Main Event (9,000 NTD)

Day 1C of the TMT 18 Main Event came to a close at Red Space, Taipei, after a grueling 19 levels of play. The flight drew an impressive 628 entries, pushing the cumulative count across the first three flights to over 2,000, underscoring the growing momentum of Taipei’s vibrant poker scene.

By night’s end, 95 players had locked up a cash, with 51 advancing to Day 2. South Korea’s Seho Kim topped the charts with a commanding 942,000 stack (79 BB), followed closely by fellow countryman Doo Young Kim with 835,000 (70 BB). Rounding out the day’s top three was Taiwan’s Chien Hsun Wang, finishing strong with 770,000 (64 BB).

Other notable names joining the Day 2 lineup include local contenders Chao Ting Cheng (556,000) and Kun Han Lee (314,000), as well as Hong Kong’s Edward Yam (282,000) and Malaysia’s Ming Ken Thoo (90,000).

All Day 1C qualifiers will return for Day 2 on Sunday, July 27th, where they’ll join survivors from all other starting flights in the next leg of the NTD 31 million (~USD 1M) guaranteed Main Event. Stay tuned as SMP continues to bring you all the latest action straight from the floor!

TMT 18 Main Event

Dates: July 20–28, 2025

Buy-in: NTD 9,000 (~USD 300)

Guarantee: NTD 31,000,000 (~USD 1,000,000)

Day 1A: 985 entries, 148 ITM / 79 qualified

Day 1B: 502 entries, 76 ITM / 41 qualified

Day 1C: 628 entries, 95 ITM / 51 qualified

Day 1D: Thursday, July 24

Day 1E: Friday, July 25

Day 1F Turbo: Friday, July 25

Day 1G: Saturday, July 26

Day 1H Turbo: Saturday, July 26

Day 2: Sunday, July 27

Final Day: Monday, July 28

Vying for 125,000 in the middle on a board of Q♣ T♥ 2♥ K♥ 5♦ , the button vs big blind battle between Jheng Ting Shih and Chien Hsun Wang came to a decisive end. Shih risked his last 155,000 holding J♥ 5♠ but was outdone by Wang’s superior two pair K♠ 9♣ . Shih’s exit marked the close of the day, sending the remaining 51 players off to bag up and advance to the next round.

With an open and three calls already in the pot, Chao Cheng took a stand from the big blind, jamming his 194,000 stack into the middle. Folds quickly followed except for Cheng Ho Ting, who gave it some thought before making the call to put his opponent at risk.

Ting was dominated from the start and couldn’t catch up, even as he found a set by the river on a board of A♠ Q♥ J♣ K♦ 9♦ .

Takuma Terada open jammed his last 110,000 from utg and found himself flipping against Yijui Chen’s overcards behind.

In need of a crucial double to stay alive, Terada held firm as the board ran out 6♣ 7♠ 3♠ 3♣ 7♣ , keeping his TMT 18 Main Event run intact for now.

In a tense button vs blind showdown, Cheng Ro Da was more than happy to get his 137,000 stack in holding pocket kings against Shun Yi Zheng, all while sitting on the dreaded stone bubble. Fortunately for Cheng, there was no sweat to be had as the board ran out T♠ 8♥ 4♥ 5♣ J♠ , securing his double and keeping his Main Event hopes alive.

Action is right on bubble time with one more elimination to go before the day wraps up. Only 51 players are set to advance to Day 2, resuming play on Sunday, July 27th.

Folded to Hsin Meng Yu on the button, he open ripped his remaining 124,000 and was looked up by Doo Young Kim right on the big blind.

Flipping for his tournament life, Yu was instantly crushed as board 4♠ 6♣ 2♦ 3♣ 9♠ rolled a set for Kim to take it down.

Another short stack preflop showdown landed on Table 36 with Xingche Li at risk for his remaining 108,000 against Wei Hsun Lin.

Gunning for overcards, Lin found none on board 2♦ 3♥ 4♣ 9♠ 6♦ , sending him plummeting down the ranks.

