Lester Edoc has added another major title to his poker resume, winning the TMT Championship 2026 Main Event after five hours of final-table action at CTP Asia Poker Arena in Taipei. The Filipino poker veteran takes home NTD 4,757,400 (~USD 146,440) after a three-way ICM deal with Aditya Agarwal and Sunho Yoo, capping off a final table where he held the chip lead from start to finish.

Agarwal finished runner-up for NTD 4,162,400 (~USD 128,130), while Yoo took third place for NTD 3,643,200 (~USD 111,710). Once the three players settled their deal, they agreed to go all-in preflop every hand until the tournament was decided. Five hands later, Edoc had the title.

TMT Championship Final Table Result

Record Field Despite Typhoon Disruption

This year's Main Event made history with 1,418 entries, setting a new attendance record for the TMT Championship. The field grew by nearly 32% from the 1,076 entries recorded in 2025 and more than 51% from the 936 entries in 2024. That growth came despite a typhoon disrupting the schedule across Day 1A through Day 1D, making the turnout all the more notable.

The record field generated a NTD 42,880,320 (~USD 1,315,000) prize pool, comfortably surpassing the NTD 30 million (~USD 1 million) guarantee. Despite the weather challenges during the opening flights, players turned out in numbers to make this the biggest Main Event in the festival's history.

Edoc Holds the Lead as Final Table Unfolds

Nine players returned for the final table, with Edoc already out in front. He never relinquished the lead, navigating the eliminations and building his stack as the field narrowed.

Feng Hsien Ching was the first to go, losing a flip against Sangjun Jung to finish ninth. Kuan Ying Chen followed in eighth after his pocket aces were cracked by Injae Jeong, who flopped a flush.

Jung's own run ended in seventh place in a clash against Edoc. Jung flopped a set with pocket eights against Edoc's aces, but a runner-runner flush on the board gave Edoc the winning hand. Jeong was next to leave in sixth after getting short-stacked and committing his chips preflop, only for Agarwal to flop a full house.

Ronald Haverkamp's tournament ended in fifth place after getting his chips in behind Edoc. Haverkamp found help on the flop, but Edoc completed a straight on the river to send him to the rail. Hao Che Cheng was the last Taiwanese player standing, but his run ended in fourth place, also at the hands of Edoc.

Three-Way Deal, Then Five Hands to Decide the Champion

With only Edoc, Agarwal, and Yoo left, the trio agreed to an ICM deal to lock in their respective payouts. They then decided to move all-in preflop every hand until one player remained. After five hands, Edoc emerged as the champion, adding another Main Event victory to his record.

Edoc: “PUSO!”

After the win, Edoc spoke about what the title meant to him.

“I’m very happy, it’s been a while since I won a main event and this is also the biggest in number of field that I outlasted,” he said.

Edoc was also asked about a key hand against fellow Filipino and WPF Asian Nations Cup 2026 teammate Marc Rivera, which helped boost his stack. He answered with a laugh, joking that Rivera might be his lucky charm.

“Every time I eliminated him (Marc Rivera) I always win the tournament so I think next time I will ask him again to give his chips to me.”

Edoc also had a message for Filipino players looking to test themselves abroad, encouraging them to take their game beyond the Philippines.

“Go out and try playing outside of the Philippines because we Filipinos have a chance to win international events.”

He finished with a shout of “PUSO!” — a fitting send-off after a record-breaking Main Event run and five hours at the final table.

Lester Edoc - 1st Place

After five hours of play, the Philippines’ Lester Edoc emerged as the champion of the record-breaking TMT Championship 2026 Main Event, taking home the prestigious Incense Cedar Wood Trophy Plate and the top prize of NT$5,763,000 (approximately US$177,400).

Stay tuned for a full recap of the day’s action, coming shortly.

Aditya Agarwal - 2nd Place

Lester Edoc shoved all-in from the button for 56,000,000 and Aditya Agarwal made the call.

