Wei Kai Lin

Flight A of the Asian Poker Tour (APT) Mini Main Event Championship wrapped up inside Red Space, Taipei, drawing a talented field of 245 entries (202 unique) to kick off the opening day of event. After a full day on the baize, just 35 players managed to bag up their chips and advance to Day 2.

While Flight A set the tone for the tournament, players who fell short today will have three more chances to secure a seat in the next stage. Flights B, C, and D all take place tomorrow and will offer different level durations.

When all the chip counts came in it was Taiwan’s own Wei Kai Lin who topped the Flight A field with 831,000. Lin is already having a dream APTC series after taking down the Mixed Game Championship 9-Game earlier in the week, showing he can do it all in the poker streets.

APT Mini Main Event Championship Top Ten Chip Counts

Right behind Lin is fellow Taiwanese player Chih Han Hsu, who bagged 818,000. Hsu’s night could have ended much earlier when, with roughly 80 players left, he got his pocket tens in bad against the Cowboys of Frank Lillis. A fortunate two-outer on the turn kept him alive and he made the most of it, running his stack up and finishing with one of the biggest bags in the room.

Also appearing in the top ten is South Korea’s Jihwan Oh, who did everything he could to get the tournament through the bubble as fast as possible. Sitting on a monster stack, Oh was jamming almost every hand, fully aware that most players at his table were simply trying to sneak into the money.

Jihwan Oh

He first won a flip to bust Daniel Yang when his pocket eights held against ace-jack. From there he kept shoving and picked up a steady stream of blinds and antes. Joe Singam eventually took a stand with king-jack and won a flip against Oh’s small pair. A few hands later Oh called the all-in of Noppon Taengruen with seven-high and lost to Taengruen’s king-high. Even with those setbacks he still finished with 471,000 which placed him seventh overall.

Some other notable names making it through to Day 2 include Hong Kong’s Alan Lau (489,000), Junjie He (384,000), Poom Suvannus (270,000), and Frank Lillis (266,000) who still managed to advance despite having his kings cracked earlier by Hsu. Also moving on are Methavee Taveekitvatee (235,000) after winning a pivotal flip, and a very short-stacked Adrien Felix (15,000) who will need just about everything to go his way on the final day if he wants to make a deep run.

Alan Lau

All survivors from the four opening flights will return for the final day on Thursday November 27 at 11:15 AM, where the field will combine for the first time. From there, the race to the title begins as the remaining players battle it out until an APT Mini Main Event champion is crowned.

Remaining Schedule

Stay locked into the APT blog for full coverage of the remaining Mini Main Event Championship flghts, including live updates, chip counts, photos, and all the key moments from Red Space as players try to make Day 2.

With 35 players remaining play has now concluded for the day and the players are bagging up their chips to take through to the final day.

Stay tuned for a recap of the day with full surviving player chip counts,

Ka Chan put his last 25,000 into the middle from middle position and action folded to Wanghee Lee in the big blind who had 33,000 in total so would be left with just 8,000 if he made the call and lost the hand. He used most of his time banks and made the call.

Ka Chan: K J

Wanghee Lee: A 4

No help for Chan on the 8 5 9 8 5 run out and he was sent to the rail as the unfortunate bubble boy.

With 36 players left the clock is now stopped and play is hand for hand until there is one more elimination.

The remaining players will then bag up their chips to carry thorough to the final day.

From the cutoff, Noppon Taengruen jammed for 75,000 and was called by Jihwan Oh fom the small blind.

Noppon Taengruen K Q

Jihwan Oh 7 3

Taengruen was ahead with his Broadway cards, but anything could happen with on the runout.

The 5 8 9 flop gave Oh a straight draw, but a lot of his outs were taken away on the A turn as Taengruen picked up a flush draw.

The J completed the board, and Taengruen was awadred the much-needed double-up.

Joel Singam

With a stack that covers the entire table, Jihwan Oh jammed under the gun for around 975,000. The action slowly folded around to Joel Singam in the small blind, who went into the tank. In the end, Singam stuck in the call for his stack of 74,000.

Joel Singam K J

Jihwan Oh 3 3

Singam didn't want to sneak through into the money on Day 2 with a tiny stack, and his bravery paid off as the board ran out 8 6 6 J 9 to give him the winner with a pair of jacks on the turn.

Action folded to Jihwan Oh in late position who moved all in and had the table covered. Daniel Yang, in the hijack used all his time banks and then made the call for his tournament life. the rest of the table folded.

Daniel Yang: A J

Jihwan Oh: 8 8

No help for Yang on the K 4 2 3 K run out and he was sent to the rail just before the bubble.

Sung Lee

Santi Adultrakul raised to 20,000 from the hijack only for Sung Lee to three-bet to 45,000 from the cutoff leaving himself just 2,000 behind. Ranno Sootla sat on the button then put his last 33,000 in the middle to put his tournament life at risk.

The flop came 6 K 4 and Adultrakul bet out the minimum to put Lee all in. Lee made the call.

Ranno Sootla: A K

Sung Lee: K K

Santi Adultrakul: 6 6

Lee had flopped set over set for his tournament life and needed to only dodge the case six to win the hand.

The T peeled off on the river and Lee was shipped the pot for a near treble up whilst Sootla was sent to the rail.

Yu Xin Liu got all in from early position for about 60,000 and Abiko Daisuke was the only caller from the cutoff.

Yu Xin Liu 7 7

Abiko Daisuke A Q

Liu's pair of sevens fell far behind on the 9 T A flop as Daisuke paired his ace.

The 2 turn meant Liu needed a two-outer seven on the river to have a chance of making Day 2.

The dealer burned a card then put out the A on the river, ending Liu's day earlier than he had hoped.

Ravn Teo

Chei Wei Lee raised to 20,000 from early position and Ravn Teo was the only caller from the cutoff.

Lee put out a bet of 28,000 on the Q 7 4 flop, and Teo stuck around with a call.

The K fell on the turn, causing Lee to check. Teo bet 35,000 and Lee called.

When Lee saw the J river, he pondered for a few moments before jamming for 53,000. A look of anguish immediately appeared on Teo's face as he put his time banks into the middle, and went into the tank. After using a few of them, Teo elected to call.

Lee showed A Q for just a pair of queens, and was second best to the A A of Teo for an overpair to the board.