WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship (3 PACKAGE)

Another action-packed heat in the WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship came to a close as Day 1C wrapped up at UOB LIVE, Emsphere. From a starting field of 598 entries, only 75 players survived the fast-paced turbo structure to earn a spot in Day 2 and secure a piece of the now THB 75,487,659 (~USD 2.3M) total travel fund prize pool.

Emerging at the top of the counts was China's Zhiqiang Meng, who bagged a towering 1,350,000 (54 BB), the biggest stack to date across all flights. Right on his heels is fellow countryman Haiyang Zhang with 1,205,000 (48 BB), both well-positioned to make serious runs in the days ahead.

On a side note, a handful of players failed to return in time for the restart, leaving their stacks to slowly bleed out across six full levels. Remarkably, two of them — Christian Mitchell and Liu Yi, managed to cling on just long enough to scrape into the money. Both now advance to Day 2, but will have their work cut out for them as they rejoin the action with micro stacks.

One final flight, Day 1D, remains in play before the full Day 2 roster is finalized. Action will resume tomorrow, August 4th at 6:00 PM, where play will be for another fifteen 20-minute levels, bagging just before midnight.

Stay tuned as SMP brings you live updates, key hands, and all the big moments straight from the tournament floor!

WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship

Date/s: August 1-5, 2025

Buy-in: Travel Package 3 valued at THB 37,000 (~USD 1,100)

Guarantee: THB 37,000,000 (~USD 1.1M) travel fund

Entries: 2,337

Prize pool: THB 75,520,160 (~USD 2.3M) travel fund

ITM: 293 places

Day 1A: 525 entries, 66 qualified

Day 1B: 663 entries, 83 qualified

Day 1C: 598 entries, 75 qualified

Day 1D: 551 entries, 69 ITM

Day 2: Monday, August 4

Day 3/ Final: Tuesday, August 5

With bubble time in full swing, Atsunobu Konishi and Hen Rosilio collided in three consecutive showdowns, and each time, the Japanese player came out on top.

The first clash was a classic flip, where Konishi’s 3♦ 3♣ held firm against Rosilio’s A♥ J♦ . In the very next hand, the two tangled again, with Rosilio dominated by Konishi’s superior ace, leaving him on the ropes as the money line drew closer.

Crippled down to less than a big blind, Rosilio was forced all-in the next hand, and opened up 3♠ 2♠ against Konishi's T♥ T♣ . In rough shape, Rosilio failed to hail a miracle, succumbing to his fate as the stone cold bubble.

With his elimination, the remaining 75 players officially secured a payout and advanced to Day 2, bringing Day 1C to a close.

Yung Hui Po moved all-in for 173,000 on the button over a late position open, only to be met with a reshove from Daniel Yuen a seat behind. With no other callers, the two went to showdown in a classic flip.

The board ran out A♥ J♠ Q♦ K♥ , putting Yuen’s overcards in front. But the river 4♣ flipped the script, turning the tables in Po's favor to spare him from a soft bubble elimination.

Lin Lu open shoved 109,000 folded to him in the hijack and was looked up by Brian Coppola right on the big blind.

Lu a favorite to win, instead bowed out as the board A♥ 9♣ 6♥ 4♣ T♥ ran ace-high, sending his ladies flying towards the muck.

The race to the money is on as Day 1C inches closer to the bubble. Just 80 players remain, with only 75 spots paid and a Day 2 ticket on the line. With five eliminations left on the table, every decision could mean the difference between busting out or bagging up.

Thomas Simsen open ripped his last 121,000 folded to him on the cutoff and was challenged by Thiyam Singh right behind.

Simsen with the nutted pair, had no issues scooping up the pot across board 7♦ K♦ T♥ K♥ 5♥ , easily earning him the much needed double up.

Following an early position open, Wensheng Lai moved all-in for his last 56,000, and was immediately followed by a reshove from Sungmin Cho just one seat over. The rest of the table got out of the way, setting up a heads up showdown.

Cho dominated, was in luck to find trip queens on board 8♥ 6♥ Q♥ 3♥ Q♠ to take the win and send Lai to the rail.

Another clash erupted on Table 3 following a preflop exchange between Sanket Sanganeria and Wensheng Lai landed both stacks in the middle, the former being at risk for his last 200,000.

