APT Main Event (55,000 TWD)

Flight D - the last flight of the APT Taipei 2025 Main Event - brought in a total of 344 hopefuls (278 unique) hoping to advance to Day 2 and earn their share from the huge record-breaking prize pool that easily shattered the TWD 70,000,000 guarantee. The full amount of the prize pool will be released once registration closes tomorrow before Day 2. But let's just say that this Main Event is the richest APT tournament of all time.

Of course, that prize pool would have never been reached if it wasn't for the participation of the players. When the 281st player registered in Flight D - It was made official - the record for the most entries in an APT Main Event was broken! The record of 2,350 made during the 2023 APT Hanoi Billions was crushed with the official number also yet to be determined since more entries are expected to make a last-minute appearance before Day 2 starts tomorrow.

Of the 344 entries, only 176 were able to book a seat for Day 2. Leading the pack of survivors is Taiwan's Yu Jay Shih who built a formidable stack of 279,200. Not that far behind with the second largest stack of the flight is Japan's Mikiya Kudo with 220,200. Thailand's Rawinruchiroch Deesit rounds up the top three with 212,900.

Here are the top ten chip counts of Flight D survivors:

Other notable players who were able to bag a stack for Day 2 include Nishant Kumar of India (148,300), David Erquiaga of the Philippines (130,100), Gemmy Nguyen of Vietnam (122,200), Junseok Oh of South Korea (105,100), Jason Cooper of the UK (92,800), Dominik Nitsche of the UK (84,400) and Ryan Gebow of the USA (81,000).

The final hands have been dealt and the survivors are bagging their chips.

Full recap of Flight D to follow.

We joined the action with Kohki Nakamura shoving his entire 75,000 stack into the pot, where it folded round to Maurice Vitto Jeevanji, looking devious in late position. "You want to go or what?!" Jeevanji joked, before shoving his own stack of 30,000 chips into the middle. The table erupted as he flipped over his cards:

Maurice Vitto Jeevanji: 6♠ 5♦

Kohki Nakamura: Q♥ Q♣

Jeevanji was a serious underdog, but once the dealer turned over 5♥ 4♠ 3♠ on the flop, the mood shifted dramatically. The 7♣ on the turn completed Jeevanji's straight as he left the table to celebrate, with onlookers agasp. The 9♥ river changed nothing and to Nakamura's disbelief, Jeevanji doubled up.

Hsuan-Yu Lai shoved his last 31,600 all-in and Kei Takazawa added to his opening raise to make the call.

Takwazawa showed K♥ T♥ which was dominated by Lai's A♠ K♠

The board ran 6♣ 7♣ 7♥ J♥ 4♥ to give Takazawa a flush to win the pot and send Lai out of the APT Main Event.

Under the gun Fong Lee and big blind Jin Woo Choi were looking at a flop of 4♦ J♥ 9♦ with a pot of 7,000 beside it.

Choi check-called the 3,000 bet of Lee to see a 8♣ turn. Both checked and also checked the 6♠ river.

Choi showed 5♥ 4♥ for a pair of fours while Lee showed A♣ 9♠ for a pair of nines to take down the pot.

In the next hand, action folded to the blinds and Choi raised to 3,700 and Lee defended the big blind.

The flop came 7♠ 5♥ 5♠ and Choi check-called the 6,000 bet of Lee to open a 9♦ turn. Once again, Choi check-called Lee's bet of 10,900.

The river came K♠ and both checked.

Lee showed 5♦ 4♦ for trip-fives and Choi mucked his hand in disgust.

Arriving at the action on a flop of 2♠ A♥ 7♥ , Gilbert Fook, acting from the small blind, had moved all in over an 8,500 bet from Nishant Kumar in middle position.

Gilbert Fook: Q♥ T♥

Nishant Kumar: 7♦ 7♠

Fook was dismayed to see Kumar had flopped a set but remained in good spirits, needing a heart to stay alive. "I'm back in action!" the Mauritian exclaimed as the dealer turned the 8♥ , completing his flush and keeping his tournament hopes alive. The Q♠ river changed nothing, and Kumar was left counting the cost of a heavy hit.

