Day 3 Chip Leader Shinichiro Kano

The 2026 APT Incheon Main Event is rapidly approaching the business end, with just 47 players remaining after another action-packed day at the tables.

A record-breaking 1,393 entries took their shot at the Gold Lion Trophy, with 207 returning for Day 3 and the field being cut by more than three-quarters before the bags came out. Those still standing will return for Day 4 tomorrow, August 14, with a place at the nine-handed final table now within touching distance.

Every survivor has locked up at least KRW 8,630,000 (~$6,165), but there is considerably more waiting at the top, with the eventual champion set to walk away with KRW 523,720,000 (~$374,085) and the coveted APT Gold Lion Trophy.

APT MAIN EVENT DAY 3 TOP TEN STACKS

Japan’s Shinichiro Kano finished Day 3 with a massive 3,050,000 chips, becoming the only player to cross the three-million mark. Hot on Kano’s heels is China’s Zhentao Long with 2,965,000, while Kano’s compatriot Yoko Sasaki sits third with 2,580,000.

Kano is no stranger to deep APT Main Event runs and will be looking to improve on his fourth-place finish at APT Taipei 2025 and bag his first major poker title. Long and Sasaki are also looking to claim their first major poker titles.

The top pros were out in force at the start of Day 3, with a good number either bagging up in one of the four live starting flights or coming straight into Day 3 as one of the OnLive qualifiers.

Punnat Punsri Bit The Dust On Day 3

However, most bit the bullet and fell by the wayside before the end of the day. The likes of Thailand’s 2025 GPI Player of the Year Punnat Punsri, Aussie trio Dylan Foster, John Perry & Yita Choong, Natural8 Ambassador Nevan Chang, and Russian Maxim Lykov all took a tumble at some point on Day 3 and will have to wait until APT Jeju to get their hands on the Gold Lion Trophy.

Dylan Foster

On the flip side, a good number of the big boys are still in the hunt, and none can be ruled out from making a run at the title.

China’s Peng Chen (2,280,000) is just outside the top three in fourth place and is a force to be reckoned with. APT Taipei 2023 High Roller Champion Phachara Wongwichit is in ninth place with 1,835,000 chips, while 2025 APTC High Roller Championship winner Toby Joyce (705,000) has work to do but can never be ruled out from making a deep run at the final table.

Peng Chen

One of the stories of the day must be that of Thailand’s Pongsapak Himathongkom, who came into Day 3 with just 31,000 chips but spun it up and closed out the day in 15th place with 1,540,000. Being under the wing of Thai legend Punsri, he surely has some tricks up his sleeve. Maybe he has now picked up a few to pass back to his master!

Pongsapak Himathongkom

Malaysian WSOP bracelet holder Webster Lim (1,255,000) is another who can never be ruled out and will be looking to close in on fifth spot on the Malaysian all-time money list.

UK pro and APT regular Jun Li (615,000) will be hoping to add to his list of APT final table appearances and pick up his first APT Lion Trophy.

APT Incheon 2026 Main Event Remaining Payouts

For the full APT Incheon Main Event Day 3 Survivor List, click HERE.

Day 4 kicks off tomorrow, August 14, at 11:15 a.m. Local Time (KST). Play will resume with 42 minutes remaining in Level 25, with blinds of 15,000/30,000 and a 30,000 big blind ante. The remaining 47 players will battle on until the nine-handed final table is reached.

With two knockouts at the end of play, the remaining 47 players are now bagging and tagging for the evening.

Stay tuned for a recap of Day 3.

Shawn Lee

Kwok Chun Yip was already all in from the big blind against Shawn Lee, and things were not looking too clever for him.

Kwok Chun Yip: A T

Shawn Lee: Q Q

No help arrived for Yip on the 7 9 3 2 6 runout, and he was sent to the rail just prior to the close of Day 4.

Tomohiro Kamikawa was eliminated at the same time at another table.

Haris Zambas

Atsushi Miyakoshi opened to 60,000 from the hijack and Haris Zambas moved all in for 1,100,000 on the button. James Mendoza called all in for his last 800,000 from the big blind and Miyakoshi got out of the way.

James Mendoza: A J

Haris Zambas: Q Q

Mendoza would need some help, but the K 4 8 8 8 runout kept Zambas' queens best and Mendoza was eliminated a couple spots shy of the Day 4 bubble.

The remaining 53 players are now on a 15-minute break.

When they return, play will continue until 48 players remain, who will then bag up their chips to return for Day 4 tomorrow, August 14.

Daming Kang

Yau Xin Chu moved all in for approximatley 160,000 from early position and it was folded to Daming Kang, who stuck in a single chip to indicate a call from the big blind.

Yau Xin Chu: K Q

Daming Kang: A 5

Kang held a slight lead with his ace, but the Q 7 5 flop pulled Chu into the lead with a pair of queens against Kang's pair of fives.

The 3 turn changed nothing, but the 5 appeared on the river, getting a collective, "Ooohh" from players at the table as it had improved Kang to trip fives to eliminate Chu in dramatic fashion.

Sanshiro Ito opened to 50,000 from under the gun and action folded around to Tomoki Matsuda in the small blind, who three-bet to 175,000.

It came back to Ito, who four-bet to 800,000, leaving himself 40,000 behind. Matsuda then five-bet jammed all-in and had Ito covered, who then went into the tank. He used one time bank before he made the call for his last 40,000.

"Aces or queens", quipped Ito on seeing the cards revealed.

Sanshiro Ito: K K

Tomoki Matsuda: Q Q

Ito was on the right side of a classic cooler and nothing changed on the 4 2 5 flop and when the T peeled off on the turn, he just had to dodge a queen for a monster double-up. The J rolled off on the river and Ito's pocket kings held firm and he was pushed the monster pot.

Toni Ravnak

Toni Ravnak opened to 48,000 from under the gun and was called by Shinichiro Kano in the hijack, and Yoko Sasaki in the big blind for a three-way pot.

Action checked through on the A 6 Q flop, it was checked again to Kano, who bet 50,000 on the T turn. Sasaki quickly folded, but Ravnak stuck in a call.

The 6 filled out the board and Ravnak checked a final time. Kano sized up for a bet of 125,000 and Ravnak pondered a bit before looking Kano up.

Kano tabled 4 4 and Ravnak revealed A 2 for a pair of aces to claim the pot.

Peng Chen

Heads-up to the flop of Q K Q , with a pot of about 500,000 already brewed up in the middle.

Peng Chen led out for 125,000 from the small blind and was called by Nozomi Ota in the cutoff.

On the 6 turn Chen checked it over to Ota, who bet out for 300,000. Chen thought briefly and made the call.

The 3 peeled off on the river and Chen knuckled the table once again, sending the action over to Ota. She thought briefly and then pushed out a river bet of 500,000.

Chen went into the tank but not for long before he announced call and tabled T T and had picked off Ota's bluff with5 5 to be sent the monster pot.

"Wow, sick call!" & "What a sicko!" came the congratulatory comments from around the table.

Punnat Punsri

The field is already down to 60 players, which means just 12 more eliminations need to occur before play suspends for the day.

Here are the most-recent competitors to be sent to the rail.