Hsiang Wang Bo

The 2025 Asian Poker Tour Championship (APTC) officially gets underway on Friday, Nov 14, but there was already an early spotlight moment inside Red Space, Taipei. The Asia Gaming Industry Championship opened the week as industry representatives, who are normally behind the scenes and unable to play, finally had their chance to sit down, battle, and compete for pride, bragging rights, and the iconic lion trophy.

A field of 76 players joined the TWD 13,000 Freezeout, and when the dust settled, it was Hsiang Wang Bo who rose to the top to claim the TWD 225,109 (~USD 7,285) top prize. The win carried extra meaning as he defeated none other than his own boss at Chinese Texas Holdem Poker (CTP) Club, David Tai, in a friendly but memorable heads-up duel.

What truly defined this moment was how personal it was for the champion. Bo spoke after his victory, still smiling, still processing the achievement, and grateful for the opportunity to play in an event usually reserved for others in the industry. His words framed just how special this breakthrough was.

Asia Gaming Industry Championship Final Table Results

Bo's Reaction to Victory

Speaking through the aid of a translator, Bo began by introducing himself with a shy smile. "Hello, I am from Nantuo, Taiwan. My name is Wang Bo, and I work for CTP. Honestly, I cannot quite find the words to describe how I feel right now, but I am really happy." He admitted that facing his own boss at the end added a mix of humour and pressure. "I want to say, Brother Yong David, sorry, but I also wanted to give this a try. I hope all the bosses can forgive me and let me keep this job."

A full-time dealer at CTP, this moment meant more than just a trophy. "This is my first APT Trophy, and I am both happy and excited to be playing in this event." He spoke openly about how much this milestone meant to his personal life. "This actually means a lot to me in life, because I have not really achieved any notable poker results before. This is my biggest accomplishment so far."

His admiration for the tour has existed long before this win. "APT has always been one of the biggest events in Asia. For me, as more of an amateur poker player, I hope to continue improving my poker skills through this tournament and hopefully achieve something meaningful in my life."

Hsiang Wang Bo poses with the APT lion trophy

Despite the victory, his priorities remain grounded. "At this point in my life, I still want to focus mainly on my daily life and treat poker as something secondary. I just hope to keep improving my poker game, nothing more, nothing less." He laughed as he shared a simple wish. "Of course, winning more prize money would be great, so I can buy the things I want."

He also shared what motivated him to take his seat in the first place. "At first, I just thought, if I get a chance, I will give it a shot. I also hope to meet many Taiwanese poker players, influencers, and the bosses who have contributed to the scene. I feel really lucky and grateful to be able to play at the table."

Looking ahead, he hopes poker in Taiwan continues to grow. "For me, I just hope that poker in Taiwan keeps getting better and better. This is also the first time the APTC is being held in Taiwan, which adds more exposure and opportunities here. I am truly grateful to CTP for giving me this opportunity."

How the Day Unfolded

A lot of industry names were present as the likes of Kevin Mathers, Victor Chong, Andy Wong, and Stephen Lai took their seats, all looking to secure the newly designed trophies. Amazingly, it took eight full levels for anyone to hit the rail, and when it finally happened, two players went at once as both Yu Hsiang Huang and Sheung Chau Chan exited in the same hand.

In perhaps the most entertaining hand of the day, APT Special Advisor Chong opened from early position and APT Host Elfin Lin, encouraged by Gregory “Greg Goes All In” Liow standing behind her, shoved from the big blind. Chong called and revealed king-queen, only to see Lin table seven-deuce. Lin could not find any help on the runout, and she explained afterward that she only made the move because of Liow’s Stay Loose, Play Seven Deuce catchphrase.

Elfin Lin

As the field began to thin, it was Seunguk Hwang who built a massive stack after clashing with Raymond Wong, Director of International Marketing at CTP Club. Wong held pocket queens but ran straight into the pocket kings of Hwang. The board offered no rescue, and Wong’s tournament came to an end.

The eventual champion then found himself at risk holding Big Slick in a race against the pocket sevens of Che Wang Hung. An ace on the flop kept Bo alive and gave him a crucial pot that helped carry him toward the final table.

Triton CEO Andy Wong

Nevan Chang and the aforementioned Triton CEO Wong both saw their journeys end before the payouts, and it was Hyun Tae Kim, also known as Joker, who became the unfortunate bubble boy when his ace-ten lost to the pocket queens of Tai.

In the Money

Jasper Chu took the first payout spot in eleventh place, and the final table was set shortly after when Hung fell to Bo, leaving him out in tenth.

Tai held the chip lead entering the final table. Despite Li Ta Hsu arriving in fourth position on the counts, he was the first to fall when his ace-jack lost a flip to the pocket sixes of Chong. Almost immediately afterward, Jing Yu Huang moved his short stack in with king-eight and was eliminated in a three-way pot to finish in eighth.

Bo began to pick up momentum when he called upon Lady Luck in a key pot. With seven left, Miles Huang shoved ace-queen and Bo put him at risk with ace-jack. A jack on the flop sealed it for Bo, and Huang’s run ended in seventh.

Miles Huang

More chips flowed Bo’s way when he picked up pocket kings and rivered a full house in a pot against Hwang. After Hwang bet the river, Bo shoved, and Hwang folded. Bo tabled his pocket kings and moved to the top of the leaderboard.

Hwang’s exit followed soon after when he shoved queen-ten for around eight big blinds and Sasha Guerin called with ace-jack. The board brought no help for Hwang, ending his run in sixth.

