APT All-Star Showdown

Chien Yu "Lunglung" Lin

Chien Yu "Lunglung" Lin shocked the poker world with a mesmerizing win in the inaugural APT All-Star Showdown after defeating a star-studded field of nine players. Lin won the winner-takes-all event for TWD 235,710 and also bagged herself a TWD 70,000 APT Taipei Main Event seat to go along with the APT baby lion trophy.

So how does it feel to beat some of the best players in the world? Lin was asked after her victory.

"I'm so surprised, I did not expect it at all!" gushed an elated Chien Yu "LungLung" Lin.

"My friends told me I should be happy if I just beat one of them and finished in eighth, so to win everything feels great!"

**also wins an APT Taipei Main Event seat worth TWD 70,000 (~$2,270).

The lineup was a sight in itself with Natural8 Ambassadors Danny Tang, Yu-Chung "Nevan" Chang, Eric "Six Poker" Tsai, and Punnat Punsri all making an appearance. Bertrand "Elky" Grospellier, and Gregory "Greg Goes All In' Liow also showed up to play, as did WSOP Main Event winner Espen Jorstad. Frankie Cucchiara was a late addition to the roster, and wildcard Lin completed the lineup.

With just forty big blinds in the starting stack and blind levels increasing every twenty minutes, it promised to be a fast-paced, action-packed tournament - and it certainly delivered.

In the opening levels, Lin's stack took a beating from the seasoned professionals at the table and at one point she was sitting with just two big blinds. On hand twenty-one she was all in and at risk with six-four against Liaw's queen-ten but a rivered straight ignited the most unlikely of comebacks.

Gregory "Greg Goes All In" Liow

It was APT Host Liaw who hit the rail first after his pocket eights couldn't win a flip against the ace-king of Punsri. Chang wasn't far behind after his ace-nine couldn't improve against the pocket jacks of Tang on hand thirty-five.

A double elimination saw Tsai and Grospellier both eliminated in the same hand after their six-three and jack-ten respectively couldn't overcome the pocket aces of 2023 APT Taipei Main Event champion Punsri.

Cucchiara's failed bluff attempt would cost him dearly on hand forty-five after he triple barreled holding six-seven for a missed straight draw. Tang had an easy call to make after turning two pair with queen-five, and just like that, there were four players left in contention.

Danny Tang

Lin scored a crucial triple-up after she shoved all in with pocket kings, Tang called, and Punsri shoved over the top holding pocket jacks. Tang was forced to fold and Lin's cowboys held up to bring her right back in the mix.

Punsri then called off an eleven-big-blind shove with queen-jack and found himself in a coinflip situation against Tang's pocket fives. The player from Thailand paired his jack but a five on the flop gave Tang a set and send Punsri to the rail in fourth.

Lin then stormed into the chip lead and always seemed one step ahead of her decorated opponents during three-handed play. During hand seventy-two, Lin's pocket nines took down the king-queen of Jorstad to eliminate the WSOP Main Event winner in third.

Espen Jorstad

Despite second place going home empty-handed, Lin was never deterred by the biggest bubble spot of her short poker career and it took just six hands of heads-up action for Lin to take down her opponent. Tang had shoved all in with ace-five and Lin made the call with pocket nines. A scary, but clean runout for Lin crowned her as the champion.

A remarkable performance from Lin, who has only been playing poker for a year. A moment that will forever be remembered as the time she took on and beat some of the world's best.

Congratulations to Lin!

Lunglung takes down the APT All-Star Showdown after defeating a star-studded field of some of the world's best players.

A full write-up of the day's action will follow shortly.

Danny Tang

Hand 78 Danny Tang shoved all in for 151,000 and Lunglung made the call.

Tang A♥ 5♦

Lunglung 9♦ 9♣

Lunglung was in the driving seat to take down her first-ever trophy event but had to sweat a little more after the dealer fanned of a flop of 6♥ J♥ T♥ which gave Tang the nut flush draw.

