MANILA, PHILIPPINES, July 19, 2024 – Following a summer hiatus, the Asian Poker Tour—sponsored by Natural8—is returning to the vibrant city of Taipei for the highly anticipated APT Taipei Poker Classic 2024.
With the previous two APT Taipei tournament series attracting record fields and generating the richest prize pools in the region's history, expectations are high for another great festival.
Like its record-breaking predecessors, the festival is run in partnership with the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Club (CTP) and will play out at two venues 1.7km apart; CTP Asia Poker Arena (APA)—Asia's largest permanent poker room—and the CML (Chinese Mahjong League 華人麻將競技聯盟) both located in central Taipei.
Offering a Main Event with a TWD 65 million guarantee, the action-packed series comes with over TWD 150 million (~USD 4.6 million) in prize pool guarantees, with the tour’s other two signature Lion Trophy events—the TWD 300,000 APT Super High Roller and the TWD 110,000 APT High Roller—both boasting eight-figure (six in USD) prize pool guarantees!
Regardless of the size of your bankroll there’s plenty of great value tournaments to be played with the festival offering an action-packed schedule comprising 114 events, ranging from new offerings like the TWD 1 million guaranteed The Closer all the way up to the TWD 20 million guaranteed Zodiac Classic – sponsored by Natural8.
Read on as we take a closer peek at the festival’s key events looking at the buy-in, structure, guarantee, and potential field size estimates based on the tour’s previous offerings.
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
Guarantee: TWD 65M/~USD 2M GTD
Venue: APA
Dates: Sept 29-Oct 5
Buy-in: TWD 50,000 (~USD 1,530)
APT Taipei 2024 Main Event champion Daisuke Ogita
The jewel in the series' crown, what makes this one a classic is the TWD 50,000 (~USD 1,530) buy-in; the same as the record-breaking APT Taipei 2023 Main Event the festival is named for but with double the guarantee, which is set at TWD 65 million (~USD 2 million).
When it comes to field size guesstimates, the 2023 Main Event drew a 1,434-strong field (a tour record for Taiwan) with Thailand’s Punnat Punsri claiming the accolades and the TWD 11.21 million (USD 365,270) top prize.
In March, it was Japan’s Daisuke Ogita defeating a 1,182-strong Main Event field to claim the largest first-place prize ever awarded in the region – a mammoth TWD 12.94 million (~USD 409,730). So, expect a four-figure field with a mid-eight-figure (six in USD) top prize and you’ll be in the right ballpark.
Players have four starting flights to choose from running Sunday, September 29 to Tuesday, October 1; Flight A comprises ten 60-minute levels, Flight B comprises six 45-minute levels and four 60-minute levels, and Flights C & D both comprise six 45-minute levels and four 60-minute levels each.
You can also buy in before the start of Day 2 A/C, which gets underway at 11am local time on Wednesday, October 2. Late entry is not permitted once play restarts, so buy in ahead of time if you are planning on coming in directly for Day 2.
APT National Cup: TWD 10M/~USD 306K GTD
Venue: APA
Dates: Sept 27-28
Buy-in: TWD 10,000 (~USD 300)
APT National Cup champion Ka Chun Yuan
It is the APT National Cup getting the series action underway on Friday, September 27, with the tournament coming with a TWD 10 million (~USD 306,800) guarantee.
The last three tournaments have all set opening event tour records, with the APT Taipei 2024 National Cup drawing the largest side event field in the tour’s history, which saw Hong Kong’s Ka Chun Yuan defeat 2,305 entries to earn a TWD 2.26 million (USD 71,700) top prize.
The three starting flights A, B, & C all play out on the Friday––boasting 30-minute, 20-minute and 15-minute level length respectively––with the top 14 percent of each field making the Final Day and the money.