Only 58 players remain on the tournament floor, and the finish line for Day 1C is now in sight. Just seven more eliminations stand between the field and a Day 2 seat, with 51 players set to advance.

Seho Kim opened for 15,000 from the hijack and was met with a 45,000 threebet from Chao Kai Cheng in the small blind. Kim fired back with a four bet to 88,000, and Cheng made the call to swell the pot.

On flop Q♥ 9♦ 2♥ , Kim continued with a small 28,000 cbet, more than enough to get Cheng to lay it down and send the pot Kim’s way without a fight.

In a blind vs blind battle, Chao Ting Cheng sprang a 40,000 check raise on a flop of 5♠ 4♠ 4♥ , prompting his opponent to shove for 67,000 more with two pair 7♥ 5♦ . Cheng snap called with trip fours A♦ 4♣ , and quickly sealed the knockout as the turn 6♣ and river A♠ futher improved him to a full house.

A three-way all-in unfolded on Table 36 with the board showing A♦ A♥ A♣ 7♠ 5♦ . Wei Ta Wei had both Wei Hsun Lin and Yeh Su Lung covered as they each committed their roughly ten big blind stacks.

Lin’s hooks held strong the entire way, scooping the main pot for a healthy triple up. Lung, meanwhile, took down the small side pot but was left dangerously short after the hand.

A hijack open drew calls from both blinds to see a flop of 3♥ 8♠ 6♠ . Li Yang Hsu led for 16,000, then followed through with a shove worth 68,000 when the turn brought the K♥ .

Yang Hai Fong in the small blind tanked briefly before making the call with just bottom pair, holding 5♠ 3♦ . His read proved spot on as Hsu tabled Q♠ 9♠ for a flush draw. The river A♥ missed all outs, ending the Hsu's run and shipping the pot to Yang.

Down to less than one big blind, Yuan Su Shen flicked in his last 4,000 and got two callers in Chien Hsun Wang and Qipiao Mark Cai from the blinds.

Action on board 4♥ 7♥ 4♦ 6♦ 5♣ was checked down to the river, where Wang turned over an eight-high straight to scoop the pot. Shen’s run ends as the Day 1C bubble, while the remaining players now breathe a sigh of relief—each guaranteed a piece of the prize pool.

A blind vs blind showdown landed right on bubble time with Yeom Seung Seok at risk for his last 72,000 against Cheng En Tsai.

Tsai slightly ahead, kept his advantage all through board 4♥ 6♥ 2♣ 8♣ 3♥ , sending Seok to the rail two spots shy of the money.

The tournament clock has been paused to make way for the money bubble. Out of today’s 628-entry field, just 102 players remain in contention, with only 95 guaranteed a payout. Tension is high as the next few eliminations will determine who walks away empty-handed and who will take home a profit.

Running thin, Eum Taekyu flicked in his last 20,000, called by Kun Han Lee on the hijack. Poyu Chen two seats after bumped it up to 50,000, pushing Lee out of the pot.

Taekyu dominated, found a miracle save on board 3♣ T♠ 4♦ Q♦ 3♥ , earning him the full triple up.

Action folded down to the blinds, where Jongseon Lee open ripped 43,000 in. Muying Lai tank called with a pocket pair, risking half his stack.

Lee at risk, faded elimination, having spiked a pair of tens on board T♣ 2♥ 8♦ 6♣ J♦ to survive through.

David Erquiaga jammed his last 20,000 with 9♦ 9♠ against an utg open and was met with another push from the big blind to isolate. While the initial raiser opted out, Erquiaga was up against pocket tens, leaving him in danger of elimination.

Lucky for the Filipino pro, the window card was a 9♥ , earning him a set straight away to earn the pot not long after.

Yi Sheng Chen stuffed his last 28,000 on the button and saw both players on the blinds push likewise.

