Jeffrey Lo

The Asian Poker Tour Championship (APTC) rolled out its full deck of poker variants today, giving the mixed game maestros their moment in the spotlight as the TWD 70,000 Mixed Games Championship took center stage at Red Space, Taipei.

A total of 65 entries (54 unique) were tallied, building a prize pool of TWD 3,931,200 (~USD 126,810). Not only did that smash the all-time APT mixed game prize pool record, it more than doubled the previous benchmark set at the APT Taipei Poker Classic in 2024. That series still holds the entry record with 102, but with APTC only getting started, there is still plenty of time for this festival to draw even more mixed specialists into the action.

After cycling through orbit after orbit of the nine-game rotation, just 19 players remained, and there was only one that sorted the variants better than the rest. Hong Kong's Jeffrey Lo ended the day as the top stack with 288,500. Lo has already shown his range this week after finishing eighth in the Dealer's Choice Masters Event, and he clearly stayed in rhythm as the games kept switching.

Mixed Games Championship Top Ten Chip Counts

James Cheung sits just behind the leader after sealing up 268,000. The British player has been a force on the APT circuit, with his last eight cashes all coming at APT stops, including a PLO victory at the start of this series. Earlier this year at APT Taipei, he swept through the schedule with three mixed game titles and a runner-up finish in another. Seeing his name near the top of the counts is hardly a shock, as Cheung knows every corner of the mixed game streets.

Hal Rotholz is another player with serious mixed game credentials, and his 257,000-chip stack coming into Day 2 puts him firmly in the mix. The American player recently captured the Mixed Game Masters title at this very series, finished second in a Quadruple Stud event, and added a fifth-place result in Limit Super Stud to round out an already impressive run. He will be a dangerous presence for anyone sharing his table.

Hal Rotholz

Liam Jehu held the chip lead through much of the late stages, but slipped to fifth by bagging time and will return with 235,000 chips. The Australian already has four cashes at this APTC, including two in NLHE events. He also posted a fourth-place finish in PLO and a fifth-place run in Dealer's Choice, adding even more to a resume that sits just shy of USD 850,000 in career earnings.

Natural8 Ambassador Sparrow Cheung has been grinding hard this festival with five cashes so far, all of them coming in NLHE tournaments. The Hong Kong pro's best result to date was an eleventh-place finish in a Single Day High Roller early in the festival, and he now has a clear path to surpass that result if he can survive just under half the field when action restarts.

Sparrow Cheung

Australia's Mark Furniss continues to etch his legacy into APT history after becoming the first player to reach 10 APT mixed game titles. For Furniss, the milestone was not a lifelong chase but rather a natural progression for someone who has quietly dominated mixed formats across multiple stops. He ended Day 1 with 95,500 in sixteenth place, and while the stack is modest, his depth of experience makes him a genuine threat as the field moves into Day 2.

Some others to find a bag were Matthew Ginn (208,000), Alex Tchong (197,000), Kensuke Sotoya (185,500), Hiu Tung Chan (163,500), Paul Nattapatsiri (149,000), and Jiang Pu (79,500).

Payouts

With 19 players returning and only 9 spots paying, the money bubble is set to be a tense one. A min-cash is worth TWD 117,900, while anyone reaching the final three will lock up at least TWD 536,600. The eventual champion will walk away with the top prize of TWD 1,146,000 and the Mixed Games Championship trophy.

For a full Mixed Games Championship Day 1 Survivor List: Click here.

The action resumes at 11:15 AM local time inside Red Space, Taipei, and will play down to a winner with 40-minute levels throughout.

Be sure to check the APT blog regularly for the latest action from the felt and to see who has what it takes to lift the inaugural Mixed Games Championship trophy.

The remaining 19 players are now bagging and tagging for the night.

Day 2 will get underway tomorrow (Nov 22) at 11:15 PM.

Stay tuned for a recap of Day 1.