Aditya Agarwal: Q♠8♣

Lester Edoc: 7♥3♠

Agarwal was once again ahead. But the flop came 3♦T♥9♦ giving Edoc the lead with a pair of three.

The universe was in sync with Edoc as the 3♥ turn fell, giving him trips and moving him closer to the title.

With the 9♣ completing the board on the river, Agarwal settled for runner-up as Edoc claimed the championship title, adding another notable achievement to his already impressive poker résumé.

Aditya Agarwal shoved all-in from the button for 6,700,000 and Lester Edoc called putting his tournament life on the line.

Aditya Agarwal: A♠A♣

Lester Edoc: T♦5♦

Agarwal's rockets held on the flop 6♣8♠2♠. Nothing changed on the J♥ turn.

With the river falling 6♦, Agarwal scored a much-needed double up.

Lester Edoc shoved all-in from the button for 31,550,000 and Aditya Agarwal called putting his opponent's tournament life on the line.

Lester Edoc: Q♦9♥

Aditya Agarwal: Q♥4♦

Edoc was once again ahead amd stayed ahead when the board ran 8♣7♥8♦6♣J♠.

The dealer pushed the pot towards his direction for a double up and the chip lead.

Lester Edoc

Aditya Agarwal shoved all-in from the button for 54,300,000 and Lester Edoc called putting his tournament life on the line.

Lester Edoc: K♥5♦

Aditya Agarwal: T♠5♠

Edoc was ahead with king-high when the flop dropped 2♣7♣A♥. Both players hit the board when the 5♣ turn fell, but Edoc was still ahead with the better kicker.

The 6♥ was peeled on the river giving Agarwal no help. The dealer pushed the pot towards Edoc for a double up.

Lester Edoc and Aditya Agarwal

The TMT Championship 2026 Main Event is now heads-up, with the final two players battling for the prestigious Gold Trophy and the title of champion.

Sunhoo Yoo - 3rd Place

Lester Edoc under the gun shoved all-in and both Aditya Agarwal and Sunhoo Yoo both called.

Sunhoo Yoo: 4♥3♥

Aditya Agarwal: A♣5♥

Lester Edoc: T♠6♥

Agarwal was ahead with ace-high. His lead was strenghtened when the flop fell A♦6♣2♥. Nothing changed for Yoo and Edoc on the Q♠ turn.

On the river 4♣, Agarwal's victory was secured while Yoo's fate was sealed to finish in third place.

Action has resumed following an ICM deal agreed upon by the remaining players. While the deal determines the payout distribution, the players will continue competing for the prestigious TMT Championship Incense Cedar Wood Trophy Plate and the title of Main Event champion.

With only three players left, they have paused the clock to discuss a possible ICM deal.

Hao Che Cheng - 4th Place

Lester Edoc opened to 1,300,000 on the button and Hao Che Cheng in the big blind shoved all-in for 8,800,000. Edoc called taking them to showdown.

Hao Che Cheng: A♠J♣

Lester Edoc: A♦K♠

Edoc had Cheng's hand dominated and was in the lead when the dealer flopped 2♣9♣8♦.

The 3♣ turn gave Cheng a bit of hope with a four-card flush but the Q♦ river sealed his fate to finish in fourth place.

The four remaining players are stepping away for a break. Lester Edoc continues to lead, having held the chip lead since the start of the final table, but Aditya Agarwal is closing the gap.

Sunho Yoo

Sunho Yoo opened from under the gun with 5♥5♦, and Hao Che Cheng defended his big blind with J♦3♦.

On the 6♥4♥3♣ flop, Cheng led for 600,000 and Yoo called. The 7♣ turn completed Yoo’s straight, but Cheng kept firing with a 900,000 bet, which Yoo called again.

The J♣ river improved Cheng to two pair, and he fired a third barrel for 1,800,000. Yoo snap-called and turned over the straight, delivering the bad news to Cheng after he had bet all three streets.

