Tobias Schwecht

Germany’s Tobias Schwecht emerged victorious after an intense, rollercoaster-like final day in the APT Super High Roller and banked PHP 12,143,900 (~$208,658) for his win. He sealed the final heads-up duel in just five hands, sending Ricky Huang to the rail, who had to settle for the runner-up position.

It was a rollercoaster ride for Schwecht at the final table, as he battled through intense swings to emerge victorious. Reflecting on the win, Schwecht described it as a "really crazy final table, a real rollercoaster", and expressed his joy, saying, "I'm very happy."

Schwecht faced a series of tough spots throughout the final table, frequently having to raise and fold in tricky situations. Despite staying composed for most of the battle, a crucial lost pot with aces tested his mental resilience. "I felt pretty good most of the time, then I lost some big pots with aces and it got a little bit in my head," he admitted. However, the swings of tournament poker soon turned in his favor. "Luckily, I had some lucky hands in my direction so that I could recover," he added.

To cap off his victory, Schwecht was awarded an APT Championship Main Event Pass for APT Taipei at the end of the year, valued at TWD 350,000.

APT Super High Roller Final Table Results

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

Zhen Chen suffered the most unfortunate fate of the tournament, bubbling just shy of the money. His king-jack was outmatched by ace-eight on a clean board, forcing him to exit empty-handed as the bubble boy.

The final table began cautiously, with players feeling out the action. However, things quickly escalated after an hour of play, thanks to Charlie Chiu, who eliminated three players in just eight hands.

The first to hit the rail was Victor Dai, whose ace-five ran into Chiu’s pocket fives. Shortly after, Punnat Punsri followed in eighth place. Despite holding the lead with his king-jack against Chiu’s queen-four, the board paired Chiu’s queen, sending Punsri to the payout desk.

William Teoh

Defending champion William Teoh saw his title defense slip away after losing most of his stack to **Rokas Asipauskas**. Teoh’s pocket threes were cracked by Asipauskas’s queen-nine, which paired up on the flop. Left with a short stack, Teoh made his final move with suited jack-four, only to run into Chiu’s ace-five, which improved to two pair and sent the former champ out in seventh place.

Despite scoring a double-up through Teoh, Asipauskas couldn’t build momentum and soon fell in sixth. His pocket sevens faced off against Scott Margereson’s jack-ten, but the board came to Margereson's rescue, eliminating Asipauskas in a classic coin flip.

John Matsuda

John Matsuda, who once held the final table chip lead, saw his stack dwindle after losing a crucial pot to Chiu, whose full house crushed the Japanese player's flush. Desperate to recover, Matsuda battled against Schwecht, but his run came to a heartbreaking end when his his flopped pair of aces with ace-four ran into Schwecht’s set of kings. Just like that, Matsuda was out in fifth.

Four-handed play saw Margereson put his tournament life on the line in a massive pot against Schwecht. After taking it to the streets, Margereson’s rivered pair of jacks wasn’t enough to overcome Schwecht’s flopped pair of queens., ending his deep run in fourth place.

Charlie Chiu

Down to three, Chiu, who had dominated earlier, found himself on the receiving end of some bad luck. His pocket tens were overtaken by Schwecht’s king-nine, after the chips went in on a nine-high flop.

Three hands later, Chiu was once again dealt a brutal runout as his king-six turned two pair, only for Schwecht to have backdoored the nut straight holding eight-seven. Chiu’s once-dominant chip lead had vanished, and he exited in third place.

Ricky Huang

Heads-up play between Schwecht and Huang lasted just five hands. Huang made his final stand with seven-four suited when he picked up a flush draw on the turn, hoping for a miracle. However, Schwecht flopped trip nines and after the river bricked out, he sealed the victory. Huang’s valiant effort earned him second place, while Schwecht claimed the PHP 12,143,900 (~$208,658) top prize and his first APT Lion Trophy.

Congratulations to Tobias Schwecht, who captured his first-ever APT title!

Ricky Huang

Hand 102 On the button, Ricky Huang limp-called Schwecht's 750,000 raise and both players saw the 9 9 5 flop. Huang check-called the bet of 400,000 from Schwecht.

The Q arrived on the turn, the action was on Schwecht who bet 700,000. Huang decided to take the aggressive line and moved all-in for 2,300,000 chips. Schwecht quickly called.

Ricky Huang: 7 4

Tobias Schwecht: 9 3

Huang’s hopes of winning the trophy rested on a diamond, but the 4 could not save him.

Hand 99 Tobias Schwecht limped in on the button and Ricky Huang shoved all in to collect the pot.

Hand 100 Huang limped in on the button with 6 5 and Schwecht checked from the big blind with Q T .

On the flop of K 4 9 , Schwecht checked and Huang bet 250,000.

Schwecht called to see the 8 turn where Schwecht checked to Huang who bet 750,000. Schwecht called.

The 3 hit on the river and both players checked through. Schwecht collected the pot.

Hand 101 Schwecht open-shoved for 16,000 on the button and won the pot.

Players are on a 30-minute break now. Soon, they will be back for the final duel.

Tobias Schwecht and Ricky Huang

Charlie Chiu

Hand 98 Chiu limped in from the small blind with K 6 and Tobias Schwecht checked from the big blind with 8 7 .

On the flop of K 9 A , both players checked through to see the 6 fall on the turn, where Chiu checked and Schwecht bet 400,000. Chiu put in a raise to 1,200,000. Schwecht called after thinking a long time.

The river revealed the 5 . Chiu checked and Schwecht then moved all in for 9,200,000. After some consideration, Chiu made the call and joined the rail in third place for his reward of PHP 5,652,000 (~$97,113).

Hand 96 Charlie Chiu raised to 500,000 with 7 6 on the button. Ricky Huang then shoved all in and won the pot.

Hand 97 Chiu won the pot from the big blind after his opponents folded to him.

Tobias Schwecht

Hand 94 Chiu got a walk.

Hand 95 Chiu opened from the small-blind and Schwecht defended his big-blind. On 9 8 5 Chiu started with a check and Schwecht went for a 650,000 bet. Chiu responded with an all-in. Schwecht quickly made the call.

Tobias Schwecht: :K 9

Charlie Chiu: T T

Chiu was in a great spot of going into the heads-up with a commanding chiplead, however, the 9 hit the turn, giving Schwecht trips and doubling the German up after the 8 completed the board.

Hand 93 Charlie Chiu raised to 500,000 from the button and Ricky Huang shoved all in for 2,100,000 from the big blind. Chiu dropped in a call to put Huang at risk.

Ricky Huang: A 6

Charlie Chiu: A 7

Chiu picked up the lead with a higher kicker but Huang took it over on the 6 T 3 flop.

The runout came down 4 J , securing Huang another double up.

Charlie Chiu

Hand 89 From the small-blind, Charlie Chiu opened and took down the pot.

Hand 90 Chiu opened A Q on the button, but again no action for him.

Hand 91 Chiu got a walk.

Hand 92 Chiu again opened against Tobias Schwecht in the big-blind and, yet, won another pot.