APT Main Event (55,000 TWD)

Shinya Matsuda opened to 300 from the hijack, prompting calls from four other players: Rene von Reden in the cutoff, Joshua Zimmerman on the button, and Kunal Patni and Kieto Kawakami from the blinds.

Five players checked through the board of Q♠ 2♦ J♦ 2♣ .

“This is the worst hand, you see. I don’t know why you're standing here,” joked Zimmerman to reporter.

Right after the joke, a 5♦ hit on the river, where Patni fired out 500 and Kawakami put in a raise to 1,800. This was enough to get the job done as a string of folds followed.

117 seats have been filled so far in the first flight of the APT Taipei 2025 Main Event with more expected to follow while registration is still open.

It really is becoming an international spectacle with so many countries represented. We have the likes of Sergeev Aleksander from Russia, Tsz Chan from Hong Kong, Eugene Chen frmo Singapore, Nicolas Burgevin from France, Minh Dao from Vietnam, Killian Wolfgang Eisend from Germany, Kaito Hirai frmo Japan, Ran Ilani from Israel, Paul Hong from New Zealand, Ho Lam Ji from Malaysia, Gang Kapil from India, Wai Cheng Keong from Macau, Juhwan Kim from South Korea, Matthew Ledger from the UK, David Van Noy Jr. from the USA, ALbert Nguyen from Canada and of course the local Taiwanese also heavily represented.

We have yet to wait for the Australians and the Philippine contingent to make their presence felt.

But certainly, the Main Event is turning out to be an international affair as can be expected.

Stay tuned here as we bring all the live updates from the first starting flight of the APT Taipei 2025 Main Event.

Kieto Kawakami limped in from the small blind and Kin Yee Lo checked it over to take it to the streets.

Both players checked through the board showing Q♠ T♥ 4♦ A♠ T♦ .

Kawakami tabled a flopped pair of fours with 4♣ 2♠ , and it got the job done as his opponent mucked the hand.