Main Event Smashes Record For Largest Prize Pool in Taiwanese Poker History

APT TAIPEI 2024 SCHEDULE | OFFICIAL RESULTS | IMAGES | WINNERS | PLAYER LISTS

TAIPEI, TAIWAN, March 6, 2024 – The APT Taipei 2024 TWD 70,000 Main Event has etched its place in the record books, generating the richest prize pool in Taiwanese poker history.

Playing out at the tournament tables of the Chinese Texas Hold'em Poker Club (CTP) Asia Poker Arena, the tournament had already exceeded the Asian Poker Tour's largest-ever prize pool guarantee on the last of the four starting flights.

A further 62 players entered the action before the start of Day 2, bringing the field up to 1,182 entries (737 unique) and generating a monster TWD 72,232,020 (~USD 2,286,275) prize pool – the APT's second largest prize purse of all time.

These 62 late entries joined the 442 respective survivors from the opening flights, and these 504 players fought tooth and nail for a place in the paying postions.

But then, with the second largest first place prize in the APT's 17-year history up for grabs – a massive TWD 12,944,020 (~USD 409,730) top prize – and the award-winning 24K Gold Lion APT Taipei Main Event Trophy on the line, there was all to play for.

For APT Taipei 2024 Main Event Prize Pool & Payouts please CLICK HERE.

The action played out over close to eight 60-minute levels, with the departure of former APT Cebu Main Event champion John Tech on the money bubble guaranteeing all 175 remaining competitors a TWD 111,000 (~USD 3,510) payday.

The only silver lining for Tech after a bluff gone bad was the fact he drew a ticket for Event #90: Double Stack valued at TWD 20,000 (~USD 650).

It is Jia Lee who leads the charge, topping the chip counts with a stack of 1,221,000, with the Singaporen the only player to bag a seven-figure stack.

France's Safwane Bahri bagged the second-largest stack of 896,000, with two-time APT Main Event champion Lester Edoc looking to make history and claim a record third Main Event title, bagging an auspicious 888,000 in chips to round out the top three.

Edoc is not the only two-time champion remaining however, with compatriot and bracelet winner Mike Takayama also enjoying a great day at the felt, bagging a top ten stack of 647,000.

Flight B frontrunner Jun Obara also bagged big, concluding play with the fourth largest stack of 815,000.

Singapore's Jereld Sam, the winner of the APT's largest-ever Mystery Bounter Hunter, is also in contention with a stack of 714,000, with the top ten stacks coming into Day 3 as follows:

MAIN EVENT TOP TEN STACKS

Other notables still in the running include Flight D frontrunner Thomas Ward (558,000), 2023 WSOPE Main Event winner Max Neugebauer (444,000), Hong Kong's Jeffrey Lo (383,000), and compatriot and triple bracelet winner Anson Tsang (317,000), former Starcraft professional turned poker pro Yohwan "BoxeR" Lim (62,000), and bracelet winner Wing Po Liu (61,000).

For Main Event Day 2 Survivors please CLICK HERE.

Day 3 gets underway at 11:15am local time on Thursday, March 7, and will play either ten 60-minute levels, or down to 48 players – whichever comes first.

You can follow all the APT Main Event Day 2 action via the APT Blog.

All tournament information can be found on the Main Event Day 2 tournament page.

HIGH ROLLER ACTION

Prolific Pete Chen Claims Tenth APT Title in Event #77: Hyper Turbo - High Roller

Taiwan's Pete Chen claimed an impressive tenth APT title in Event #77 Hyper Turbo High Roller

The TWD 20,000 Event #77: Hyper Turbo - High Roller was the second of the days scheduled high roller tournaments – you'll be able to read about the first in tomorrow's Series Action update – and drew a 70-strong field (58 unique).

Some of Asia's most accomplished tournament grinders battled it out at the baize for a share of the TWD 1,222,200 (~USD 38,770) prize pool.

The field boasted two APT High Roller champions in Thailand's Phachara Wongwichit, and Thanisorn Saelor, a former APT Main Event champion in Hong Kong's Dicky Tsang, and two double series title winners in Australia's Aindrey Hawil and Hong Kong's Edward Yam.

However, it was the prolific Yen-Han "Pete" Chen the man to claim the accolades. Chen, who sits at #2 on the Taiwan All-Time Money List, defeated the UK's Guy Taylor heads-up to earn a TWD 355,200 (~USD 11,260) top prize and an impressive tenth APT title.

Taylor took TWD 257,000 (~USD 8,150) for his runner-up finish, with South Korea's Minjae Kim rounding out the podium and collecting TWD 167,000 (~USD 5,295) for third place.

Wongwichit – making a second final table appearance of the festival – earned a TWD 98,000 payday for his fifth place finish, and Malaysia's Natalie Teh banked TWD 46,000 for her first final table and second cash of the series.

A total of nine players made the money, with the tournament paying out as follows:

HYPER TURBO HIGH ROLLER RESULTS

For Event #77: Hyper Turbo - High Roller Player List please CLICK HERE.