Chen A♥ 5♥

SB A♣ K♣

Remi Sauvage T♥ T♣

Despite being the short stack and clear underdog, Chen turned the tables 360, rivering a full house to scoop the main pot for a triple up. The small blind secured the side pot to ease the blow, while Sauvage was left reeling with a severely dented stack.

Shao Kang Chien open jammed on the cutoff and saw Jongseon Lee call off his last 29,500 in the big blind.

Running a race, Lee landed a straight on board 9♥ 5♣ T♣ J♥ K♣ , sparing him from elimination.

Following an early open and two calls, Jun Yu Lin squeezed to 33,000 from the big blind, finding just one caller in initial raiser Qipiao Mark Cai.

The flop came 9♦ 3♦ 3♠ , and Lin moved all-in, only to be snap called by Cai, who rolled over 9♥ 9♣ for a flopped full house. Lin, holding Q♠ Q♣ , was crushed to see the bad news, and after the board ran out 4♣ 2♦ , could only send his queens to the muck.

Ori Kossonogi put his last 18,500 on the line from the big blind with 3♦ 3♥ and found himself well behind Hung Wei Yeh’s Q♠ Q♣ .

Nearly on his way out, Kossonogi instead caught a miracle river as the board ran out 2♠ 2♥ T♣ 4♦ 3♣ , giving him a full house to stay alive and earn a full double up.

Bo Ren Feng open ripped 36,500 utg and was met with another push from Songhau Pham.

A pocket pair battle, Feng nearly scooped up the pot across board K♦ 2♥ A♦ 3♥ , up until the river 9♥ landed Pham's two outer to turn the tables.

Up against an open and a button three bet, Ming You Hsieh squeezed all-in on the big blind for 22,000 and was challenged by initial raiser Ting Kai Yang.

A classic flip, the board 5♦ K♥ A♥ 2♦ T♣ this time, ran in favor of the overcards, keeping Hsieh right on his seat.

A cooler landed on Table 58 with Shao Kang Chien risking his last 23,000 preflop against Jongseon Lee.

Significantly ahead, no surprises fell on board 8♥ 4♣ K♦ 9♣ 4♥ , earning Chien the much needed double up.

Doo Young Kim on the small blind, fired a hefty three bet and saw initial raiser Alexis Cruz call off his remaining 33,000.

Up for a race, Cruz almost snipped the win with the flop showing Q♠ 2♥ J♥ , but couldn't fade the ace as the runout A♥ 5♥ completed to serve his elimination.

After a delayed start and hours of nonstop action, Day 1C of the TMT 18 Main Event is officially closed registration with a total of 628 entries added on to the tally. From that field, 95 players will walk away with a cash prize, but only the final 51 will secure a coveted seat into Day 2.

De Hao Lai happily called a 13,600 shove from an early position opponent, putting just a sliver of his growing stack at risk.

Lai A♦ Q♣

UTG+1 K♠ J♣

Already ahead, Lai widened his advantage on flop A♣ 3♥ 8♥ , sealing the win not long after turn T♣ and river K♥ completed the board.

Duc Dang opened utg and called a 6,500 three bet from Yi Ming Hong on the cutoff.

The flop fanned out 3♥ T♦ 2♣ , where Dang check called a 5,000 cbet from the aggressor. Both players slowed down on turn 2♦ with a check.

On river J♦ , Dang tapped the table once more, opening the door for Hong to rip in his remaining 30,200. Dang went deep into the tank before making a hero call with 9♦ 9♣ , only to fall short as Hong tabled A♦ K♦ for the nut flush to scoop the pot.

Wei Chen Lin opened on the button and quickly called a short stack shove from Zhen Zhou Lin on the small blind.

In rough shape, Zhen found his hopes crushed as the board 8♠ 8♥ 6♣ 7♣ J♣ offered no chops and only an early exit.

Su Lung Yeh lodged a three bet against a midposition open, and made the call shortly after the initial raiser pushed for 17,300 total.

