TMTC Main (35,000 TWD)

After an action-packed series so far, the Main Event finally kicked off at the Taiwan Millions Tournament (TMT) Championship today inside the Asia Poker Arena.

With a buy-in of NTD 35,000 and a massive NTD 30,000,000 guaranteed in the prize pool, it was no surprise to see a huge chunk of that eaten away at as 249 entries were clocked on Day 1a.

Just 38 players survived the onslaught and lived to tell the tale, who all secured a place on Day 2 and guaranteed themselves a payday. Sitting at the top of the pack is Malaysia’s Ming Ken Thoo, who was the only player to break into the seven-figure territory with a stack of 1,046,000.

The day came to an end with Sheng He Chen as the unfortunate bubble boy when his flopped set of tens fell to the turned flush of Chun Yu Ma.

With three more starting flights to come over the next two days, it certainly won’t be a shock to see the venue yet again packed to the rafters as it always is.

Be sure to keep it right here with Somuchpoker to see who can build the biggest stack for Day 2, and then march onto the final table come Monday, October 27.

With Chen’s elimination, Main Event Day 1A has come to an end. A full recap of today’s action will be available shortly.

Chun Yu Ma raised to 20,000 from early position and Sheng He Chen called on the button, leaving only 5,000 behind. Jun Li also came along from the big blind.

The dealer delivered a flop of 5♣ T♣ 7♦, and it checked to Ma, who continued for 20,000. After burning his last two time bank cards, Chen called off his last one yellow chip. Li stepped aside.

Chun Yu Ma: A♣ Q♣

Sheng He Chen: T♠ T♣

Chen picked up the lead with a flopped set of tens, while Ma caught a flush draw. Unfortunately for Chen, the deck turned the tide in Ma’s favor when the 3♣ landed on the turn, completing his flush.

The river A♠ then shattered Chen’s last hope, sending him out as today’s bubble boy.

With 40 players remaining and just 38 spots in the money, the tournament is now hand-for-hand until two more players have been eliminated.

After that, the survivors will bag up their chips and come back for Day 2 on Sunday, October 26

Chen Yu Yeh open-shoved for 115,000 on the button and Fabian Rolli re-shoved for around 560,000 from the small blind. After the big blind folded, Yeh's tournament life was on the line against Rolli.

Chen Yu Yeh: A♠ Q♦

Fabian Rolli: 9♠ 9♥

Rolli picked up the lead with pocket nines, but Yeh took it over on the A♣ 3♠ T♥ flop. The dealer delivered little help on the runout of 2♠ T♣, locking up a much-needed double up for Yeh.

Tom Verbruggen raised to 16,000 from middle position, and Ung Ian Kit three-bet to 35,000 on the button. Verbruggen called.

Verbruggen check-called after Kit made a continuation-bet on the K♥ 9♣ 4♠ flop. The board-pairing 9♥ then fell on the turn, where Verbruggen check-called again, this time for 24,000.

An 8♥ filled out the board, and Verbruggen kept his pace with a check. Kit then fired out his third barrel of 100,000, sending his opponent into the tank.

Verbruggen burned two time bank cards before making the call. Kit quickly revealed a boat with K♣ K♦, leaving his opponent no choice but to relinquish the sizable pot.

Sachiko Uchihara made it 12,000 to go from under the gun and got herself two callers from the blinds: Jacob Yong and Yuan Hsu Lee.

The trio checked through the 8♦ 2♠ 8♣ flop to see a 9♠ fall on the turn. The blinds checked to Uchihara, who then bet 15,000. It forced her two opponents to let go of their cards.

With around 27,000 chips in the middle, a flop came K♥ 2♥ 4♣, and Hao checked from the big blind. Yin Hao En then led out for 14,000 in the cutoff. Hao stuck around.

Both players checked through the 9♣ turn to the board-pairing 9♦ river, where Hao bet 16,000. It was good for the pot as En tossed his cards into the muck.

The action was picked when Pin Hao Zhu was all in for around 133,000 from the small blind with a pile of chips in the middle, and Nevan Chang called off his 78,000 in the cutoff.

