Main Event

After nearly twelve hours of intense play, the TMTC Main Event has its final table set at the Asia Poker Arena. Starting with 143 hopefuls that returned from the qualifying flights, the field has been whittled down to the final nine, with a strong showing of local players securing six spots.

Leading the pack is Taiwan’s own Chiehchi Liu, who enters the final day with a commanding 12,275,000 (98 bb). Liu built his huge stack defending the big blind with 3♥ 2♠ that landed trips against Justin Chu. From there, Liu surged further ahead after knocking out Chih Wei Chen (15th) and Jee Weon Kim (13th).

Another player also bagging up a hefty stack was Macau's Manlok Chan with 11,175,000 (89 bb). Like the leader, Chan knocked out two players during the final two tables - Yoda Lin (12th) and Wonkyu Kang (11th) to earn his spot just below Liu.

The TMTC Main Event kicked off on November 1, 2024 boasting a US$ 600,000 guarantee. With 936 turning up at NTD 33,000 (~US$ 1,030) each, that pot swelled to a richer NTD 27,237,600 (~US$ 850,000). The biggest cuts will be awarded on November 5 when the finalists return for the last dash to the NTD 4,538,600 (~US$ 142,000) top prize.

The champion will also be awarded the special TMTC trophy especially made for the champion of this event. Each one is currently guaranteed NTD 456,000 (~US$ 14,200).

On the flip, Cheung spikes higher on the window and holds. Hsu falls in 10th place.

Justin Chu open shoves his last 7 bb and sweats it when two players call. The board A♥ T♦ 5♣ J♣ 2♥ is checked down.

The turn 9♦ and river A♦ has no effect for Gyu to win a much needed double up.

End of the road for Wonkyu Kang who shoves on the button and doesn't get by big blind Manlok Chan's higher pocket pair.

After heavy preflop action that opened with Yun Tse Lin min-raising, called by chip leader Chiehchi Liu, re-popped by Cheng to 1,000,000, four-bet to 1,800,000 by Lin, called by Cheng after Liu folded, Lin and Cheng checked the flop K♣ 7♣ 4♥ .

On the turn 9♣ ,Cheng shoved 2,050,000, Lin let go reluctantly.

Small blind Gyu Won Jang limps in and big blind Sparrow Cheung checks. When the board runs A♦ 9♥ 3♥ 7♣ 5♥ , Jang bets 125,000, 125,000, then jams, Cheung folds on the river action.

Manlok Chan min-raise, Sparrow Cheung repops 700,000, Chan answers with a four-bet of 1,300,000, Cheung let's it go.

Chiehchi Liu is now the overwhelming chip leader after landing a massive pot defending his big blind. Hand opens with button Justin Chu raising 160,000, blinds call. Chu bets a larger 350,000 on the flop 8♦ 9♣ 2♠ , and only Liu continues to the turn 2♥ . Again Liu passes the betting to Chu who bets 600,000, this time Liu raises 1,600,000 and Chu calls. The river then comes 4♦ , another 1,600,000 bet by Liu is called by Chu.

Liu shows 3♥ 2♣ trips and ships it as Chu mucks.

From the big blind, Wei Le Tsai calls Justin Chu's min-raise then check-raises to 300,000 on a flop J♥ 3♦ 2♦ . Chu calls and they head to the turn 5♥ . Tsai continues firing with a 620,000 bet and still Chu sticks around. On the river 9♦ , Tsai announces all in, Chu calls, Tsai has air and goes bust on a bluff.

Chiehchi Liu makes it 200,000 to go, Gyu Won Jang thinks more and re-raises 440,000, Liu flats. On the flop 9♣ 7♣ A♦ , Liu check-calls 125,000 from aggressor Jang then both check the turn 9♠ .On the river 6♠ , Liu leads out 500,000, Jang tanks then gives up his stake on the pot.

Chiehchi Liu looks down at K♦ K♣ and three-bets 350,000, early aggressor Wonkyu Kang calls. Liu spikes a set on the flop 4♠ 9♥ K♠ and fires 300,000, Kang calls. Both check the turn 9♦ . Kang leads out 275,000 on the river 3♥ , Liu raises 1,000,000 and is happy for the call as he shows the full house.

Kang plunges to 10 bb, Liu rises to over 70 bb.

