Hong Yu Chen

The opening day of the Asian Poker Tour Championship (APTC) came to a close with Flight B of the TWD 15,000 National Cup Championship delivering another strong showing. A total of 263 entries (227 unique) took their shot, and by the time the bags came out, 37 players had secured a place in the money and a seat for Day 2.

Added to the 461 runners from Flight A, the field has now climbed to a combined 724 entries. The TWD 12,000,000 guarantee is already under serious pressure, and with two more starting flights still to come, it is shaping up to be one of the most significant National Cup Championships ever held.

Play stretched deep into the early hours inside Red Space, Taipei, before Hong Yu Chen emerged as the clear standout of the flight. Chen bagged a towering 1,056,000, placing him second in the overall counts and making him one of only two players to cross into seven-figure territory so far.

National Cup Championship Flight B Top Ten Chip Counts

Chen climbed his way to the top of the counts thanks in large part to a huge pot late in the day, where his pocket nines held to score a double knockout. The Taiwanese player comes into this series with only three recorded live cashes according to The Hendon Mob, all from APT Taipei earlier this year, and he now finds himself in prime position for the biggest result of his career.

Another familiar face in the top ten is Frankie Cucchiara, who closed his bag with an even 700,000, putting him fourth in the counts. Cucchiara has long been connected to the Taiwan poker scene through both poker and his personal life, and has been vocal about how much he enjoys being back. Speaking earlier in the day, he was full of praise for the island, calling Taiwan “a gorgeous country with great food and some of the nicest, friendliest people” he has ever met.

He also mentioned how much he enjoys playing inside Red Space after his previous visit, noting that the venue “has a different feel to it, unlike any APT” he has attended. With plans to fire a full schedule and a strong start across both opening flights, Cucchiara looks fully settled in and more than ready to chase something deep this series.

Frankie Cucchiara

Florencio Campomanes sits just outside the top ten with a stack of 350,000 and will be one to watch when Day 2 rolls around. A longtime regular on the APT circuit, Campomanes has captured four APT titles throughout his career and is one of the tour’s most consistent performers. With his experience and proven track record across Asia, he is well-positioned to mount another deep run.

One player who will need to try again is Sangbeom Lim, who fell in unfortunate fashion on the stone bubble. After several double-ups extended hand-for-hand play, Akeno Keiya shoved the button and Lim called with a smaller stack holidng pocket nines. Keiya had been applying pressure with ten-seven, but a ten on the board sent Lim to the rail in rough circumstances.

Rounding out the notables is Natural8 Ambassador Nevan Chang, who secured a bag worth 240,000. It was a tougher day for his partner, Hua Wei Lin, the other half of the WiN Poker Couple, who was unable to make it through either flight.

The good news for Lin, and for anyone else still looking to reach Day 2, is that three more starting flights await on Saturday, November 15.

For a full APT National Cup Championship Survivor List: Click here.

As always, make sure to check back regularly for all the updates from the championship events here at APTC.

Following several double-ups on the second and third round of hand-for-hand play, Akeno Keiya shoved for over 500,000 on the button and Sangbeom Lim called all in for his last 231,000 in the big blind.

Sangbeom Lim: 9 9

Akeno Keiya: T 7

Keiya got caught pushing his big stack around, but caught a lucky break after the T J A A Q runout paired Keiya's ten to eliminate Lim on the stone bubble in rough fashion.

The remaining 37 players are now bagging and tagging and will return on Sunday, Nov 16 for the final day.

With 38 players remaining and 37 players earning a berth into the final day, hand-for-hand play will commence until the bubble has burst.

Hong Yu Chen

A huge pot just went Hong Yu Chen's way as he eliminated two players at the same time to break the seven-figure barrier!

Chi Wei Lo shoved from early position for 145,000 and Kiyoung Kim shoved just over 200,000 from the small blind. Chen looked down at his cards in the big blind and quickly called.

Chi Wei Lo: A K

Kiyoung Kim: A 6

Hong Yu Chen: 9 9

Chen held pocket nines, and they held strong through the 5 T 5 6 7 runout, which meant both Lo and Kim hit the rail. Meanwhile, Chen's stack rocketed up to around 1,100,000.

Wai Shing Chan shoved for around 100,000 from middle position and was looked up by Ching Yang Chung from the small blind.

Wai Shing Chan: A Q

Ching Yang Chung: A 8

Chan was ahead with his superior kicker, and he made it work for him as the T 4 A Q 3 runout earned him a much-needed double-up with four players until the bubble bursts.

An Chen Peng

Takashi Mizukami raised to 32,000 from middle position and An Chen Peng moved all in for his last 58,000 on the button. Action folded back to Mizukami, who called to put Peng at risk.

An Chen Peng: K J

Takashi Mizukami: 6 6

It was a race for Peng's tournament life, and the K J A K Q runout sent a wave of relief over Peng, who was awarded the double up with his full house several spots from the bubble.

Frankie Cucchiara

A big double-up just went the way of Frankie Cucchiara at the expense of Ben Gur.

The cards were already on their backs and the board had been run, with a pot of around 450,000 on the line, where presumably the chips went in preflop.

Ben Gur: Q Q

Frankie Cucchiara: A K

On a 7 A K A 9 board, Gur found himself well beaten by Cucchiara, who had turned the nuts.

Both players had similar stacks, but after they were counted down, Gur was left with just 10,000 to work with, less than a big blind!

"There's always tomorrow," joked Cucchiara.

"I've already done 10 bullets," replied Gur with a smile.

Jinhee Min

Kenichi Shirai found himself short again and shoved for his last 45,000 from middle position. Jinhee Min also went all in for 142,000 total from the cutoff and everyone else folded to set up a showdown between Shirai and Min.

Kenichi Shirai: A 9

Jinhee Min: K K

Shirai was in bad shape this time around, and the 3 T 2 3 4 runout provided no help, eliminating him fewer than 20 spots from the bubble.

Kiyoung Kim

Bao Sheng Woon shoved around 60,000 from the hijack and Petur Karlsson also moved all in from the button for a similar stack. Kiyoung Kim was in the small blind and shoved, putting two players at risk.

Bao Sheng Woon: K Q

Petur Karlsson: A T

Kiyoung Kim: 4 4

It was anybody's game preflop, but Kim took a huge leap toward scooping on the 4 5 7 flop as he made a set.

A 2 turn gave Karlsson a wheel draw, but that bricked on the J river, which left him and Woon on the rail.

Shirai Kenichi went all in for his last 21,000 from middle position and Ting-Chieh Chi three-bet to 50,000 from the cutoff. Everyone else got out of the way.

Shirai Kenichi: A Q

Ting-Chieh Chi: 2 2

Chi showed his pair of deuces first and Kenichi expressed he was happy to be flipping with his overcards.

Sure enough, the J 6 A 7 5 runout left Kenichi best with a pair of aces and he kept his hopes of a deep run in the National Cup Championship alive with a double up.