Sofia Lovgren

The 2025 Asian Poker Tour Championship (APTC) has crowned another champion inside Red Space, Taipei, and this time it was Sweden’s Sofia Lovgren who rose above the pack. Lovgren cracked the code in the APT Mystery Bounty Championship - Sponsored by Natural8, outlasting a field of 667 entries (466 unique) to claim the TWD 2,268,380 (~USD 74,870) top prize from a hefty TWD 12,166,300 (~USD 401,530) prize pool – which included an APTC Main Event seat valued at TWD 311,000.

Lovgren came into the final table with the big stack and only added to it as she eliminated five of the seven other finalists. Her momentum carried straight into heads-up, where she quickly finished off Hao Cheng in just two hands. The Taiwanese local had to settle for a runner-up finish of TWD 1,400,700 (~USD 46,230) for his efforts, while Lovgren got her hands on her first APT Title.

In a storyline that's defined the early part the series, the first two championshp event trophies have both been lifted by female players. Lovgren added her name to that list in emphatic fashion, pulling the two biggest bounties worth TWD 1,500,000 (~USD 49,505) and TWD 1,000,000 (~USD 33,000) on her road to victory. It is a remarkable achievement that mirrors a rare feat last seen during the 2023 APT Hanoi Billions by Natalia Rozova.

APT Mystery Bounty Championship Final Table Results

*also wins an APTC Main Event Seat

Lovgren’s Reaction to Victory

Speaking after her win, Lovgren was still smiling as she tried to take in the moment. When asked how it felt to capture the title, she kept things simple. “It feels pretty good, it was a great tournament for me.”

Having pulled both of the top bounties on offer, Lovgren admitted the experience was a new one for her. “You know, this is the first time I’m pulling envelopes in a mystery bounty tournament, and to get the biggest ones, yeah amazing.”

Sofia Lovgren

She also had nothing but praise for the venue and the festival atmosphere. “I’ve been here a few days and it’s great. It’s nice to have all my friends around and yeah, it’s a very good stop.”

With the iconic 17kg lion trophy now hers, there was one final question about whether she would be able to get it home. Lovgren laughed. “No problem. I’ll find a way.”

Day 2 Action

The day got underway with 94 players returning from their opening flights, all with a bit of bloodlust in their eyes at the thought of hunting bounties. After just a few levels, the field had already thinned to four tables, with chips flying as players chased the top bounties still up for grabs.

Along the way the likes of Sparrow Cheung (93rd), Dylan Foster (81st), Dawid Smolka (77th), Wai Kiat Lee (67th), Christian Harder (45th), Phachara Wongwichit (35th), Frankie Cucchiara (30th), Martin Finger (20th), and Natural8 Ambassador Kitty Kuo (16th) were some of the casualties, unable to make a push for some of the big prizes.

Sheung Chan

The final table was set after Mingchen Zhang fell in tenth place when his ace-jack could not improve against Man Wai Lui’s pocket tens. At the same time, Sheung Chan hit the rail in ninth after Lovgren spiked a seven to beat his ace nine, meaning the final table would be an eight-handed affair.

Final Table action

Lovgren entered the final table with a narrow chip lead over eventual runner-up Cheng, and with the top bounty already in her pocket she was full of confidence once cards were in the air. After surviving a couple of doubles, Yubin Heon became the first casualty when his pocket tens ran into Lovgren’s jacks.

Lovgren claimed her second scalp of the final table when she called the eleven big blind button jam of Taiwan’s Chen An Lin with ace-six, only to find herself dominated by Lin’s ace-nine. However, Lovgren spiked a flush on the river to send Lin out in seventh. Moments later, she chose another mystery envelope and pulled the second biggest bounty, leaving the rest of the table distraught.

Chen An Lin

Sixth place went to Japan’s Takashi Arima, who had been nursing a short stack for the entirety of the final table. His patience finally seemed ready to pay off when he picked up pocket aces and looked set to stick around, but Lui’s pocket threes turned a straight and sent Arima to the rail.

With Lovgren on his direct left for the entire final table, Justin Tsui showed plenty of discipline as he picked his spots and kept himself with a healthy stack. His run ended in tough fashion after he got his chips in ahead with pocket jacks against the queen-jack of Lui, only to see Lui river Broadway and bring Tsui’s bid for a podium finish to an abrupt halt.

Justin Tsui

When the players went on break, Lovgren held close to half the chips in play and had more than double the stack of any of her opponents. Her momentum looked briefly halted when Lui won a sixty-forty and closed the gap to just one big blind behind her in the counts.

Lovgren bounced back almost immediately by sending Pou Jin to the rail in fourth, just shy of a podium finish. After she three-bet jammed from the small blind with a suited ace, Jin snap called with Big Slick. Two diamonds on the flop and another on the turn sealed his fate, and Lovgren was once again firmly in the driver’s seat.

