APT Main Event (55,000 TWD)

The air crackled with anticipation at the APT Taipei 2025 series as the penultimate day of the record-breaking APT Main Event unfolded. From a field of 48 battle-hardened players, only nine emerged from seven hours of heart-pounding poker, each now tantalizingly close to etching their name into poker history.

The stage is set for the final table of the largest and richest Main Event in the APT’s 19-year legacy, with a staggering TWD 121,033,440 (~$3.7 million) prize pool up for grabs.

Leading the charge into the final day is Hong Kong’s Wayne Lam, who commands a towering stack of 17,925,000. A relative unknown with just $37,000 in career cashes and no prior APT cash, Lam has defied the odds, already doubling his lifetime earnings. Now, he stands on the brink of poker immortality, with the life-changing TWD 19,009,440 (~$586,710) top prize within reach. The weight of the moment hangs heavy, but Lam’s steely focus and fearless play have made him the man to beat.

Hot on the heels of Lam is Japan’s Rintaro Kagawa with 17,825,000, less than a small blind behind. Kagawa, no stranger to APT final tables, faces his biggest challenge yet, with a stage far grander than any he’s seen before. Rounding out the top three is Malaysia’s Owen Chong with 15,375,000. Chong closed today with momentum, eliminating Daehyung Lee in twelfth place and winning a crucial blind-on-blind battle against Nishant Kumar.

Representing Thailand is APT regular Kiwanont Sukhum, who enters the final table in eighth place. A master of short-stack play, Sukhum spent much of today near the bottom but navigated his way to the final nine. Sukham won three APT titles in six months, and has nearly $250,000 in career earnings, so he has the experience and resilience to make him a formidable contender.

Anchoring the chip counts is Vietnam’s Dang Thi Hue, with around 16 big blinds. Hue, a former APT Phu Quoc Main Event champion with a career-best $53,346 score, knows what it takes to conquer a high-pressure final table. Her opponents would be foolish to underestimate he, as she’s proven she can go all the way.

Day 4 Action

The APT Taipei Main Event saw 48 players return to the felt on Day 4, each vying for a spot at the biggest final table in APT history. The action was relentless from the first shuffle, with eliminations coming fast and fortunes shifting dramatically.

It took just a few hands for the first casualty of the day. Guolun Huang ran his pocket jacks into Yu Cheng Hsu’s pocket kings, sending Huang to the rail in 48th place. Huang was soon joined at the payout desk by John Panish (46th), Robert Nemeskeri-Kiss (42nd), Peter Kiem (41st), Sho Katsura (39th), and Tomoya Kuratani (35th).

Hong Kong’s Nicholas Go, fresh off a runner-up finish in the APT Superstar Challenge, entered today with an above-average stack and brought his signature charisma to the tables. However, his Main Event dream ended in 32nd place at the hands of Wobeng Lee. Go held the dominating hand preflop, but a brutal runout spelled the end of his remarkable run.

One of the standout stories of the day was Natural8 ambassador Kitty Kuo, who began Day 4 as the chip leader. Kuo’s day took a turn early in the second level when she doubled up Sukhum. The Thai pro’s top pair and flush draw held against Kuo’s pocket kings, marking the start of a downward spiral.

Kuo then lost a chunk of her stack to Marcus Law’s pocket aces and dropped more chips in a race against Kumar’s ace-king with her pocket sixes. The most devastating blow came against fellow Main Event winner Hue, who was all-in with ace-queen of clubs against Kuo’s pocket aces. A backdoor flush saved Hue, leaving Kuo reeling in the middle of the pack.

This Kitty didn't have nine lives though, as Kuo's hopes of winning a second Main Event were extinguished when her ace-six finished second best to Kagawa’s jack-five. Two jacks on the flop sealed her fate, and Kuo was sent to the cashier’s desk to collect her 21st place payout.

When the day progressed, the field thinned rapidly. After the dinner break, only 14 players remained. Powel Fang’s pocket kings were no match for Kumar's flopped nut flush, leaving Fang with a tenth of a big blind, a point of which he couldn’t recover. Law (13th), Lee (12th), and APT Taipei Poker Classic 2024 Main Event runner-up Abraham Ceesvin (11th) followed in quick succession, setting up the final table bubble.

