After five intense days of poker action, China's Haoran Sun emerged victorious as the first ever WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship winner, navigating a marathon 2,337-entry field to claim the title, the trophy, and the lion’s share of the THB 75,488,000 (~USD 2.3M) total travel fund prize pool.
Sun entered the final day as one of the top stacks and consistently stayed afloat the ultra-fast paced structure, executing timely aggression, key knockouts, and cool composure from start to finish. In just two hours of final table action, Sun closed the win in stunning fashion, needing only two hands in heads up play to defeat Canada’s Philipp Zukernik and capture the crown.
For his incredible performance, Sun takes home THB 11,477,000 (~USD 352,480) in travel fund value along with a coveted must-play seat to the WPT World Championship in Las Vegas later this year. More than any other victory, Sun now becomes part of Thai's poker history, marking a truly unforgettable run in this historic debut hosted in the Kingdom of Thailand.
Interview with Haoran Sun:
SMP: Congratulations, Haoran! How does it feel to be the first-ever WPT Champion crowned on Thai soil?
Sun: I'm extremely excited, it feels like I've been living in a dream.
SMP: What was the first thought that went through your head when that final card hit the felt?
Sun: I've been playing against Philipp Zukernik for a long time, and I think he's the type of player who would push all-in with a wide range of hands. So I judged that my K7 could outperform most of his hand range in that situation, so I chose to call.
I was especially excited. At that moment, I knew the championship was secure. Because I had good luck today and basically didn't lose any pots, when I saw that my cards could beat his, I was certain that the championship was mine.
SMP: Looking back, what was the most pivotal hand for you in this event?
Sun: On the second day, I entered the day with 860,000 chips. I lost some chips at the start of the day and was left with just over 400,000. Later, I won a few pots and my chip count rose back to over 600,000, but 600,000 was only a few big blinds at that point. Then I got pocket kings (KK). With this hand, my chips tripled, and I directly returned to a healthy chip count. This hand was extremely crucial.
SMP: The adjusted structure was especially intense with the turbo 20 minute levels and short stacks, how did you adapt your game?
Sun: There weren't many major changes. I just cherished every big blind. However, during the bubble phase, I played more aggressively, which helped me accumulate a certain amount of chips. In the later stages, I tried to play tighter. When I got good hands to outplay my opponents, I would then "run it" (go all-in for a showdown) with them. Because in this format, many players would push all-in with a wide range of hands, and it's hard for short stacks to survive without taking the initiative. So I seized some of their mistakes, successfully accumulated chips, and ensured I stayed in the game all the time.
SMP: You came into the Final Day amongst the top counts. What was your strategy and how did you deal with all the short stacks?
Sun: My chip count was healthy today, and I ranked third when entering the final table. My strategy at that time was to make more use of position advantages to maintain a healthy chip count, steal more pots, and try to avoid unnecessary "all-in showdowns".
SMP: Were there any specific opponents who gave you a particularly tough time?
Sun: I think Singaporean player Alex Lee is very skilled, but unfortunately, his AK couldn't beat his opponent's A5, and he was eliminated early.
SMP: What does this victory mean to you personally and professionally?
Sun: Of course, it's meaningful. This is my first main event championship, and it has given me more confidence in my poker career. Winning a championship on an international stage is a very exciting moment in my life, and I'm very happy.
SMP: Can you tell us a bit about your poker background and how you got into the game?
Sun: At first, I played offline cash games for fun with friends, small games like 1-yuan and 2-yuan stakes. I found this game very appealing, but I always lost at the beginning. I'm a person who doesn't like to lose, so I kept studying the reasons for my losses. Gradually, I improved and later could beat them. After that, I came into contact with MTT tournaments and slowly became obsessed with tournaments, playing fewer cash games.
For this tournament in Bangkok, I've always known about the WPT brand and think it has great international influence. Moreover, this is the first Thailand stop, which is close to China, so I wanted to come and experience the atmosphere of an international event.
SMP: Have you played WPT events before? How does this one compare?
Sun: This is my first time participating in a WPT event, and I think the stage setup at the venue is especially great!
SMP: You’ve earned an entry to the WPT World Championship in Las Vegas. How excited are you to compete on that stage?
Sun:I'm very happy. If I can successfully get the visa, I will definitely go.
Congratulations to all the winners!
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 75,488,000 (~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 qualified
Day 2: 292 players, 14 qualified