Robertson Yap opened to 1,500. In Ho Song called. Watabe Naohiro shoved his last 18,500 all-in. Yap made the call.

Robertson Yap: Q♠ Q♣

In Ho song: A♦ T♥

The board came 4♣ 4♥ 9♣ 2♥ J♥ to ship the pot Yap's way and send Song to the rail.

Cut-off Chi Ho Chan and big blind Chan Tsz Chun were looking at a flop of K♥ A♣ T♠ and a pot of 6,500.

Chun check-raised the 2,300 bet of Chan to 5,500 and Chan called to open a 7♦ on the turn.

Chun checked and Chan took his time before putting 7,500 across the line. Chan tanked and also took his time before declaring all-in, covering Chan's stack.

Chan tanked and looked very worried. With a heavy sigh, he pushed his chips forward.

Chun showed Q♦ 7♣ for a pair of sevens and a straight draw while Chan showed K♦ K♠ for a set of kings.

The river was a brick 4♦ and Chan doubled-up.

While the dealer was counting off the exact chip count to be paid, Chan confessed - "I almost folded. I thought you had a straight."

Arriving at the action to a flop of 7♦ 7♥ T♠ , Yoonsang Jo, seated on the button, had all of his chips in the middle, leading to a shove from Gerald Foo in the big blind to the tune of 79,000. It was at this point that Shangshen Wu got out of the way.

Foo's cards had barely hit the table as he turned over T♥ T♦ before Jo was up from his seat, holding 4♦ 4♥ .

Jo needed running fours to survive, but the dealer offered no such miracle as the board ran out 8♦ 2♠ .

Yu Fan Tsai and Ting An Yang were competing for a pot of 17,000 with a board that showed T♥ 9♠ 3♣ 7♣

Tsai led out with 5,000 and Yang called to open a 3♥ on the river.

Tsai fired 2,000 and Yang called again.

Tsai opened Q♥ Q♣ while Yang mucked his hand.

Newly registered Gilbert Tin and big blind Nishant Kumar were staring at a board of 4♣ A♣ A♠ Q♥ with around 7,500 in the middle.

Kumar tapped over to Fook who released 6,000 to the middle. Kumar took his time and eventually gave way.

Fook exclaimed as he stacked his chips, "first hand, first pot. Good future."

David Erquiaga counted his stack and set aside a portion for blinds collection, leaving word with his table mates that he is leaving and if his chips could be bagged for him. He even left his APT registration card.

Erquiaga expects that he'll be bagging around 130,000 if what he set aside is spent on the blinds. Watching over his stack is his table mate and fellow countryman James Mendoza.

See you in Day 2!

Nicholas Wang moved all-in for his remaining 14,600 chips and was called by Huyen Ngoc Quach, better known as "Gemmy", in the cutoff.

Nicholas Wang: A♦ J♦

Gemmy: A♠ Q♦

Wang was at risk and stood up as the cards were revealed, but quickly sat back down after the flop came 5♠ J♠ 4♥ , giving him the lead with a pair of jacks.

The 3♥ turn and 9♦ river changed nothing, and Wang scored a much-needed double-up while Gemmy took a hit to her stack.

The 281st registration of Flight D made it official!

The tournament director has just announced that...

The APT Taipei 2025 Main Event has now booked an APT record for the most number of entries in a main event, breaking the previous record of 2,350 entries set during the 2023 APT Hanoi Billions.

Of course, more entries are still coming in and more are expected tomorrow before the start of Day 2, so the official count has yet to be released. But for now, a round of applause to everyone who signed up for the Main Event.

Thank you for being part of history!

Chi Tang raised to 2,500 from the cut-off and button Shiram Arun and big blind Jun Kwak matched.

The three players were dealt a flop of K♠ J♥ 8♥

Kwak checked over to Tang who fired 4,600. Arun quickly got out of the way while Kwak played with his chips and looked at his cards for one more loving time before sending it back to the dealer.

Following a 2,000 raise from Nawat Sunpongvithit in early position, Benjamin Ebarle three-bet to 4,500 on the button.