For Event #77: Hyper Turbo - High Roller Results please CLICK HERE.

All tournament information can be found on the Event #77: Hyper Turbo - High Roller tournament page.

SIDE EVENT ACTION

Catch up on APT Taipei 2024: Side Event Action from Day 7 of the Series (Tuesday, March 5).

Taiwan's Yueh Chiao Yang Hits the Target in Event #75: NL Hold'em Shootout

Taiwan's Yueh Chiao Yang targeted his maiden APT title in Event #75 NL Hold'em Shoot Out

A brand new addition to the schedule, the TWD 12,000 Event #75: NL Hold'em Shootout drew 40 entries, generating a TWD 414,384 (~USD 13,140) prize pool.

For those unfamiliar with the Shoot Out format, the winner of each table advances to the next round. Chips accumulated from round 1 advance to the final in-the-money (ITM) round.

The action played out over eighteen 15-minute levels, with Taiwan's Yueh Chiao Yang shooting his way to the top of the tournament.

Yang defeated the UK's Rob Sherwood heads-up to take a **TWD 173,384 (~USD 5,500) top prize, claiming his maiden APT title in the process.

Sherwood, making a third career APT final table, collected TWD 116,000 (~USD 3,670) for his runner-up finish.

Japan's Atsushi Takeuchi and Takaaki Suzuki were the only two other players to make the money, finishing in third and fourth place respectively, with the tournament paying out as follows:

NL HOLD'EM SHOOTOUT RESULTS

For Event #75: NL Hold'em Shootout Player List please CLICK HERE.

For Event #75: NL Hold'em Shootout Results please CLICK HERE.

All tournament information can be found on the Event #75: NL Hold'em Shootout tournament page.

Richard "Hot Sauce" Marquez Brings the Spice in Event #115: Turbo

The Philippines' Richard "Hot Sauce" Marquez claimed his seventh APT title in Event #115:

A late addition to the schedule, the TWD 12,000 Event #115: Turbo drew a 135-strong field (113 unique), generating a TWD 1,398,546 (~USD 44,350) prize pool.

The action played out over twenty-two fast-paced 15-minute levels, with the Philippines' Richard "Hot Sauce" Marquez spicing up the tournament.

Marquez defeated Japan's Hideaki Ohashi heads-up to claim his seventh APT title and the TWD 335,546 (~USD 10,645) top prize.

Ohashi, making his fourth career APT final table, banked TWD 228,000 (~USD 7,230) for his runner-up finish.

Compatriot Ai Shibahara made her maiden live tournament cash one to remember, collecting TWD 150,000 (~USD 4,760) for third place.

The Philippines' Christopher Mateo came close to claiming a second series title, taking TWD 124,000 (~USD 3,935) for fourth place.

Hong Kong's Justin Chan made his first final table appearance of the series, receiving TWD 100,000 (~USD 3,170) for fifth place.

A total of 20 players made the money, with the final table paying out as follows:

TURBO RESULTS

For Event #115: Turbo Player List please CLICK HERE.

For Event #115: Turbo Results please CLICK HERE.

All tournament information can be found on the Event #115: Turbo tournament page.

UK's Craig Cooper Ships Second Series Title for Second Time; Wins Event #76: Turbo - PL Omaha Hi-Lo

The UK's Craig Cooper claimed his second title of the series in Event #76: Turbo PL Omaha Hi-Lo

The TWD 8,000 Event #76: Turbo - PL Omaha Hi-Lo drew 57 entries (42 unique), generating a TWD 389,241 (~USD 12,345) prize pool.

These Hi-Lo enthusiasts battled it out over twenty-one 15-minute levels, with the UK's Craig Cooper joining the second series title club, claiming the accolades and the TWD 117,241 (~USD 3,720) top prize.

That makes five final tables for the Brit this festival, and is the second time Cooper has scored two titles in an APT series, the first coming back during August's APT Incheon 2023, bringing his total APT title count up to six, all of which have come in a different poker variant.

Ireland's Shaun Conroy claimed silver and a payout of TWD 84,000 (~USD 2,660) for his runner-up finish, with Event #71 champion Jeong Yeol Yu taking bronze and TWD 54,000 (~USD 1,710) for third.

Double series title winner Mark Furniss kept his hot run going, with the Aussie's sixth final table appearance earning him a TWD 41,000 (~USD 1,300) payday for his fourth place finish.

Four-time bracelet winner Bradley Ruben earned his first cash of the series, banking TWD 32,000 (~USD 1,015) for fifth place.

A total of eight players made the money, with the tournament paying out as follows:

TURBO PLO HI-LO RESULTS

For Event #76: Turbo - PL Omaha Hi-Lo Player List please CLICK HERE.

For Event #76: Turbo - PL Omaha Hi-Lo Results please CLICK HERE.

All tournament information can be found on the Event #76: Turbo - PL Omaha Hi-Lo tournament page.