The APT Championship is returning to Taipei in November with a $5 million guaranteed Main Event and a 209-event schedule that makes it one of the biggest poker festivals in Asia. Hosted at Red Space Taipei with the Chinese Texas Hold'em Poker Club, the 2026 edition features more than 200 tournaments including 23 Championship Events, 60 non-hold'em tournaments, 20 women-only events and 26 high rollers, according to PokerNews. The $10,000 Main Event runs November 23-27.
Last year's festival set records, with more than 28,000 entries and over $34 million in prize money. This year's schedule is built to match or exceed that, and it offers an unusually broad menu for players at every bankroll level.
Festival Overview
PokerNews's schedule lists the following key facts:
- Venue: Red Space Taipei, Taiwan.
- Partner: Chinese Texas Hold'em Poker Club.
- Scale: 209 tournaments on the schedule, including 23 Championship Events.
- Non-hold'em: 60 events.
- Women's events: 20.
- High rollers: 26, of which seven are Championship Events.
One caution on dates: the article body says November 13-29, while its metadata gives November 13-27, and the schedule table includes events through November 29. The Main Event's final day is November 27. The headline also cites "$8.1 million guaranteed", while the article itself lists a $5 million Main Event guarantee and does not explain the larger figure, so confirm totals with the organizers.
Key Events and Buy-Ins
Here is a selection of the Championship Events from the schedule. TWD buy-ins are shown with USD equivalents where given.
| Dates | Event | Buy-in | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 13-15 | National Cup | TWD 16,000 ($510) | TWD 20,000,000 (US$641,000) |
| Nov 15-16 | Natural8 Mystery Bounty | TWD 35,000 ($1,100) | TWD 15,000,000 (US$80,000) |
| Nov 16-18 | Ultra Stack | TWD 25,000 ($800) | TWD 25,000,000 (US$800,000) |
| Nov 18-21 | Natural8 Cup | $3,300 | US$1,000,000 |
| Nov 20-22 | Super High Roller | $25,000 | None listed |
| Nov 22-23 | Superstar | $50,000 | None listed |
| Nov 23-27 | Main Event | $10,000 | US$5,000,000 |
| Nov 26-28 | High Roller | $15,000 | None listed |
| Nov 28-29 | Trip Saver | TWD 50,000 ($1,600) | TWD 5,000,000 ($160,000) |
Several other events are also on the schedule, including a 7-Max, a PLO event, a PLO High Roller, a Mixed Games event, a Single Day High Roller, a Micro Main Event, a Mini Main Event, a Team event, a Freezeout and a Turbo. The Women's Championship, at TWD 35,000 (about $1,100), is limited to female players, and the Asia Gaming Industry Championship is limited to casino and poker industry personnel. The other 21 Championship Events are open to anyone who buys in or qualifies via satellites.
Some of the stated guarantees appear inconsistent when converted, for instance the Natural8 Mystery Bounty is listed at TWD 15,000,000 but US$80,000, so treat the dollar figures as approximate and verify them on the official schedule.
The $10,000 Main Event Structure
The Main Event is the centerpiece, with a $10,000 buy-in and a $5 million guarantee.
- Starting stack: 50,000 chips.
- Day 1: Eight 75-minute levels.
- Day 2: Eight 75-minute levels, or until the money bubble, depending on proximity.
- Day 3: Six 90-minute levels.
- Day 4: Six 90-minute levels, or until the final table at the tournament director's discretion.
- Final day: November 27, played until a champion emerges.
A 50,000 starting stack with 75-minute levels is a relatively deep structure. At the opening blinds, players have plenty of room to maneuver, which rewards post-flop skill. The longer 90-minute levels on later days are designed to keep play deep, and the "until a champion emerges" final day means the tournament will not end without a winner.
For anyone planning for a long tournament, our tournaments page outlines what to expect from multi-day events, and our strategy hub has advice on adapting to different stages.
