoor wheel draw. The turn brought the 9♥, changing nothing, but the river delivered the J♣, completing Nagasaka’s nut flush.

With that, Noda hit the rail, while Nagasaka extended his already impressive chip lead.

A flop came A♣ J♥ 5♦ with around 5,000 in the pot. Congya Zhang checked from the big blind and Yu Xin Liu bet 1,600 in the cutoff. Zhang called.

It went check-check on the K♣ turn and 9♥ river.

Zhang tabled A♦ 6♦ and Liu also revealed A♥, making it a chop hand.

The hand began with Yixi Tang opening from middle position, before Seng Pang of Singapore three-bet to 5,500 on the button. Sitting in the small blind, Ka Yip cold-called the raise, and Tang also came along, creating a three-way pot.

The flop came down J♦ 7♠ 6♥. Action was checked to Pang on the button, who continued with a bet of 10,000. Only Yip made the call, sending them to the turn.

The turn brought another seven with the 7♣. Both players opted to check.

On the 3♥ river, Yip took the initiative and moved all-in, putting Pang to the test for his remaining stack. Without much hesitation, Pang folded, and Yip collected the pot without showdown.

Murly Manokharan opened the action from late position and found two callers: Yulan Shen on the button and Shota Kawaguchi in the big blind.

The flop came down K♥ J♠ 5♦. Action was checked to Shen, who put out a small bet of 1,200. Only Manokharan made the call, while Kawaguchi got out of the way.

The T♣ landed on the turn, and Shen continued with another small sizing, this time 2,200. Manokharan called once again.

The river brought the A♠, completing straight possibilities. This time, Manokharan led out for 8,000, representing significant strength. Shen paused briefly before tossing in the calling chips.

Manokharan indeed had a straight, as he revealed a winning Q♣ T♥, rivering the straight.

Mingie Zhang opened the button to 1,100 and Dajia Chen three-bet to 4,000 from the small blind. Zhang callled.

Chen continued for 5,000 on the T♥ K♠ 9♦ flop, and Zhang cranked it up to 7,000. Chen came along.

Action went check-check on the 7♠ turn. When the 6♠ fell on the river, Chen checked over and Zhang shoved all in for 25,500. After tanking for a long time, Chen eventually returned his cards to the dealer.

Maxim Sorokin raised in the hijack to 1,000 and Sarawoot Ratanatabtim called from the cutoff, as did Barton Wood in the big blind.

Wood checked on the 6♥ 8♠ 9♥ flop and Sorokin bet 1,300. Only Ratanatabtim stuck around.

Sorokin sent another bet of 2,200 on the A♦ turn and Ratanatabtim came along to see the 3♦ river. Sorokin fired a barrel of 3,100, and it still didn't deter Ratanatabtim from making the call.

Sorokin tabled T♥ T♦ and dragged in the pot as Ratanatabtim mucked.

The action started with Kookchunantoine Priniotakis opening from middle-position. Jun Li on the button made the call, before Kunlei Xie from China squeezed to 5,500 out of the small-blind. Both players made the call.

The flop came down Q♦ 7♦ 2♠ and the Chinese player continued with a bet of 7,000. The original opener folded, but Li quickly made the call.

Heads up to the 6♥ turn they went. On this, Xie barreled a hefty 20,000. After some thought, Li made the call. At this point, both players only had around 12,000 remaining in their stack.

The river was the 7♣ and Xie completed his aggression by putting the rest of his chips into the middle. Li felt he was invested enough and made the call, barely being covered by his opponent.

Jun Li: Q♣ J♣

Kunlei Xie: A♥ A♣

Riku Matsuda opened to 1,000 from under the gun and Naoki Matsumoto three-bet to 3,000 in the hijack. Matsuda called.

Matsuda tapped the table on the J♠ 9♦ A♥ flop, and Matsumoto continued for 2,500. Matsuda then check-raised to 7,000 and received the call from his countrymate.

The Q♥ came on the turn, where Matsuda shoved all in for 25,000 and Matsumoto snap-called.