Man Wai Lui

Three handed, Lui and Cheng found themselves fighting for second place as Lovgren continued to apply steady pressure and widen the gap. Eventually, Lui succumbed to the Lovgren train of destruction when he got his chips in with pocket eights against her pocket jacks. A clean runout sent Lui out in third and the tournament into heads-up play.

When heads-up began, Lovgren held a four-to-one chip lead over Cheng, and it already looked like the match might be a short one. Rapid turned out to be the right word, as on just the second hand Cheng got all-in with ace-seven against Lovgren's king-jack, and Lovgren had a chance to win the tournament.

Hao Cheng

Lovgren's supporters were screaming the venue down as the dealer fanned out a favorable flop for Lovgren, giving her top pair. Cheng picked up a few extra outs on the turn, but the river improved Lovgren to two pair and secured her the championship. Cheng had to settle for second place, while Lovgren took home the beautiful Pewter Lion Trophy, the prize money, and the prestige that comes with winning an APTC event.

That concludes coverage of the APT Mystery Bounty Chanmpionship event, but stay tuned for more live coverage from the APTC for the rest of the series.

Sofia Lovgren

After a quick heads-up match Sofia Lovgren has taken down the TWD 35,000 APT Mystery Bounty Championship for TWD TWD 2,268,600 (~USD 74,870).

Stay tuned as a full recap of the day will soon follow.

Hoa Cheng

In the first hand of heads-up, Hao Cheng completed from the button and then folded when Sofia Lovgren jammed the big blind.

The next hand, Lovgren shoved the button and Cheng called for his last 5,000,000 out of the big blind

Hao Cheng A 7

Sofia Lovgren K J

Cheng's ace-high had him out in front, but Lovgren held two live Broadway cards that she could hit to win the tournament.

Lovgren's rail were screaming "King! King! King!" but the dealer didn't comply as she instead fanned out a flop of 9 J 4 , giving Lovgren a pair of jacks to take the lead.

A 8 hit the turn, provided Cheng with a backdoor straight draw but there wasn't to be any comeback for Cheng as the K completed the board to give Lovgren two pair.

Cheng had to settle with TWD 1,400,700 (~USD 46,230) for finishing as the runner-up, while Lovgren was the APT Mystery Bounty Championship Winner.

It is now heads up with Sofia Lovgren and Hao Che Cheng facing off for the championship.

Heads-Up Chip Count

Man Wai Lui

After a 500,000 open from Sofia Lovgren from the button, Man Wai Lui defended his big blind with an all-in shove for 7,400,000 risking his tournament life. Lovgren immediately called putting Lui at risk.

Man Wai Lui: 8 8

Sofia Lovgren: J J

Lovgren stayed ahead with her jacks when the board ran 7 Q 4 4 6 eliminating Lui. And with that two players were left.

Man Wai Lui completed his small blind and Sofia Lovgren checked her option taking them to the flop.

The flop came A Q J and the action went check-check.

Lui bet 500,000 on the turn 6 and Lovgren called.

The river K saw more action with Lui betting 700,000. After a few seconds of thought, Lovgren raised to 1,800,000. Lui then decided to raise again to 2,900,000 to which Lovgren shoved all in.

Lui snap-called just to take their chips backs when both of them caught a straight on the river with Lui holding T 6 and Lovgren with Q T .

Hao Cheng

Man Wai Lui made it 500,000 on the button and only Hao Cheng called from the big blind.

Both players checked the 3 9 7 flop to see the A hit the turn. Cheng checked again, and then called after Lui bet 550,000.

Cheng checked for the last time on the 3 river and Lui jammed, putting Cheng all in for his stack of 1,500,000. Cheng snap-called and Lui showed A 4 for a pair of aces. Cheng turned over the winner with T 3 for trip threes on the river, and he doubled up.

Pou Hong Jin

Pou Hong Jin opened to 500,000 and after Sofia Lovgren in the small blind asked how much he had behind, announced all-in. Jin snap-called putting himself at risk.

Pou Hong Jin: A K

Sofia Lovgren: A 6

Seeing his opponent dominated, Jin felt hopeful to get a double up but the flop came 2 J 9 giving Lovgren a flush draw.

Consistent with her run, Lovgren caught another diamond to complete her flush when the 5 turn fell. The river 5 was a formality.

Lovgren apologized to Jin and said, "I'm sorry. I suppose it's my lucky day today."

Man Wai Lui in the small blind completed his bet. Sofia Lovgren in the big blind checked Lui's stack before announcing all-in. Lui snap-called risking his tournament life.

Man Wai Lui: A T

Sofia Lovgren: K J

The flop came 2 4 7 which maintained Lui's lead with ace-high.

Nothing changed in the runout of 9 and 4 resulting in a much needed double up for Lui.