Packed Day 8 as Three More APT Championship Events Begin

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Callum Jury
Callum Jury, one of Somuchpoker’s newest Live Reporters, hails from the Lake District in the UK and joined the live poker reporting scene in 2025. Before moving into poker journalism, Callum built a career in business, drawing on his strong analytical skills. His passion for storytelling first developed during higher education, where he studied media and photography, sharpening his ability to capture moments with precision and creativity. Since joining Somuchpoker, Callum has covered major international poker events in Asia in 2025, bringing a mix of media expertise and keen attention to detail to the team’s live reporting.
Daniel Lei
Friday Freezout Champion Daniel Lei

Day 8 of the APT Championship 2025 brought one of the most active lineups of the series so far, with major storylines unfolding across Red Space 多元商務空間 Taipei. The Natural8 Cup Championship Freezeout returned for a pivotal Day 3 as the surviving field pushed toward the final table, which is currently taking place.

Alongside the Freezeout, three new Championship Events kicked off their opening flights: the Super High Roller Championship, the Mixed Games Championship, and the APT Women’s Championship – Sponsored by LIPS. All three posted record-setting numbers for the New Era, adding to a festival that continues to elevate its benchmarks day after day.

With packed tables, steady foot traffic, and big names scattered across the room, Day 8 carried a sharp dose of energy from start to finish. Here are the day’s standout results and major movers.

Daniel Lei Wins Friday Freezeout – Sponsored by JOPT

American pro Daniel Lei  capped off a strong week by taking down Event #78: Friday Freezeout – Sponsored by JOPT, overcoming a 271-entry field to claim his first APT title and TWD 676,415 (USD 21,887). Lei has been one of the most consistent performers of the series with five cashes already on the board, and this time his deep run finally converted into a win.

Championship Friday Freezout Final Table
Friday Freezout Final Table

Singapore’s Quan Li Leon Tay secured the runner-up finish for TWD 449,800 (USD 14,555), while Hong Kong’s Keshu Peng completed the podium with a USD 10,640 score for third.

Friday Freezout Final Table Results

RankPlayerCountryPrize (TWD)Prize (USD)
1Daniel LeiUnited States676,415USD 21,887
2Quan Li Leon TaySingapore449,800USD 14,555
3Keshu PengHong Kong329,000USD 10,640
4Elmer KalaquianPhilippines265,500USD 8,589
5Yuta InokuchiJapan208,200USD 6,735
6Calvin Seet Pin TanSingapore157,600USD 5,098
7Sangbeom LimSouth Korea115,700USD 3,744
8Hao Hsuan ChuehTaiwan85,000USD 2,751
9Andy ChenCanada70,500USD 2,280

Rob Hollink Natural8 Cup Championship Chip Leader
Day 3 Chip Leader Rob Hollink

Day 3 of the Natural8 Cup Championship Freezeout concluded with the final nine players securing their seats at the last table. Seventy-one players returned to Red Space for the restart, each already in the money after the bubble burst late on Day 2. The field moved at a consistent pace throughout the session, with eliminations coming steadily as the stacks narrowed toward the final table.

All finalists have guaranteed themselves TWD 683,600 (~USD 22,050), while the top prize of TWD 7,538,480 (~USD 243,180) remains the clear target, along with the added APTC Main Event seat worth TWD 311,000 (USD 10,000). Rob Hollink leads the lineup with 3,555,000, followed by Christopher Mateo , with Taiwan’s Kitty Kuo also advancing as the last woman in the event.

Final Table Chip Counts

Pos.PlayerCountryChip CountBig Blinds
1Rob HollinkNetherlands3,555,00059
2Christopher MateoPhilippines3,400,00057
3Kitty KuoTaiwan2,570,00043
4Bawoo YunUnited States2,015,00034
5Jon Rounce-SueNew Zealand1,940,00032
6Adrian StateRomania1,900,00032
7Chang Seog ChaeSouth Korea1,635,00027
8Hajime WatanabeJapan1,525,00025
9Julian WarhurstAustralia1,240,00021

Three Championship Events Kick Off

Women’s Championship

The APT Women’s Championship, sponsored by LIPS, brought 119 entries (88 unique) through the doors at Red Space as players competed across twelve levels for a share of the TWD 3,598,560 prize pool. The field carried its usual mix of experience, personality, and competitiveness, eventually narrowing to 48 survivors. Japan’s Ohta Ami finished Day 1 as the clear leader with 352,600. Already a two-time APT Jeju Women’s High Roller winner, Ami closed the night strongly after scoring a late double knockout to set the pace for the final day.

Top 10 Chip Counts

Pos.PlayerCountryChip Count
1Ohta AmiJapan352,600
2Yu Han SuTaiwan326,900
3Yi-Jhen KeTaiwan306,000
4Shandy WongNetherlands302,000
5Yu Lun HuangTaiwan248,700
6Jia Lin LuoTaiwan217,200
7Lisa TanSingapore211,600
8Tayla PicklesAustralia202,700
9Wenyan LiaoChina197,300
10Jiyoung KimSouth Korea192,100

 

Ohta Ami
Day 1 Chip Leader Ohta Ami

Mixed Games Championship

The TWD 70,000 Mixed Games Championship delivered a standout turnout with 65 entries building a record TWD 3,931,200 prize pool, more than doubling the previous all-time APT benchmark. Players navigated the full nine-game rotation throughout the session, and by the end only 19 remained. Hong Kong’s Jeffrey Lo topped the counts with 288,500, continuing a solid series after his recent final table in the Dealer’s Choice Masters.

Top 10 Chip Counts

Pos.PlayerCountry/RegionChip Count
1Jeffrey LoHong Kong288,500
2James CheungUnited Kingdom268,000
3Hal RotholzUnited States257,000
4Wei Kai LinTaiwan251,000
5Liam JehuAustralia235,000
6Sparrow CheungHong Kong229,500
7Matthew GinnAustralia208,000
8Alex TchongAustralia197,000
9Kensuke SotoyaJapan185,500
10Hiu Tung ChanHong Kong163,500

Jeffrey Lo
Day 1 Chip Leader Jeffrey Lo

Super High Roller Championship

Day 1 of the TWD 777,000 Super High Roller Championship drew 54 entries, marking the largest field for this buy-in in APT history, with registration still open as play moves into Day 2. Just 21 players advanced, led by Roman Hrabec of the Czech Republic, who bagged 1,828,000 after climbing steadily through the later levels. Hrabec, an APT regular with deep results across major circuits, is still seeking his first APT title. Lester Edoc and Axel Hallay join him at the top of the leaderboard as the only other players to finish with seven-figure stacks.

Top 10 Chip Counts

Pos.PlayerCountry/RegionChip Count
1Roman HrabecCzech Republic1,828,000
2Lester EdocPhilippines1,488,000
3Axel HallayFrance1,479,500
4Poseidon HoTaiwan981,500
5Wai Kiat LeeMalaysia961,000
6Vincent HuangNew Zealand921,000
7Michel MolenaarNetherlands706,000
8Gabriel Le Jossec-AmarCanada662,000
9Hannes JeschkaGermany629,500
10Biao DingHong Kong576,500
Roman Hrabec
Day 1 Chip Leader Roman Hrabec