Shi Rong Wang

The opening day of the APT Taipei 2025 exceeded expectations right out of the gate. The multi-day APT National Cup, that boasted a guaranteed TWD 10 million (~US$307,000) prize pool was no match for the poker-hungry crowd, as 2,161 entries across three Day 1 flights inflated the total prize pool to an astonishing TWD 21,264,240 (~US$656,000)—more than doubling the original guarantee.

Ending at the top of what became the richest-ever opening event in APT history was Taiwan’s Shi Rong Wang, who took home the title, the TWD 3,804,240 (~USD 106,612) first-place prize, and an APT Championship ticket for the ATPC Main Event in November, worth TWD 350,000.

Wang defeated Huan Yu Chen in a heads-up battle that spanned over two levels, securing his name in the APT history books. This win marks Wang’s largest career score by tenfold, showcasing his stellar final table performance.

Final Table Results

*Includes a TWD 350,000 APT Championship Main Event ticket

A total of 302 players took their seats for Day 2, each securing a minimum cash of TWD 18,000 (~$338). Jason Cooper, from the United Kingdom, started the day with the largest stack, but unfortunately for Cooper, he was unable to maintain his lead and finished in 39th place for TWD 68,000. After around six hours of play, the field was reduced to nine players. Ta Wei Wei became the final table bubble boy when his king-five was unable to improve against Wang Shao Fu’s ace-nine.

When the final table began, Chen, the eventual runner-up, and Wang were virtually neck and neck at the top of the chip counts, with a significant gap between them and the rest of the players. Chen scored the first final table knockout, eliminating Sung Sik Eum in ninth place after flopping trip nines against Eum’s underpair. Chen’s stack surged to nearly 20,000,000, giving him control of nearly a third of the chips in play with eight players remaining.

However, Chen’s reign was cut short after Wang’s top set was paid off on the river by Chen. This pot put Wang in pole position, and he extended his lead by sending Weilien Chiang to the rail in eighth place, again using pocket jacks to win the pot.

Weilien Chiang

Next to fall was Taiwan’s Cheng Chih Cheng in seventh position after his wheel-ace failed to beat the two nines of Fu. Wang’s dream run continued as he faded almost half the deck with pocket sevens against Chin Kai Liao’s two overcards and flush draw, sending Liao to the cashier’s desk in sixth place.

The only female player at the table, Yi-Chun Liu from Taiwan, was forced to vacate her seat in fifth after her pocket treys lost a race to Lee Tian Yu’s king-queen. Wang then scored another knockout with pocket sevens, after shoving blind-on-blind and holding against Lee, who called off his tournament like with ace-four.

Yi-Chun Liu

Shao Fu Weng had maneuvered his way up the pay ladder magnificently, but he was unable to survive any longer in the tournament after some misfortune from the dealer secured his departure from the National Cup t in third place.

When heads-up play began, Wang held a 2:1 chip lead and steadily increased it with aggressive play. Wang eventually sealed the win when he flopped two pair against Chen’s bottom pair. A sweaty turn gave Chen some hope, but the clean river meant Wang was crowned the APT National Cup Champion, bagging TWD 3,804,240 (~USD 106,612) plus a seat at the APT Championship Main Event in Taipei later this year.

Shi Rong Wang

Huan Chen

Huan Chen completed the blinds and Shi Rong Wang checked the big blind for both players to see a flop of 6 T 5

Wang checked his option and Chen fired 1,800,000 in the middle.

Wang then raised it to 4,500,000. Chen threw in a time bank before deciding to shove all-in. Wang snap-called without even counting the chips.

Wang flipped over 6 5 for two pair while Chen showed 5 4 and needed a lot of help.

The 3 on the turn gave Chen some outs with an open-ended straight draw, but the Q on the river failed to improve Chen and sent him out as the runner-up of the National Cup.

Shi Rong Wang was, of course, crowned as the National Cup champion.

Huan Yu Chen limped in from the button and Shi Rong Wang checked in the big blind.

Both saw a flop of 2 Q 6 , and Wang checked to Chen who led out for 1,500,000. Wang came along for the ride.

The 6 hit on the turn, where Wang checked again, and Chen fired another chunky bet of 2,000,000 this time. However, it didn’t deter Wang from making the call.

Wang kept his strategy and checked over the J river to his opponent. Chen then delivered another barrel of 5,000,000. Wang tagged along.

Wang tabled Q 9 for a flopped queen to overcome Chen’s flopped pair of deuces with T 2 .

Shi Rong Wang held an almost 2-to-1 advantage over Cheh Huan Yu. Rong had around 44,000,000 chips to the 21,000,000 of Chen.

Of course, this is poker and anything can happen.

Shao Weng

Small blind Huan Chen raised to 2,000,000 and big blind Shao Weng shoved all-in for his last 4,100,000. Chen was reluctant, but it was a small amount to call. Huan Chen sheepishly peeled over 9 3 against the dominant K 9 of Weng.

However, the flop landed 8 3 2 to give Chen the lead with a pair of threes.

The board then completed 7 4 to secure the win for Chen and sending Weng out with a dismal, tragic ending.

Tian Yu Lee

Shi Rong Wang shoved all in from the mall blind for around 30,000,000 and Tian Yu Lee called off his last chips around 4,800,000.

Tian Yu Lee: A 4

Shi Rong Wang: 7 7

Wang held the lead with pocket sevens on the flop of 6 T J , and Lee was looking for an ace to stay alive. However, the runout rolled off 8 Q , sending Lee to the rail in fourth place for a payday of TWD 952,000 (~USD 29,383).

Liu Yi-Chun

Lee Tian Yu raised all-in from under the gun for 4,800,000 and Liu Yi-Chun called from the next seat for her last 2,250,000.

Lee Tian Yu: K Q

Liu Yi-Chun: 3 3

The board ran A 2 7 Q 9 to give Yu the win, eliminating Yi-Chun in 5th place.

Chin Kai Liao

Shi Rong Wang raised to 2,000,000 from the hijack, and Chin Kai Liao shoved his remaining chips for 1,200,000 from the big blind.

Chin Kai Liao: K 8

Shi Rong Wang: 7 7

It was another flip, and Liao received many outs on the flop of Q 2 J , offering him a flush draw. The turn showed a 2 , and Wang still needed to fade a heart in next card to collect another elimination.

Unfortunately for Liao, the river bricked out a T , finishing his run in sixth place for a payday of TWD 645,000 (~USD 19,907).

Cheng Chih Cheng

Cheng Chih Cheng shoved his last 1,675,000 all-in from the small blind and big blind Liao Chin Kai defended.

Cheng Chih Cheng: K J

Liao Chin Kai: K 5

The board completed 8 4 8 2 Q giving Cheng a crucial double-up and denting the stack of Kai.

In the following hand, Cheng risked his 3,850,000 all-in from the button and big blind Wang Shao Fu defended.

Cheng Chih Cheng: A 3

Wang Shao Fu: 9 9

The board completed J 5 J 2 T to eliminate Cheng in 7th place.

Weilien Chiang

Weilien Chiang shoved all in from the hijack for 4,400,000 and Shi Rong Wang also moved all in with a covering stack.

Weilien Chiang: A 8

Shi Rong Wang J J

Wang held the lead with pocket jacks and Chiang was looking to spike an ace to keep his tournament run going.

Unfortunately for Chiang, the dealer announced bad news with a board of Q 4 T 2 3 , ending his run in eighth place for a payout of TWD 351,000 (~USD 10,833).