Ebarle requested a time check before Chi Ho Chan responded in turn by shoving his entire 47,100 stack from the big blind. With Sunpongvithit quickly out of the hand, Ebarle counted his chips, and ultimately couldn't find the call.

Here’s a look at some of the bigger stacks heading into the final levels of the night.

Main Event Flight D players are on their final 15-minute break of the session.

Yee How Lee called from middle position only to be three-bet by Nishant Kumar from the button to the tune of 2,500, which Lee eventually called.

Following the 9♦ J♥ 2♣ flop, Kumar fired off a further 1,800 bet which proved too much for Lee as he let the hand go.

Chi Tang and Fong Lee were staring at a board of J♠ 5♥ 3♦ 8♣ J♣ and a huge pot of 36,000.

Lee bet out for 15,000 and Tang made the snap call. Lee showed K♠ Q♦ for king-high and Tang showed Q♣ 8♠ for a pair of eights.

The lovely Hyeunhee Jeong opened with a raise to 1,600 from mid-position and cut-off Kim Chun Lam shoved all-in for 17,100.

Everyone folded.

Big blind Daniel Yang and UTG Andrew Ong were staring at a board of A♣ J♥ T♥ 5♠ with a pot of 12,000 beside it.

Yang check-called the 5,000 bet of Ong to open a 9♠ river. Yang checked and Ong shoved enough chips to put Yang all-in. Yang snap-called and shoved his stack forward.

Yang showed J♦ 9♦ for two-pair but it was only second best to Ong's 5♥ 5♦ for a set.

We picked up the action on a board of 4♥ A♥ J♣ 6♠ , where Min Soon Lim folded to a bet of around 4,000 from Kaji Yamamoto on the button. Koji Takagi made the call from the big blind.

Both players checked the 2♠ river, and Takagi looked disappointed as he tabled A♠ 9♥ , only to be out-kicked by Yamamoto’s A♣ Q♥ .

250 registered players so far with more expected to sign up for this last flight.

So far, some of the recent eliminations include: Don Mishra, Ren Yu Zhen, Kei Takazawa, Ke Jing Bai, Yoonsang Jo, Duy Nguyen, Shih-Kai Chiu, Po Lin, Wang Chienhsun, Seokwon Kim and Justin Tsui.

Four players saw a flop after Wang Wei Chen and Duy Anh Nguyen called from middle position, Raymond Chou joined from the hijack, and Juhwan Kim checked his option in the big blind.

The flop came T♦ 8♥ 5♦ , and action checked through.

On the 8♦ turn, Chen led out for 1,000. Nguyen and Kim quickly folded, but Chou made the call.

The river brought the J♥ , and Chen bet another 1,000. Chou, visibly curious, asked “What do you have?!” before making the call. Chen revealed K♥ T♥ for two pair, tens and eights, which was enough to take the pot as Chou mucked his hand.

Hung Chang and Shunta Sakamoto built a pot of around 48,600 before the flop came down from a raise, re-raise tug-of-war.

The flop finally came K♦ K♠ 4♥ and big blind Sakamoto checked his option over to Chang bet out 5,600.

Sakamoto was stoic, counted off the chips that he would possibly call and looked over the remaining stack of Chang.

However, no matter what he studied, he looked back into his cards and couldn't make the call, awarding the huge pot to Chang.

Chih Wei Yang opened to 1,200 and Justin Tsui called. Yung Po made it 4,000 and when the action came back to Yang, he shoved all-in for 33,500.

Tsui made the call and Po got out of the way.

Justin Tsui: J♦ J♣

Chih Wei Yang: Q♠ Q♦

The board completed A♥ 3♠ 8♥ T♦ 2♥ to give Yang the pot and leave Tsui with just 1,600 in crumbs.

In the next hand, Tsui went all-in for 1,600 and was called by button Shunta Sakamoto and big blind Yao Yang.

Both players checked down the board of T♥ 2♦ K♦ J♥ 3♦

Tsui showed K♥ 8♣ and the others mucked, keeping Tsui still alive.

Small blind Yoonsang Jo and big bling Ji Yang were given a board of 7♦ Q♥ A♥ 8♥ 8♣ beside a pot of 12,000.