Mystery Bounty Hunter – Sponsored by Natural8: TWD 10M/~USD 308K GTD
Venue: APA
Dates: Sept 28-29
Buy-in: TWD 15,000 (USD 460)
APT Taipei 2024 Mystery Bounty Hunter champion Teng Kuei Hsu
The previous three Mystery Bounty Hunter tournaments have set APT country records, with two of them drawing four-figure fields. With a TWD 10 million guarantee on the line this series could well deliver another.
The last Mystery Bounty to play out in Taiwan back in March saw local Teng Kuei Hsu triumph over a 1,053-strong field to claim a TWD 2.19 million (~USD 69,460) top prize – the largest this event has ever awarded.
Players have two starting flights to choose from, both playing out on Saturday, September 28. Flight A kicks off at 11am local time with 30-minute levels, while Flight B gets underway at 5:30pm and comes with 20-minute levels. The top 14 percent of each flight will make the Final Day and the money.
APT Super High Roller: TWD 11M/~USD 339K GTD
Venue: Day 1 at CML, Final Day at APA
Dates: Sept 28-29
Buy-in: TWD 300,000 (~USD 9,200)
Isaac Haxton tames the Pewter Lion in the APT Taipei 2024 Super High Roller
Boasting the second largest buy-in on the schedule the APT Super High Roller offers players the best chance to claim the first of the festival’s three signature lion trophies – if they can overcome a field filled with the world’s top tournament players.
The last three tournaments have all set tour records with the accomplished Isaac Haxton taming the Pewter Lion the last time the tour visited Taipei, besting a field of 137 entries to take the lion’s share of the tournament’s richest-ever prize pool, earning a TWD 9 million (USD 287,885) top prize.
Day 1 gets underway at 11:15am local time at CML with players competing over sixteen 40-minute levels. The survivors return for the Final Day, which plays out at APA at 11:15am on Sunday, September 29.
Sunday Super Stack: TWD 4M/~USD 122K GTD
Venue: CML
Dates: Sept 29
Buy-in: TWD 25,000 (~USD 770)
APT Taipei 2024 Sunday Super Stack champion Kenju Wata
The Sunday Super Stack is a fast-paced event with a solid structure designed to play out in a day, with the last three iterations all setting APT country records.
It was Japan’s Kenju Wata who grabbed the tournament’s largest-ever top prize of TWD 11.96 million (USD 37,880) the last time the tour visited Taipei, with China’s Yanfeng Wang earning a similarly sized KRW 51 million (USD 37,740) at APT Jeju 2024.
Boasting a guarantee almost twice as large as the previous Taipei outing for a buy-in of USD 200 less, this tournament could beat those numbers handily. Expect a field of over 250 players and a top prize close to USD 40,000.
Zodiac Classic – Sponsored by Natural8: TWD 20M/~USD 613K GTD
Venue: APA
Dates: Oct 3-4
Buy-in: TWD 80,000 (~USD 2,455)
APT Taipei 2024 Zodiac Classic champion Jun Li
Following an increase to the buy-in and the addition of a sizable guarantee—the largest outside of the Main Event—the last three Zodiac Classics have set tour prize pool records.
On the tour’s last visit to Taiwan the UK’s Jun Li claimed the lion’s share of the richest prize pool this event has ever awarded, earning a TWD 4.36 million (USD 138,780) top prize. The recent Zodiac Classic at APT Jeju 2024 saw China’s Peng Chen earn a sizable KRW 131.79 million (USD 96,940) top prize.
Day 1 gets underway at 1pm local time on Thursday, October 3, with entrants competing over thirteen 40-minute levels. The survivors return for the Final Day at 11:15am on Friday October 4.
Double Stack: TWD 7M/~USD 214K GTD
Venue: APA
Dates: Oct 4-5
Buy-in: TWD 20,000 (~USD 615)
APT Taipei 2024 Double Stack champion Kun Sen
Another popular event that has set tour records on its last three outings, the Double Stack draws an average field of over 550 entries, regularly generating prize pools in excess of USD 260,000.
