Main Event (33,000 NT$)

When the flop lands, the window card pairs up Liu and holds. Chan had to settle for 2nd place for a payout of NTD 3,027,000 (~US$ 94,770).

Liu becomes the first ever TMTC Main Event champion and pockets the NTD 4,538,600 (~US$ 142,100) champion's purse.

Hand #73: Big blind Manlok Chan calls Chiehchi Liu's 800,000 raise then off to the flop they go J♦ J♣ 6♣ . Liu c-bets 800,000, Chan check-raises 2,300,000, Liu gives it up.

In just over three hours, it is now heads up between Taiwan's Chiehchi Liu and Macau's Manlok Chan. Here are the remaining payouts:

1st NTD 4,538,600 (~US$ 142,100)

2nd NTD 3,027,000 (~US$ 94,770)

Hand #56: After four consecutive pots raked in, small blind Chiehchi Liu raises again 600,000 and this time big blind Manlok Chan calls. Both check it to the turn Q♠ Q♦ 7♣ 8♠ , Liu bets 600,000 and goes to the river K♦ after Chan makes the call. Liu then sends out a strong bet of 5,000,000, Chan doesn't bite.

Hand #57: Chiehchi Liu raises and wins with no caller for his sixth consecutive collection.

Hand #41: Cheng Wei Chen opens 425,000 and wins the blinds and ante.

Hand #42: Manlok Chan raises 500,000 and collects the blinds and ante.

Hand #43: Sparrow Cheung follows suit with a 400,000 bump, still no takers.

Hand #44: Utg Manlok Chan raises 500,000 and finally gets some action from the big blind Chiehchi Liu. The board is checked to the turn 6♦ 4♠ 2♦ K♣ , Liu leads 400,000 and Chan calls to see the river 3♦ . Both tap felt . Liu shows K♥ 8♠ top pair for the win.

Hand #45: All fold to Manlok Chan.

Hsiang prematurely celebrates at the flopped higher pair but the turn ended his hopes with Chan improving to a set.

Hand #19: Sparrow Cheung joins the action by defending his big blind on a raise of 350,000 by Manlok Chan. Same action on the flop 3♥ 6♣ 8♦ with Cheung check-calling another 350,000. On the turn Q♦ an river A♣ , it's checked down. Cheung has A♥ 3♣ for the two pair win.

Hand #20: Manlok Chan opens 400,000 and as seen several times already, no callers.

Hand #21: Chiehchi Liu raises 400,000, no takers.

Hand #22: Another Manlok Chan raise of 400,000 doesn't find any challengers.

Hand #16: Action folds around the felt to the small blind Cheng Wei Chun and limps in. Big blind Chiehchi Liu signals a check then they check down the board A♣ K♣ 3♣ 8♣ 6♥ . Cheng flips the winner A♦ 4♥ .

Hand #17: Manlok Chan gets a walk.

Hand #11: Manlok Chan opens, no callers.

Hand #12: Gyu Won Jang opens a large 600,000 leaving 75,000 behind, big blind Ko Chia Hsiang won't let it through that easy and calls. Flop comes J♠ 6♠ T♦ , Hsiang 150,000 bets, Jang calls for the remaining chips behind.

Gyu Won Jang: 8♦ 8♣

Ko Chia Hsiang: 9♣ 7♠

The turn 7♥ and river 2♣ means a double up for Jang.

Hand #13: Manlok Chan raises 400,000 and still no callers.

Hand #14: From utg+1 Chiehchi Liu min-raises and big blind Gyu Won Jang defends however on the flop Q♠ 5♥ 5♦ , Jang opts to fold to Liu's 400,000 c-bet.

Hand #10: Big stacks Chiehchi Liu and Manlok Chan face off with Liu first limping in then calling Chan's huge button raise of 525,000. When the flop runs A♦ 2♦ 7♦ , Liu check-calls 250,000 then on the turn J♣ , Liu check-raises from 700,000 making it 1,800,000 for Chan to see the river. Chan gives it up.

Liu is back up top.

Hand #2: Gyu Won Jang opens 600,000 and wins the blinds and ante.

Hand #3: Manlok Chan opens 300,000 from hijack and big blind Ko Chia Hsiang pays up to see the flop K♠ J♥ 2♥ . Chan c-bets 250,000 and wins the pot that easy.

Hand #4: Chiehchi Liu ups it to 250,000, Justin Chu joins in, small blind Ko Chia Hsiang shoves 3,025,000 and takes it down unchallenged.

Hand #5: Chiehchi Liu raise preflop again, this time 300,000 and wins the blinds and ante.

Hand #6: Manlok Chan wins his third pot out of five that have been dealt with an uncalled raise preflop.

Hand #7: Chiehchi Liu get first walk of the day.

Hand #8: Manlok Chan also gets a walk.

Hand #1: Manlok Chan picked up the first pot of the day that opened with a raise from Lin Yun Tse of 250,000, from the button Chan called and called again at a flop Q♣ 8♣ 4♦ for 200,000. On the turn 9♦ and river J♦ , Lin checks both, Chan bets 450,000 and 850,000, Lin fold to the river bet.

And just like that Chan has taken the lead.

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).

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.

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

Manlok Chan's 20,000 raise is met with a repop of 50,000 from Kao Kuo Wei. Chan answers with a four-bet of 118,000, Kao jams 400,000 which is 75% of Chan's stack, Chan surrenders his hand.

The river 2♦ is one of Chan's out to crack aces and boot Widjaya out of the field. Chan has now taken the lead.

With a raise before him, Chan Man Lok calls then calls small blind Chia Ta Tsai's 40,000 three-bet that shakes off the initial raiser.

More chips fly on the flop K♣ 4♥ 3♥ starting with Tsai's 25,000 c-bet, Chan raises to 65,000, Chia replies with a shove, Chan snap-calls and is covered.

The turn Q♣ and river 8♠ further improves Chan to a boat to ship it.