What Happened Last Year
The 2025 edition provides a useful benchmark. According to PokerNews:
- The festival drew more than 28,000 tournament entries and over $34 million in prize money, a record for the APT.
- Main Event: Nishant Sharma of India won, beating 670 opponents for $1,181,559. John Costiniano of the Philippines was runner-up.
- Women's Championship: Rosalie Petit of France won from a field of 109 for $24,322, with Yu Lun Huang of Taiwan earning $24,221 in a heads-up deal.
- Superstar Championship: Calvin Lee of South Korea won $597,556 from a 39-entrant field with a $1,835,809 prize pool. Daniel Neilson of Australia earned $415,811.
Last year's Main Event drew 671 entrants (the winner plus 670 opponents). A $5 million guarantee for a $10,000 buy-in requires 500 entries, so on last year's field, the event would have comfortably cleared the guarantee. Whether this year's turnout can grow depends on satellites and overall attendance.
For a look at the APT's other 2026 stops, see our coverage of Jianfeng Sun winning the APT Jeju Main Event and Teeraphat Rangkatekarn's APT Jeju Super High Roller win.
Why Taipei Matters
Taiwan has become one of the most active poker markets in Asia, and the APT's partnership with the Chinese Texas Hold'em Poker Club gives the festival strong local roots. A schedule with 209 events, including 60 non-hold'em tournaments, makes it attractive to both mixed-game specialists and hold'em players, while the 20 women-only events and low-buy-in options widen participation.
The presence of Natural8, GGPoker's Asian-facing brand, among the sponsored events also reflects the importance of online operators in funding and filling live festivals. Satellites, mystery bounties and cups with online ties are common in this format. If you follow the broader industry, our poker networks guide explains how online brands connect to live circuits, and our online poker vs live poker comparison covers how the two formats differ.
What This Means for Players
If you are considering the trip, here are practical points.
Choose events that fit your bankroll. The schedule ranges from about $415 to $50,000. A National Cup at $510 with a TWD 20,000,000 guarantee offers large-field value, while the Super High Roller at $25,000 and the Superstar at $50,000 are for much bigger rolls. Our bankroll management guide explains how many buy-ins you should have for each level.
Look at the non-hold'em options. With 60 non-hold'em events, including PLO and mixed games, there are chances to play where competition may be softer if you have a specialty. Our Omaha guide and the hold'em vs Omaha comparison can help you decide.
Consider satellites. Many players qualify for expensive events via cheaper satellites. Check the organizers' and sponsors' sites for qualifier details.
Plan the logistics. Dates, visa requirements and currency conversions all matter. The TWD buy-ins and USD equivalents in the schedule are approximate, so verify the final amounts before you register.
Study structures. A deep-stack format with 75- and 90-minute levels suits patient, skilled play. Understanding concepts like ICM and equity will help in the late stages.
Follow along from home. If you cannot travel, live reports from PokerNews and other outlets will cover the major events. Our poker on TV page and WSOP schedule can help you keep track of the broader calendar.
The Competitive Calendar
The APT Championship falls in a busy stretch of the poker calendar. Triton's North Cyprus festival begins in early November, as we covered in our report on iPoker's Triton satellite partnership, and the WPT World Championship at Wynn follows in December. Players who travel the circuit have an unusually rich set of options between now and the end of the year.
Taipei's festival stands out because of its size. With more than 200 events, it offers a volume that few other stops can match, and the combination of large guarantees and low entry points makes it appealing to both professionals and recreational players.
Bottom Line
The 2026 APT Championship offers a $5 million guaranteed Main Event, 209 events, and a wide range of buy-ins, all in a single Taipei venue. After a record 2025 with more than 28,000 entries and over $34 million in prize money, the organizers have set a high bar. For players, the main challenge is choosing the right events, and the main caution is to verify the figures that PokerNews flagged as inconsistent, including the festival dates and the headline guarantee total. For anyone with a passport and a bankroll, it may be the best value on the fall calendar.
Sources: PokerNews report on the 2026 APT Championship in Taiwan.