The hand flipped the stacks, leaving Cheng as the shortest stack among the four remaining players.

Ronald Haverkamp - 5th Place

Lester Edoc opened to 900,000 from the cutoff before Ronald Haverkamp shoved for 5,300,000 from the big blind. Edoc snap-called, putting Haverkamp at risk.

Ronald Haverkamp: A♣3♥
Lester Edoc: A♠K♣

Haverkamp was dominated, but the J♥T♠3♦ flop paired his three and briefly put him in front.

The 8♠ turn changed nothing, but the Q♣ river turned the tables once more, completing Edoc’s straight. Haverkamp was eliminated in fifth place, while Edoc claimed another big pot.

Hao Che Cheng

Lester Edoc raised the pot to 1,100,000 from the button and Hao Che Cheng in the big blind shoved all-in for 3,500,000. Edoc called taking them to showdown.

Hao Che Cheng: T♠T♥

Lester Edoc: A♣5♣

Cheng was ahead, and when the flop showed K♣K♠T♣, he smiled broadly as he secured his lead with a full house.

The dealer completed the board with a 2♥K♥ runout. The dealer pushed the pot towards Cheng's direction for a double up.

Injae Jeong - 6th Place

Injae Jeong open-shoved for 1,800,000 in hijack and after action folded to the big blind, Aditya Agarwal called, in the hopes of getting the rest of Jeong's chips.

Injae Jeong: Q♦8♣

Aditya Agarwal: J♠4♣

The flop came J♥4♠4♥. Like some form of bad déjà vu, Agarwal flopped a full house leaving Jeong drawing dead.

Jeong immediately got on his feet and put on his backpack as the dealer completed the board with a 9♠2♥ runout.

Aditya Agarwal

Aditya Agarwal opened under the gun to 725,000 holding A♠J♥ and after action folded to him, Injae Jeong in cutoff called with A♦9♦. Lester Edoc in the big blind, joined them with 6♥5♠ to see a flop.

The dealer fanned out J♦A♥A♣ giving Agarwal a full house on the flop. After a check for Edoc, Agarwal set his trap by checking after. Injae, who caught trips, checked as well giving them all a free turn.

The turn fell 2♣. After a check, Agarwal gave value with an 850,000 bet. Jeong called while Edoc got out of the way.

Just to make matters worse, the 9♠ fell on the river, giving Jeong a lower full house. Agarwal fired 1,300,000. Jeong raised to 3,300,000.

Agarwal replied with an all-in for 5,700,000. Jeong snap-called.

Seeing Agarwal's higher boat, Jeong couldn't stop shaking his head as the dealer pushed the pot to his opponent.

Sangjun Jung - 7th Place

Sangjun Jung under the gun raised to 3,600,000 leaving 100,000 behind. Lester Edoc in the big blind replied with his own all-in shove for 27,000,000. Jung threw in his last chip putting his tournament run on the line.

Sangjun Jung: 8♥8♣

Lester Edoc: A♠A♦

Edoc was initially ahead but Jung caught a set on the 8♠2♦T♦ pushing him in the lead.

Jung was looking at a potential double up when the 5♦ fell on the turn. But this gave Edoc outs for a four-card flush to turn things around.

The river K♦ crushed all of Jung's hopes of staying in the tournament when Edoc completed his flush. The Korean player hit the rails in seventh place.

Lester Edoc

Sangjun Jung opened to 600,000 from under the gun holding K♣Q♦. Lester Edoc in the big blind with 9♥9♦ called to see the flop.

The flop came Q♥5♦3♦. After a check, Jung continued with 500,000 for his top pair and Edoc decided to hang on.

The turn 9♠ gave Edoc a set and he led out with 700,000. Jung called.

The river K♠ fell on the river giving Jung a two-pair, unaware of Edoc's set. Edoc took his time to consider his options before betting 3,800,000.

Jung made the call giving Edoc most of his chips and bringing him down the chip ladder.

