Rishi Mehra

Day 3 of the APT Incheon 2025 Main Event has officially concluded, with the competition halting once the target of 48 survivors was reached after an electrifying day of poker here at the Paradise City Casino Incheon, Korea.

The day began with 191 players already locked in for a minimum payout from the record-breaking prize pool of KRW 2,766,960,000 (~$2,002,330 million). The field, which represents the largest Main Event turnout in APT’s Korea history, also marks the richest APT Korea Main Event to date.

Ending at the top of the chip counts after more than seven hours of intense play was India's Rishi Mehra, who amassed an impressive 2,990,000 chips.

Most of Mehra's chips came late in the day when he cracked Junjie He's aces in a crazy cooler.

Mehra, who has one APT title to date, and a runner‑up finish in the APT Taipei High Roller in 2024, will return tomorrow in agreat position to continue his run for the record-breaking top prize of KRW 483,700,000 (~$350,154), that also comes with a signature APT Gold Lion trophy and an APT Championship Main Event seat worth KRW 13,830,000 (USD 10,000).

Top Ten Chip Counts

Starting Day 4 in second place will be the Philippines' Lloyd Fontillas with 2,2345,000 chips. Fontillas is a highly respected tournament director and organizer in the Asian poker industry and will be highly motivated tomorrow to also leave his mark as a player here at this Main Event.

Day 3's podium is completed by Kouki Okumiya with 2,145,000 in chips. This Main Event run marks the first ever live tournament cash for the Japanese player.

Further down the leaderboard is former ATP High Roller Champion Thanisorn Saelor (1,385,000). With his experience, Saelor certainly will be one of the players to watch in Day 4, and the Thai is the only player remaining in the field who has a chance to make APT history by claiming two of the tours' signature lion trophies.

Another player to look out for is Mikael Andersson, who just had a career high score in the APT Superstar Challenge a few days ago and the Swede has the chance to go one better here in the Main Event.

Abraham Ceesvin

Day 2 chip leader Abraham Ceesvin is also still in the mix with 770,000. Ceesvin has just under $800,000 in live earnings and three APT Main Event Final Tables on his resume, his best being a runner-up finish in the APT Taipei Poker Classic 2024 Main Event. The Singaporean will surely will try his best tomorrow to add another APT Main Event Final Table to his resume.

A shoutout has to be given to Japanese national Ayaka Honke, who, with 1,905,000 chips, is the last woman standing in this Main Event.

Some notables who did not make it through the day include Natural8 Ambassadors and Thai nationals Phachara Wongwichit and Kannapong ‘Tent’ Thanarattrakul, as well as former APT Main Event champion Punnat Punsri, APT All-Time Money List #1 Joseph Cheong, APT Taipei Zodiac Classic champion, Jun Li, and Taiwan's Poseidon Ho.

The fourth day of the tournament kicks off at 11:15 AM local time with 25 minutes remaining on Level 24, where blinds will be 15,000/30,000 with a big blind ante of 30,000. Everyone has already secured KRW 8,180,000 (~$5,915) for their efforts, but all eyes are now on the bigger prize. The goal for the day is to play down to the final table of nine.

APT Incheon 2025 Main Event Final Table Payout

*includes APT Championship Main Event seat valued at KRW 13,830,000 (USD 10,000)

You can check out the official chip counts of the 48 survivors HERE.

You can check out the official payouts HERE

As usual there will be a live stream available which can be found on Twitch and Youtube

Play resumes tomorrow at 11:15 AM local time and will play until a final table of 9 is reached.

Zhiqiang Zhang is the last bustout of the day. His rivered two pair with T 6 were beaten by Van Pham's straight with Q J on K 8 6 9 T .

The remaining 48 players are now bagging up their chips and will continue their Main Event run tomorrow at 11:15am.

Stay tuned for the Day 3 recap.

Na Mingyang

Na Mingyang opened to 65,000 from the hi-jack with small blind Ayaka Honke and big blind Jeffrey Lo joining in.

Three players were shown a flop of 8 5 A

Action checked to Mingyang who fired 75,000. Honke made the call and Lo stepped out of the way.

A 4 came on the turn. Both checked to see a 3 on the river. Honke checked and called the 210,000 bet of Mingyang.

Ayaka Honke: A 9

Na Mingyang: A 3

Mingyang rivered a two-pair to the disappointment of Honke.

Rishi Mehra

Thanisorn Saelor made it 60,000 to go from middle position, and Rishi Mehra three-bet to 180,000 from the hijack. Junjie He then four-bet to 400,000 from the cutoff. Saelor folded, and Mehra shoved all in for around 1,015,000. He snap-called.

Rishi Mehra: A K

Junjie He: A A

He was ahead with pocket aces and stayed in front on the 6 8 2 flop, though Mehra picked up a flush draw.

The turn brought the Q , completing Mehra’s flush and flipping the script.

The river came the J , and Mehra scooped the pot, taking over the chip lead from He to close out his day on a high note.

Junjie He raised to 95,000 from the small blind and Daniel Lee defended his big blind.

Both players checked through a flop of T K 3 to the 5 turn, where it was checked by both again.

When the J filled out the board, He check-called a bet of 70,000 from Lee.

Lee quickly tabled J 9 for a rivered pair of jacks to take down the pot as He laid it down.

Bin Li

Bin Li opened from early-position and King Leung made the call, before Sho Fujiki squeezed to 225,000 from the button. Only Li made the call, and they went-heads up to the A J 8 flop.

No action was seen on the flop, as both players elected to check.

The turn brought the 7 and once again both players were happy to see a free river.

On this the 9 appeared, and Li led out for 225,000. Fujiki instantly called, but got shown the bad news, as Li revealed T T for a runner runner straight.

Jeffrey Lo made it 60,000 to play from the hi-jack and Zhao Yao defended the big blind.

Flop arrived J Q A

Yao check-called the 55,000 bet of Lo to see a 4 on the turn.

Yao checked allowing Lo to fire 160,000. Yao tanked and eventually gave up the hand.

Junjie He

Junjie He raised to 60,000 from middle position and Kento Nasu shoved the hijack for 400,000. He made the call.

Junjie He: A 8

Kento Nasu: A K

Nasu was in good shape for a double-up and extended his dominance on the flop A K 4 , while He received a flush draw.

The deck delivered a runout of Q 9 , securing a double-up for Nasu.

53 players remain with 5 more eliminations to go before Day 3 concludes.

Kazuhiro Shirasawa

After a tug-of-war raise, re-raise. Lindop finally four-bet shoved all-in for 1,800,000 million and Shirasawa snap-called for 1,300,000.

Alex Lindop: Q Q

Kazuhiro Shirasawa: K K

Board: 2 9 8 3 A

Shirasawa's kings held and made a massive double-up, crippling Lindop in what could be the biggest pot of the tournament so far for 2.7 million.