Day 8 of the APT Championship 2025 brought one of the most active schedules of the series so far, with multiple major storylines unfolding at Red Space, Taipei. The Natural8 Cup Championship Freezeout reached its critical Day 3, as the surviving players pushed toward the final table, which is currently underway.
At the same time, three brand-new Championship events kicked off their opening flights: the Super High Roller Championship, the Mixed Games Championship, and the APT Women’s Championship sponsored by LIPS. All three events set “New Era” participation records, adding more highlights to a festival that continues to raise the bar day by day.
With fully seated tables, steady foot traffic, and well-known players spread throughout the room, Day 8 was filled with energy from start to finish. Here are the day’s standout results and key developments.
Daniel Lei Wins “Friday Freezeout – Sponsored by JOPT”
American pro Daniel Lei capped off a strong week by winning Event #78: Friday Freezeout – Sponsored by JOPT. He outlasted a field of 271 entries to claim his first-ever APT title and prize money of TWD 676,415 (~USD 21,887).
Lei had been one of the most consistent performers of the series, with five prior cashes, and this deep run finally converted into a victory.
Singapore’s Quan Li Leon Tay secured the runner-up spot, earning TWD 449,800 (~USD 14,555), while Hong Kong’s Keshu Peng completed the podium in third place with USD 10,640.
Friday Freezeout Final Table Results
| Rank | Player | Country | Prize (TWD) | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel Lei | United States | 676,415 | USD 21,887 |
| 2 | Quan Li Leon Tay | Singapore | 449,800 | USD 14,555 |
| 3 | Keshu Peng | Hong Kong | 329,000 | USD 10,640 |
| 4 | Elmer Kalaquian | Philippines | 265,500 | USD 8,589 |
| 5 | Yuta Inokuchi | Japan | 208,200 | USD 6,735 |
| 6 | Calvin Seet Pin Tan | Singapore | 157,600 | USD 5,098 |
| 7 | Sangbeom Lim | South Korea | 115,700 | USD 3,744 |
| 8 | Hao Hsuan Chueh | Taiwan | 85,000 | USD 2,751 |
| 9 | Andy Chen | Canada | 70,500 | USD 2,280 |
Rob Hollink Leads Final Table of Natural8 Cup Championship
Day 3 of the Natural8 Cup Championship Freezeout concluded with the final nine players securing their seats at the last table. Seventy-one players returned to Red Space, each already in the money after the bubble burst late on Day 2. The field moved at a consistent pace throughout the session, with eliminations steadily occurring as stacks narrowed toward the final table.
All finalists have guaranteed themselves TWD 683,600 (~USD 22,050), while the top prize of TWD 7,538,480 (~USD 243,180) remains the clear target, along with the added APTC Main Event seat worth TWD 311,000 (USD 10,000). Rob Hollink leads the lineup with 3,555,000 chips, followed by Christopher Mateo, with Taiwan’s Kitty Kuo advancing as the last woman in the event.
Final Table Chip Counts
| Pos. | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rob Hollink | Netherlands | 3,555,000 | 59 |
| 2 | Christopher Mateo | Philippines | 3,400,000 | 57 |
| 3 | Kitty Kuo | Taiwan | 2,570,000 | 43 |
| 4 | Bawoo Yun | United States | 2,015,000 | 34 |
| 5 | Jon Rounce-Sue | New Zealand | 1,940,000 | 32 |
| 6 | Adrian State | Romania | 1,900,000 | 32 |
| 7 | Chang Seog Chae | South Korea | 1,635,000 | 27 |
| 8 | Hajime Watanabe | Japan | 1,525,000 | 25 |
| 9 | Julian Warhurst | Australia | 1,240,000 | 21 |
Three Championships Kick Off
Women’s Championship
The APT Women’s Championship, sponsored by LIPS, drew 119 entries (88 unique players) at Red Space, with competitors battling across twelve levels for a total prize pool of TWD 3,598,560. The field showcased its usual mix of experience, personality, and competitiveness, ultimately narrowing down to 48 survivors. Japan’s Ohta Ami finished Day 1 as the chip leader with 352,600. A two-time APT Jeju Women’s High Roller champion, Ami closed the night strongly with a late double knockout, setting a strong pace for the final day.
Top 10 Chip Counts
| Pos. | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohta Ami | Japan | 352,600 |
| 2 | Yu Han Su | Taiwan | 326,900 |
| 3 | Yi-Jhen Ke | Taiwan | 306,000 |
| 4 | Shandy Wong | Netherlands | 302,000 |
| 5 | Yu Lun Huang | Taiwan | 248,700 |
| 6 | Jia Lin Luo | Taiwan | 217,200 |
| 7 | Lisa Tan | Singapore | 211,600 |
| 8 | Tayla Pickles | Australia | 202,700 |
| 9 | Wenyan Liao | China | 197,300 |
| 10 | Jiyoung Kim | South Korea | 192,100 |
Mixed Games Championship
The TWD 70,000 Mixed Games Championship attracted 65 entries, creating a record-breaking prize pool of TWD 3,931,200, nearly doubling the previous APT benchmark. Players competed across a full nine-game rotation throughout the session, with only 19 advancing by the end. Hong Kong’s Jeffrey Lo led the counts with 288,500 chips, continuing his strong performance following a recent final table appearance at the Dealer’s Choice Masters.
Top 10 Chip Counts
| Pos. | Player | Country/Region | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeffrey Lo | Hong Kong | 288,500 |
| 2 | James Cheung | United Kingdom | 268,000 |
| 3 | Hal Rotholz | United States | 257,000 |
| 4 | Wei Kai Lin | Taiwan | 251,000 |
| 5 | Liam Jehu | Australia | 235,000 |
| 6 | Sparrow Cheung | Hong Kong | 229,500 |
| 7 | Matthew Ginn | Australia | 208,000 |
| 8 | Alex Tchong | Australia | 197,000 |
| 9 | Kensuke Sotoya | Japan | 185,500 |
| 10 | Hiu Tung Chan | Hong Kong | 163,500 |
Super High Roller Championship
Day 1 of the TWD 777,000 Super High Roller Championship attracted 54 entries, marking the largest field for this buy-in in APT history. Registration remains open as play moves into Day 2. Only 21 players advanced, led by Roman Hrabec of the Czech Republic, who bagged 1,828,000 chips after steadily climbing through the later levels. Hrabec, an APT regular with deep results across major circuits, is still seeking his first APT title. Lester Edoc and Axel Hallay also finished the day with seven-figure stacks, joining Hrabec at the top of the leaderboard.
Top 10 Chip Counts
| Pos. | Player | Country/Region | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roman Hrabec | Czech Republic | 1,828,000 |
| 2 | Lester Edoc | Philippines | 1,488,000 |
| 3 | Axel Hallay | France | 1,479,500 |
| 4 | Poseidon Ho | Taiwan | 981,500 |
| 5 | Wai Kiat Lee | Malaysia | 961,000 |
| 6 | Vincent Huang | New Zealand | 921,000 |
| 7 | Michel Molenaar | Netherlands | 706,000 |
| 8 | Gabriel Le Jossec-Amar | Canada | 662,000 |
| 9 | Hannes Jeschka | Germany | 629,500 |
| 10 | Biao Ding | Hong Kong | 576,500 |
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.