Sanganeria in no sweat, easily clutched the win across board T♥ Q♦ A♦ J♥ 7♠ , crippling Lai in the process.

After having his kings cracked just before the break, Haris Zambas returned the favor, this time dishing out the bad beat to Pau Iglesias.

With the timely comeback, the board ran out T♥ J♥ 8♦ 7♠ 8♣ , giving Zambas a jack-high straight to snatch the pot and keep his Day 1C hopes alive.

A three way showdown on Table 8 saw Ming Lei cover both Minthwin Htoo and Edmund Lau, putting roughly half his stack past the betting line.

Htoo closing in on a double, nearly picked up the win across board 5♥ 7♣ 2♠ T♥ , until the river spiked a Q♥ to give Lei a pair of queens, just enough to knock both opponents out.

A back and forth exchange between button Shangren Lin and Haiyang Zhang in the big blind, saw Lin make the final call for his entire 237,000 stack, piling a 50 BB pot in the middle.

Lin well ahead, suffered a crushing beat after Zhang turned the tables, having spiked top pair on board 7♦ Q♣ 2♦ 8♠ 9♦ to snag the win.

Shaohung Yu shoved for 176,000 over an early position open and was looked up by Nguyen Huy Binh in the hijack. The big blind came along as well for his last 14,000, while the initial raiser got out of the way in hopes of preserving his stack.

Yu A♦ K♥

Nguyen Q♦ Q♠

BB Q♣ 6♠

The board ran out T♥ 7♦ 5♠ K♣ 5♥ , giving Yu two pair for the win, while Nguyen stood up from his seat, visibly trying to shake off the sting of the beat.

Daichi Suzuki took the leap from the big blind, risking his last 68,000 with Qx Jx , and faced hijack raiser Ming Lei's A♥ T♠ for a race.

Slightly behind, Suzuki failed to catch up on board 8♥ 3♠ 9♣ A♠ 3♥ , sending him quickly out of the Day 1C charge.

With an open ahead, Young Jin Park pushed all-in from the button, only to be followed by two more shoves from the blinds — Haris Zambas and Pau Iglesias. The initial raiser stepped aside, setting up a massive three-way all-in.

Zambas in great form, almost scooped the hefty boost through board 5♦ Q♠ 7♣ J♦ , up until the river peeled an A♦ to send his premium pair bound for the muck and shoot him down the ranks.

Thiyam Singh opened utg and picked up a call from Fang Chen right behind. Action escalated quickly as Zhenxiang Lim shoved for 69,000, followed by Lu Lin Chi jamming for 158,000. Singh wasted no time and moved all-in over the top, while Chen tanked before eventually folding.

With both Lim and Chi at risk, the board ran out 3♠ 2♦ 4♦ 6♥ 9♠ , keeping Singh’s premium pair ahead the whole way to deliver the double knockout.

Down to less than four big blinds, Myo Thant Zin stood at the brink of elimination with 6♣ 5♥ up against Lester Leung's monster K♠ K♣ . Lucky for Zin, the board 3♥ A♣ 5♦ 4♣ 2♣ landed a wheel straight, offering him another chance at a Day 2 seat.

Facing an open and a call, Ming Lei ramped up the pressure with a 22,000 squeeze, only to be met with a four-bet shove from utg Mathieu Coulon for around 90,000. Lei wasted no time shelling out the rest, setting up another preflop showdown.

Coulon in trouble, missed to catch up on board T♦ 6♣ 9♠ 3♣ 6♥ , ending his run in today's Day 1C games.

Phataraprasit Trin opened in mid position and called Romit Advani's 36,500 all-in from the small blind.

Advani dominated, bowed out shortly after board 2♣ A♠ 3♦ 9♣ 2♦ failed to save him from his demise.

Zhiqiang Meng shot out a 32,000 three bet on the button following a late position open and a call, and saw Jilu Chen commit his last 5 BB in the big blind. Initial raiser Gary Tan moved over the top for some 72,000, and Meng flicked in the rest.

Ahead with the ladies, Meng easily bagged the three way pot with a set on board 5♠ A♠ Q♣ 3♦ 6♠ , eliminating both in quick fashion.