The final hand of the day arrived when Anusorn Asiralertsiri of Japan became the last player eliminated on Day 4. Asiralertsiri’s pocket fours were in a race against Lam’s ace-queen, and while the flop favored the Sailboats, a queen on the turn ended his run in 10th place. With that, the final table of the largest APT Main Event in history was set, promising an electrifying final day as the remaining players battle for the coveted title and life-changing prize.

Play resumes at 11:15 AM on Saturday, May 3, where the final nine players will battle until one is crowned APT Main Event champion. There’s forty-nine minutes remaining in Level 34, and with the average stack at 38 big blinds, every decision will be magnified as the blinds continue to rise.

*includes APTC Main Event seat valued at TWD 350,000

The final table will be streamed with a 30-minute delay, ensuring fans can follow the action without spoilers. Live updates will remain in sync with the broadcast to provide a seamless experience.

With the final table of the largest APT Main Event in history set, the final day promises an electrifying battle for the coveted title and life-changing prize, here inside the Red Space venue in Taipei, Taiwan.

Powen Fang came in with a raise to 500,000 from early position. Nishant Kumar called on the button, and Shinichiro Kano defended his big blind.

The flop came down a monotone 2♣ J♣ 3♣ and Kano checked. Fang bet 500,000, which only Kumar called.

Fang slowed down and checked the 9♥ turn, prompting Kumar to checke behind. The 4♠ hit the river and Fang bet 2,000,000.

Kumar burned through a time bank before he raised to 5,000,000. If Fang was to call and lose, he would be left just 25,000. After a few moments, Fang called, and Kumar turned over A♣ 6♣ for the nut flush to take down a huge pot.

The remaining 15 players are off to get some grub and will be back in an hour.

Meanwhile here are some top chip counts:

Shinichiro Kano made it 400,0000 on the button and Powen Fang defended from the big blind.

The flop came down Q♣ 2♠ 7♥ and Fang check-called a bet of 300,000 from Kano.

The 8♠ turn checked through to see the 7♠ hit the river. Fang led out for 600,000 and was met by a raise to 2,000,000 from Kano. Fang quickly called and Kano turned over J♠ 3♠ for a backdoor flush. Fang could only muck his cards.

Shinichiro Kano made it 400,000 to go from the cutoff and Hazel Chui defended from the big blind.

Chiu knuckled the table on the 3♥ T♥ 9♣ flop, and Kano bet 350,000. Chui quickly check-shoved for 1,700,000, and Kano instantly called.

Hazel Chui: Q♣ T♣

Shinichiro Kano: K♥ J♦

Chu was ahead with top pair and had to avoid paint cards on the turn and river to survive.

The 2♦ hit the turn, but the J♥ fell on the river to give Kano the winner with a pair of jacks, sending Chui to the rail.

Shinichiro Kano open-shoved all in fro 2,825,000 from under the gun and Yuen Shan Chui also pushed all her chips for 4,375,000 in the pot.

Shinichiro Kano: A♦ T♦

Hazel Chui: J♠ J♦

held the chance to collect one elimination on the flop of K♠ 5♦ 4♦ . Her pocket jacks was even improved to a set on the J♥ turn, where Kano received a gutshot.

Unfortunately for Chui, the river came for Kano as it revealed a Q♦ , completing the Japanese player's straight to rake in a double-up.

Marcus Law opened the button to 320,000 and received two callers from the blinds, Shinichiro Kano and Owen Chong.

The blinds checked over the flop of 3♥ 9♣ A♦ , and Law continued for 250,000. Only Chong made the call.

Chong checked the K♥ turn to Law, who fired another barrel of 900,000. Chong tagged along.

When the board-pairing K♣ hit on the river, it went check-check.

Chong revealed 3♣ 3♠ for a flopped set of threes, leaving Law no choice but to muck his cards.

Looks like three-way all-ins are trending.

We jumped in on the action with another set of three cards on the table.

Pan Ming Lee: 5♥ 4♥

Sho Katsura: A♦ K♥

Shinichiro Kano: Q♣ 8♠

The board ran Q♦ 6♠ J♠ 9♦ 5♣ to give Kano the triple-up while eliminating Katsura and damaging Lee.

Nicholas go opened for 120,000 and Nopparut Piyatassakorn called. Shinchiro Kano re-popped to 420,000. Action came back to Go who jammed all in.

Both Piyatassakorn and Kano folded. Go threw an A♣ K♠ on the table and Kano confessed his folded Ace Queen.