Erwin Ng finishes in 21st place and Jun Zhong Wang in 22nd place. Both players earn NTD 164,000 (~US$ 5,130).

With Wang pairing up, Shen finishes in 24th place for NTD 138,000 (~US$ 4,320).

Action folds to button Yoda Lin and brings it up to 150,000. Wei Jen Wang defends the big blind and head to the flop A♣ J♥ 3♦ . Lin continues for 130,000, Wang snap-calls, then both check the turn 5♣ . On river 2♣ , Wang leads 300,000, Lin calls.

Hyunsik Jang initiates the action with a 120,000 raise, Ko Chia Hsiang and Wei Le Tsai join in and see a board 9♠ 4♠ 8♠ . Jang continues for 150,000 and is called by Hsiang while losing Tsai. Same action on the turn 7♥ with Hsiang calling 350,000. When the river 3♦ is felted, Jang then slows to a check, Hsiang fires up with a big shove, Jang can't pull the trigger.

By the turn 8♦ J♣ 4♠ 5♣ with 415,000 weighing down the middle, Sparrow Cheung bets 280,000 and is check-called by Lee Ni Hon. Both see a river card 3♠ . Cheung slides out 660,000 and takes down the pot uncontested.

From hijack, Yoda Lin raises 125,000 and gets called by Chiehchi Liu on the small blind. On the flop and turn Q♥ Q♣ J♠ 9♦ , Ling fires 180,000 and 360,000, Liu check-calls both. On the river 9♦ , Liu takes control with a shove of 330,000, Lin tank-folds.

Facing a min-raise by button Justin Chu, big blind Pao Jung Huang three-bets all in. Chu doesn't bite. Huang shows his A♠ A♥ .

Justin Chu follows Hyunsik Jung in calling Cheng Wei Chun's preflop min-raise then all three check to the turn K♦ J♦ 4♠ T♠ . Chu leads 175,000, gets popped by Cheng to 500,000, Jang folds, Chu flats. The river 3♦ is checked down. Chu's J♣ T♥ two pair wins the pot.

From utg Lee Ni Hon min-raises, big blind Cheng Hao Yang calls. Flop comes 8♥ J♥ 9♣ , Lee c-bets 60,000, Yang check-calls. On the turn 9♥ , Yang switches up and leads out 100,000, Lee calls. The river J♠ is checked by Yang, Lee bets 175,000, Yang folds.

Preflop battle is kicked off by Wei Jen Wang for 120,000, Chiehchi Liu three-bets 250,000, small blind Yoda Lin four-bets 1,000,000, no takers.

After his preflop raise is called, Justin Wu bets 80,000 on the flop T♣ 2♣ 3♦ , Kao Kuo Wei raises 225,000, Wu three-bets all in for 1,350,000, Wei gives it up.

From utg Tanaka Masatoshi raises 60,000, two players call to see a flop 2♥ h 8♠ . Tanaka continues for 55,000, only button Chi Hang Chang calls. On the turn 2♣ , Tanaka shoves and takes it down with no further challenge from Chang.

Justin Wu takes command preflop with a min-raise, big blind Ping Yi Tsai won't let him through that easy and defends. Both check the flop 5♠ 5♦ T♣ leading to the turn 4♥ . Tsai jumps out with a 65,000 bet, Wu bumps it up to 155,000, Tsai calls, river comes 6♦ . Tsia checks again, Wu slides out 350,000 worth which is enough to claim the pot.

On a board showing A♥ T♦ 7♣ 6♥ and 310,000 in the pot, small blind Wonkyu Kang bets 110,000 and big blind Justin Chan calls for a look at the river 8♦ . Kang continues to command with a 285,000 bet, Chan tank-calls then mucks to Kang's J♦ 9♠ straight.

Lam Yue Hin raises with K♣ Q♣ , and big blind Justin Chu defends to head to the flop A♥ 8♣ 9♣ . Lam fires 60,000 again, and Chu continues to stick around. While no bets were seen on the turn 6♣ , the river T♥ has Chu leading out the minimum only to get popped to 160,000. Chu calls then mucks to the flush.

Cheng is ahead throughout to claim all of Byung's chips.

Action folds around to the small blind Yang Lin who likes his 9♥ 4♥ hole cards and raises 75,000. Big blind Tzu Kin Lo defends Lin continues 50,000 at the flop A♥ 6♦ 6♣ and Lo calls again. The turn A♣ is checked but not the river 9♠ with Lin betting 25,000. Lo snap-calls then mucks to Lin's pair.