Hua-Wei LIn

Natural8 Ambassador Hua-Wei Lin was next to depart when her pocket threes could not hold against the ace-queen of Chong. The flop was clean, but a queen on the turn sent Lin to the rail in fifth.

Bo then found himself all in with pocket queens against the ace-five suited of Chong and had to sweat a tense turn card as Chong picked up both a gutshot and a flush draw to go with his overcard. The river missed, and Bo again climbed to the top of the counts.

Sasha Guerin

After a short period of trading chips, Guerin and Tai played a pivotal pot that shaped the finish. Guerin held ace-eight of clubs and was behind the ace-ten of Tai, with both players holding almost identical stacks. Guerin flopped top pair and a flush draw to take the lead, but an offsuit nine on the turn gave Tai a straight. The river changed nothing, leaving Guerin crippled, and he was eliminated one hand later in a four-way all in to finish fourth.

Victor Chong

One hand later, Chong followed him out the door. He moved all in with nine-eight and was called by the ace-six of Tai. Chong turned several outs but could not complete any of them, ending his run in third.

Heads up play began with the stacks relatively close, but Bo quickly moved ahead after getting two streets of value with a full house.

David Tai & Hsiang Wang Bo

In the final hand of the night, Tai four-bet all in with king-jack and was called by the pocket tens of Bo. The board stayed clean for the pair of tens, leaving Tai to settle for second place as Bo clinched the title.

That concludes APT's coverage of the Asia Gaming Industry Event, but stay tuned throughout the rest of the festival to see who can get their hands on the lions.

David Tai

In what would be the final hand of the tournament, David Tai opened to 125,000 on the button and was three-bet to 325,000 by Hsiang Wang Bo. Tai announced he was all in for a bit over 800,000 total and Bo quickly called to put Tai at risk.

David Tai: K J

Hsiang Wang Bo: T T

It was a virtual coinflip for it all, and the board ran out A 3 2 5 5 — holding Bo's pocket tens up and eliminating Tai in second place.

David Tai

David Tai has taken down a series of small pots against Hsiang Wang Bo, either by shoving all in preflop or taking down the pot with a single bet postflop.

Tai currently sits with approximately 800,000 to Bo's 1,400,000.

David Tai limped on the button and Hsiang Wang Bo made it 95,000 to go in the big blind. Tai called.

Tai proceeded to call a 75,000 bet from Bo on the Q A 7 flop and a 125,000 bet from Bo on the K turn. However, Tai laid his hand down after Bo announced he was all in on the T river.

The two finalists didn't wait too long before getting back to the action, and it was Hsiang Wang Bo who took an early advantage in heads-up play.

David Tai opened the button to 90,000 and Bo called in the big blind. Both checked the J J T flop to the 8 turn, where Bo bet 100,000. Tai called.

A 2 fell on the river and Bo went with a big bet of around 300,000, which Tai eventually called.

Bo showed a turned full house with J 8 , and that was more than enough to earn him the pot.

Victor Chong

Being left with just 125,000, Victor Chong shoved the small blind and David Tai quickly called without looking at his cards in the big blind.

Victor Chong: 9 8

David Tai: A 6

Tai was surprised to see an ace, and it kept him in the lead through the 3 T 5 flop.

A 7 turn opened up a lot more outs for Chong as he added an open-ender, but it was to no avail as the A river sealed his elimination in third.

Sasha Guerin

Hsiang Wang Bo opened to 80,000 from the cutoff and was met with a shove for approximately 500,000 by Sasha Guerin, who was on the button. It was then folded to David Tai, who used up a couple of time banks before calling cold in the big blind to put himself at risk for a bit less.

Bo let his hand go and a showdown was held between Tai and Guerin.

Sasha Guerin: A 8

David Tai: A T

The 7 8 6 flop gave Guerin a commanding lead and the Q turn changed nothing. However, a fateful 9 fell on the river to improve Tai to a winning straight for the double up.

Following the hand, Guerin was left with just 60,000 and shoved blind from under the gun. He was called by both Tai and Bo in the blinds, who checked down on the 4 5 3 J 5 runout.

Tai turned over T 9 for nothing and Bo revealed 6 6 for a pair of sixes.

Guerin turned over the K first, followed by the 3 for a pair of threes, which wasn't enough to avoid being eliminated in fourth place.

Sasha Guerin limped in from the small blind and then snap-called the shove of Victor Chong, who was in the big blind.

Sasha Guerin: Q Q

Victor Chong: K 6

Guerin was the at-risk player with his stack of 235,000, but he soon overtook Chong in the counts as his pocket queens held up on the A 7 2 4 J board.

Hsiang Wang Bo raised to 75,000 from the small blind and Sasha Guerin flung in a call from the big blind.

Guerin called a 60,000 bet from Bo on the 9 6 4 flop, but folded after Bo announced he was all in, which was enough to put Guerin in for his last 350,000.

Hsiang Wang Bo

Victor Chong opened with a big raise to 400,000 from the button, and Hsiang Wang Bo shoved the big blind for 475,000. Chong quickly calld.

Hsiang Wang Bo: Q Q

Victor Chong: A 5

Bo was looking good for a double with his queens, but if Chong could find a way to win the hand, he would hold a monumental chip lead with three players remaining.

The flop of 7 T 3 was pretty dry, but screams of the four of clubs could be heard from the rail. Just like magic, the 4 revealed itself to give Chong a plethora of outs with one card to come.

With all kinds of noise from the people watching on, the 8 river soon silenced them as Bo's queens held up.