APT Taipei Poker Classic 2024: Chee Sim Yong towers over Main Event Flight B; Chuning Tan, Pongsapak Himathongkom, and Hsu Fei Hsuan dominate fields

The highly anticipated NTD 65 Million (~US$ 2M) guaranteed APT Taipei Poker Classic 2024 Main Event is in full swing, with two flights down and two more to go. Chinese Texas Hold'em Poker Club (CTP) Asia Poker Arena found its halls packed to the brim once more with Flight B taking over the day’s schedule. Another 181 runners found a bag by the end of the night, with Malaysia’s Chee Sim Yong stacking the lead across the heat. Several side events likewise played down to completion, and saw Chuning Tan, Pongsapak Himathongkom, and Hsu Fei Hsuan, rise to victory.

APT Poker Classic 2024 - Schedule

Chee Sim Yong towers over Main Event Flight B

The second of four flights on schedule, Flight B attracted a slightly lesser field in comparison to its opening qualifier, and added another 439 entries (349 unique) onto the tally. On track to breaching its ambitious guarantee, current numbers stands at a total of 1,298 entries, 397 of which were drawn from its Natural8 offerings. 

Action coursed through ten levels of play, the first of six ran a faster pace of 45 minute blinds, followed by one hour levels thereafter. By bagging time, only 181 players stood to move forward, led by Chee Sim Yong with a chip count of 308,000. While Yong was the sole runner to breach the 300K mark, the Malaysian contender ranks just fifth across the overall pecking order with four players from Flight A stacking above.

Joining the day’s survivor list are recently minted Mystery Bounty Hunter winner Isaac Phua (155,000), Taiwanese crusher Chi Jen Chen (187,000), Youtube sensation I-Chun "I.C Charlie" Chiu (147,400), WPT Prime Taiwan champion Jereld Sam (141,200), and Hong Kong Players Poker Association founder Sparrow Cheung (73,000). Natural8 ambassadors Phachara Wongwichit (47,900) and Kunal Patni (46,600) likewise advance through, carrying stacks hovering around 30 big blinds.

• Date/s: September 29 - October 5, 2024

• Buy in: NTD 50,000 (~US$ 1,570)

• Guarantee: NTD 65,000,000 (~US$ 2,057,610)

• Flight A: 462 entries / 157 qualified

• Flight B: 439 entries / 181 qualified

• Flight C (30/ 45 mins) - Tuesday, October 1

• Flight D (30/ 45 mins) - Tuesday, October 1

• Day 2 A/C - Wednesday, October 2

• Day 2 B/D - Wednesday, October 2

• Day 3 - Thursday, October 3

• Day 4 - Friday, October 4

• Final Day - Saturday, October 5

Top Ten Flight B Chip Counts

Head onto APT’s official website for the full list of Flight B survivors
Backtrack on all the day’s action via SMP Live Updates

Chuning Tan bags second series victory at Limit - Triple Stud

An incredible run early on, China’s Chuning Tan successfully claimed his second APT title across the series with another mixed game win at the Limit - Triple Stud (Razz, Stud, Stud Hi-Lo) side event. Tan bested the 91-entry field and closed out the victory for NTD 81,012 (~US$ 2,563), denying Japan’s Masashi Tamaru of the title. Tan previously topped the PL Omaha Hi-Lo - 5 Card (Big O) event for a bigger NTD 199,240 (~US$ 6,300), putting him well above the green only four days into the festival.

• Date/s: September 30, 2024

• Buy in: NTD 4,000 (~US$ 125)

• Entries: 91 (86 unique)

• Prize pool: NTD 304,012 (~US$ 9,620)

• ITM: 13 places

Limit - Triple Stud Final Table Results

Pongsapak Himathongkom takes down NL - Hold’em

Thai runners have been faring well across the fields with another win for the country in the bag, coming from Pongsapak Himathongkom at the NTD 25,000 (~US$ 780) buy-in NL - Hold'em. Himathongkom outlasted the 178-entry field and scored NTD 893,800 (~US$ 28,290) in winnings for his maiden title. An international affair was evident across the final rounds with a number of nationalities on the hunt for the top prize. Former APT Women’s Event champion Jennifer Cassell was among the mix but fell short in 6th place. Two contenders hailing from Hong Kong - Yi Yeung Leung and Chun Shing Lau, likewise bagged deep runs, yet ended settling for runner up finishes to round up the top three spots.

• Date/s: September 30, 2024

• Buy in: NTD 25,000 (~US$ 780)

• Entries: 178 (140 unique)

• Prize pool: NTD 3,844,800 (~US$ 121,710)

• ITM: 23 places

NL - Hold’em Final Table Results

Hsu Fei Hsuan crushes Women’s Event

Local runner Hsu Fei Hsuan proudly raised the Taiwan flag, having emerged triumphant over the second Women’s Event of the series. Hsuan clinched her career first APT title having defeated China’s Xuan Yang in heads up play. For her victory over the 132-entry field, Hsuan banked her best live cash of NTD 282,808 (~US$ 8,948), along with the coveted APT hardware.

• Date/s: September 30, 2024

• Buy in: NTD 10,000 (~US$ 310)

• Entries: 132 (93 unique)

• Prize pool: NTD 1,127,808 (~US$ 35,700)

• ITM: 17 places

Women’s Event Final Table Results