Kuan Ying Chen - 8th Place

On the very second hand after the break, exciting action had resumed.

Injae Jeong opened to 600,000 in early position and Kuan Ying Chen in the small blind three-bet all-in for 1,300,000. Jeong made the call putting Chen's tournament life at risk.

Kuan Ying Chen: A♠A♥

Injae Jeong: Q♠J♠

Chen was way ahead. The crowd burst out in excitement, however, when the flop dropped 5♠6♠3♠ giving Jeong a flush and pushing him in the lead.

With the the A♠ with him, Chen still had a chance to turn things around if another spade fell on the board. The 3♦ turn was a brick.

But applause erupted when the dealer peeled a K♣ river, eliminating Chen in eighth place.

The remaining eight players are taking a break.

Injae Jeong

Hao Che Cheng opened to 500,000 from early position and picked up two callers. On the A♣K♣5♦ flop, Cheng continued for 600,000, but only Injae Jeong called.

The J♦ turn slowed Cheng down, and he checked. Jeong fired 2,000,000, only for Cheng to announce all-in. Jeong wasted no time calling, turning over a made straight.

Injae Jeong: Q♦T♥
Hao Che Cheng: A♥Q♥

Jeong was well ahead with his straight, leaving Cheng needing a ten to chop the pot. The 7♠ river offered no help, and Jeong secured a big double-up at Cheng’s expense.

Sunho Yoo

Kuan Ying Chen open-shoved for 5,100,000, and Sunho Yoo called off his remaining 3,200,000 from the small blind.

Sunho Yoo: A♦A♣
Kuan Ying Chen: A♥K♣

The board ran T♠9♠7♦3♠3♦, offering no help to Chen and giving Yoo a clean double-up. Chen was left short while Yoo’s stack got a much-needed boost.

Hao Che Cheng

Cutoff Sangjun Jung opened to 500,000 before Hao Che Cheng moved all-in for 4,900,000 from the big blind. Jung snap-called, putting Cheng at risk.

Hao Che Cheng: T♥T♦
Sangjun Jung: K♠K♦

Cheng was in rough shape against Jung’s pocket kings, with just two tens to save him. The flop came J♥T♠9♥, however, bringing Cheng a set of tens and flipping the situation in his favor.

The A♠ turn changed nothing, and the 3♠ river sealed the double-up, cracking Jung’s kings and keeping Cheng in the fight.

Feng Hsien Ching - 9th Place

The shortest stack at the final table, Feng Hsien Ching, open-shoved for 1,800,000 and Sangjun Jung made the call.

Feng Hsien Ching: A♦K♥
Sangjun Jung: 8♦8♥

Ching was flipping for his tournament life, but the board ran 7♣7♠6♥Q♦6♦, bringing no help for his overcards. Jung’s pocket eights held, sending Ching to the rail in ninth place, the first elimination at the final table.

Sangjung Jung opened to 400,000 in hijack with 5♦5♣ and only big blind Injae Jeong called with Q♥J♥ and joined him.

The dealer spread T♦5♥K♠. After action was checked to him, Jung continued with 250,000. Jeong hung on.

The dealer peeled a 8♣ turn. And after another check, Jung once again fired 800,000 for his set. And waiting for his straight draw to complete, Jeong paid the price to see the last card.

The river was a 6♣. Jung bet 2,200,000. And with his draw busting, Jeong had to concede his hand and the pot to Jung.

Sunho Yoo

Ronald Haverkamp opened to 400,000 in middle position and Sunho Yoo replied with an all-in shove for 1,900,000. Sangjun Jung in the small blind answered with his own all-in for 10,000,000, pushing Haverkamp out of the pot, and taking Yoo, at risk, to showdown.

Sunho Yoo: A♥9♥

Sangjun Jung: A♦K♥

Jung had Yoo dominated. The flop came A♣8♥4♥. Jung was psuhed further ahead but Yoo had hope to survive with a flush draw.

