APT Championship Day 16: Cho, Warhurst, and Margereson Capture Titles in Action-Packed Finale Push

Day 16 of the APT Championship Taipei 2025 delivered one of the most action-packed days of the festival as four Championship trophies were awarded across stacked fields inside Red Space Taipei. With the finale approaching, the atmosphere surged with intensity as elite pros and rising talents battled for some of the series’ most coveted titles.

Joyce Triumphs in Elite APT High Roller Showdown

Ireland’s Toby Joyce headlined Day 16 with a commanding victory in the APT High Roller Championship, conquering a star-studded 173-entry field that included bracelet winners, former champions, and a Poker Hall of Famer. The TWD 466,000 buy in event swelled to TWD 75.7 million, making it one of the largest prize pools of the festival. Joyce maintained elite-level composure from start to finish, ultimately defeating Vietnam’s Nguyen Huu Dung in a short heads-up duel to secure TWD 17,618,976 and his first APT title.

The final table featured major momentum shifts, but the key turning point came when Joyce’s aces held against Gerald Karlic ’s queens in the largest pot of the tournament. With Karlic crippled and eliminated soon after, Joyce retook full control and closed out the championship when his king-nine connected against Dung’s ace-five shove. The win marked the second-largest score of Joyce’s career and cemented his status as one of the standout performers of the series.

#1013 High Roller Championship - Double Re-Entry (466,000 TWD)

Ireland’s Toby Joyce captured the APT High Roller Championship, outlasting a star-studded 173-entry field that included bracelet winners, former champions, and a Poker Hall of Famer. The TWD 466,000 buy-in event built a massive TWD 75.7 million prize pool. Joyce maintained composure and precision throughout, navigating the field with timely aggression and strategic play. He sealed the TWD 17,618,976 top prize by defeating Vietnam’s Nguyen Huu Dung in a short heads-up duel, claiming his first APT title.

Total Prize USD

$2,428,915

Total Prize

NT$75,782,176

Entries

117

ITM

23

#	Payout	Player	SPI
1	NT$17,618,976 $564,710	TJ Toby Joyce Ireland	2,972.82
2	NT$11,935,700 $382,555	HD Huu Dung Nguyen Viet Nam	2,102.10
3	NT$7,957,100 $255,035	ML Matthias Lipp Austria	1,716.36
4	NT$6,517,300 $208,890	GK Gerald Karlic Austria	1,486.41
5	NT$5,229,000 $167,600	PP Punnat Punsri Thailand	1,329.48
6	NT$4,054,300 $129,950	JO Jun Obara Japan	1,213.65
7	NT$3,001,000 $96,185	AW Alex Wice Thailand	1,123.62
8	NT$2,205,300 $70,680	CC Chase Cokaliong Philippines	1,051.05
9	NT$1,758,100 $56,350	TT Thanh Tung Nguyen Viet Nam	990.94

Check the 23 Payouts & Results ...

Cho Completes Stunning Comeback to Win Micro Main Event

South Korea’s Min Ho Cho produced one of the festival’s most impressive turnarounds to win the APT Micro Main Event Championship, rising from short-stack danger to the top of a massive 750-entry field. The two-day tournament generated a TWD 6 million prize pool, and Cho capitalized on every opportunity to collect TWD 1,149,680 and the Pewter Lion Trophy. After surviving multiple all-ins and delivering a crucial hero call, Cho surged into the lead and never let go.

The final table was fast and unforgiving, but Cho’s momentum peaked at the perfect time. A key flush elimination against Masatoshi Minowa pushed him into a dominant position before he carried a near 3:1 chip lead into heads-up play. Just three hands later, Cho sealed the championship with pocket eights, earning his first five-figure score and securing a career-defining APT victory.

#1015 Micro Main Event (10,000 TWD)

South Korea’s Min Ho Cho staged one of the festival’s most impressive comebacks to win the APT Micro Main Event Championship, climbing from a short stack to triumph over a massive 750-entry field. The two-day tournament generated a TWD 6 million prize pool. Cho survived multiple all-ins and executed a crucial hero call to surge into the lead. He never looked back, securing TWD 1,149,680 and the Pewter Lion Trophy.

Total Prize USD

$192,325

Total Prize

NT$6,000,480

Entries

750

ITM

105

#	Payout	Player	SPI
1	NT$1,149,680 $36,850	MH Min Ho Cho South Korea	1,739.89
2	NT$701,200 $22,475	JT Jung Tu Huang Taiwan	1,230.29
3	NT$497,100 $15,930	PL Peng Lim Ly France	1,004.53
4	NT$375,300 $12,030	MM Masatoshi Minowa Japan	869.95
5	NT$297,300 $9,530	SK Shixiang Khoo Singapore	778.10
6	NT$224,800 $7,205	CW Chi Wing Chen Malaysia	710.31
7	NT$161,400 $5,170	MH Man Hei Leung Hong Kong	657.62
8	NT$110,300 $3,535	LY Li Yan Zhong Bosco Hong Kong	615.14
9	NT$87,100 $2,790	YY Yuto Yamaoka Japan	579.96

Check the 105 Payouts & Results ...