The last time APT visited Taipei it was Taiwan’s Kun Sen claiming the tournaments’ largest-ever first place prize of TWD 2.21 million (USD 70,515) after overcoming a 765-strong field. On the tour’s previous outing at APT Jeju 2024 China’s Wei Hang Chen bested a 444-strong field to earn a KRW 74.92 million (USD 55,150) top prize.
The tournament has two starting flights, both playing out on Friday, October 4; Flight A kicks off at 11am local time with 30-minute levels, while Flight B starts at 5:30pm with 20-minute levels. The top 14 percent of each flight will make the money and return for the Final Day, which plays out on Saturday, October 5 at 11:15am.
Mini Main Event: TWD 6M/~USD 184K GTD
Venue: APA
Dates: Oct 5-6
Buy-in: TWD 22,000 (~USD 675)
APT Taipei 2024 Mini Main champion Mao Lun Yu
Both the Main Main Event and its Micro Main Event counterpart mimic the structure of the Main Event, only at a fraction of the buy-in, and play out over the closing weekend of the festival.
The Mini Main Event comes with a TWD 6 million guarantee, with the last two setting tour prize pool records. The APT Taipei 2024 tournament also set a tour record for field size; Taiwan’s Mao Lun Yu overcoming a field of 678 entries to earn a TWD 2.54 million (USD 80,950) top prize.
Both starting flights play out on Saturday, October 5; Flight A starts at 11am local time with 30-minute levels, while Flight B starts at 5:30pm with 20-minute levels. The top 14 percent of both starting flights will make the money and return for the Final Day, which plays out at 11:15am on Sunday, October 6.
APT High Roller: TWD 11M/~USD 339K GTD
Venue: Day 1 at CML, Final Day at APA
Dates: Oct 5-6
Buy-in: TWD 110,000 (~USD 3,375)
Natural8 Ambassador Eric “Six Poker” Tsai claimed victory in the APT High Roller at APT Jeju 2024
The last of the festival’s three scheduled signature trophy events will see some of the Asia-Pacific’s top tournament players compete for the coveted bronze lion APT High Roller trophy.
Natural8 Ambassador Eric “Six Poker” Tsai is the most recent champion, overcoming a field of 191 entries at APT Jeju 2024 to claim his third career APT title and a KRW 266.73 million (USD 196,255) top prize. The current tour record of 302 entries has stood since APT Taipei 2023, which Natural8 Ambassador Phachara Wongwichit won for a TWD 4.8 million (USD 156,700) payday.
Day 1 plays out at CML with the action getting underway at 11:15am local time on Saturday, October 5 and the tournament playing sixteen 40-minute levels. Survivors return for the Final Day, which gets underway at 11:15 am on Sunday, October 6.
Micro Main Event: TWD 3M/~USD 92K GTD
Venue: APA
Dates: Oct 6-7
Buy-in: TWD 11,000 (~USD 340)
APT Taipei 2024 Micro Main champion Yonghyun Lee
There have been a few tweaks to the Micro Main Event format, which comes with a TWD 3 million guarantee and now plays out over two days, coming with two starting flights to accommodate demand.
The last Micro Main to play out in Taiwan at APT Taipei 2024 drew a record field and generated the events largest-ever prize pool, with South Korea’s Yonghyun Lee taking the honors and the TWD 677,540 (USD 21,575) top prize.
Both starting flights play out on Sunday, October 6; Flight A has 30 minute levels and gets underway at 11am local time, Flight B has 20-minute levels and starts at 5:30pm. The top 14 percent of both flights return in the money for the Final Day, which has 30-minute levels and restarts on Monday, October 7 at 11:15am.
The Closer: TWD 1M/~USD 30K
Venue: APA
Dates: Oct 7
Buy-in: TWD 10,000 (~USD 300)
Boasting a TWD 1 million guarantee (USD 30,000) guarantee and the equivalent of a USD 300 buy-in, The Closer is a brand-new addition to the schedule that does what it says on the tin.
A fast-paced event with 20-minute levels, the action kicks off at 11am local time on Monday, October 7 with the action concluding that same day with between 12-15 percent of the field making the money.