The turn 7♠ was a brick but the crowd cheered the moment the 2♥ fell on the river, completing Yoo's flush.

Yoo scooped the pot for a double up.

Sangjun Jung

Sangjun Jung opened to 400,000 in early position holding A♦J♥ and Aditya Agarwal in hijack with A♥Q♥ called. Sunho Yoo in the big blind with A♣4♣ joined them to see a flop.

The dealer fanned out J♠7♠K♠ and after a check, Agarwal fired 400,000. And only Jung called to see the next card.

The turn produced a K♥. Once again Jung checked the action to Agarwal, who shot out another 800,000 into the pot. Jung hung on.

On the river K♥, Jung led out with 550,000 which was enough to win the pot.

Cautious play has been happening on the final table with players choosing their sots carefully.

With chips moving around, here's an updated chip count:

With the Final Nine introduced, the tournament is now underway following the announcement of “Shuffle Up and Deal!” The players are back in action, each chasing the NT$5,763,000 top prize and the TMT Championship title. Who will come out on top and be crowned this year’s champion?

Keep it locked in as we bring you updates straight from the tournament floor.

Live updates will be synchronized with the stream and will have a 15–30-minute delay to preserve the integrity of the action at the table.

The final table is set for the TMT Championship 2026 Main Event, with nine players returning to Asia Poker Arena in Taipei at 1:00 PM local time to battle for the title and a top prize of NT$5,763,000 (approximately US$176,860). The final table will be streamed live.

Leading the charge is the Philippines’ Lester Edoc, who bagged 14,825,000 chips after a hard-fought Day 2. Hot on his heels is South Korea’s Injae Jeong with 14,025,000, leaving just 800,000 chips between the two frontrunners.

Fellow South Korean Sangjun Jung sits in third with 9,875,000, keeping the pressure on the leaders as the final table approaches.

The Final Nine Chip Counts

This year’s Main Event has made history, attracting a record-breaking 1,418 entries and generating a massive NT$42,880,320 (approximately US$1.315 million) prize pool.

The total surpassed the NT$30 million guarantee by NT$12,880,320, setting a new attendance record for the TMT Championship and eclipsing the previous marks of 1,076 entries in 2025 and 936 in 2024.

The achievement is all the more remarkable given Super Typhoon Champi’s arrival, which threatened to keep players away during the opening flights. Yet the allure of a TMT Championship title proved too strong to resist.

Final Nine Set for Championship Showdown

Edoc is in prime position to claim the biggest prize. Ranked fourth on the Philippines’ All-Time Money List, he brings an extensive record of tournament success to the final table and will look to add another significant title to his résumé.

Jeong is close enough to challenge for the lead, and he arrives with a TMT title already to his name after winning the NT$30,000 High Roller at the 20th Taiwan Millions Tournament earlier this year.

Jung also has a notable regional victory on his résumé, having won the Mystery Bounty Hunter at APT Taipei in 2025.

India’s Aditya Agarwal adds international pedigree to the lineup. A former Team PokerStars Pro, Agarwal won a World Series of Poker bracelet in 2024, taking down the $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Freezeout for US$189,661.

The Netherlands’ Ronald Haverkamp brings Main Event experience of his own, having finished runner-up in the 2025 WPT Cambodia Championship for US$255,000.

Taiwan’s Hao Che Cheng and Kuan Ying Chen will look to make the most of competing on home soil, while South Korea’s Sunho Yoo and Taiwan’s Feng Hsien Ching enter as the shortest stacks, with ground to make up if they are to mount a title challenge.

The Final Nine Payouts

Every finalist is guaranteed at least NT$615,000 (approximately US$18,870), but the biggest payday and the championship title remain up for grabs. Who will rise to the occasion and claim the TMT Championship 2026 Main Event crown?

Play resumes at 1:00 PM local time at Asia Poker Arena. Stay tuned as we bring you a riveting conclusion to the TMT Championship Main Event straight from the felt.