Taiwan, Red SpaceEVENT #23

2025.04.27 - 2025.05.03Add to Calendar

Asian Poker Tour

Nicholas Go

Hong Kong

Blind level

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Entries

375/2,547

Total Chips

101,880,000

Average

271,680

Day 2

SMPSMP

4/30/2025, 2:42:36 PM

Nicholas Go, Kuo Hui Chen Bag Leads At Day 2 of APT Taiwan 2025 Main Event

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Nicholas Go

Day 2 of Taiwan’s largest-ever international poker tournament — and the richest APT Main Event in history — has come to a thrilling close. Leading the charge into Day 3 is Hong Kong’s Nicholas Go, who topped the counts with 1,281,000 chips, followed by Kuo Hui Chen aka Kitty Kuo with 1,280,000, near exact stacks.

A total of 830 players returned for Day 2, all vying for a place in the money. By the end of play, 375 players had secured seats for Day 3, each guaranteed a payout of TWD 85,000 ($2,620). But with a top prize of TWD 19,009,440 ($586,710) and an APTC Main Event seat up for grabs, the real battle is just beginning. Among those advancing are 76 online qualifiers from N8, who also made it into the money.

Following Go are Taiwan’s Yu Chun Wu with 932,000 and South Korea’s Juyub Lee with 871,000.

Top 10 Chip Counts

Player	Chips
NG Nicholas GoHong Kong	1,281,000(214 BB)
KH Kuo Hui ChenTaiwan	1,280,000(213 BB)
WC Wu Chun YuTaiwan	932,000(155 BB)
JL Juyub LeeSouth Korea	871,000(145 BB)
KY Keng Yong TanSingapore	824,000(137 BB)
JM John MatsudaJapan	815,000(136 BB)
CH Chi Ho King LaiHong Kong	813,000(136 BB)
LD Luke DaintonUnited States of America	799,000(133 BB)
HL Hua-wei LinTaiwan	779,000(130 BB)
CA Chen An LinTaiwan	753,000(126 BB)
HM Huang Mu ShiangTaiwan	716,000(119 BB)

The bubble burst within the first hour of play, thanks to the high concentration of short stacks. The unfortunate bubble boy was David Berlin from Lithuania, who went all-in on a completed board after pairing his ace-king on the flop. However, Taiwan's Chun-Yu Wu had rivered two pair with queen-three suited, leaving Berlin just shy of a cash.

Go started the day with the second-largest stack, but vaulted into the lead after a dramatic hand against Germany’s Rene von Reden. Go held pocket aces against von Reden’s kings, and a flopped set sealed the elimination of the German in stunning fashion. After narrowly missing an APT Lion Trophy in the Superstar Challenge — where he finished runner-up — Go is now firmly in contention for redemption, and the ultimate prize.

Other notable contenders include Super High Roller champion Quang Minh Nguyen (602,000) and Superstar Challenge winner Biao Ding (119,000). While not among the top stacks, both players are riding hot streaks and could easily become factors late in the tournament.

Tom Verbruggen

A number of APT champions have also advanced to Day 3. Among them are John Matsuda (815,000), Tom Henricus Verbruggen (448,000), Daniel Neilson (444,000), Martin Michael Sedlak (349,000), David Erquiaga (149,000), John Tech (95,000), and Lester Edoc (44,000). Though some are short-stacked, their experience, discipline, and tournament instincts could prove pivotal as the field tightens.

Adding to the already stacked field, a number of well-known names have also qualified online, including Kitty Kuo (1,279,436), Abraham Ceesvin (321,928), Thanisorn Saelor (117,718), Punnat Punsri (114,256), Sean Ooi (105,748). Their presence ensures the road to the final table will be anything but easy.

Day 3 resumes at Level 18 and will play through 10 levels or until the field is reduced to 48 players — whichever comes first. Before cards go in the air, APT will raffle off an APTC Main Event seat worth TWD 350,000 to all players who entered the APT Taipei 2025 Main Event.

Join us again tomorrow as we continue live updates straight from the tournament floor and get closer to crowning the next APT Main Event Champion.

SMPSMP

4/30/2025, 10:00:35 AM

Wang Chips Up with Kings

Level 16: 2,500 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

The hand was already underway with the tournament dealer throwing Nicholas Go a one-hand penalty for acting out of turn.

Action happened with Sergeev Aleksandr limping under the gun and Zhiyu Wang on the button raising to 15,000. Go in the big blind, snap called out of turn which was what got him the one-hand penalty. But Johnson Lim went all-in in small blind. After much discussion with the tournament director, Go folded his hand and left the table.

Aleksandr mucked his hand but Wang made the call, putting Lim at risk and taking both players to showdown.

Johnson Lim: A♠ J♥

Zhiyu Wang: K♦ K♥

With a 70% chance to win Wang seemed very confident of winning the hand, giving Lim a friendly tap of the table for good luck. But Lim started packing when the flop came T♥ T♦ 6♣ . The runout of 9♠ and 3♠ didn't help him at all. He finished packing as the deal completed and left table as Wang scooped the pot.

Player	Chips
NG Nicholas GoHong Kong	720,000(144 BB)
SA Sergeev AleksandrRussia	450,000(90 BB)
AM Ai Ming Johnson LimSingapore	busted

SMPSMP

4/30/2025, 8:56:19 AM

Seven-Bet Showdown Ends with Go's Victory Cry

Level 15: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Two tables away, Nicholas Go could be heard shouting, "Aces vs. Kings! Aces vs. Kings!" Getting the attention of media.

The action was picked up with both Go and Rene von Reden on their feet with their cards and chips in the middle of the felt for a showdown.