Naoki Matsumoto: A♠ T♦

Riku Matsuda: A♣ J♠

Matsuda was ahead with two pair while Matsumot had an open-ended straight draw. The river revealed a board-pairing Q♠, making it a chop hand.

Do Quant Trinh opened the button to 1,200 and received the call from the blinds: Netnapit Muksatean and Ryo Hasegawa.

The blinds checked over the 4♥ T♦ A♠ flop and Trinh made a continuation-bet of 1,900, which only Hasegawa came along.

Both players knuckled it back on the 3♥ turn to see a 2♦ hit on the river, where Hasegawa bet 2,500 and Trinh called.

Hasegawa revealed two pair with T♣ 3♣ to take down the pot as Trinh folded.

Break time! Time for the smokers among the players to get their nicotine. The rest may enjoy a breath of fresh air for 15 minutes.

Daniel So limped in from middle position and Nagasaka Koji raised to 1,300 from the cutoff. Shinya Fukutomi from the small blind called and So also tagged along.

The action checked to Koji, who bet 1,500 on the K♠ 7♠ K♥ flop. Only Fukutomi called to see an A♦ hit on the turn, where both players checked through.

The J♥ dropped on the river and Fukutomi checked. Koji then fired 10,000 to take down the pot as Fukutomi folded.

Tatsuhiro Shodai raised to 900 from middle position and received the call from three players: Shotaro Kobayashi on the button, Yu Xin Liu from the small blind, and Ye Li in the big blind.

On the flop of :Qcc: J♥ 4♥, the blinds checked to Shodai, who bet 2,500. Only Liu tagged along.

Liu then sent a bet of 3,600 on the 9♦ turn, and Shodai called to see a board-pairing 9♠ hit on the river. Liu fired out 17,200, sending Shodai into the tank. After mulling it over, Shodai eventually laid it down.

Naiki Noda raised to 1,000 from early position and Daniel So called in the hijack.

Noda check-called to a bet of 1,000 from So on the 7♦ T♣ 9♦ flop. After The K♠ fell on the turn, Noda check-called another bet of 1,000 from his opponent.

The 8♣ landed on the river and Noda changed his pace with a bet of 7,000. This was strong enough to received a fold from So and took down the pot.

One three-way all-in pot just played out and culminated in a double knockout.

Igor Kan opened the hijack to 1,000 and was called by Yuya Arito from the cutoff. Jiayu Huan then three-bet the button to 3,200. Kan and Arito made the call.

On the monotone flop of T♣ J♣ Q♣, the tension just got out of control. Kan checked to Arito first, who fired out 5,500 only to be jammed by Huang for 32,000. It took no time for Kan to shove with his covering stack, and Arito called off his last chips.

Igor Kan: 9♣ 7♣

Yuya Arito: Q♠ J♠

Jiayu Huang: 9♥ 8♥

Arito and Huang were in bad shape as Kan flopped a flush, overshadowing and Huang’s straight and Arito’s two pair.

A runout quickly came 3♠ T♠, sending Huang and Arito in the rail.

After an early-position open to 800 and a middle-position flat by Peterjeean Kwon did Seung Park three-bet to 4,600, leaving himself only 10,000 behind. The original opener folded, but Kwon made the call.

The flop came out K♦ K♣ 2♦ and Park moved all-in after Kwon's checked. Getting a good price, Kwon decided to make the call.

Seung Park: Q♠ Q♥

Peterjeean Kwon: 6♥ 6♣

The K♥ on the turn sealed Park's double-up. The river was inconsequential 4♣.

Yue Sun opened the action from late position but was quickly three-bet by Japanese player Kota Yamaguchi. Sun made the call, and the two went heads-up to a flop of A♦ J♠ 5♦.

Yamaguchi continued with a small c-bet of 1,500, which Sun called without hesitation.

The turn brought the J♦, pairing the board and completing a possible flush. Despite the coordinated texture, Yamaguchi kept the pressure on, firing a second barrel worth 6,300.