Nevan Chang: K♣ J♥

Pin Hao Zhu: A♠ Q♥

Zhu picked up the lead with ace-high against Chang's king-high. However, Chang took over the dominance on the 3♠ J♠ T♣ flop, improving him to a pair of jacks while Zhu got a gutshot.

The dealer sent good news to Zhu with an A♦ turn, connecting to his ace and leaving Chang only one shot to stay alive.

Much to Chang's dismay, the river didn't cooperate and bricked out a 2♦, ending his tournament life.

Huan Han Chen opened to 10,000 from under the gun and Youngjun Ji called from middle position, as did Nevan Chang in the big blind.

On the Q♥ T♣ A♦ flop, Chang checked to Chen, who continued for 12,000. Only Chang stuck around.

The turn brought a 3♠ and action went check-check. When a board-pairing A♠ filled out the board, Chang led out for 15,000. Chen made the call.

Chang swiftly tabled a flopped pair of queens with K♣ Q♣, while Chen tossed his cards into the muck and relinquished the pot.

Donghoon Lee raised to 12,000 from under the gun and Dai Cheng Wang called in the cutoff.

Lee continued for 11,000 on the Q♣ 2♥ A♥ flop and Wang stuck around to the 5♥ turn. Lee sent another barrel of 35,000, which didn't deter Wang from making the call.

When a Q♥ filled out the board, Lee shoved for around 250,000 and Wang quickly called for 105,000.

Lee immediately revealed A♣ A♦ for a full house to crack Wang's flush with K♥ T♥ and sent his opponent out of the field.

Ming Ken Thoo limped in on the button and Vincent Rubianes checked from the big blind.

On the 5♣ 2♥ 5♥ flop, Thoo led out for 4,000, only to be jammed by Rubianes for 22,000. Thoo snap-called to put his opponent at risk.

Ming Ken Thoo: J♥ 8♥

Vincent Rubianes: A♣ 3♦

Rubianes picked up the lead with ace-high while Thoo got a flush draw. The dealer then revealed bad news to him with an 8♠ turn, improving Thoo to a pair of eights.

The deck sealed Rubianes' fate as it sent a Q♦ on the river, seeing him walk out of the door.

Youngjun Ji raised to 9,000 from early position and Kai Hung Hu called in the cutoff.

Ji continued for 7,000 on the 3♠ A♣ T♣ flop and Hu stuck around to see a 4♦ land on the turn, where Ji sent another barrel of 16,000. Hu came along.

It went check-check when the K♠ filled out the board. Ji tabled a rivered pair of kings, but it was still no match for a flopped pair of aces from Hu's A♦ J♠.

Yohwan Lim open-shoved for 34,000 on the button and was put at risk by Ta Wei Wang from the big blind.

Yohwan Lim: A♠ K♣

Ta Wei Wang: T♣ T♠

Wang held control with pocket tens on the 9♠ 6♣ 6♥ flop, but the dealer revealed bad news to him on the A♥ turn, improving Lim to a stronger pair of aces.

The river came a 9♥ and locked up a much-needed double up for Lim.

Chun Yu Ma opened to 6,000 from under the gun and Shi Rong Wang three-bet to 15,000 in the hijack. Ma made the call.

Ma check-called a bet of 8,500 of Wang on the K♠ 6♣ 8♥ flop to see a 9♦ fall on the turn, where it went check-check.

Ma then fired out 28,500 on the 5♦ river, leaving just 2,000 behind. After thinking for a while, Wang responded with a call.

Ma flipped over a flopped pair of kings with K♥ Q♥ and dragged in the pot while Wang mucked.

Ming Ken Thoo raised the cutoff to 5,000 and Vincent Rubianes defended his big blind.

Both players checked through the monochrome 4♠ Q♠ 7♠ flop to a board-pairing 4♣ turn, where Rubianes check-called after Thoo bet 3,000.

An 8♣ landed on the river, and Rubianes checked to Thoo, who fired out another barrel of 11,500. Rubianes looked down at his cards and eventually tossed them into the muck.