Nicholas Go: A♠ A♦

Rene von Reded: K♠ K♣

After getting media attention, Go started calling out cards that would not crack his aces. Other players were excitedly commenting that they haven't seen pre-flop betting that had reached six-betting and seven-betting which apparently happened before the showdown.

Von Reden could just look on at everyone, smile at all the kerfuffle and video everything on his phone. The dealer, finally, flopped 5♣ 6♥ 3♥ .

The ruckus continued and so did the dealer with a 4♣ turn giving von Reden more outs, including a chance to split the pot if the board made a straight. Go started shouting louder.

Finally, the river A♥ gave Go a set sealing his victory and evoking a loud cheer from the player, "I'm the new chip leader!"

Von Reden left the table as the players continued to talk about the hand.

Player	Chips
NG Nicholas GoHong Kong	695,000(174 BB)
RA Rene Alexander Von RedenGermany	busted

SMPSMP

4/30/2025, 4:40:57 AM

Go is Back For More

Level 11: 800 / 1,600 ante: 1,600

Nicholas Go at the Superstar Challenge Final Table

Changgyu Choe opened to 3,200 from early position, with Christian Cheng making the call from middle position. After it folded to Nicholas Go in the small blind, he squeezed to 18,000. Choe folded, but Cheng called to see a flop.

The flop came a monotone J♦ 3♦ 8♦ , and Go led out with a continuation-bet of 15,000. Cheng took his time, eventually making the call.

The 4♣ hit on the turn, and Go fired again, this time for 25,000. Cheng, with about 60,000 remaining in his stack, went deep into the tank. He stared down Go, who remained focused on the board. After a long pause, Cheng reluctantly folded, and Go showed just the Q♦ .

Just over twelve hours ago, Go was battling heads-up for the APT Superstar Challenge title. Despite holding the chip lead briefly, he ended as the runner-up to Biao Ding. Go walked away with a career-best score of TWD 9,244,000 (~$286,210) and now is seated in Day 2 of the Main Event with one of the biggest stacks in the room, surely oozing with confidence after such a good result in one of the toughest tournaments.

Nicholas Go & Biao Ding

Player	Chips
NG Nicholas GoHong Kong	350,000(219 BB)
CC Changgyu ChoeSouth Korea	90,000(56 BB)
CC Christian Chiehyin ChengUnited States of America	60,000(38 BB)

SMPSMP

4/30/2025, 2:58:04 AM

APT Taipei Main Event Day 2 Kicks Off with Record-Breaking Field

Level 11: 800 / 1,600 ante: 1,600

All eyes are firmly on the Red Point Center’s Red Space for the TWD 55,000 Main Event Day 2 as a historic record has been written in the book, marking monumental achievement for the future. After four opening flights, the event has drawn a game-changing field of 2,407 entries, smashing the previous benchmark of 2,350 entries set at 2023 Hanoi Billions and writing a new chapter in APT history.

With late registration open until the start of Day 2, the turnout is expected to surge even higher, giving hopefuls one last chance to jump into this record-shattering Main Event. The TWD 70,000,000 guarantee has been already beaten easily and the prize pool will be finalized later today.

After navigating through three intense days of starting flights and outlasting thousands of entries, 897 survivors will come together for the first time at the venue to battle it out in Day 2.

Top Ten Chip Counts

Player	Chips
WC Wu Chun YuTaiwan	469,200(293 BB)
NG Nicholas GoHong Kong	338,900(212 BB)
SW Sing Wen ChenTaiwan	330,000(206 BB)
CP Chak Pan HoHong Kong	320,300(200 BB)
BD Biao DingChina	319,000(199 BB)
KL Kexuan LinChina	293,900(184 BB)
CK Chin Kai LiaoTaiwan	293,300(183 BB)
YJ Yu Jay ShihTaiwan	279,200(175 BB)
LL Leonell LosentesPhilippines	279,100(174 BB)
DL Donghyun LimSouth Korea	278,600(174 BB)

Sitting atop the leaderboard is Taiwan’s Wu Chun Yu, who bagged a dominating stack of 469,200 chips from Flight A. He is the only one player so far to break the 400,000-chip mark. Second in chips is Hong Kong’s Nicolas Go with 338,900, also from Flight A. Rounding out the podium positions in third is Taiwan’s Sing Wen Chen, who ended the flight with 330,000 in chips.

These top stacks will face stiff competition from the likes of former APT Main Event champion Rene Von Reden (245,900) and Daniel Lee (146,000), both making strong bids for another champion title.

Rene Von Reden

Other notables still in contention include two-time APT titlist Daniel Neilson (136,000), APT Phu Quoc 2024 High Roller champion Jason Lau (129,400), multiple APT titlist Kyosuke Nagami (39,000), Australia's Alexander Lynskey (81,700), multiple APT titlist John Tech (52,100), Japan's Shinya Maeda (46,100), and APT host and double title winner Gregory Liow (33,700).

Cards get underway at 11:15 a.m. local time with blinds resuming at 800/1,600 and a 1,600 big blind ante. The top objective for players today is to play through 60-minute levels and thin down the field until reaching the money bubble.

Player	Chips	Table	Seat
ZW Zhiyu WangAustralia	122,400(77 BB)	32	1
YW Yiu Wa WanHong Kong	122,900(77 BB)	32	2
LP Leo PangHong Kong	82,000(51 BB)	32	3
NG Nicholas GoHong Kong	338,900(212 BB)	32	4
SA Sergeev AleksandrRussia	218,700(137 BB)	32	5
FH Furi HommaJapan	22,800(14 BB)	32	6
KC Kin Chung ChiuCanada	53,200(33 BB)	32	8
CC Christian Chiehyin ChengUnited States of America	27,100(17 BB)	32	9