Daeyoung Park's Career-Defining Victory in APT’s Largest Tournament
The festival's opening event, Event #1: APT National Cup, etched its name into APT chronicles as the largest tournament in the series' 20-year history. Over six starting flights, it amassed an astounding 2,940 entries, surpassing the previous record by 28% set in 2024. The massive player turnout created a prizepool of 28,929,600 TWD (~$927,230).
The hero of the tournament, South Korean player Daeyoung Park, entered the final day from tenth place. Park delivered a stunning performance, culminating in a heads-up duel against Malaysian opponent Yoong Shen Ding.
The players agreed to an ICM deal in the final showdown, playing on for the prestigious lion trophy, the title, and a $10,000 package for the APT Championship. In the last hand, Park with A s 6 c defeated his opponent's A d T d. The board first delivered a six on the flop with 3 s 6 s 9 c K s 2 s, securing Park a nut flush on the river.
This was Park's first-ever live tournament trophy and his career's most significant win.
APT National Cup Final Table Results:
|
Place |
Player |
Country |
Winnings (TWD) |
Winnings (USD) |
|
1. |
Daeyoung Park |
South Korea |
3,548,400* |
$113,715 |
|
2. |
Yoong Shen Ding |
Malaysia |
3,089,400* |
$98,127 |
|
3. |
Yongwon Jo |
South Korea |
1,733,700 |
$55,570 |
|
4. |
Chu Yang Chiang |
Taiwan |
1,313,900 |
$42,110 |
|
5. |
Hsi Yung Du |
Taiwan |
1,018,600 |
$32,650 |
|
6. |
Lichiang Lu |
Taiwan |
737,400 |
$23,635 |
|
7. |
Yui Yeung Sunny Cheng |
Hong Kong |
541,400 |
$17,350 |
|
8. |
Wing Yin Szeto |
Hong Kong |
379,700 |
$12,170 |
|
9. |
Quang Trinh Do |
Vietnam |
305,500 |
$9,790 |
*ICM deal
Ethan “Rampage” Yau Leads Record Super High Roller
Aside from the massive National Cup, attention also turned to the most expensive event in the festival's opening phase. Event #45: APT Super High Roller, with a buy-in of approximately $10,500, attracted a world-class field including WSOP bracelet holders and former APT champions.
The tournament's 136 entries generated a record prizepool of 41,290,960 TWD (~$1,323,430), making it the richest Super High Roller in the history of the Asian Poker Tour. The winner is set to claim a breathtaking prize exceeding $312,000.
After Day 1, only 29 players remained, with renowned American pro and popular vlogger Ethan “Rampage” Yau commanding the leaderboard. He packed a massive stack of 2,625,000 chips (88 BB) for the final day.
Hot on Yau's heels is Chinese star Tony Ren Lin, who aims to capture his second Super High Roller title this year, having triumphed at the APT in Jeju in January.
Top 10 Stacks after Day 1 – Event #45: APT Super High Roller
|
Rank |
Player |
Country |
Stack |
|
1. |
Ethan Yau |
USA |
2,625,000 |
|
2. |
Tony Ren Lin |
China |
2,420,000 |
|
3. |
Gytis Lazauninkas |
Lithuania |
1,905,000 |
|
4. |
Yan Shing Tsang |
Hong Kong |
1,695,000 |
|
5. |
Yee Yan Wen |
Malaysia |
1,695,000 |
|
6. |
Punnat Punsri |
Thailand |
1,530,000 |
|
7. |
Quang Dinh Do |
Vietnam |
1,515,000 |
|
8. |
Alexander Wice |
Thailand |
1,495,000 |
|
9. |
Meng Ling Lin |
Taiwan |
1,375,000 |
|
10. |
John Niko Costiniano |
Philippines |
1,370,000 |
Sources: APT, SoMuchPoker