Andrew Kelsall

Limit 2-7 Triple Draw

Limits: 3,000/6,000

Andrew Kelsall was already all in from the cutoff before the first draw in a three-way pot between him, Sparrow Cheung in the small blind, and Liam Jehu in the big blind.

Cheung and Jehu both drew one, while Kelsall drew two on the first draw. Jehu then called a bet from Cheung.

On the second draw, Cheung stood pat and both Jehu and Kelsall drew one. Jehu again called a bet from Cheung.

Cheung remained pat on the final draw and Jehu and Kelsall drew one again.

Action checked through and Jehu turned over 8 7 6 5 3 , which was no good against Cheung's 8 7 5 4 2 for a better eight.

Kelsall turned over 8 6 3 2 before looking at his draw, which turned out to be a 2 — pairing his hand to be eliminated just before play ended for the day.

Alex Tchong

Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Limits: 3,000/6,000

Alex Tchong raised from the hijack and called a three-bet from Liam Jehu, who was in the small blind.

Jehu drew one while Tchong took two off on the first draw. Tchong then called a bet from Jehu.

On the second draw, both players drew one and Jehu bet again. This time Tchong raised and Jehu called.

Jehu drew one on the final draw and Tchong stood pat. Jehu then led out for a bet, which made Tchong sit back in his seat, clearly uncomfortable with his decision. Tchong eventually put in a reluctant call and Jehu motioned that Tchong's hand was good.

Tchong fanned out T 8 5 3 2 for a ten and Jehu sent his cards into the muck after announcing he paired up.

Mark Furniss has officially carved his name into Asian Poker Tour history, becoming the first player ever to amass 10 APT mixed-game titles. For Furniss, though, the moment wasn’t a long-standing obsession. It was simply the next step for a player who has quietly, and consistently, dominated the mixed-game landscape across multiple APT stops.

“I’m very happy,” he said with a grin. “Last year I won eight in one year, and that felt pretty good. Then there were four of us on nine trophies, so I just wanted to be the first to hit ten.”

Mark Furniss getting mixed in at the Mixed Games Championship event

That four-way tie included Li Ta Hsu and Yu Tang Wang from Taiwan, and Englishman Craig Cooper — all respected mixed-game grinders in their own right. None managed to break through last series, leaving the race wide open heading into the APT Championship 2025. Furniss ended the suspense with a decisive win in Event #60: Turbo - PL Omaha Ultimate Hi-Lo - Cry Me A River.

“It feels really good. Last series, none of us won a trophy, so it was great to finally break it.”

A Career and a Love Story Shaped by the APT

For many players, the Asian Poker Tour is a proving ground, a circuit where titles are earned, reputations are built, and careers find direction. For Furniss, it became all of that and something far more personal.

Furniss didn’t just discover his competitive stride on the APT felt; he found his future partner there too. Their story began at APT Jeju two years ago, where a chance meeting during the festival set everything in motion.

“It’s been a big APT thing for us,” Furniss said with a smile. And in many ways, the tour has shaped more than just his trophy count — it has shaped his personal life in a way he could never have predicted.

Mark Furniss and wife Janice celebrate his Event #53 5 Card Draw Masters win at APT Manila 2024

The APT became the backdrop to each milestone of their relationship. They got engaged during APT Taiwan, fittingly surrounded by friends from the circuit who had watched their story unfold from its earliest days. Not long after, they tied the knot just before APT Manilla, completing a journey that began with a simple conversation at the tables.

This series, his wife is once again in Taipei, supporting him quietly from the sidelines, sharing dinner breaks with him between events, and cheering for each deep run. For Furniss, the APT has always felt like home.

A Deep Run in the Mixed Games Championship?

At time of writing, Furniss is making a push in the Mixed Games Championship, sitting slightly above average in chips despite admitting he isn’t playing his sharpest after a late finish in the night before.

“I didn’t get a lot of sleep,” he said. “I’m a little above average, but not playing very well.”

Even so, few players in the room command the same respect in mixed formats, and Furniss remains one of the favourites whenever he takes a seat. This year’s Championship, he says, has impressed him across the board.

