Nevan Chang

Natural8 Ambassador Nevan Chang ended their run victorious and was crowned the winner of the APTC Taipei 2025 Mini Main Championship.

There were plenty of chances to take part in the Mini Main as the tournament hosted four starting flights, concluding with the turbo Flight D yesterday. This drew a huge player pool of 1,603 entries, building the prize pool to TWD 48,474,720 (~USD 1,553,677), the 3rd largest prize pool of the festival so far.

Four bubbles hit on each starting flight, allowing all 227 players who progressed to secure the minimum cash of TWD 54,500 (~USD 1,697).

Mini Main Event Final Table Results

Final Day Action

The Final Day saw a number of notables hit the rail early, including Jun Li, Nishant Kumar, and Fabian Rolli. Li was one of the first to go after getting in his queen-ten offsuit against Kim Wah Chiu’s ace-eight offsuit, with Chiu improving to a pair of eights.

Minjeong Kim

Three successful satellite winners made the final day: Vincent Wong, Minjeong Kim, and Kitipong Siriueangsakul. Kim was the last success story standing after she built up one of the chip-leading stacks early on—helped by getting maximum value with her aces against Scott Margereson.

Throughout the day, eliminations came thick and fast, with the field dropping to under half within just a few hours.

Natural8 Ambassador Nevan Chang and the Netherlands’ Rob Hollink were among the notables standing out halfway through the day. Hollink had already made a mark this series by placing second in the Natural8 Cup Championship event.

Hua Wei Lin

Fellow Natural8 ambassador and the other half of the WinPokerCouple, Hua Wei Lin, made it all the way to the final eleven players but ultimately bust just before the final table bubble. She got her last chips in with queen-four suited, but her opponent held an ace and found another on the flop.

As the final table approached, action slowed and players tightened up. South Korea’s Soobum Kim battled with Duhan Lee, evening out their towering stacks halfway through the day and building momentum on the way to the final table.

Ultimately, Duhan Lee just fell short of the final table after being forced all-in from the blinds against Taiwan's Nevan Chang.

Final Table Action

Standing L to R: Kwok Chun Ng, Chang Fu Hung, Rob Hollink, Joel Singam, Soobum Kim Seated L to R: Justin Chu, Wei Kai Lin, Nevan Chang, Yew Fatt Kan

Taiwan’s Justin Chu claimed the top position heading into the final hours of the Mini Main. Hollink was the most experienced of the remaining players, with over USD 4 million in total live earnings.

Unfortunately, Soobum Kim was the first to bust, finishing ninth after entering the final table aggressively and playing many pots.

His time came to an end after getting into a tough river spot against Nevan Chang, ultimately calling off into Chang’s nut flush.

Taiwanese player Wai Kai Lin left in eighth place after a brief comeback that was immediately followed by a knockout at the hands of Nevan Chang. Lin got in king-ten against Chang’s ace-seven, and Chang improved to a set of sevens.

Kwok Chun Ng

Kwok Chun Ng from Hong Kong, battled hard to reach the final table but lost a chunk of their stack to Wei Kai Lin after missing with two overs against pocket sevens.

In quick succession, seventh and sixth place were filled by Kwok Chun Ng and Taiwanese Chao Fu Hung respectively.

Ng was rivered when his pocket sixes fell to Rob Hollink’s pocket deuces.

On his way to the final table, Hung busted Vincent Li after flopping a king. Chang also scored a double near the final two tables after flopping a set of eights.

He also knocked out Kevin Choi on another fortunate flop, but his time came when Chang raised pre-flop and Hung called off his remaining stack with ace-five suited against Chang’s ace-jack offsuit. A jack hit the flop, ending Hung’s run.

Malaysia's Yew Fatt Kan made the final table but was eliminated in fifth place after running ace-three suited into Chang’s pocket jacks and missing the board.

Rob Hollink

Rob Hollink finished in fourth. He climbed through the ranks earlier in the day after busting Asa Smith in 41st place.

At the final table, Hollink first took a hit from Justin Chu, then ultimately got his chips in with king-queen suited but lost to Chu’s ace.

The tides then turned for Chu, and he exited in third. He first lost a large pot to Joel Singam after Singam rivered a straight. Then Chang claimed the rest, with Chu getting in king-ten offsuit against Chang’s ace-ten offsuit. Both players bricked the board, sending Chu to the rail.

Heads-Up

Joel Singam (left) Nevan Chang (right)

After a short break, it was Chang versus Malaysian based pro Joel Singam, battling for the title. The pair discussed a deal and the pair were now battling for TWD7,085,620 (~USD 227,100) and the infamous APT lion trophy for first, and TWD 6,250,-00 (~USD 200,320) for second place.

