Chen Yu Hung

Boasting a juicy TWD 65,000,000 guaranteed prize pool, the TWD 70,000 APT Taipei Main Event kicked off today, with Taiwans's Chen Yu Hung ending Flight A at the top of the leaderboard with 331,800 chips.

Flight A attracted 265 entrants (208 unique) who all battled it out over ten 60-minute levels, with only 95 players managing to bag up their chips and make it through to Day 2.

Hung will be looking to make his debut at an APT final table here in Taipei, and with over $420,000 in live tournament earnings so far in his career, he most certainly has the skill set to achieve that.

John Tech

2023 APT Taipei Superstar Challenge Winner John Tech managed to bag up 172,500, which was good for a top 20 stack by the end of the day. Tech will be hoping to add another APT title to his already impressive repertoire by the end of play on Saturday.

Other notables to make it through include; prolific APT final tablist Chia Yun Wu (218,500), Adam Martinsson (203,600), Sparrow Cheung (128,500), Thanh Phat Nguyen (125,300), and this weeks APT Pot Limit Omaha High - 5 Card runner-up Patrick Liang (124,100).

Chia Yun Wu

Here is a list of the top ten chips counts to end the day.

You can view a full list of the Main Event Flight A survivors HERE

Join us for Flight B tomorrow which will have slightly faster 45-minute levels and gets underway at 11 am local time.

Players will have to play five more hands before they bag and tag for the conclusion of Flight A.

We missed the preflop action but saw Su Chien Yu and Ip Hon Leung get their chips in the middle, with Leung at risk.

Leung A Q

Yu A 7

With the board running 7 J T T 3 , Leung hit the rail.

Paul Tedeschi

Chi Hao Wu had opened from middle position to 2,500 and been immediately 3-bet by Paul Tedeschi on his direct left to 7,500. Wu made the call, and they headed to a flop.

The flop came J 9 5 . After Wu checked, Tedeschi fired out a continuation bet of 5,500. Wu looked over at Tedeschi's stack before making the call.

Wu checked again on the 8 turn. This time Tedeschi moved all-in for 23,000. Wu took his time but ultimately settled on a call.

Tedeschi K K

Wu Q 9

Wu needed to spike the river or he would be left crippled. The river came Q and with that Wu had eliminated France's Tedeschi from the Main Event.

Natalie Siew Po Teh

When we got to the table, the flop showed3 K 6 with Natalie Siew Po Teh of Malaysia having bet 2,400. Her opponent in the hand, Vlada Stojanovic, made the call to see a turn.

The turn was a flush completing 2 . Stojanovic now led out with a bet of 3,500. After some thinking, Teh raised to 10,000, which was called by Stojanovic.

The river was a board-pairing 6 which again was led out on by Stojanovic, this time, he fired 15,000. After thinking for almost a minute, Teh made the call. Stojanovic confidently turned over A 6 for trip sixes, but this was second best to the flush of Teh with A Q

Play has just begun in the final level of the day; after this level is complete, the remaining players will bag up their chips and come back for Day 2 on Wednesday, March 6. Remember, late registration is open until the start of Day 2.

Chia Yun Wu

In this hand, John Niko Costiniano opened to 2,500 from early position and got called by Orathai Nasathaen on the button, Chia Yun Wu in the small blind, and Ye Wei Peng in the big blind.

Wu and Peng checked the T 8 4 flop to Costiniano, who continuation bet for 3,400. Only Wu called, and they went to the turn heads-up.

The turn was the 6 . Wu checked for a second time, and Costiniano decided to fire a second barrel; this time he bet 12,800. Wu carved out the chips and made the call.

The river was the 5 and after much deliberation, Wu checked. Costiniano waved the white flag and checked back. Wu turned over 8 9 for a pair of eights to win the pot.

Costiniano John Niko

Chang YU Chung raised to 2,500 on the cut-off, Costiniano John Niko called in the small blind and the flop fanned out K 6 Q . Niko check-raised to 7,500 and, Chung made the call.

The turn came 7 , Niko bet 8,000 and Chung 3-bet shoved. Niko called.

Niko K 9

Chung K J

Niko needed some help and the 6 river helped him find the chop and saved his tournament life.

Jae Sung Lee shoved all in for his last 15,500 from middle position. When it folded to Christopher Pasion in the cutoff, he asked for a count before announcing all-in himself for about 50,000. Once the rest of the table folded, the cards were revealed.

Lee A 4

Pasion 9 9

An unfortunate flop of 2 A 6 came for Pasion as Lee hit his ace to take the lead. The turn 5 and river Q secured Lee with the full double-up to over the starting stack

John Tech opened to 2,400 from low jack seat and Tsz Hin Chow 3-bet 7,600 to go. John called and the two players headed for the flop that read K Q 4 Chow continued for 4,500 and John snap called.

The turn read A and both players checked through. The 5 river completed the board and Chow fired a bet of 13,500. John went into a tank and eventually couldnt find a call.