Wei Kai Lin Wins Inaugural APT Mixed Games Championship

In a poker world still largely dominated by No Limit Hold’em, the 70,000 TWD Mixed Games Championship gave mixed-game enthusiasts their moment to take the spotlight inside the Red Space, Taipei, as part of the Asian Poker Tour Championship (APTC). A total of 65 entrants (54 unique) turned out for the event, generating a prize pool of TWD 3,931,200 (~USD 126,810) — the highest in APT history for a mixed-game event.

Following two swift days of action, Wei Kai Lin had every chip in front of him to become the inaugural champion. His impressive showing saw him jump out to an early lead in Day 2, carving a mostly smooth path to victory — until he ran into the brick wall that was Alex Tchong in heads-up play.

During their battle, Lin continually had Tchong all in and at risk, but Tchong doubled up no fewer than five times in what started to seem like destiny for Tchong. However, Lin refused to be denied. With a steely focus and unwavering resolve, Lin persisted in grinding Tchong down time and again until the cards finally went his way. For his efforts, the local grinder (whose tournament resume is composed entirely from results in Taiwan) was able to secure his biggest prize to date — a Pewter Lion APT Championship Trophy and the TWD 1,146,000 (~USD 36,700) first-place prize.

Mixed Games Championship Final Table Results

Winner's Reaction

"I’m a Taiwanese player — a local player — and this was my first time participating in APTC, so I’m really happy," Lin said shortly after winning the event. "I’ve played many tournaments in Taiwan, and I’ve also joined international events like APT, but APTC was my first experience, especially in this mixed game event, so it’s meaningful for me."

For Lin, the Mixed-Game Championship represented a chance to showcase his skills on a stage bigger than he is accustomed to, and admitted to having some nerves. "Before Day 2 started today, after finishing Day 1 last night, I went home feeling anxious because this event represented a major milestone for me. Its importance, its value, was as significant as my first major title, and I was extremely nervous. I couldn’t sleep well — I even had insomnia until morning."

Yet when the time came, Lin did what any professional would, he locked in and focused on making the best decisions he could. "I became fully focused," Lin explained. "Beyond that, all you can do is try your best and hope for a little luck."

Wei Kai Lin

Gracious in victory, Lin noted that the APT Championship Lion Trophy wasn't just for him, but also for those who have supported him throughout the years.

"This lion trophy is my first, and it means a lot to me. It’s not just a gift to myself — it’s mainly for my family, because they’ve supported me and encouraged me through this journey. I also want to thank the friends who taught me mixed games. We went from knowing nothing to practicing every night, learning step by step, and improving bit by bit. That gradual progress is what gave me the skills I have today, allowing me to compete at the same table with foreign professional players."

Final Day Action

Play resumed just ten spots off of the money bubble with plenty of notables looking to secure the inaugural APTC Mixed-Games title, including Hal Rotholz, James Cheung, and Mark Furniss — all of whom have APT wins in multi-format events. The pace of eliminations got off to a slow, but steady start as players could afford to pick their spots carefully. By the first break, seven players found themselves on the rail while Lin surged into the lead.

It turned out to be a day to forget for Jeffrey Lo, who, despite entering the final day as chip leader, couldn’t find any momentum in the face of escalating blinds. Lo continually bled chips and ultimately busted out two spots shy of the money bubble.

Once hand-for-hand play began, the always affable and often laughing Yuichi Kanai managed to double up his short stack on a couple different occasions, including one wherein he made an eight in a three-way Razz pot, which caused his tablemates to begin calling him the “luckiest man."

Yuichi Kanai

Rotholz also found himself on the fortunate end of an all in after making a wheel in a three-way pot between Liam Jehu and Furniss in Limit 2-7 Triple Draw. Not long after, Furniss committed his remaining chips in Pot-Limit Omaha against Tchong. Furniss was heavily favored after on the flop, but Tchong spiked a gutshot on the river to send a frustrated Furniss out just shy of the money.

The first “in the money” elimination belonged APT circuit regular James Cheung after a bit of a cooler saw him run trips into a full house. He was followed quickly by Cherukuy Abhijith, who was forced to commit his chips on fourth street in Razz. An uncooperative board left him with a jack against Chung Ching Cheung, who made a wheel.

James Cheung

The Final Table

With the average stack falling below 10 big bets at the start of the final table, stud games in particular caused massive swings of fortune from the get-go. Lin, who was already the chip leader, immediately created distance between himself and the rest of the pack after getting several streets of value and making an eight in Razz against Cheung. Unable to recover, Cheung made his stand in a hand of 2-7 Limit Triple Draw againt Lin, which again went Lin's way after he drew to an eight to send Cheung out in seventh.

Chung Ching Cheung

The scrappy Kanai found himself out in sixth just a few hands later in the same game after drawing to an eighty-seven and standing pat, only to find out that Matthew Ginn, who also stood pat after the first draw, held an eighty-six.

Despite scoring a double up through Lin early on, Rotholz fell short again and got all in preflop against Tchong and Jehu in a round of Pot Limit Omaha. Tchong had an opportunity for a double knockout, but Jehu cracked his aces in the three-way clash to send Rotholz out alone in fifth and earn some breathing room.

Hal Rotholz

It turned out to be a short-lived victory for Jehu, however, as he surrendered the majority of his chips back to Lin in a hand of Stud Hi-Lo soon after. In the hand, Jehu called bets from Lin on every street up until seventh and then folded to fall back to the short stack. After a bit of bleeding from that point, Jehu committed his stack against Ginn in Omaha Hi-Lo after flopping a gutshot. The runout bricked out, however, sending Jehu out in fourth.

Several small pots exchanged hands in three-handed play, with most going the way of Lin. Ginn drew a line in the sand, however, and three-bet shoved queen-ten from the big blind against Lin, who called with king-jack. The flop came with a king and bricked out for Ginn, who had to settle for third.

Matthew Ginn

Heads-up between Lin and Tchong was poised to be a short affair, with Lin enjoying a 3:1 chip advantage to start. Lin quickly extended that advantage by winning a series of pots without showdowns. In fact, within the first ten minutes of their battle, Lin held 2,800,000 in chips to Tchong's 400,000.

Little did anyone know, the battle was far from over. Lin's first double up came in a round of Pot Limit Omaha after he flopped two pair to crack the kings of Lin.

Undeterred, Lin went back to his usual game and won more than his fair share of small pots to get Tchong back under 500,000 over the course of several hands.

Not long after, Tchong was all in again in a hand of No Limit Single Draw with a pat ten. Lin drew two and ending up catching an ace to award Lin another double up.

Alex Tchong

The cycle repeated, and Tchong was down to his last 300,000 before getting all in on fifth street in a game of Limit 7 Stud. Lin bricked his draws while Tchong held on after making jacks for yet another double up.

Amazingly, Tchong managed to double up two more times, but never climbed much above 1,000,000 in chips as every double was met with a string of pots that went Lin's way.

After about an hour into their duel, it was No Limit Hold'em of all the games that put an end to things. Lin shoved on the button and Tchong called all in, having only about 200,000 total. Lin held ace-seven, which was in good shape against Tchong's queen-five. The board mercifully ran out to leave Lin with a pair of sevens to end the tournament.

That concludes coverage of the APT Mixed Games Championship. Be sure to check the APT blog for ongoing coverage of all the championship events at the APTC.