The wet board and rising aggression were enough to convince Sun to fold, as Yamaguchi collected the pot without going to showdown.

We picked up the action on the turn, where Congya Zhang, on the button, bet 5,000 into a pot of 9,000. Sitting directly to her right, Kookchunantoine Priniotakis raised to 12,000. Zhang made the call, and the two went to a river.

The final board read: 7♥ 7♠ 3♥ 9♣ 2♥.

With just 6,000 chips behind, Priniotakis bet out for 11,000. Zhang went into the tank before eventually tossing in the calling chips.

Priniotakis revealed J♣ 7♣ for trip sevens, which was enough to take down the pot. Zhang sent her hand into the muck.

Yasuhiro Yamamoto raised to 1,000 from under the gun and Waheed Ashraf called in the hijack, as did the big blind player Zichuan Huang.

Huang checked the action to Yamamoto, who continued for 1,500 on the 4♠ 3♥ 8♥ flop. Only Ashraf made the call.

Yamamoto sent a bet of 4,200 on the Q♦ and Ashraf called to see a board-pairing 4♦ river. Yamamoto made his third barrel of 9,000 and it was enough for the pot.

With around 6,000 chips in the pot, a board ran out Q♦ K♠ A♠ 7♠. Sinuo checked from the small blind, Xinzhao Yuan in the hijack, and Shibuya Ruohei from the cutoff checked through.

The 6♠ landed on the river and three players opted to check to showdown.

Sinuo tabled A♥ 2♥ for top pair, and it was strong enough to let both of his opponents muck their hands.

Chzhen Evgenii raised to 1,000 from the small blind and Guo Di Yu defended his big blind.

Evgenii then bet 700 on the 6♥ K♣ T♦ flop and Yu tagged along. The 4♥ fell on the turn, where Evgenii sent another bet of 2,200. This didn’t deter Yu from making the call.

Evgenii changed his pace and checked over the 7♥ river to Yu, who fired out 7,500. After thinking for a while, Evgenii eventually folded.

The action began with Chinese national Yao Zhao opening from early position. A few seats over, Waheed Ashraf three-bet to 2,800, which Zhao called.

The flop came down Q♠ 9♣ 7♥. Zhao checked to the aggressor, and Ashraf followed up with a continuation bet of 2,200. Zhao called, taking them to the turn.

The 8♥ rolled off, and Ashraf continued his pressure with a bet of 8,000. Zhao wasn’t backing down—instead, he raised to 18,000. After a brief pause, the American made the call.

The river brought the potentially dangerous T♦, completing several possible draws. Both players decided to slow down and checked.

Zhao revealed 6♥ 5♥ for a turned straight, which was enough to take down the pot.

To respect the player’s willingness, no name would be shown for the button position.

The player on the button raised to 700 and Kookchunantoine Priniotakis called from the small blind. Yue Xu then put in a raise to 3,500. Only the button dropped in the call.

Xu check-called a bet of 1,300 from the button on the Q♥ A♠ Q♣ flop. The 3♦ hit on the turn, where Xu check-called again to a bet of 5,500 from the button.

Both players checked through the 5♦ river. Xu revealed a flopped pair of aces with A♥ T♠ and the button mucked his hand.

Shota Kawaguchi raised to 600 from middle position and Peterjeean Kwon called on the button, as did Yulan Shen in the big blind.

Shen checked over the 5♦ 8♠ A♥ flop to Kawaguchi, who then continued for 700, which both of his opponents stuck around.

Shen checked on the 9♣ and Kawaguchi fired again, this time for 2,000. Only Kwon came along to see a 5♣ hit on the river. Kawaguchi then sent a barrel of 3,500. This was enough to take down the pot as Kwon mucked.

Seung Jae Park raised to 900 from early position and Shota Kawaguchi called from the hijack, as did Murly Manokharan in the big blind.

Manokharan checked the flop of T♦ A♦ 8♥ and Park made a continuation-bet of 1,600. Kawaguchi folded and Manokharan came along.