Jee Weon Kim raises, calls Justin Wu's 150,000 re-raise, then both check to the turn A♣ K♠ Q♦ 6♦ . Kim checks again as Wu bets 200,000, and still doesn't shake Kim who calls. With a one card straight by the river T♥ , both check. Kim flips open K♥ Q♥ two pair, Wu mucks.

Big blind Wei Jen Wang calls Wonkyu Kang's raise then snap-calls the 45,000 c-bet at the flop A♣ 5♠ 2♦ . After both check the turn J♣ , the river 6♦ sees Wang lead out 25,000, Kang raises 150,000, Wang snap-calls again then mucks to A♦ 8♦ top pair.

Action folds to the button Erwin Ng and min-raises. Small blind Wei Chun Cheng three-bets 110,000, Ng tank-folds.

From utg+1 Chih Chung Chen opens, few spots over Charlie Chiu three-bets 145,000, Chen makes it 250,000, Chiu tank-shoves for 1,050,000. Chen tanks back then surrenders his hand.

Charlie Chiu is at it again, barreling down with a preflop three-bet of 110,000 called by initial raiser Wei Jen Wang. On the flop 9♣ 8♠ Q♠ , Chiu bets 160,000 gets called then jams 340,000 on the turn 8♥ . Wang tank-folds.

Small blind Chiayun Wu three-bets 160,000 leaving 15,000 behind, big blind Wonkyu Kang calls, initial raiser opts out. At the flop Q♥ T♣ T♠ , Wu bets his remaining chips and sees the bad news. Caller Kang has A♣ T♦ trips which is way ahead of his J♣ J♠ . The turn 6♥ and river 3♠ change nothing to end Wu's run.

Big blind Erwin Ng calls utg Kau Hung Hu's min-raise then again calls 30,000 at the flop K♥ 2♦ 8♣ . Both check down the turn 7♥ and river 7♣ . First to show Ng flips over K♣ 4♥ and Hu mucks.

Justin Wu raises 50,000, calls Guo Zhang Xi's 110,000 re-raise, then check-calls 90,000 on the flop 7♣ 5♦ 2♥ . Both players check the turn 8♦ , then on the river 3♣ , Wu shoves nearly 1,900,000, Guo tank-folds.

After winning one, Charlie Chiu loses a little to Wei Jen Wang to drop out of the million range. Preflop action, Chiu defends the big blind by calling Wang's raise then both check the flop 6♠ T♣ J♥ . Chiu leads 100,000 on the turn 7♥ , Wang calls, and K♥ shows up on the river. Chiu checks, Wang bets 210,000, looking like a steal, Chiu tank-calls then mucks to Wang's K♦ T♦ two pair.

Facing a raise from Wonkyu Kang, Charlie Chiu re-pops 85,000 and Kang calls. When the board runs A♥ 8♥ 6♦ 3♦ , Chiu sends out 110,000 and 300,000. Kang gives up the challenge on the turn.

Looking down at Q♠ J♠ , Justin Wu min-raises and finds a caller in Hsiang Ping Chiang. Both pass on the flop Q♦ Q♣ 3♥ , Wu bets 50,000 on the turn 2♥ . Hsiang calls and calls again on the river T♦ for 80,000. Wu flips over trips to rake it in.

Following a raise from Jee Weon Kim that's called by the button, big blind Jaemin Song joins in for a three-way to the flop K♥ J♠ T♣ . No bets land for a turn 4♦ . Song leads out 35,000, only Kim continues to buy the river 4♠ . Song fires again for 65,000 only to be pushed. Song tanks then calls for everything.

The turn pairs up Wang to boot Yu out of the running.

Wei Jen Wang raises preflop then bets the flop Q♥ 7♥ 7♦ , Charlie Chiu calls both then they check down the rest of the streets - turn K♥ and river 9♥ . Wang wins the pot with T♥ T♠ flush beating Chiu's A♣ 7♠ trips.

Yu Hua Chang opens and finds one challenger in ladies event champion Eosoo Lee. On a board K♦ 8♣ 7♦ , Yu continues for 30,000, Lee raises 95,000, Yu throws back a shove of 195,000. Lee tank-calls with slightly more chips.