Jihwan Oh made it 5,000 to go from the hijack and got himself two callers from the blinds: Phua Si Yang and Soobum Kim.

Action checked to Oh, who continued for 6,000 on the 3♦ 5♠ 4♥ flop. Only Kim stuck around.

Both players checked through the 2♥ turn to the 9♣ river, where Kim check-folded a bet of 7,000 from Oh.

Phua Si Yang opened to 4,000 from under the gun and Jacob Yong defended his big blind.

Yong check-called a bet of 4,000 of Yang on the A♥ 2♦ T♥ flop.

The two then checked through a runout of 6♥ J♥. Yong tabled a flopped pair of tens with Q♦ T♣, but it wasn't enough against Yang's flopped two pair with A♣ 2♣.

Tzu Yu Hsu made it 4,000 to go from early position and got himself three callers: Yu Hsuan Chen from middle position, Chi Fan Hsu in the hijack, and Jeeweon Kim from the big blind.

Kim checked over the T♠ T♦ 2♣ flop, and Hsu continued for 6,000. Only Chen dropped in the call.

Both players checked through the runout of 9♦ Q♣ and took it to a free showdow. Hsu revealed ace-high with A♣ 6♣, which was not enough against Chen's pair of fives with 5♠ 5♥.

After nine levels of play, registration has officially closed with 249 entries on the clock.

That means that there are 38 spots on offer in Day 2 and the money, which the remaining field of 136 are all contesting for.

Yohwan Lim made it 3,000 to go from early position, and Pin Hao Zhu called on the button, as did Ming Ken Thoo from the big blind.

Action checked to Zhu, who led out for 5,000 on the 8♥ 4♦ T♥ flop. Thoo and Lim stuck around.

The trio checked through the 9♥ turn to the A♥ river. Thoo checked, and Lim sent a bet of 2,300, which Zhu cranked it up to 20,000. It was hefty enough to force both of his opponents to fold.

In the very next hand, Lim open-shoved for 25,500 from under the gun and was put at risk by Nevan Chang in middle position.

Yohwan Lim: A♣ K♦

Nevan Chang: Q♠ Q♣

Chang was far ahead with pocket queens and extended his dominance on the 6♦ 3♦ Q♥ flop, improving him to a set and leaving Lim drawing thin.

The dealer delivered a 2♦ on the turn, giving Lim a flush draw. Unfortunately, the deck sealed Lim's fate with a 9♥ river, sending him out of the field.

There was a shove for around 13,000 from under the gun and Soobum Kim called from the next seat looking to score a knockout.

Holding Q♠ Q♣ , Kim had a huge advantage over his opponent's 3♥ 3♣ , and improved further on the J♦ Q♦ A♣ flop.

Just to add salt in the wound, Kim made quads on the turn as he found the Q♥ , with a meaningless T♥ filling out the board.

With a little help from quads, Kim is up to around 125,000. Will anybody beat quad queens by the time the day ends?

Yong Hoong Ling raised to 2,500 from middle position, and Shen Hao called on the button.

Both players checked through the T♥ 2♣ 2♠ flop to see a 9♦ fall on the turn, where Ling bet 2,000 and Hao called.

Ling sent her another barrel of 6,000 on the K♦ river, and it was enough to take down the pot as Hao let go of his cards.

Jaejoong Kim made it 2,800 to go from the cutoff and was called by the blinds: Chang Le Lin and Jia Chi Li.

On the K♥ 2♠ 9♦ flop, the blinds checked to Kim, who continued for 2,500. Only Lin stuck around.

Both players then checked through the runout of 7♥ 8♥. Lin quickly tabled Q♠ 9♠ for a flopped pair of nines and raked in the pot.

Soobum Kim opened the hijack to 2,000 and Jin Woo Choi three-bet the button to 5,500. Kim called.

On a flop of J♦ Q♦ 2♣, Kim check-called a bet of 3,000 from Choi. The turn brought an 8♦, and it went check-check.

When a board-pairing J♣ dropped on the river, both players checked through again. Kim revealed a turned pair of eights with K♦ 8♣ for the pot because Choi tossed his cards into the muck.