“The dealers and the floor are absolutely world-class,” he noted. “And the numbers have been really good, probably the best I’ve seen in a long time.”

But what stands out most to Furniss is the dynamic nature of the field.

“There are some really, really strong players — genuinely elite — but also a lot of people who are just here to play for fun,” he explained. “Some don’t even fully know the basics yet, like the rules of certain games. That always makes things a bit easier.”

What’s Next for Furniss?

Mixed games have seen increasing momentum on the APT calendar, and Furniss expects the trend to continue.

“It should keep growing, and I really hope it does,” he said. “In Taiwan, for sure it’s going to be really big.”

He admits he’s slightly disappointed that next year will see only two APT stops in Taiwan, while reminiscing that Vietnam remains one of his favourite destinations. “Vietnam was pretty good too. I’ll definitely come to Taipei next year — maybe one of the Korean stops — but probably not all. It’s hard to travel; I have a job.”

With the race to ten now settled, Furniss is already thinking — cautiously — about the next milestone.

“I’ll start with fifteen,” he said. “Fifteen would be good. Twenty’s a long way off.”

If his past two years are any indication, it might not take him too long after all.

Chung Ching Cheung

No Limit Hold'em

Kazuhiro Shirasawa opened to 6,000 from the hijack and just behind him, Chung Ching Cheung three-bet to 15,000 in the cutoff. Action folded back around to Shirasawa, who moved all in for approximately 90,000 total.

Cheung asked for a count and burned up a couple of timebanks, but eventually put in a couple chips to indicate a call.

Kazuhiro Shirasawa: 3 3

Chung Ching Cheung: 8 8

It was the right call from Cheung, as he had Shirasawa's crabs crushed with his snowmen.

The board ran out J K T 5 4 — keeping Cheung's eights best for the late-night knockout.

Liam Jehu

As the last level kicks off, it seems as if Liam Jehu holds the chip lead with a stack of around 300,000. Kensuke Sotoya and Jeffrey Lo are not too far behind with 250,000 and 240,000, respectively.

Some players that won't be back for Day 2 include Masafumi Iijima and Kevin Choi, who both hit the rail not so long ago.

Yuichi Kanai

Pot Limit Omaha

Ta Chih Geeng raised pot to 8,400 and was called by Yuichi Kanai on the button.

Kanai called a 6,000 bet from Geeng on the 8 8 Q flop and then both players checked on the T turn.

The 6 completed the board and Geeng fired 15,000 into the middle. Kanai quickly moved his entire stack of about 50,000 into the middle and Geeng went deep into the tank.

Geeng eventually decided to look up Kanai, who turned over K K Q Q for a flopped full house.

Geeng showed he held 9 8 7 5 for a straight and Kanai was awarded the double up.

Paul Nattapatsiri

Limit 7 Stud Limits: 5,000/10,000

Paul Nattapatsiri: X X 3 | 4 9 J X

Chung Ching Cheung: Q T 3 | A T K Q

Kazuhiro Shirasawa raised and Chung Ching Cheung reraised from the next seat. Paul Nattapatsiri then raised again, which got Shirasawa to fold. Cheung called and both checked fourth street. Cheung check-called on fifth and then led on sixth. Nattapatsiri called and then was faced with a bet on seventh, which he eventually called.

Cheung then rolled over his two pair, and Nattapatsiri showed A A for a pair of aces as he mucked.

Hal Rotholz

Limit Razz Limits: 5,000/10,000

Min Liang Tien: X X | 8 K K - folded on fifth street

Yuuki Minamimoto: A J | 8 T 7 7 | 4

Hal Rotholz: A 6 | Q 7 T 4 | 3

Yuuki Minamimoto was already all in by fifth street and Hal Rotholz bet after Min Liang Tien paired his king. Tien let his hand go and boards were run.

Ratholz drew to a ten by sixth street while Minamimoto paired up. Seventh street further improved Ratholz to a seven while Minamimoto was left with a ten to be eliminated.