Punnat Punsri

Punnat Punsri has proven once again to be not only one of best tournament players in the Asian tournament ciruit, but one of the most accomplished players of all time after taking down the 2026 Incheon Superstar Challenge for KRW 360,000,000 (~USD 257,140). At just 33 years old, the Thai poker phenom has pushed his live earnings to over USD 38.5 million and adds to an already top tier resume, which includes winning the 2023 APT Taipei Main Event.

Punsri's dominant performance saw him overcome a 29-entry field and best Khoa Anh Ngo heads-up in a brief heads-up battle en route to victory. For his win, Punsri will also receive a seat into the APTC Main Event taking place in November, valued at USD 10,000.

Superstar Challenge Final Table Results

Winner's Reaction

Punsri was quick to credit the nature of the game for his latest triumph, saying his love of competition and constant desire to improve remain the driving forces behind his success.

“For me, I really love the competition. This is the reason I play. I love trying to be better every day. I love competing against very, very good players.”

The victory also carried extra significance given that the Superstar Challenge is the biggest buy-in on the APT schedule.

“This one means quite a lot to me because it's the biggest buy-in of an APT series, and I have a lot of sentiment for APT as the brand itself.”

Punsri also highlighted the role that high-stakes tournament poker has played in his development both at and away from the tables.

“I feel like playing these for the best part of three years now has improved me a lot, both as a player, but also as a better person outside of poker,” he said. “It teaches you discipline, it teaches you to be competitive, to have respect for others, and to be ethical on and off the tables.”

Perhaps most importantly, Punsri remains grateful for the community surrounding him, particularly after seeing so many friends celebrate his latest victory.

“The fact that I won, and so many friends came to support, even people who play the same tour were happy for me, is something I'm very grateful for,” Punsri explained. “I think not in all sports can this happen. It's very nice.”

Punnat Punsri

Action of the Day

Just 11 players returned to Paradise Resort for the final day of the Superstar Challenge, all looking to capture the prestigious Black Stealth Lion trophy.

It took less than an hour to reach the final table of nine, with Dmitrii Kravchenko losing the majority of his chips after jamming pocket sixes into Khoa Anh Ngo's pocket jacks. A few hands later, he lost a race with pocket eights against Jeremy Chan's Big Slick to be sent out.

Dmitrii Kravchenko

Despite the chip boost, Chan lost a race against Aleksei Istomin shortly after to be left short and then committed his stack with pocket sixes against Ngo, who held ace-queen. Ngo spiked a queen on the turn and Chan bubbled the final table.

Defending champion Calvin Lee immediately asserted his presence by making a boat against Yoko Sasaki's flush for the knockout. Just a few hands later, Lee cracked Istomin's queens holding ace-queen to bring the field down to seven.

With hardly a lull in the action, Yang Siang Ang moved all in with pocket eights preflop, only to run into Ngo's pocket nines to be eliminated and set up the money bubble.

Yang Siang Ang

By the time the first break arrived, Lee looked poised to run away with the chip lead, holding nearly a million more than his next-closest competitor. However, an inevitable clash between two premium hands saw Punsri score a massive double-up through the US player.

In what was arguably the hand of the tournament, Punsri picked up pocket queens and got into a preflop raising war that resulted in him all in preflop against Lee, who held ace-king. A king on the flop valuted the defending champion into the lead, but Punsri found the queen he needed on the turn, improving him to queens-full to double into the chip lead.

Punsri wasted little time using his newfound chips to apply constant pressure five-handed. Ryuta Nakai found himself short and moved all in on the bubble with king-queen, only for Punsri to snap-call with pocket tens. The board ran out low, sending Nakai to the rail and bursting the money bubble.

Ryuta Nakai

Having secured a payday, Naoki Ota didn't take long to find himself all in preflop holding ace-queen, having shoved over a raise from Lee. Unfortuantely for him, Lee held a dominating ace-king, which held up to bring about four-handed play.

Punsri continued to accumulate chips while Lee remained his closest challenger, and Yuan Lei eventually decided to take a stand by raising for most of his chips holding queen-jack suited. The red-hot Punsri jammed over Lei's raise with what turned out to be aces, and Lei was left second-best after calling his stack off to get sent out in fourth.

Yuan Lei

The tide appeared as though it might turning after an all-in confrontation saw Lee double through Punsri with ten-eight against ace-ten. Despite being dominated, Lee found a way to flop the world and come out ahead after pairing his eight.

Lee's momentum was short-lived, however, as Ngo was able to double through him in a bit of a preflop cooler. Having fallen on the short stack, Lee shoved for his last 20 big blinds from the small blind with queen-five, only to run into Punsri's ace-nine from the big blind. Punsri was left best with trips and Lee had to settle for a third-place finish.

Calvin Lee

That left Punsri heads-up with Ngo holding nearly a five-to-one chip advantage.