With multiple tournaments going on around the Asia Poker Arena, the atmosphere is feeling fantastic.

There's a Freezeout event playing out, along with a High Roller tournament as the Main Event takes center stage.

Currently, 180 entries have been recorded with 133 players still in the mix. Late registration is open until the end of Level 9, and play will stop once the field is reduced to 15% of its starting number.

With 5,500 chips in the middle, a flop revealed K♣ T♥ 3♥ when Sachiko Uchihara checked over from the big blind. Fred Chen led out for 1,500 in the hijack, and Uchihara dropped in the call.

Uchihara check-called again on the Q♣ turn, this time for 6,500. The river brought a 2♦, and Uchihara checked. Chen sent his third barrel of 22,000 after tanking for a long time. Uchihara instantly let go of her cards.

Players are on another 15-minute break.

Jin Woo Jung made it 1,700 to go from under the gun and Jin Woo Choi called from the hijack, as did Youngjun Ji in the cutoff.

The trio checked through the monochrome 4♣ 6♣ 3♣ flop to the 9♥ turn. Jung then bet 3,500, and only Ji came along for the ride.

The dealer then delivered an A♥ river, and Jung sent another barrel of 9,500. It forced his opponent to let go of the cards successfully.

With around 30,000 chips in the pot and the board reading J♦ 4♣ 5♠ 3♦, Ching En Chen led out for 18,800 from middle position after thinking for a while. Cheng En Tsai then shoved for 36,400 in the hiajck, putting his opponent into the tank.

Chen burned three time bank cards before he dropped in the call.

Cheng En Tsai: A♥ 9♥

Ching En Chen: A♣ J♣

Chen picked up the lead with a flopped pair of jacks. The dealer sealed Tsai's fate quickly with an A♠ river and pushed the pot Chen's way.

Shinichiro Kano made it 1,200 to go from early position and Yu Zheng Wu called in the cutoff.

On the K♣ 5♦ 9♣ flop, Kano continued for 2,500 and Wu stuck around to see the 7♠ turn, where it went check-check.

Kano then checked over 8♠ river to Wu, who sent a bet of 2,500. Kano check-folded.

Shi Rong Wang opened the hijack to 1,300 and Chien Te Lee defended his big blind.

Both players checked through the 5♦ 8♠ 6♠ flop to the Q♥ turn, where Lee check-called a bet of 1,500 from Wang.

Lee checked over the 7♠ river to Wang, who fired again 1,500 after burning one time bank card. Lee then cranked it up to 5,000, and Wang snap-called.

Wang immediately revealed a rivered straight with A♠ 4♦, leaving Lee no choice but to muck his cards.

The TMTC Main Event attracts players from all over the region, and some of the heavy hitters are in the field today in an attempt to get through Day 1a.

Locals Chen An Lin and Nevan Chang, who combined have around US$4,700,000 in live tournament earnings under their belt, are among the big names on the registration list early on.

Hong Kong's Edward Yam is also in the mix and brings a wealth of experience from across the globe with him. Hua-Wei Lin, the other half of the WiN Poker Couple (alongside Nevan) is also in the field .

Be sure to stick around to see how they, and the rest of the players, get on throughout the day.

Cheng Nan Tsai opened to 1,000 from under the gun and Duhan Lee called from the small bind, as did Jin Woo Choi in the big blind.

Action checked to Tsai, who continued for 1,600 on the 3♠ 8♠ A♦ flop. Only Lee dropped in the call.

The dealer delivered a K♥ on the turn, and Lee fired 2,000, which was good for the pot.

Kai An Chuang made it 1,500 to go on the button and Pin Hua Chou defended his big blind.

Chou check-called a bet of 1,500 from Chuang on the 3♠ 4♥ 3♥ flop to see a J♥ fall on the turn. Action went check-check.

When a K♠ hit on the river, Chou checked again. Chuang then bet 2,500 and forced Chou to fold successfully.

Players are on the first break now.

Cheng Nan Tsai opened to 800 from under the gun and Jin Woo Choi defended his big blind.

