APT Taipei Poker Classic 2024: Keigo Kubo tops Main Event Flight A; Phanlert Sukonthachartnant, Isaac Phua, and Ravn Teo emerge triumphant

Crazy crowd, long lines, and two venues, the renowned Asian Poker Tour is definitely living up to its name with its APT Taipei Poker Classic showing, already booking solid numbers. The first flight of the highly awaited Main Event drew in a total of 462 entries, with only 157 runners remaining on the felt following ten levels of play. Adding to the buzz, three highlights played down to completion with Phanlert Sukonthachartnant, Isaac Phua, and Ravn Teo, clinching trophy wins across the APT Super High Roller, Mystery Bounty Hunter, and Sunday Super Stack events, respectively.

APT Poker Classic 2024 – Schedule

Keigo Kubo tops Main Event Flight A

The NTD 65 Million (~US$ 2M) guaranteed Main Event officially kicked off its games with its opening flight having drawn a total of 462 entries (341 unique). Ten levels of 60 minute blinds ran its course and saw the field whittle down to 157 players remaining by day’s end. Japan’s Keigo Kubo stacked the highest by bagging time, carrying with him 420,600 onto Day 2. Right on his tail are Hong Kong’s Nicholas Go with 398,600, followed closely by Japan’s Yuya Arito with 335,400, to round up the top three spots.

Several seasoned contenders likewise join the list of survivors, of which include former Main Event champions Lester Edoc (188,000), Shixiang Khoo (207,600), and Dicky Tsang (32,700). Other notables also advancing through are Tsz Him Chan (222,500), Abhinav Iyer (182,300), Henry Kilbane (164,200), Ethan “Rampage” Yau (109,600), Yohwan “BoxeR” Lim (76,900),  and John Tech (36,000).

Three more heats are set to play through Tuesday, October 1st, with registration remaining open before the start of Day 2 A/C on Wednesday, October 2nd.

• 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

Main Event Schedule

• Flight B (45/ 60 mins) – Monday, September 30
• 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 A Chip Counts

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

Phanlert Sukonthachartnant wins APT Super High Roller

A victory to remember, Thailand’s Phanlert Sukonthachartnant lifted his first APT title across the APT Super High Roller games and bagged the award-winning pewter lion APT trophy for his performance. Sukonthachartnant bested the 81 entry field, and defeated compatriot Thanisorn Saelor in a two hour heads up battle for the title. The Thai duo agreed to an ICM deal heads up, which guaranteed each contender at least NTD 4,740,500 (~US$ 150,060) in winnings, and a bigger NTD 5,793,950 (~US$ 183,375) chunk for the champion.

“Thank you to all the players who supported me, and all the support from the Thai poker community, I’m so happy and pleased to win.”, commented Sukonthachartnant following his victory.

Only two tables of eighteen players returned to the felt for the Final Day, each looking to catch a piece of the NTD 22,392,450 (~US$ 709,295) prize pool. While seven fell short of the money, the final table was eventually set, with Asian stars Punnat Punsri and Ethan Yau joining the fray.

Sukonthachartnant entered the final rounds amongst the top chip counts and remained in the backseat up until four-handed action came into play. Sukonthachartnant firstly won a flip with 7♦7♣ against Jack Maskill’s 8♥9♥ to send the latter out in 4th place finish. The Thai runner followed with another elimination, his latest victim being Mikael Andersson with K♥Q♥ against his A♥10♣, to bust the Swede in 3rd place.

On the hunt for his maiden APT title, Sukonthachartnant managed to reach heads up play almost at par in chips with Saelor. The lead shifted back and forth, up until the final hand arrived at the table, with Saelor’s 4♣3♣ behind against Sukonthachartnant’s 8♣5♣ on board J♠3♥K♣J♣10♣ for the overall victory.

APT Super High Roller Review

• Date/s: September 28-29, 2024
• Buy in: NTD 300,000 (~US$ 9,410)
• Guarantee: NTD 11,000,000 (~US$ 348,210)
• Entries: 81 (57 unique)
• Prize pool: NTD 22,392,450 (~US$ 709,295)
• ITM: 11 places

APT Super High Roller Final Table Results

*Denotes deal was made

Relive the action via APT’s official livestream

Isaac Phua triumphs over largest APT Mystery Bounty Hunter

Another record feat saw this season’s Mystery Bounty Hunter – Sponsored by Natural8, attract the tour’s largest Mystery Bounty field of 1,328 entries (850 unique). The Final Day welcomed 185 runners back on the floor all in for a minimum cash of NTD 14,000 (~US$ 443). Bracelet winner Carlos Chang led the charge but was left nowhere to be seen once the final table was set, having ended his run in 37th place.

Malaysia’s Isaac Phua kicked off the final table rounds with only ten big blinds to start the games. Luckily enough, Phua quickly managed to double through chip leader Jacob Ikuma with K♦K♥ against the latter’s Q♥Q♠. It didn’t take long for Phua to pick up more chips, having tabled K♥K♣ once more to bust Chunlung Wong in 8th place, and Francesco Dastici in 7th place mere moments later.

Phua fared unrelentless, and continued to run good just as his A♣J♥ collected in full against Ikuma’s J♦10♦ on board Q♥J♠J♣A♥. Phua went on to bring a commanding lead into heads up play against Seigo Miyazaki and finished the battle in quick fashion. The final hand saw both run two pair, Phua with K♥8♥ against Miyazaki’s Q♠8♠ on board 3♥J♠8♦Q♣K♣ to seal the win.

Mystery Bounty Hunter Review

• Date/s: September 28-29, 2024
• Buy in: NTD 15,000 (~US$ 470)
• Guarantee: NTD 10,000,000 (~US$ 316,555)
• Entries: 1,328 (850 unique)
• Prize pool: NTD 10,570,880 (~US$ 334,840)
• ITM: 185 places

Mystery Bounty Hunter Final Table Results

Ravn Teo bests Sunday Super Stack

Running alongside the Main Event festivities was the Sunday Super Stack highlight which drew in a total of 229 entries, more than enough to breach the NTD 4,000,000 (~US$ 126,620) guarantee. Ravn Teo reigned victorious across the final rounds and successfully secured a career best cash of NTD 1,045,400 (~US$ 33,090), having defeated Japan’s Toshiya Mochizuki in heads up play. The Singaporean runner has booked several close finishes to a title, none of which saw him close it out. Teo’s performance in the Sunday Super Stack event however, finally earned him his first trophy win, and an APT one at that.

Sunday Super Stack Review

• Date/s: September 29, 2024
• Buy in: NTD 25,000 (~US$ 780)
• Guarantee: NTD 4,000,000 (~US$ 126,620)
• Entries: 229 (223 unique)
• Prize pool: NTD 4,946,400 (~US$ 156,580)
• ITM: 31 places

Sunday Super Stack Final Table Results