Manokharan check-called a bet of 2,500 from Park on the Q♥ turn. Both players then checked through the 9♦ river.

Park revealed K♣ K♦, but it still couldn’t drag the pot his way as Manokharan tabled top pair with A♠ 4♦.

We picked up the action on the turn, where American player Jacob Kurtz bet 5,000 into a pot of 10,500. Kurtz, seated in middle position, was called by Ilia Drobin of Russia on the button.

The river completed the board: Q♣ 7♣ 3♣ 6♥ 9♦.

Kurtz, first to act, continued his aggression with a bet of 8,000. Drobin responded with a raise to 25,000, putting Kurtz to the test. After a brief shrug, Kurtz tossed in the chips to make the call.

Drobin then tabled A♣ K♣ for the nut flush, leaving Kurtz with no choice but to send his cards to the muck.

Two levels have been played, so the players get their first 15-minute breather. Already 81 players have registered themselves to this flight.

With around 1,000 chips in the middle, a flop came 3♥ 7♦ 8♥ and Yulan Shen bet 400 from the small blind. Seung Jae Park called in the big blind.

The two checked through the 3♠ turn to see a K♦ fall on the river, where Shen check-called a bet of 2,000 from Park.

Park tabled K♠ Q♦ quickly and successfully took down the pot as Shen turned K♣ T♣.

Ilia Drobin opened the cutoff to 500 and Sho Fujiki three-bet to 1,400 from the small blind. Drobin called.

Fujiki checked the 7♦ A♥ 4♥ flop to Drobin, who continued for 1,500. Fujiki check-called.

Both players checked through the T♦ turn and 8♦ river. Fujiki showed 5♦ 5♠, but it couldn’t best a rivered pair of tens from Drobin’s K♠ T♦.

Guo Yu opened from early-position and got three-bet to 2,000 by the Japanese player Kozo Yamada. Yu made the call, and they went heads-up to the flop.

On J♦ 9♥ 5♠ both players elected to check. The turn came the 7♦ and after Yu checked again, Yamada bet out a pot size bet of 4,500. This was met with a raise to 14,000 by Yu. Yamada made the call.

The river was the 2♠ and Yu put Yamada effectively all-in by betting 30,000. The Japanese player was put in a really tough spot. After about a minute of deliberation, he decided on a call and put his remaining 23,000 chips into the middle.

Kozo Yamada: Q♠ J♠

Guo Yu: J♥ J♣

Zhang was in good form to take down a double-up; however, the dealer sent him the bad news on a flop of T♥ 4♥ 8♠, improving Batbayar to a set.

Zhang still got a chance to stay alive, but the J♦ turn didn’t provide him with any help.

One queen can save Zhang’s tournament life, yet the river let him down as it revealed a board-pairing T♦, giving Batbayar even a full house and seeing Zhang out.

Alexander Lyan opened the hijack to 400 and Zhang Hao three-bet to 1,500 from the small blind. Lyan called.

Hao continued for 1,100 on the A♦ 3♣ 2♥ flop and Lyan snap-called to see the 4♥ turn, where Hao sent another barrel of 2,600. Lyan stuck around.

The board completed a wheel with the 5♦ river, and both players checked through.

Hao turned over A♣ K♠ while Lyan showed A♥ J♦. The two chopped the pot.

After a middle-position open by Haiyu Xiao, also in middle-position, Woo Shin raised it up to 1,500. Toshiyuki Yamamoto on the button cold-called, and the original open raiser also went along.

The flop came out A♠ 7♥ 3♦ and surprisingly, all three players elected to check. The turn was the 4♠ and now Shin decided it was time to bet. He did so with a bet of 4,500, which was only called by Xiao. The river brought another 4♣ and both players were happy to check it down.

Woo Shin: K♥ K♦

Haiyu Xiao: 5♠ 5♣

Murly raised to 600 from under the gun and Shibuya Ryohei called on the button, as did Daniel So in the big blind.

Three players checked through the K♠ 5♦ 4♥ flop to see the 2♠ turn, where So bet 600. Manokharan called, and Ryohei stepped aside.