Jo counted off 4,000 and Yang folded, tapping the table "nice bet."

Lin Bowei and button Gene Chan were looking at a pot of 13,000 beside a board that showed 9♦ 8♣ J♥ 4♥ 9♣

Bowei tapped his option to Chan who bide his time playing with his chips and figuring out which colors matched best before he counted off 10,000 and pushed it forward.

Bowei also thought about it, counted off the same matching chips as Chan pushed forward, but pushed his cards forward instead.

Hsien Ching Feng started the action with a 1,200 raise from middle position, with Pitipong Posri being the only player to call.

The dealer turned over Q♠ A♠ 3♥ , and following a 1,800 continuation-bet from Feng, Posri couldn't find the call and gave up the hand.

UTG+1 Stanley Weng and big blind Takuto Komiya were looking at a board of 7♥ 9♦ 8♣ 3♠ 8♠ with a pot of 10,500 beside it.

Komiya led out for 10,000 and Weng shoved back all-in for 25,000 plus. Komiya counted off the chips, but opted instead to push his cards forward for a fold.

Flight D players are on their first break.

Small blind Wai Chiang, big blind Heng Zhe Hu and button Raymond Chou were given a board of 2♣ 9♣ 4♠ 5♠ 3♥ beside a pot of 7,300.

Chiang led out for 4,000, Hu folded and Chou took a moment to evaluate his chip stack, look at his cards, wondered if there could be civilizations under the sea and then made the call.

Chiang showed 8♠ 7♠ for nothing while Chou showed 7♣ 5♠ for a pair of fives, which was enough to secure the pot.

Cut-off Young Jung Kong and button Gyeong Kim were looking at a board of 9♣ 3♥ 4♦ 8♥ 9♦ and a pot of 6,600.

Kong tapped his option to Kim who counted off 5,000 chips and pushed it in the middle. Kong took a moment, gave Kim a once over, looked at his cards and pushed a chip to make the call.

Kim showed A♦ 9♠ for trip nines and Kong took a while to register before returning his cards to the dealer.

Small blind Tsz Yip, cut-off Prajuabjinda Chaiwat and button Dongyeol Kim were looking at a flop of J♣ J♦ 3♠ with 3,600 chips beside it.

Yip and Chaiwat tapped over their option to Kim who fired 800 to the pot. Yip and Chaiwat gave up.

After Sarawoot Ratanatabtim raised to 1,000 from early position, Shung Er Sua responded with a 2,200 three-bet. Ratanatabtim made the call.

The action checked through the entire board runout: 7♦ 3♥ 5♠ 8♣ 8♥ . At the end, Ratanatabtim revealed his big slick: A♦ J♥ , while Sua chuckled and quickly mucked his hand.

Nopparat Kongjai, Rawinruchiroch Deesit and Koizumi Hiroaki were looking at a board of 9♥ 8♣ 3♥ 3♠ 5♥ with 4,000 in the pot beside it.

Small blind Koizumi Hiroaki tapped his option and the rest followed. Hiroaki opened K♣ 3♣ for trips threes and everyone else mucked.

Nopparat Kongjai, Rawinruchiroch Deesit and Koizumi Hiroaki were looking at a board of 9♥ 8♣ 3♥ 3♠ 5♥ with 4,000 in the pot beside it.

Small blind Koizumi Hiroaki tapped his option and the rest followed. Hiroaki opened K♣ 3♣ for trips threes and everyone else mucked.

Yun Fan Yung and Mah Aloysius were competing for a pot of 6,400 with a board that showed 7♥ 4♥ 5♠ 8♠

Aloysius shoved his last 12,000 in the middle and Yung made the call. Yung showed K♠ 3♠ for a flush draw and gut-shot straight draw while Aloysius showed 6♣ 5♦ for a straight.

The river came 6♦ giving both the same straight for a split pot.

Hi-jack Meng Wei Ko and small blind Furi Homma were staring at a board of 7♥ K♣ K♠ J♠ beside a pot of 3,600.

Homma tapped his option over to Ko, who put 2,100 chips across the betting line. Homma took a last look at his cards before bidding them farewell.