A flop revealed K♦ 5♥ 5♣, and Choi check-called after Tsai continued with a bet of 1,200.

Both players checked through the 3♥ turn to a 3♣ river, where they tapped the table again and took it to a free showdown.

Choi turned T♦ 8♣, and it was no match for Tsai's A♦ Q♣.

Ting Chieh Chen opened to 1,000 from under the gun and Won Gyun Lee three-bet ot 3,200 on the button. Chen tagged along.

The flop showed 3♣ A♥ J♠, and Cdhen check-called a continuation-bet of 2,600 from Lee to see the 4♠ turn, where it went check-check.

When an 8♠ landed on the river, Chen fired 8,000 and dragged in the pot as Lee laid it down.

Evan Tsai opened the cutoff to 600 and Jihwan Oh callled on the button, as did Bo Wei Lin from the big blind.

The dealer revealed a T♣ 6♦ K♠ flop, and it checked to Tsai, who continued for 800. Oh and Lin dropped in the call.

The trio checked through the J♠ turn to a T♠ river, where was another check round. After seeing Lin flip over a turned pair of jacks with J♣ 9♠, both Tsai and Oh mucked.

Jun Li made it 800 to go from the hijack and was called by the blinds: Beng Hong Ker and Ka Shun Tsang.

The trio checked through the 8♣ J♦ A♦ flop to the 9♦ turn, where Ker checked to Tsang, who led out for 2,200. Li came along for the ride, and Ker folded.

The J♦ hit on the river, and Tsang fired 6,500. It was good for the pot as Li laid it down.

Fei Tang Lo opened to 500 from early position and Zi Jian Jiang stuck around on the button.

The dealer revealed 9♣ 3♠ K♣ flop, and Lo led out for 600. Jiang made the call to see a K♠ hit on the turn, where Lo fired again 1,100. Kruezi dropped in the call.

When the J♦ showed on the river, it went check-check. Lo tabled 8♠ 8♣ to beat Jiang's J♣ 7♣.

Denny Kruezi raised to 600 in the cutoff and Fei Tang Lo defended his big blind.

A flop came J♠ K♦ 5♣, and it went check-check. The J♦ then hit on the turn, where Lo led out ffor 600. Kruezi made the call.

When an A♠ landed on the river, Lo bet 1,000 and it was good for the pot as Kruezi folded.

"Shuffle up and deal" has been announced, and the curtain has been lifted for the Main Event Flight A.

Defying the gusts and heavy rain brought by the Northeast monsoon in Taipei, the heat inside the Asian Poker Arena never cools down, and it’s set to surge even higher today as action kicks off for the NT$35,000 Main Event of the Taiwan Millions Tournament Championship (TMTC), boasting a massive NT$30,000,000 guaranteed.

The glory of last year’s champion, Taiwan’s Mu Teng Liu, still shines brightly in everyone’s memory. Liu, who finished third in the 15th TMT Main Event, earned a coveted golden TMTC Main Event pass. Determined to prove that his success came not just from luck but also from skill and courage, Liu entered the 2024 TMTC Main Event, starting his journey on Day 1 Flight A. In a performance that spoke louder than words, he went on to capture the prestigious title after outlasting a 936-entry field and claim the life-changing top prize of NT$4,538,600.

2024 TMTC Main Event Final Table Result

His self-proving triumph is sure to inspire more poker fans to step onto the stage and battle it out for the career-defining title this year. With the thrilling vibe building up, cards will be in the air at 11:00 local time, and all hopefuls will start with 50,000 in chips.

The blinds open at 100/200 with a 200 big blind ante, and players will grind through 40-minute levels in a true test of stamina and focus. With one break scheduled after every three levels, endurance and discipline will play as much a role as skill at the felt.

2025 TMTC Main Event Full Schedule

Late registration remains open until the start of Level 9, giving players plenty of time to jump into the most anticipated event of the series.

Stay tuned here as the 2025 TMTC Main Event unfolds today. It promises to deliver electrifying action, dramatic moments, and unforgettable highlights all the way until a new champion is crowned.