The river brought a 7♦ and So sent another bet of 800, which was enough to take down the pot as Manokharan laid it down.

We only picked the action up on the river, where, sitting on the button, Seung Park had moved all-in into a pot of 15,500 with his remaining 7,500 chips. The board read Q♥ 8♠ 3♠ 2♦ T♥ and Park's opponent Sho Katsura in the big-blind had a difficult decision to figure out whether his hand was good enough. Ultimately, he decided on a call.

Seung Park: 3♥ 2♠

Sho Katsura: Q♦ 9♠

Park's turned two pair gave him a double-up, though he is still fighting to come back to starting stack.

Guo Yu opened up the action with an ealy-position open. Only the blinds wanted to see a flop, which came down A♦ Q♣ 3♦. The blinds checked and Yu put out a bet of 900. Only Igor Kan in the small-blind made the call.

The 3♦ on the turn brought in a potential flush, which made both players slow down and check. The river was another Q♠ and now Kan led out for 3,500. This was met by Yu with a raise to 12,600. Kan had a difficult decision, eventually he decided his hand was too strong to fold. Though, after he made the call, he was shown the bad news as Yu revealed A♣ Q♦ for a rivered full house. Kan showed K♦ Q♥. Unlucky river for the Russian player.

This hand began with Maksim Seliuk opening from early-position. Woo Shin on the button, and Noa Aoki in the big-blind made the call. The flop came down Q♦ T♠ 4♥ and the original opener continued with a bet of 600. Both of his opponents made the call.

The action slowed down on the 7♣ turn as all three players elected to check. The river was another 7♦ and now the big-blind led out for 1,500. Seliuk made the call, but Shin had other plans, as he raised it up to 4,500. Nobody believed him, as both players made the call. Shin tabled over 7♥ 6♦ and his trips were good enough to win a decent pot early in the day.

Toshiyuki Yamamoto opened to 300 from under the gun and Seung Jae Park defended from the big blind.

Park then checked the flop of K♠ 3♣ 8♦ and Yamamoto made a continuation bet of 200. Park stuck around.

Both player checked through the T♥ turn to see a 9♣ fall on the river, where Park bet 700 and Yamamoto checked.

Park revealed a flopped pair of threes with 5♦ 3♥ while Yamamoto tabled a superior rivered pair of nines with A♠ 9♦ for the pot.

Yixi Tan opened the button to 300 and received the call from the blinds: Tran Toan and Peterjeean Kwon.

Three players checked through the 6♠ Q♣ 6♥ flop to see the K♣ fall on the turn, where it checked to Tan, who bet 500. Toan called and Kwon stepped aside.

The J♦ came on the river, and Toan checked to Tang, who then bet 2,000. It was good enough to collect the pot as Toan folded.

Barton Wood opened the hijack to 300 and Yixi Tang called in the small blind, as did Tran Toan from the big blind.

The trio saw the 9♦ 3♣ Q♥ flop and checked through to see a Q♣ turn, where Tang bet 600. Only Toan tagged along this time.

The 7♠ filled out the board, and Tang checked. Toan then fired 2,500. Tang check-called before showing his winner Q♦ 9♥ for a full house leaving his opponent no choice but to fold.

We picked the action up on the turn where, sitting in the big-blind, Igor Kan bet 3,500 into Naiki Noda on the button. The board read T♥ 9♠ 6♥ 8♠ and Noda made the call.

The river came the board pairing T♦ and Kan bet again, this time for 6,000. After some deliberation made Noda the call, just to be shown the bad news, as Kan tabled over 8♦ 7♥ for a flopped straight.

A board ran out K♥ A♠ Q♦ 2♥ with 2,500 chips in the middle when Sergei Kim checked over from the big blind to Sho Katsura, who fired 1,500 on the button. Kim came along for the ride.

Kim then changed his pace on the 9♦ river and made a chunky bet of 6,500. But it didn't deter Katsura from cranking it up to 19,000, and it was good for the pot as Kim let go of his cards.