A back and forth between Yoong Piu Ding and Alexander Wice saw both stacks shortly in the middle, the former at risk for his entire 50,000 stack.

Running a flip, board 2♥ 9♣ A♥ A♣ 6♥ missed to connect with Wice's overcards, shipping Ding the full double.

A three way showdown erupted on Table 51 with Isaac Phua being the first to push for 11,500. Li Chieh Wang flatted in the hijack, but let it go shortly after two more - Andrew Han and Tongkai Hatsahon joined the shove fest.

Board 6♦ J♦ 3♠ 8♥ 6♥ ran dry for all three, leaving Hatsahon's ace-high good for the takedown.

Rajeev Poonhath open ripped his remaining ten big blinds in early position, and was followed with another shove from Xiaoyang Qian. Danzan Khaimchikov made the final call in the big blind, setting up a three way showdown.

Board 2♣ T♥ 5♣ 5♠ 7♦ ran clean for Qian's nines, shipping him the triple up back to a comfortable 30 BB stack.

A blind vs blind cooler saw Qidong He well-poised for a double up after getting his last fifteen big blinds good against Saier Jin to his right.

Jin drawing slim however, managed to turn the tables, having spiked her two outer on board 6♠ 6♦ A♥ 3♠ Q♦ to deliver He's elimination.

A preflop showdown saw Kai Leurer commit his last 24,000 with suited connectors and was up against Bob Verkerk two seats after for a race for his tournament life.

In need to catch up, Leurer managed to flop a combo draw on 4♥ T♠ 5♠ , but ultimately bricked on runout 4♦ K♦ to send him out of the running.

Registration is now closed for Day 1C of the WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship, locking in another massive 598 entries for the flight. Players will battle it out until just 75 remain, all guaranteed a spot in Day 2 and a piece of the ever-growing prize pool.

For those still looking to qualify, Day 1D, the final starting flight kicks off at 4:00 PM.

Bin Wu opened on the button and took a gamble, calling off Ngoc Thai Huynh's shove a seat after for 14,100.

Up for a race, board 4♠ T♥ A♣ 7♦ 3♣ kept Huynh ahead all the way from start to finish, earning him a much needed double up.

Ben Andrews stuffed 15,700 following a hijack open, and was met with another push behind from Rong Zhang for a bigger 40,400. Initial raiser got out of the way, leaving the two to showdown.

Board 2♣ K♦ 5♣ 8♦ K♣ ran in favor of Zhang's pocket pair, eliminating Andrews from the Day 1C running just before the final break of registration.

With 576 entries already registered for Day 1C of the WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship, tournament staff have announced that registration will close once the 600-player cap is reached. Players who miss the cut will still have one final chance to secure a Day 2 seat, with the last starting flight, Day 1D, kicking off at 4:00 PM today.

With the THB 37,000,000 (~USD 1.1M) WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship guarantee already smashed, the action continues at full throttle here at UOB LIVE, Emsphere, Bangkok, as the last two starting heats get underway.

A four-figure field is already in motion, with Day 1A and 1B pulling up a total of 1,188 entries, shaping up a monumental debut for this landmark WPT event in Thailand. Today marks a double flight day, with Day 1C kicking off at 12:00 PM, followed by Day 1D at 4:00 PM, giving players two final chances to secure a coveted Day 2 seat.

Each flight follows a turbo structure with 20-minute blind levels and will play down to 12.5% of the field, meaning all who survive today will bag in the money. With momentum building and entries piling in, the road to the country's first WPT champion is getting more exciting by the minute.

Registration will remain open through Level 10 @3:20 PM. Stay tuned as SMP brings you live updates, key hands, and all the big moments straight from the tournament floor!

WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship

Date/s: August 1-5, 2025

Buy-in: Travel Package 3 valued at THB 37,000 (~USD 1,100)

Guarantee: THB 37,000,000 (~USD 1.1M) travel fund

Day 1A: 525 entries, 66 qualified

Day 1B: 663 entries, 157 remaining

Day 1B-2: Sunday, August 3

Day 1C: Sunday, August 3 (12 NN)

Day 1D: Sunday, August 3 (4:00 PM)

Day 2: Monday, August 4

Day 3/ Final: Tuesday, August 5