The APT Taipei Poker Championship has become the largest and most lucrative poker series ever held in Taiwan, breaking multiple tour records.
The festival attracted a total of 16,787 entries and awarded over NT$388 million (approximately USD 12.18 million) in prizes — setting a new milestone in Taiwan’s poker history.
APT Taipei 2024 Schedule — Record-Breaking Success in Taiwan
Taipei, October 7, 2024 — The Asian Poker Tour (APT) has once again made history, breaking national and regional records for the fourth consecutive time.
The festival shattered the previous marks set earlier in March 2024, officially becoming the largest and richest poker series ever held in Taiwan.
Co-hosted with the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Club (CTP), the event took place from September 27 to October 8 at the Asia Poker Arena, the largest poker room in Asia, in collaboration with the Chinese Mahjong League (CML).
Over 11 days, the festival attracted 2,776 unique players from 48 countries and regions, totaling 16,787 entries and generating a record-breaking prize pool of NT$388 million (approximately USD 12.18 million).
Beyond setting new records for Taiwan’s poker scene, three tournaments produced seven-figure top prizes, with the APT Main Event standing out as the biggest tournament in both field size and total payout in the nation’s poker history.
APT Taipei 2024 Key Figures
During the series, a total of 12 new APT records were established.
The NT$50,000 APT Main Event broke all previous marks for the largest field and prize pool in the region, creating the biggest-ever tournament in Taiwan’s poker history.
Several other events also made their mark:
Event #10: Mystery Bounty (sponsored by Natural8)
Event #89: Mini Main Event
Event #97: Micro Main Event
Each set new benchmarks for entries, prize pools, and champion payouts.
Additionally, Event #77: Double Stack broke the record for both prize pool and first-place prize in its category.
Although the two flagship high-stakes tournaments — the APT Super High Roller and APT High Roller — did not surpass previous tour records, both generated eight-figure NT$ prize pools (six-figure USD equivalents).
The Silver Lion Super High Roller Trophy was taken home by Phanlert Sukonthachartnant of Thailand, while two German players claimed the Bronze and Gold Lion trophies in other major events.
Main Event: The Heart of the Festival
More than 22.2% of the total festival prize money was awarded in the record-breaking Main Event.
A total of 1,991 players from 39 countries battled for Taiwan’s richest poker prize pool ever — NT$86,011,200 (approximately USD 2,724,460).
Germany’s Rene von Reden emerged victorious, earning NT$14,413,200 (approximately USD 453,960) — the largest first-place prize ever awarded in Taiwan.
High Rollers and Featured Events
The APT Super High Roller came next in size, drawing 275 elite players from across the Asia-Pacific region and building a NT$26,136,000 (approximately USD 820,080) prize pool.
Germany’s Martin Sedlak won the Bronze Lion High Roller trophy along with NT$5,244,000 (approximately USD 164,850), the fourth-largest top prize of the series.
The NT$80,000 Zodiac Classic, sponsored by Natural8, created the third-largest prize pool of the series — NT$24,468,480 (approximately USD 775,055) — attracting 354 entries.
Thailand’s Phanlert Sukonthachartnant conquered the APT Super High Roller, outlasting 81 opponents to win the Silver Lion trophy and NT$22,392,450 (approximately USD 709,295) in total prizes, including NT$5,793,950 (approximately USD 183,530) for first place.
Additionally, the NT$800,000 Superstar Challenge ranked among the top five largest prize pools, totaling NT$20,454,525 (approximately USD 634,000).
Taiwan’s Chih Wei Fan triumphed, taking home the second-largest first prize of the festival — NT$8,590,525 (approximately USD 272,110).
APT Taipei 2024 not only elevated Taiwan’s standing in the global poker scene but also reaffirmed the Asian Poker Tour’s dominance in Asia’s live poker landscape, setting a new standard for participation, prize pools, and prestige.
Dhanesh Chainani Dominates, Wins NT$1.1 Million (≈ USD 36,000) in Record-Breaking APT Taipei Micro Main Event
Main Event finalist Dhanesh Chainani made history at the APT Taipei Micro Main Event, conquering the largest-ever field in this category and forever etching his name into APT history. The Singaporean pro triumphed in Event #97: Micro Main Event – TWD 3,000,000 GTD, with a buy-in of TWD 11,000, and emerged as the ultimate champion.
Chainani defeated Gregory Campbell of the United Kingdom heads-up in lightning-fast fashion, topping a 635-entry field (including 393 unique players) to claim the lion’s share of the NT$5,967,984 (≈ USD 187,260) prize pool.
For Chainani, this victory was an emotional redemption arc. Earlier in the festival, he had entered the record-breaking APT Main Event as a chip leader, only to finish in fifth place. This win not only earned him the APT Little Lion Trophy, but also NT$1,154,984 (≈ USD 36,240) — the largest top prize ever awarded in an APT Micro Main Event.
This marked Chainani’s third career APT title and his first in the modern APT era, representing both his personal best finish and largest career title win, even though his biggest lifetime cash still came from the APT Main Event.
Runner-up Gregory Campbell earned NT$714,000 (≈ USD 22,400), while Taiwan’s Liao Chao Kun took third place for a career-best NT$510,000 (≈ USD 16,000).
Taiwan’s Kuo Wei Kao Captures His First APT Title in “The Closer”
Taiwanese player Kuo Wei Kao achieved a personal milestone by winning his first-ever APT championship title in Event #108: “The Closer – TWD 1,000,000 GTD”, marking the perfect conclusion to this record-breaking festival.
The event, debuting on the APT schedule, drew 262 entries, making it the largest tournament on the final day of the series. The total prize pool reached NT$2,238,528 (≈ USD 70,240), with a top prize of NT$453,528 (≈ USD 14,230).
After a fast-paced and intense final day, Kao defeated Japan’s Hirotoshi Nakabo heads-up to secure the championship — the first APT title of his career and his best live result to date.
Nakabo, who narrowly missed his own first APT title, finished as runner-up for NT$298,000 (≈ USD 9,350). His strong performance placed him among the top ten overall performers of the series, marking another highlight in his professional poker journey.
Red Dragon Poker APP Officially Launched
The long-established tournament brand Red Dragon Cup has now released its own app — “Red Dragon Poker.”
The Red Dragon Cup is a well-known Asian poker brand with a strong reputation across the region. Originating in Macau, it quickly became one of the most influential poker events in Asia. Red Dragon Poker tournaments regularly attract players from all over the world, offering massive fields and impressive prize pools.
For those interested, we highly recommend downloading the “Red Dragon Poker” app to join more exciting tournaments.