Chien Yu "Lunglung" Lin
Chien Yu "Lunglung" Lin shocked the poker world with a mesmerizing win in the inaugural APT All-Star Showdown after defeating a star-studded field of nine players. Lin won the winner-takes-all event for TWD 235,710 and also bagged herself a TWD 70,000 APT Taipei Main Event seat to go along with the APT baby lion trophy.
So how does it feel to beat some of the best players in the world? Lin was asked after her victory.
"I'm so surprised, I did not expect it at all!" gushed an elated Chien Yu "LungLung" Lin.
"My friends told me I should be happy if I just beat one of them and finished in eighth, so to win everything feels great!"
**also wins an APT Taipei Main Event seat worth TWD 70,000 (~$2,270).
The lineup was a sight in itself with Natural8 Ambassadors Danny Tang, Yu-Chung "Nevan" Chang, Eric "Six Poker" Tsai, and Punnat Punsri all making an appearance. Bertrand "Elky" Grospellier, and Gregory "Greg Goes All In' Liow also showed up to play, as did WSOP Main Event winner Espen Jorstad. Frankie Cucchiara was a late addition to the roster, and wildcard Lin completed the lineup.
With just forty big blinds in the starting stack and blind levels increasing every twenty minutes, it promised to be a fast-paced, action-packed tournament - and it certainly delivered.
In the opening levels, Lin's stack took a beating from the seasoned professionals at the table and at one point she was sitting with just two big blinds. On hand twenty-one she was all in and at risk with six-four against Liaw's queen-ten but a rivered straight ignited the most unlikely of comebacks.
Gregory "Greg Goes All In" Liow
It was APT Host Liaw who hit the rail first after his pocket eights couldn't win a flip against the ace-king of Punsri. Chang wasn't far behind after his ace-nine couldn't improve against the pocket jacks of Tang on hand thirty-five.
A double elimination saw Tsai and Grospellier both eliminated in the same hand after their six-three and jack-ten respectively couldn't overcome the pocket aces of 2023 APT Taipei Main Event champion Punsri.
Cucchiara's failed bluff attempt would cost him dearly on hand forty-five after he triple barreled holding six-seven for a missed straight draw. Tang had an easy call to make after turning two pair with queen-five, and just like that, there were four players left in contention.
Danny Tang
Lin scored a crucial triple-up after she shoved all in with pocket kings, Tang called, and Punsri shoved over the top holding pocket jacks. Tang was forced to fold and Lin's cowboys held up to bring her right back in the mix.
Punsri then called off an eleven-big-blind shove with queen-jack and found himself in a coinflip situation against Tang's pocket fives. The player from Thailand paired his jack but a five on the flop gave Tang a set and send Punsri to the rail in fourth.
Lin then stormed into the chip lead and always seemed one step ahead of her decorated opponents during three-handed play. During hand seventy-two, Lin's pocket nines took down the king-queen of Jorstad to eliminate the WSOP Main Event winner in third.
Espen Jorstad
Despite second place going home empty-handed, Lin was never deterred by the biggest bubble spot of her short poker career and it took just six hands of heads-up action for Lin to take down her opponent. Tang had shoved all in with ace-five and Lin made the call with pocket nines. A scary, but clean runout for Lin crowned her as the champion.
A remarkable performance from Lin, who has only been playing poker for a year. A moment that will forever be remembered as the time she took on and beat some of the world's best.
Congratulations to Lin!