Natural8 Open High Roller

Day 1 of the TWD 33,000 (~$1,147) Natural8 Open High Roller has written its first chapter at PS Championship II Taipei 2025 inside Asia Poker Arena.

The prestigious event’s return to Taipei draws 89 entries, sending the prize pool beyond the TWD 2,000,000 guarantee. With late registration remaining open until the start of Level 13 on Day 2, the field is expected to swell even further.

After ten 40-minute levels navigating a stacked minefield, 41 survivors bag their chips and advance to the next stage.

At the top of the leaderboard stands Hwang Dae Gyu, who finishes with a commanding 705,000 — the only player to break the 700K barrier. Armed with the largest stack, Hwang is poised to apply relentless pressure when play resumes.

Chasing behind is Hwang’s compatriot, Kang Hogyun, who steadily builds his way past the half-million mark to close with 530,000. Rounding out the top three is Andreas Blaskov, who bags 496,500 after a powerful late-night surge, highlighted by cracking Fabian Schmidt’s pocket aces with a flush to score a key knockout.

The field remains packed with elite talent. Jung Seungmook (280,500), winner of the PS Super High Roller Championship earlier this year and owner of nearly $2 million in live earnings, sits well within striking distance. So too does Alan Lau King Lun (252,500), sixth-place finisher in the ‘Trip of Poker’ High Roller Cup and another player with over $2 million in career earnings. Both are positioned for another deep run.

Outside the top ten, the danger continues. Tsai Chia Ta (222,500), 2025 PS Championship Taiwan Super Stack winner, Wu Chia Yun (164,500), 2024 PS Taipei Big O champion, and three-time PS champion Lai Hsuan Yu (160,500) all remain in contention.

With such a star-studded lineup still in the hunt and registration not yet closed, Day 2 promises high-level clashes, bold moves, and relentless pressure as the battle for the Natural8 Open High Roller intensifies.