Yeh A♥ K♣

MP A♦ J♦

In great form, Yeh smooth sailed to victory on board 6♦ 7♠ 2♠ 4♠ 2♦ , knocking one off the counts.

David Erquiaga opened from the hijack and found two callers in You Da Tsai and Eum Taekyu on the blinds.

On a flop of A♠ T♠ 8♥ , Taekyu wasted no time, jamming in his last 11,800. Erquiaga bowed out, but Tsai flicked in a quick call to put the short stack at risk.

Taekyu A♣ 6♦

Tsai Q♠ 9♠

Chasing multiple outs, Tsai bricked the A♥ and 2♥ runout, giving Taekyu the full double while trimming a chunk off Tsai’s towering stack.

In a three bet pot led by Wu Ting Hao, the flop rolled out A♣ 6♦ 8♣ , prompting Hao to fire a 4,000 cbet. Both Hu Chung I and Kuan Jui Lai stuck around to see the 4♦ land on the turn.

Without missing a beat, Hao turned up the heat with a hefty 15,000 barrel, enough to chase both opponents out and pull in the pot successfully.

Boyi Sung kicked off the action with an open in early position, met by a button three bet from Weihan Chen. Both Yu Liu Jin and Chifan Hsu on the blinds, pushed their stacks in the middle, and so did Sung. Chen bravely made the final call for his entire 27,600, making it a four-way affair.

Chen as the underdog, flipped the script after the board 7♠ 6♣ T♦ 3♥ A♠ ran him a straight to sweep the table clean.

Hsin Meng Yu defended his early open and called a 4,900 three bet from Chang Teng in the small blind.

The flop fell A♠ T♠ 8♥ , and Teng kept the pressure on with a 5,000 cbet. Yu responded with a raise, prompting Teng to add 7,000 more to the middle.

On turn J♣ , Yu moved all-in, leaving Teng to call off his remaining 14,000 with top pair A♦ Q♥ . Yu however, had him dominated with A♥ K♥ , and picked up the win as river 7♣ completed the board.

Up against an open and a call, Yuan Su Shen lodged a 4,500 three bet in the small blind, and saw initial raiser Ryan Yeh respond with an all-in for 20,600 total. Shen deliberated for a moment before throwing in a chip, only to find himself in rough shape against Yeh's better ace.

Board T♦ 4♥ 7♠ J♣ 2♦ offered Shen no help, costing him half his stack.

Pisonthi Tohchang opened to 2,000 and shelled out 9,200 more following an all-in from Adi Zecharia a seat after.

Running a coinflip, Zecharia shipped the double after none of his opponent's overcards showed up on board 4♣ Q♥ 7♦ 7♣ 7♠ .

Yuchieh Cheng opened 1,200 utg and was joined by Shin Seonho on the small blind.

On flop K♥ Q♥ 6♠ , Shin responded to Cheng's 1,500 cbet with a check raise to 3,700. Cheng pushed for 10,800 more and received a call from his Korean opponent, erupting in a showdown.

Cheng A♦ A♠

Shin K♦ T♠

No help for Shin arrived on either turn J♥ or river 5♥ , shipping Cheng the double up.

Wei Pin Yang got things going with a raise to 1,300 on the button, picking up calls from both players on the blinds. The flop came 8♣ A♣ 6♠ , and Yang kept the story going with a 2,500 cbet. Sit Chun Ho stuck around, but gave it up shortly on turn 2♣ after Yang fired another 5,000.

With a pot of 8,600 already built across board 3♦ Q♦ 5♣ K♦ , Wu Yu Chen took a stab for 6,500, and faced a check raise all-in from Steven Luu for 12,000 more. Chen gave it some consideration, but eventually arrived at a fold shortly after.

Vying for 16,000 in the middle, two stacks rushed in to the middle by the turn with Tsai Tse Jui risking his last 11,400 against Meng Hsuan Wu.

Tsai J♦ J♥

Wu A♦ T♠

Tsai ahead with an overpair, locked in the win through river 6♠ , crippling Meng Hsuan Wu in the process.