Warhurst Makes History With Second Lion Trophy

Australia’s Julian Warhurst etched his name into APT history by winning the Freezeout Championship, becoming the first player of the New Era to capture both a Championship Event title and a Big Three Lion Trophy. Warhurst outlasted a competitive 303-entry field to claim TWD 2,624,300, completing a comeback that saw him rise from the short stack to the top of the leaderboard.

Warhurst overcame early pressure from chip leader Akira Takasugi before battling through a star-filled final table. His heads-up showdown against fellow Melbourne regular Justin Tsui delivered one of the most entertaining moments of the day, with two hours of swings and high-level decision-making. A completed flush draw gave Warhurst the momentum he needed before his pocket sevens held to secure the trophy and a historic second Lion title.

#1016 Freezeout Championship (50,000 TWD)

Australia’s Julian Warhurst etched his name into APT history by winning the Freezeout Championship, becoming the first player of the New Era to claim both a Championship Event title and a Big Three Lion Trophy. Warhurst outlasted a competitive 303-entry field, rising from short-stack danger to the top of the leaderboard. His comeback displayed skill and resilience, earning him TWD 2,624,300. The victory cemented his status as one of the festival’s standout performers.

Total Prize USD

$419,540

Total Prize

NT$13,089,600

Entries

303

ITM

39

#	Payout	Player	SPI
1	NT$2,624,300 $84,110	JW Julian Warhurst Australia	1,940.13
2	NT$1,744,800 $55,920	JT Justin Tsui Australia	1,371.88
3	NT$1,276,200 $40,900	AT Akira Takasugi Japan	1,120.14
4	NT$1,030,200 $33,020	KY Kuan Yu Chen Taiwan	970.07
5	NT$807,600 $25,885	HG Hugues Girard France	867.65
6	NT$611,300 $19,590	AM Andre Marcano United States of America	792.06
7	NT$449,000 $14,390	DA Dinesh Alt Switzerland	733.30
8	NT$329,900 $10,575	JK Jason Kyle Magbanua Philippines	685.94
9	NT$273,600 $8,770	NC Nevan Chang Taiwan	646.71

Check the 39 Payouts & Results ...

Margereson Wins Lightning Fast Turbo Championship

UK pro Scott Margereson delivered a sharp, disciplined performance to win the APT Turbo Championship, earning TWD 1,097,140 in one of the fastest-paced events of the festival. The TWD 35,000 tournament drew a strong lineup and produced a TWD 4.7 million prize pool as players took one final shot at Day 16 glory.

#1018 Turbo Championship (35,000 TWD)

Scott Margereson of the United Kingdom delivered a masterclass in disciplined, high-speed poker to win the APT Turbo Championship, earning TWD 1,097,140. The TWD 35,000 buy-in drew a strong field and produced a TWD 4.7 million prize pool. Margereson navigated key all-ins with precision and applied pressure at the perfect moments, carrying him through the field. He sealed the title in a thrilling, fast-paced finale, one of the festival’s last standout moments.

Total Prize USD

$151,200

Total Prize

NT$4,717,440

Entries

156

ITM

23

#	Payout	Player	SPI
1	NT$1,097,140 $35,165	SM Scott Margereson United Kingdom	1,236.06
2	NT$743,000 $23,815	ST Shoichiro Tamaki Japan	874.02
3	NT$495,300 $15,875	WP Wing Po Liu Hong Kong	713.64
4	NT$405,700 $13,000	CT Chun Ting Chu Taiwan	618.03
5	NT$325,500 $10,430	CY Ching Yu Tsai Taiwan	552.78
6	NT$252,400 $8,090	YK Yoon Koo Kang	504.62
7	NT$186,800 $5,990	ZZ Zheming Zhu Australia	467.19
8	NT$137,300 $4,400	MH Myunghwan Han South Korea	437.01
9	NT$109,400 $3,500	RT Ravn Teo Singapore	412.02

Check the 23 Payouts & Results ...

The penultimate day of the APT Championship Taipei 2025 showcased elite poker at its highest level, with four champions rising from four stacked fields. Joyce, Cho, Warhurst, and Margereson each delivered standout performances that defined Day 16. With only one day left, the festival now heads into its highly anticipated finale in Taipei.