With the USD 5 million guaranteed APT Championship Main Event Freezeout beginning on Monday, November 24, focus is shifting towards players who have maintained a steady presence throughout the series. Among them is Thailand’s Punnat Punsri, whose approach to tournament poker remains defined by consistency and prep work.

“For me personally, I want to be more focused on myself. I want to be playing well, and regardless of how many entries there are, I just want to be going for the right plays,” the former APT Main Event champion explains.

Punnat, a former APT Main Event champion is amongst the tour’s greats with 30 cashes, making him one of the APT New Era’s top five players in terms of live winnings. He has played the tour since 2019.

Rather than treating Monday as a turning point or a milestone requiring a different mindset, he will approach the event with the same process he applies to every tournament: assess the table, remain composed, and concentrate on decision-making over outcome.

A Champion’s Mindset

What stands out most in Punnat’s interview is the neutrality with which he views results and external conditions. Many players become more reactive when anticipating a large field or high-profile line-up, but his perspective remains steady.

When estimating the potential turnout, he keeps his expectations realistic while maintaining distance from speculation. “If I were to guess, I think around 520 to 550 entries… I’m hoping it’s more, but to be realistic, getting 550 uniques is almost impossible,” he said.

However, the APT is increasingly making the impossible possible, notching up international records, escalating entries and ballooning prize pools festival after festival; while running a USD 10,000 buy-in freezeout with a USD 5 million guarantee is certainly a risky endeavor, it’s more like ‘mission slightly difficult’ as opposed to ‘mission impossible’.

The added incentive to bringing a high profile tournament like that to Asia is the quality of the field it attracts, and Punsri is not phased by the possibility of variance in a big buy-in event having a negative impact on his results.

Punsri also made it clear that tournament results do not change the way he evaluates his performance. “I think the best thing you take away from a tournament, whether you win or lose, is that you played to the best of your ability,” he said.

Punnat has a storied history in Taipei, being one of its former Main Event champions

Perspectives on the Championship Format

The introduction of a USD 10,000 freezeout Main Event as part of the APT Championship represents a significant development for the series. While the industry discussion around the event has largely centred on scale and prestige, Punnat responds with a measured and practical assessment.

“When I first heard about it, I thought it was a great idea… to have a special series once a year, make it a bit more special, higher buy-in. It would be great for Asia, and for them to be hosting a USD 10,000 freezeout, the first one ever,” he says.

Rather than highlighting the symbolic importance of the event, he focuses on what the format means from a competitive standpoint.

He also acknowledges the elevation of selected events within the series, pointing out improvements across categories. “Elevating certain events to have prestige… from women’s events to the National Cup events, to the Ultra Stack, even having the Seven-Max… I think this is going to be a great progression towards having more players from abroad coming to Asia.”

Event Selection and Priorities

With long festival schedules, players vary significantly in how they balance their participation. Punnat outlines his approach clearly and without ambiguity. “My best game is No-Limit Hold’em, so I would prioritise hold’em events. I would prefer ones that have a good structure, and obviously the bigger the buy-in, the better for me in my opinion.”

His prioritisation is based on alignment with his strengths rather than perceived ease or status. Higher-buy-in events typically attract tougher fields, but this is something he welcomes rather than avoids.

At the same time, he remains open to playing mixed-game formats during longer series, though this is secondary to his main schedule. “In a long series like this, I do like to dabble in other games… if I bust that, then I might try the other game that I’m interested in,” he says, referencing recent participation in stud and PLO at the Championship.

Punnat has shown he’s no slouch in mixed games either

His planning also reflects balance beyond poker. He notes that he will miss the 25K and 50K events due to a close friend’s wedding. “There are some things more important than poker... it’s one of my best friend’s weddings, so I’ll fly back and then return afterwards,” he explains.

Field Expectations for the Main Event

The Main Event is expected to attract a field that includes a variety of player types, from long-standing professionals to first-time 10K entrants. Punnat views this as standard rather than exceptional.

“It’ll be a mixture of long-time pros, foreign pros, local players, and a lot of local enthusiasts as well as online winners,” he says.

He also acknowledges that well-known international arrivals contribute positively to the overall standard of competition. “It’s quite exciting to see real big-name pros… legends. It’s not great for me from a probability standpoint, but in terms of recognition of the game, I feel quite proud,” he comments.

The Growth of Thai Poker

Beyond his personal goals, Punnat offers insight into the development of the Thai poker community, noting a widening range of player backgrounds. “We have not just grinders here, but also businessmen, influencers, celebrities, or even people who are specialists in other sports,” he says.

He also highlights the supportive dynamic among Thai players. “I think we have a very good camaraderie between all of us Thai players… and I think the fact that we are all hopeful towards a brighter trajectory brings us together,” he explains.

The Thai contingent will cheer for their compatriots at every tournament buy-in level

While acknowledging that poker in Thailand sits at a transitional stage, he remains optimistic about long-term prospects, expressing interest in seeing future opportunities emerge should regulations evolve in the near-future.

Post-Event Process and Routine

Tournament results can produce significant emotional fluctuation for many players, but Punnat describes a stable routine that does not change based on outcome. If he exits a tournament earlier than planned, he focuses on reviewing key decisions rather than dwelling on the result.

“I think the best thing you take away from a tournament, whether you win or lose, is, have you played to the best of your ability,” he notes.

His approach to improvement emphasises incremental progress rather than dramatic adjustment. “I think if you improve yourself by 1% every day, you’re just going to be a better version of yourself,” he adds.

Outside of review, his routine remains simple: rest, eat, reset, and prepare for the next event. This steady approach contributes to maintaining consistency across long series and high-pressure environments.

Self-reflection and improvement is key for Punnat

Ahead of the Main Event

As the APT Championship Main Event begins on Monday, November 24, there is no change in tone or expectation from Punnat. He approaches the event with the same mindset he applies throughout the year. “I love to compete. I love to play and make a field. The only way I can do that is if I play again,” he says.

Whether the field turns out larger or smaller than anticipated, or whether more international professionals than expected take part, his objectives remain unchanged. He will take his seat, assess the table, and play to the best of his ability. The mark of a true competitor.