Nevan Chang, Tony Ren Lin, Rudy Edenata, Mike Takayama and Punnat Punsri have earned seats in the APT Championship 2026 Main Event by winning tournaments on the Asian Poker Tour this year.
The APT Championship returns to Taipei from November 13–29 at Red Space 多元商務空間. Held in partnership with the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Club (CTP) and sponsored by Natural8, the 17-day festival includes 23 Championship Events with more than TWD 256 million (approximately USD 8.1 million) in combined guaranteed prize pools.
Across its major 2026 stops, the APT has already awarded 50 Main Event seats.
Three Players Qualify Through Jeju Victories
Tony Ren Lin earned his seat by winning the Super High Roller at APT Jeju Classic 2026. With three players remaining, Lin was down to just two big blinds before recovering to win the title and KRW 396,317,500 (approximately USD 275,220).
Two days later, he won the Superstar Challenge for another KRW 465,270,000 (approximately USD 323,100). He earned nearly USD 600,000 across the two events. Lin also finished eighth in the 2,354-entry APT Taipei 2026 Main Event.
Nevan Chang qualified by winning the Superstar Challenge at APT Jeju 2026. The Taiwanese player defeated Rudy Edenata heads-up in just three hands, earning KRW 451,800,000 (approximately USD 337,150) and his tenth career APT title.
Chang had also won the Mini Main Event Championship at the inaugural APT Championship in 2025, taking first place in a 1,603-entry field for TWD 7,085,620.
Edenata had already secured his Main Event seat at APT Jeju Classic 2026. He defeated Weiran Pu heads-up to win the High Roller and KRW 233,530,000 (approximately USD 159,400), becoming the first Indonesian player to win an APT Mega Lion trophy.
The Indonesian player began competing in tournament poker in August 2025. He later finished runner-up to Chang in the APT Jeju 2026 Superstar Challenge, collecting KRW 341,060,000 (approximately USD 254,520).
Takayama Wins in Taipei, Punsri Qualifies in Incheon
Mike Takayama qualified by winning the APT Taipei 2026 Super High Roller, which drew 136 entries. The Filipino player was down to three big blinds with 24 players remaining but recovered to win TWD 9,760,160 (approximately USD 312,825) and his 17th career APT title.
Takayama previously won the APT Main Event in 2014 and 2017. He also became the first Filipino player to win a WSOP bracelet in 2018.
Punnat Punsri earned his seat at APT Incheon 2026, defeating Khoa Anh Ngo heads-up in the Superstar Challenge. The victory brought him KRW 360,000,000 (approximately USD 257,140) and his seventh career APT title.
Punsri won the inaugural APT New Era Main Event in Taipei in 2023. He was also named the 2025 Global Poker Index Player of the Year, becoming the first Asian player to receive the award.
Another 17 Seats Available Through Selected Events and 37 Guaranteed in Satellites
During the APT Championship 2026, 11 selected tournaments will award a total of 17 Main Event seats.
The Super High Roller Championship and Superstar Championship will each award seats to their top three finishers. The Ultra Stack Championship and Natural8 Cup Championship will each award two seats, while the winners of seven other designated tournaments will receive one seat apiece.
Five dedicated satellite tournaments will also offer a combined 37 guaranteed Main Event seats, including one satellite with 25 seats guaranteed.
The champion, runner-up and third-place finisher in the APT Championship 2026 Main Event will each earn a seat to the APT Championship 2027 Main Event.