The action was picked up on a flop of 7♣ 3♠ K♣ with around 2,000 in the middle. Tsz Chung Yip bet 800 from early position, picking up calls from Premsak Ngowprasert on the button and Somasekhar in the small blind.

The Q♥ landed on the turn. Somasekhar checked, then called Yip’s continuation bet of 1,000, while Ngowprasert folded.

On the T♠ river, Somasekhar led out for 2,000. Yip gave it some thought but eventually let it go, conceding the pot.

Following folds round the table, Makoto Ito raised to 1,100 from the small blind. Looking to defend his big blind, Yoonsang Jo made the call and headed to the flop. The action checked through the board entirely: J♦ A♣ J♠ 6♥ T♣ , until Ito turned over his 8♣ 8♦ , and Jo threw his cards in the muck.

Murly Manokharan opened to 400 from early position and Don Mishra three-bet raised to 1,300. Button Koizumi Hiroaki calls as does Manokharan.

The flop arrived 8♣ J♦ J♣ , which all checked to open a T♣ turn.

Manokharan fired 1,200 and everyone else surrendered.

Small blind Wai Chiang, hi-jack Wei Wang and button Shohei Isaka were staring at a flop of Q♥ K♣ 3♠ with 3,000 in the pot beside it.

Chiang and Wang check to Isaka who bets 800. Both players call and all three see a 2♦ on the turn.

Action is checked again to Isaka who fired 3,500. Chiang folds but Wang stays on to see a Q♠ on the river. Wang checks and Isaka stays true to form and fires an impressive 8,500 to the pot, which pushes Wang away.

Koji Takagi kicked off the action with a raise to 1,000 from early position, but was quickly met with a three-bet to 1,800 by Gregory Winyard in middle position.

The flop came down A♣ 5♥ 7♦ , prompting Takagi to lead out for 1,100. Winyard responded with a raise to 4,200, putting the pressure back on. After a brief pause, Takagi decided to lay it down, sending the pot Winyard’s way.

Pitpong Posri opened 200 from the under the gun. Gyeong Kim three-bet to 1,000. Posri made it 5,100 and Kim pushed back to 15,000.

Posri tanked for a long time, riffling his chips and wondering if aliens really do exist on other planets. Kim stayed still as a statue. Eventually, Posri folded, flashing K♣ K♥ on the table to the "oohs" of the other players.

Kim still remained stoic as he scooped up a big pot so early in the competition.

Wang Wei Chen opened the action with a raise to 300 from middle position, only to be three-bet to 800 from Raymond Chou in the cutoff. Chen made the call to see a flop.

The dealer spread 5♣ 8♥ A♦ , and both players opted to check through. On the 3♥ turn, Chen checked again, and this time Chou put out a 1,100 bet. Chen called.

When the 3♦ river completed the board, Chen led out for 4,000. After a short pause, Chou made the call and was rewarded with the pot, turning over A♠ 6♣ for top pair. Chen's 6♠ 4♠ missed completely, and his river bluff was picked off.

The action folded around to Murly Manokharan in the cutoff, who opened the action with a raise to 300. The small blind quickly got out of the way, but Chih Feng Li opted to defend his big blind with a three-bet to 1,000.

Manokharan made the call, and the two saw a flop of 9♦ 9♣ 5♥ . Li continued his aggression with a 700 bet, which was enough to convince Manokharan to lay it down after some thought.

The floor have announced shuffle up & deal and play has started in the final flight, Flight D of the APT Main Event, with 43 players currently registered.

Flight D of the APT Taipei 2025 Main Event — the final starting flight before Day 2 — kicks off at 6:00 p.m. local time, just one hour from now. With a guaranteed prize pool of TWD 70,000,000 already exceeded, the prize pool has soared to TWD 98,000,000 and will continue climbing as more players take their seats.

This hybrid-structured flight begins with 30-minute levels for the first six stages before switching to 45-minute levels from Level 7 onward. Late registration remains open until the start of Day 2, allowing plenty of time for entries to pour in. Each player starts with a 40,000 stack, and with no more flights to come, this is the last chance to bag up chips for Day 2.

Stay with us as we bring you live updates throughout the evening.