Tom Verbruggen

The final opening flight of the APT Main Event has entered the history books, with Netherland’s Tom Verbruggen topping the board at 284,700 chips. A total of 161 entries (139 unique) were recorded, and only 74 players successfully advanced to Day 2.

After four thrilling opening flights, the entry number climbed to 877 from the four opening flights, plus the 157 qualifiers make it 1,034, with numbers expected to grow as registration remains open just right until before Day 2 begins. A total of 373 players bagged up chips from the flights, but only 369 will start Day 2 as four players double qualified, meaning their smallest stack will be removed.

Chip leader Verbruggen recently claimed two titles at the 2024 APT Taipei, winning the Mini Main Event for TWD 2,710,928 and the Mystery Hunter Bounty for USD 26,479.

Wonchul Bae

Following closely behind Verbruggen is South Korea’s Wonchul Bae (239,700), who is nearing $1,000,000 in live earnings.

William Teoh (155,000), who has won APT titles three years in a row and the APT Super High Roller just a few days ago, is also on board with a healthy stack of chips to start Day 2.

Taiki Nakano (74,500) played the hand of the day, making a straight flush, and busting Seoha Lee out of the field, who turned the nut full house.

Other notables to make it through were Jun Li (156,500), John Matsuda (88,600), David Erquiaga (85,300), Pham Bao (64,600), Jack Sinclair (42,300), John Tech (41,400), and Edward Yam (34,600)

A full APT Main Event Flight D Survivor List can be found by **CLICKING HERE.**

A full APT Main Event Day 2 Seat Draw can be found by **CLICKING HERE.**

Flight D of the Main Event has wrapped up.

Stay tuned for a recap of the day's action.

Ronnie Tate

Action folded around to Ronnie Tate on the button, who counted out a raise of 8,000 only to see Junwoo Lee move all-in from the small blind, which was enough to put Tate at risk.

Tate went deep into the think tank for several minutes before finally electing to roll the dice, slamming down the call and rolling over Q Q and looked relieved to see Lee reveal his two red tens – T T

The 7 8 3 flop kept Tate's nose in front, but the 9 turn definitely gave him a sweat.

Fortunately though, the poker gods were feeling magnanimous and the 7 paired the river to grant Tate a last gasp double right at the close of play, shooting him up to 93,000, while Lee dropped down to 44,000.

Ronnie Tate

As the day neared its end, Ronnie Tate found himself all-in for his tournament life against Jeong In Jang. The table atmosphere was lighthearted, with players covering Tate’s eyes and playfully calling him "Shaquille" or "Lebron" as he awaited his fate.

Ronnie Tate: A A

Jeong In Jang: A K

The flop came down K 5 8 , giving Jang a pair but keeping Tate’s aces in the lead. The turn J and river 2 sealed the win for Tate, and the table cheered, jokingly declaring “Lebron” victorious. Tate laughed as he scooped up his well-earned chips.

Taiki Nakano opened the button to 3,000 and received calls from Ivan Dela Cruz and Ferdinand Lu from the blinds.

Three players checked through the flop of 9 3 6 to see an 8 drop on the turn, where Dela Cruz bet 6,500, and only Nakano put in a call.

The river brought 2 , prompting a bet of 8,000 from Dela Cruz, which forced Nakano to throw his cards back to the dealer.

Bien Mai shoved all in from the small blind and was snap-called by Takayasu Takumi from the big blind.

Takayasu Takumi: A 9

Bien Mai: A Q

Mai held the lead with the queen-kicker, and soon the flop came 8 4 5 , improving nothing for both sides, but providing Takumi a flush draw. The runout of 9 4 , gave Takumi a turned pair of nines and sent Mai out of the field.

Tran Ngoc Hanh Pham

Tran Ngoc Hanh Pham opened for 3,100, only to face an all-in shove from Haewon Chung for his tournament life. Without hesitation, Pham snap-called.

Haewon Chung: 9 8

Tran Ngoc Hanh Pham: 9 9

The dealer spread the board: Q 8 2 4 9 . Pham’s face lit up as the river sealed the hand with a set, and she burst into applause as Chung exited the table.

Just then, Ben Gur, who had just joined the table, grinned mischievously and teased, "He has a flush, he has a flush!" Startled, Pham looked at the board again, then laughed and replied, "No, he doesn’t! Don’t scare me like that!"

Ramdrick Aznar opened the cutoff to 3,000 and Redentor Edoc defended from the big blind.

Both players saw a flop of 9 K 7 and checked through to see a 9 fall on the turn, where Edoc bet 2,700. However, it didn’t deter Aznar from putting in a raise to 7,300. Edoc then shoved all in and Aznar called.

Redentor Edoc: 6 8

Ramdrick Aznar: A 3

Aznar picked up the lead with a turned ace-high flush, which left Edoc with a small chance to win the pot. The dealer quickly delivered a 6 on the river, setting the tone for Edoc’s elimination.

Tom Verbruggen

The action was picked up when the board ran out 2 K 5 3 8 with around 26,000 chips in the middle.

Lun Wei Chang bet 18,000 from the hijack, sending Lun Wei Chang from the big blind into the tank. Eventually, Chang called.

Li tabled a flopped top pair with K Q while Chang flipped A Q for ace-high, which shipped the pot to Li.