Tang added more outs on the K♦ turn as now any ace, queen, or heart would earn him the pot and bring him back into contention.

This would be Lunglung's day, however, as the 6♣ filled out the board giving her the pot and eliminating Tang from the All-Star Showdown.

Hand 77 Lunglung limped for 10,000 more and Danny Tang raised to 60,000. Lunglung called. A flop of A♦ 2♠ A♥, Tang fired 20,000 and Lunglung called. The turn brought an 8♦ and Tang fired again, this time with a bet of 35,000. Lunglung called. A K♠ fell on the river and both players checked. Lunglung took it down with K♦ J♦.

Hand 73 Lunglung made it 40,000 and won the pot.

Hand 74 Lunglung got a walk.

Hand 75 Lunglung limp-folded to the shove of Tang

Hand 76 Danny Tang shoved all in and Lunglung called.

Tang A♣ T♣

Lunglung 8♦ 8♣

Tang won the flip on the J♣ 7♠ Q♣ T♠ Q♠ runout to even out the stacks a little.

The chip counts going into heads-up play.

Espen Jorstad

Hand 72 Espen Jorstad shoved for 66,000 and Lunglung made the call.

Jorstad K♠ Q♣

Lunglung 9♣ 9♥

The board ran T♥ 3♣ J♠ T♦ 8♣ and Lunglung's pocket nines held up to eliminate Jorstad.

Hand 67 Espen Jorstad limped from the button and Lunglung raised to 40,000. Jorstad called. A flop of Q♥ 2♦ T♣ saw both players check and a 6♥ peel off on the turn. The action went check-check again and the 4♣ completed the board. Lunglung fired 50,000 and won the pot.

Hand 68 Danny Tang shoved all in from the small blind and won the pot.

Hand 69 Espen Jorstad shoved all in and Lunglung folded.

Hand 70 Lunglung limped from the small blind and Danny Tang made it 40,000. Lunglung folded.

Hand 71 Lunglung raised to 35,000 and Jorstad defended the big blind. On the T♦ 3♥ 9♠ flop, both players checked. The turn came a J♣ and Jorstad fired 25,000. Lunglung shoved and Jorstad folded.

Hand 64 Lunglung limped the small blind and Danny Tang checked the big blind. Lunglung bet the A♠ J♦ 9♠ flop for 12,000 and Tang folded.

Hand 65 Lunglung raised to 25,000 on the button and Espen Jorstad defended his big blind. Jorstad checked and Lunglung bet 20,000. Jorstad raised to 50,000 and Lunglung called. The turn brought a 2♣ and Jorstad timebank checked, Lunglung checked back. A river 4♠ completed the board and Jorstad checked, and Lunglung checked back. Lunglung's Q♣ 9♣ won the pot.

Hand 66 Espen Jorstad shoved all in and won the pot.

Hand 59 Espen Jorstad got a walk.

Hand 60 Danny Tang made it 25,000 and Lunglung defended the big blind. Both players checked the 5♥ 7♥ K♠ flop to see a 6♥ turn. Both checked again and an A♦ fell on the river. Tang bet and won the pot.

Hand 61 Lunglung raised to 25,000 from the small blind and Danny Tang called. Lunglung bet 15,000 on the 5♠ 7♠ 6♣ flop and Tang raised to 45,000 and won the pot.

Hand 62 Tang limped the small blind and Jorstad checked. On the K♥ J♥ 6♠ flop, Tang bet 12,000 and Jorstad called. A Q♥ fell on the turn and both checked. The 4♣ completed the board and Tang bet 35,000. Jorstad shoved all in and Tang folded.

Hand 63 Tang opened the button to 25,000 and Lunglung defended. Lunglung checked the 9♣ 8♦ 8♥ flop and Tang bet 20,000. Lunglung then check-raised to 50,000 and Tang shoved. Lunglung called.

Tang J♣ T♦

Lunglung 9♦ 7♣

Lunglung filled up on the 8♣ turn and held on as the 6♦ landed on the river.