Charles Tsai

The Asian Poker Tour Championship (APTC) rolled into Day 5 at Red Space Taipei, with Flight E of the Ultra Stack Championship taking center stage. The flight drew 436 entries (374 uniques), pushing the overall total to 1,431 with only Flight F left to play.

After 22 fast-paced twenty-minute levels, the field was trimmed to 61 survivors who bagged their stacks for Day 2 on Wednesday, Nov 19. Leading the way was Australia’s Charles Tsai, who finished with a bag of 2,425,000 chips to lock up the first APT cash of his career.

Close behind was Filipino standout David “Spade” Erquiaga, who advanced with 1,965,000. Erquiaga is a familiar face on the APT circuit, with several Main Event final tables to his name, including a fifth-place finish in the Main Event at APT Phu Quoc in 2024.

Rounding out the top three was Taiwan’s Kuo Wei Kao, who also bagged 1,965,000. Kao has enjoyed a rapid rise since his first recorded cash in the summer of 2023, accumulating more than USD 350,000 in results. An APT trophy found its way into Kao's hands in that span when he captured The Closer title at APT Taipei Poker Classic 2024 for TWD 453,528.

Ultra Stack Championship Flight E Top Ten Chip Counts

Kao played a key role in bursting the bubble, which arrived after a chaotic sequence during hand-for-hand play that saw four players all in across the room. The first showdown ended with Paawan Bansal’s king-eight winning a flip against the pocket threes of Pirasak Suwannasri. Wei Hsiang Wang and Birger Larsen both found timely double-ups, which secured them a spot in the money.

That final all-in came when Kao’s pocket nines went up against the pocket aces of Changhyun Kim. Kim only needed to survive the hand to lock up a cash and a Day 2 seat, but the all-diamond flop immediately gave Kao a flush draw and put him under pressure. The turn bricked, but the river delivered a nine to give Kao a set and end Kim’s run one card away from the money.

Changhyun Kim records the runout

Aditya Agarwal will be one to keep an eye on during Day 2 after he advanced with a stack of 1,430,000. Fellow Indian contender Paawan Bansal also secured his spot, closing the night with 913,000.

Florian Duta is also in the mix after bagging 840,000. Duta sits second on Romania’s All-Time Money List with close to USD 3,700,000 in career earnings. The top spot is well within reach, and with the sizable prizes available throughout this series, he has a real opportunity to close that gap if the cards fall his way.

Brian Green

Another notable name in the mix is Brian Green, who will take his shot at the title after bagging 709,000. Green brings extensive experience in large-field tournaments and has collected more than USD 4,500,000 in live earnings. The American player also has a complete WSOP podium, with finishes of third, second, and first across various events. His bracelet came in 2019 when he captured the Super Turbo Bounty title for USD 345,669.

For a full Ultra Stack Championship Flight E Survivor List. Click here

Play resumes at 11:15 AM on Wednesday, Nov 19, with the field set to battle through 30-minute levels all the way down to a champion.

Follow the APT blog for live updates throughout the Final Day and to see who will lift the Lion Trophy.

After the double bust on the bubble round, Flight E concluded with 61 players booking their spot at Day 2 which takes place on Wednesday, November 19.

Stay tuned for the recap.

On just the second hand-for-hand of the bubble round it was an action-packed floor with four all-in situations. This led to two players surviving the sweat and two players crashing out.

The first table to play out, Pirasak Suwannasri open-shoved all-in for 67,000 under the gun and after action folded around Paawan Bansal, in the big blind, he made the call putting Suwannasri at risk of bursting the bubble.

Pirasak Suwannasri: 3 3

Paawan Bansal: K 8

Everyone on the table was on their feet waiting for the result of the deal until finally the dealer flopped 6 A 8 immediately giving Bansal a pair of eights. Suwannasri's chances of an upset were slim so he waited patiently as the dealer peeled the 4 turn and the 2 river.

The second and third all-in showdowns both resulted in double ups for Wei Hsiang Wang and for Birger Larsen. For the latter, he was more than thrilled seeing his A 9 improve to a full house. He was up against Billy Alfonso's Q Q when the board ran A A J J 7 . In celebration, Larsen exclaimed, "yes! I will come back tomorrow with over average stack!"

The last table to play out was another bust out with short-stacked Changhyun Kim guttered in brutal fashion. Flipping over A A , he was up against Kuo Wei Kao's 9 9 .

An all-diamond flop of T 5 4 quickly landed and while the turn 6 kept Kim alive, the river 9 crushed all his hopes as Kao improved to a set.

First hand of the bubble round, Quan Li Leon Tay raised 240,000 at cutoff leaving himself just one green chip worth 25,000. Next door neighbor Kok Kong Liew called.

After the flop spread 3 J 8 , Tay burned through his last time-bank then checked. Liew quickly tossed in a green chip, putting Tay all-in. Tay folded, opting to preserve his last chip.

On the soft bubble, Kai Loon Ang shoved all-in and was flipping against caller Andrew Han.

Ang: 6 6

Han: K Q

Han instantly connected on the board that completed 9 7 K 2 8 to send Ang out just before the bubble.

The field is now down to 63 players which means it is bubble time.

Action was picked up with three players all-in: Pirasak Suwannasri who covered both Cher Whay Cheng and John David

Cher Whay Cheng: A 8

John David: 5 5

Pirasak Suwannasri: Q Q

Cheng was immediately pushed ahead when he hit the board with a pair on the flop of 3 A J . Suwannasri queens still held but David was given hope with a gutshot straight draw when the turn fell 2 . To Suwannasri's surprise, the 4 was dealt on the river completing David's straight.

Everyone at the table cheered when no one was eliminated during bubble time. Suwannasri chuckled good-humoredly, even though he was now crippled and at risk of bursting the bubble with only 102,000 chips left.

Wutikrai Phraikhieo

Wutikrai Phraikhieo was happy to share his recent takedown that sent his stack catapulting to the top tier. It was an all-in preflop situation with a player pushing 446,000 holding king-queen which Phraikhieo isolated with 9 9 .

When the flop ran out 8 K 9 , both improved with Phraikhieo far ahead.

An overkill 9 landed on the turn to seal Phraikhieo the victory in glorious quads fashion. The river was an inconsequential 7 .

Pirasak Suwannasri

Cher Whey Cheng open-shoved for 177,000 and was called by Pirasak Suwannasri putting his opponent at risk.

Cher Whey Cheng: 8 8

Pirasak Suwannasri: K J

Suwannasri couldn't help but smile when his hope of winning were dashed with the 8 5 Q flop.

Securing Cheng's double up, the turn 5 fell giving him a full house. The A river was just a formality.

Crippled with only 21,000, Suwannasri could only shake his head when he was told that the flight was nearing the bubble.

Hsiao-Chung Wu

On a pot of 250,000, Paawal Bansal in the small blind and Hsiao-Chung Wu checked the flop of 5 K K . Wtih the pot already huge and the bubble looming, they checked down all the way through the 3 turn and 9 river.

Bansal turned over Q T while Wu showed A T which was enough to win the pot.

Brian Green

As the bubble round approaches, more short stacks continue to put it all on the line. The latest to scalp one was Brian Matthew Green who ended up on the best side of a flip against Yeow Chung Chong.

Green: A J

Chong: 7 7

When the flop landed A J 2 it was looking bleak for Chong, and it was all over for him after the turn 6 and river 8 completed the board.