Ngo managed to chip up early in the duel, but Punsri soon regained control. He left Ngo with just ten big blinds after applying maximum pressure on a king-high flop, and although Ngo doubled shortly after, the Vietnamese pro could not mount a full comeback.

Khoa Anh Ngo

In the final hand, Punsri limped the button and called when Ngo moved all in. Ngo's ace-five was ahead of Punsri's queen-nine, but Punsri flopped a queen and Ngo couldn't catch up -- putting an end to the tournament and adding another title to Punsri's illustrious career.

Punnat Punsri

One of the most accomplished and decorated poker players on the Asian live poker circuit has racked up another prestigious victory. With more than $38 million in cashes according to The Hendon Mob , Punnat Punsri has already reached the top 30 of the overall all-time money list and he has emerged as the champion in the KRW 35 Million (~USD 24,900) Superstar Challenge.

For his latest triumph, Punsri receives the top prize of KRW 360,000,000 (~USD 257,140) and the Black Stealth Lion Superstar Challenge Trophy.

Final Table Result

*the winner also receives an APTC 2026 Main Event ticket valued at KRW 13,930,000 (~USD 10,000)

Stay tuned for a recap of the final day.

Khoa Anh Ngo

The action started with a button limp by Punant Punsri and Khoa Anh Ngo moved all-in.

Punsri gave it a very short time of consideration and then called to bring the entire Thai rail on their feet once more.

Khoa Anh Ngo: A 5

Punnat Punsri: Q 9

Ngo was ahead and en route for a possible second double in quick succession but fell behind on the Q 6 3 flop.

The J turn left Punsri on the verge of victory and no ace came on the 8 river to end Ngo's run in second place for KRW 239,210,000 (~USD 170,865).

Stay tuned for a recap of today's action and the winner's reaction of Thailand's all-time money leader.

After chipping down a bit, Khoa Anh Ngo called all-in for his last 335,000 after Punnat Punsri shoved on the button.

Khoa Anh Ngo: A 8

Punnat Punsri: J 3

Ngo was ahead with his ace, and the Q 8 6 K Q runout kept him ahead to double his short stack.

On the very next hand, Ngo limped on the button and Punsri checked his option in the big blind.

Punsri check-called a 60,000 bet from Ngo on the A 2 Q flop and then both players checked on the 3 turn.

Punsri led out for 60,000 on the 4 river and Ngo responded with a raise to 300,000. Punsri gave a puzzled look before calling and Ngo tabled A 8 for a pair of aces.

Punsri sent his cards into the muck and Ngo grew his stack to about 1,100,000.

Punnat Punsri

After a series of pots being traded back and forth that left Khoa Anh Ngo on around 20 big blinds, Punnat Punsri raised to 185,000 in the big blind when Ngo limped in.

Ngo called and they headed to the K 8 5 flop. Punsri bet 145,000 and Ngo called.

Punsri bet the Q turn for 350,000 and Ngo called.

The flop flush draw arrived with the A on the river. Punsri moved all-in and Ngo instantly sighed. He used one time bank and then folded to be left with a severe short stack.

Punnat Punsri limped on the button and called a 150,000 raise from Khoa Anh Ngo.

Ngo check-called a 150,000 bet from Punsri on the 7 8 6 flop and then both players checked on the A turn.

Ngo led out for 350,000 after the 3 filled out the board and Punsri let his hand go.

Calvin Lee

In the very next hand, Calvin Lee pushed all-in from the small blind for just over 1.1 million and Punnat Punsri called in the big blind without asking for a count.

Calvin Lee: Q 5

Punnat Punsri: A 9

The A J 3 flop left Lee in rough shape, needing running cards to avoid elimination. One such chance opened with the 4 turn but the A river sealed his fate.

Lee was looking for a third Superstar Challenge title but bowed out in 3rd place for KRW 156,310,000 (~USD 111,650).

Calvin Lee

Khoa Anh Ngo limped the small blind and Calvin Lee checked from the big blind to the 8 7 5 flop which both players opted to check.

Ngo check-called for 70,000 on the 9 turn and the A river was checked again.

Ngo showed his Q J but Lee had that beat with the J 8 .

Punnat Punsri

Following several small pots without much chip movement, Punnat Punsri raised to 160,000 from the small blind and Khoa Anh Ngo three-bet to 360,000 from the big blind.

Punsri cut out a four-bet to 580,000 and placed it into the middle, which got a quick fold from Ngo to send Punsri's stack to just over five million.

Khoa Anh Ngo

Calvin Lee raised to 100,000 on the button and then called when Khoa Anh Ngo jammed out of the big blind for 810,000.

Khoa Anh Ngo: A K

Calvin Lee: A Q

The J 3 2 T 5 board kept Ngo ahead and he doubled-up to elevate himself, for now, to second spot in the chip count.