APL Osaka II | Mystery Bounty: 476 players advance to the Round of 86, Soo Hak Eo wins Korea's first title.

On August 12, 2026, Ace Poker League (APL) and P1 will co-host... APL X P1 OSAKA 2026 II The APL series officially kicked off at the Hilton Osaka in Japan. This is the second time the APL has come to Osaka this year. The series will run until August 16, featuring 39 matches over five days, with a total prize pool of 100 million yen.

The opening day featured eight events, with Event #2 Mystery Bounty being the most anticipated. The three starting combinations attracted a total of 476 entries, with 86 players ultimately advancing. Meanwhile, seven single-day events on the first day produced champions, with South Korean player Soo Hak Eo claiming the title at Top Gear Sprint I, becoming the first South Korean player to win the series.

Mystery Bounty attracted 476 visitors, with 86 advancing to Day 2.

Event #2 Mystery Bounty features a 5 million yen guarantee and will be held from August 12th to 13th. The first day is divided into three starting groups: Day 1A, Day 1B, and Turbo Day 1C, with intense competition from afternoon until late at night.

The three groups recorded a total of 476 entries, with 86 players securing Day 2 spots.

Jang Sumin, who won the APL Taipei main event in 2026, also successfully advanced and will continue his pursuit of the Mystery Bounty title in Osaka.

The Mystery Bounty Final Day is scheduled to begin at 11:00 AM on August 13th, with the official APL live stream starting at 1:00 PM. The champion will be revealed on the second day of the competition.

Ariko secured the Osaka High Roller Opener with 50 seats sold out quickly.

In addition to Mystery Bounty, this year's APL Osaka event also features a Single Day High Roller with limited slots every day.

Event #3, the first high roller event of the series Osaka High Roller OpenerA limit of 50 participants was set. All seats were filled within approximately two hours of the competition starting at 2 PM, reflecting the high level of participation on the opening day.

Ultimately, the Japanese athlete ArikoHe successfully reached the top, winning a prize of 1.5 million yen and the championship trophy, becoming the first high roller champion in this series.

Soo Hak Eo defeated Kim Tae-hwan to win the first title for the South Korean team.

The last event of the opening day: #8 Top Gear Sprint IThis will lead to a head-to-head championship match between South Korean players.

Soo Hak Eo fought his way to the final two, facing off against Kim Tae-hwan, a comedian and poker player also from South Korea who has been active in the Japanese poker scene in recent years. Ultimately, Soo Hak Eo won the final showdown and lifted the championship trophy.

This championship also makes Soo Hak Eo the first Korean player to win a title since the start of APL X P1 OSAKA 2026 II. His official English name can be confirmed as... Soo Hak Eo。

For the South Korean contingent, the fact that Soo Hak Eo and Kim Tae-hwan both made it to the Heads-Up makes Top Gear Sprint I one of the most representative international player matches on the opening day.

Liu Tianyou won Late Night Madness I

Chinese athletes Liu TianyouThey also won the championship on the opening day.

Event #7 Late Night Madness IAfter a late-night battle, Liu Tianyou emerged victorious, bringing home the first championship trophy for a Chinese player at this year's APL Osaka Station.

With Soo Hak Eo, Liu Tianyou, and several Japanese players successively winning the championship, the first day of the APL Osaka station presented a situation where players from multiple countries competed on equal footing.

APL Osaka Station Champion List (August 12th)

Mystery Bounty still needs to go into the Final Day, so there were actually seven tournaments on the opening day to determine the champion.

KH@J5Oukoku took the first trophy in the series; Chanmio, Mision and Rodrigues won the NLH and mixed events respectively.

The main event, guaranteed with 35 million yen, officially kicks off.

With the champions emerging from the side matches on the first day, the true core battleground of the APL Osaka Station will begin on August 13th.

OSAKA Main EventWith a guarantee of 35 million yen, Day 1A is scheduled to start at 12 noon, and Day 1B will start at 6 pm.

Key matches on August 13th include:

Besides the Mystery Bounty championship being decided, the Main Event and Apex High Roller will both take place on the same day, meaning that the APL Osaka event will officially enter its peak from the second day of competition.

The Osaka Open kicked off with a bang, with the main event becoming the next focus.

From attracting 476 participants to the three flights of Mystery Bounty to quickly filling up the 50 seats at the Osaka High Roller Opener, APL X P1 OSAKA 2026 II has already demonstrated significant enthusiasm for participation on its opening day.

Soo Hak Eo defeated Kim Tae-hwan in an all-Korean poker battle to win the series' first Korean title; Liu Tianyou also secured a trophy for the Chinese team at Late Night Madness I.

Next, the 86 Mystery Bounty finishers will compete for the ¥5 million guaranteed title, while the ¥35 million guaranteed OSAKA Main Event will also officially begin. With the Main Event and High Roller events running concurrently, the competition at the Osaka poker tables will intensify further.

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