Chang entered heads-up, having eliminated six of his final table opponents, with a clear lead—42 million to Singam’s 21.5 million.

The stacks evened out early on, with Singam taking a huge pot:

Momentum then swung back to Chang, who claimed a massive pot after rivering a flush.

The final blow came quickly after, with Singam moving all-in holding queen-ten suited against Chang’s ace-six suited. Chang hit well, making two pair on the flop and a boat on the turn, sealing the victory.

Winner Reaction

Chang secured the biggest live cash of his career, topping the record he set just last week when he finished second in the Single Day High Roller for TWD 5,037,400 (~USD 161,449).

He mentioned he originally wasn’t planning to play this event after busting the 5K High Roller, but a friend convinced him—and that same friend railed him all the way to the win.

He also shared that having his partner cash in the same event made the victory even more special.

Celebrations filled the room as friends joined him for the winner’s photo and trophy moment. There was dancing, singing and laughing all around.

Whilst this concludes coverage of the APTC Taipei 2025 Mini Main Championship, live reporting continues tomorrow (Friday 28th Nov.) with action from the epic Main Event Final Table, the fan-favorite Teams Championship (Final Day), and the High Roller Championship (Day 2).

Nevan Chang

Nevan Chang defeated Joel Singam in the final heads-up match that lasted about 25 hands.

Chang's victory marks his biggest live career cash and as he said, "It's also my biggest trophy!"

This is Chang's 10th APT Title and the most meaningful because his partner Hua We Lin also made a deep run in this event, finishing in 11th place.

A full recap of the event will follow soon.

Joel Singam

On the first hand, Nevan Chang was at risk for his last 17,600,000 against Joel Singam.

Joel Singam: K 6

Nevan Chang: A 5

The flop came Q A 8

Chang flopped top pair and stretched his lead over Singam. The turn came J and Singam found outs for a gut-shot straight. However, the Q was of no help for Singam, giving Chang a monster double-up.

Singam was crippled to around 19,000,000 chips while Chang took the lead to over 45,000,000.

On the hand that followed, Singam risked his remaining chips with Chang making the call.

Joel Singam: Q T

Nevan Chang: A 6

The flop came 6 K A

Chang flopped two pair, but Singam had outs for a gut-shot straight.

The turn came 6 and gave Chang a full house to secure the Mini Main Event Championship title, eliminating Joel Singam in second place.

The 5 river was a formality to finally end the event.

The deal between Joel Singam and Nevan Chang is that first place will win TWD 7,085,620 while second place will earn TWD 6,250,000.

The original first place prize was TWD 8,535,730 (~USD 273,580) while the second place prize was TWD 4,799,900 (~USD 153,840).

Joel Singam

Singam opened for 1,600,000. Nevan Chang pushed to 7,000,000. Singam four-bet shoved all-in and Chang folded.

After 15 hands of back and forth play, Joel Singam has closed the gap on Nevan Chang.

Joel Singam (left), Nevan Chang (right)

Following the elimination of Justin Chu in third place, Nevan Chang and Joel Singam are the last two standing to compete for the Mini Main Event Championship title.

These are the chip stacks entering the final heads-up battle:

Players are taking a short break as they go into heads-up play.

Justin Chu

In the first hand, Joel Singam moved all-in for 10,600,000 and was at risk against Justin Chu.

Joel Singam: A 4

Justin Chu: K J

The board ran 3 Q 3 2 5

Singam was ahead and even made a straight on the river to secure the double up and cripple Chu's stack to 8,200,000.

On the next hand, Chu shoved that stack and this time it was Nevan Chang who made the call.

Nevan Chang: A T

Justin Chu: K T

The board ran Q Q 8 4 7

Chang was ahead pre-flop and maintained his lead until the river landed, taking the last of Chu's chips and sending him to the rail in third place.

Rob Hollink

Firstly, action folded to the blinds. Justin Chu jammed all-in on the small blind for 4,500,000 and Rob Hollink defended the big blind with a call.

Justin Chu: K 4

Rob Hollink: K 2

The board ran Q 8 6 A 4

Chu rivered a flush and doubled up, doing damage to the stack of Hollink, leaving him with just 7,800,000.

In the next hand, Chu opened for 1,200,000 on the button and Hollink jammed his remaining 7,800,000 on the small blind and Chu made the call.

Justin Chu: A J

Rob Hollink: K Q

The board came T 8 T A 4

Chu paired his ace on the turn and went on to win it when Hollink couldn't find any of his outs on the river.

With Hollink's stack covered, he was eliminated from the tournament, ending his run in 4th place.