He loves his ‘Lady Gagas’ and when he wins a big pot, it’s still “Touchdown Tom Brady” time.
He’ll slap his own wrist when he gets caught bluffing and tell you, “I gamble too much,” but when he gets one through on you, it’s because of ‘Tony the Tiger!’
Tony ‘Ren’ Lin has become one of the most recognizable and successful players in the world, crushing the high-stakes tournament scene to the tune of over $20M in Hendon Mob-recorded earnings.
The Chinese-born star, who splits time between Fujian in his home country and Las Vegas, is back on this side of the world playing the Asian Poker Tour series here at Paradise City in Incheon, South Korea.
With his vibrant, playful personality both on and off the tables, he’s a star in demand by fans here as well, taking time away from the tables to chat and pose for pictures.
As he looks to add to his collection of APT Lion trophies – having won two earlier this year at the APT Jeju Classic for a combined $593,246 – he took some time away from his schedule of High Rollers and the Incheon Main Event to chat with us about his newfound love for the APT, and why players on the other side of the globe should join him here for some APT action.
All love for the APT
How are APT events different from tournaments that you play in the United States?
APT tournaments generally start and end earlier, and the buy-ins are lower and more affordable.
Since I mostly play high-stakes events in the US, which normally start and finish late, I might be more suited to the pace of US high-stakes tournaments because I'm a night owl. I stay up late and wake up late.
What I like most about APT is their big lion trophies, especially the golden-colored lion trophy for their main event, which is the trophy I want to win the most right now.
How is the competition different from American players?
The biggest difference between tournaments in Asia and those in the US is that Asian players tend to play more aggressively. The tables are livelier; they're more willing to chase draws and take gambles, and their fundamentals are still a bit weaker compared to US players. However, that gap has now become very narrow.
After winning two APT events earlier this year, did you decide to play more APTs?
Most of my family is in China, especially my mom, and I want to have more time to spend with her. So apart from the summer WSOP series in Las Vegas, I spend most of my time in Asia. That's why I'll join APT events as often as my schedule allows.
Have you talked to American players about coming to play APT events?
That's certainly something I'll bring up. However, since I play mainly high-stakes tournaments in the US, most of the players I'm familiar with are also high-stakes regulars.
I'd really like to see APT offer more events with $10K or higher buy-ins that would make it a lot more appealing to American and European players, especially considering the long travel distance and the significant cost of flights and accommodations.
Why should American players come to play APTs?
The APT trophies, the unique tournament atmosphere in Asia, the incredible local cuisine, and the breathtaking scenery – all of these make it more than worth it for American players to travel here and immerse themselves in a whole new culture and experience.
Will you be at the $5,000,000 guaranteed APT Championship in Taipei in November?
I tend to be spontaneous with my schedule, so I haven't decided on November yet. I rarely plan that far in advance.
That said, I'll probably end up going, because I won both the $10K and $25K APT events in January, and each champion got a seat to the APT Main Event in November. And I actually have two tickets. It feels like I have to go!
Another lion on the way?
While a third APT win hasn't yet been in the cards for him so far in Incheon, he did finish 6th of 184 entries in the $2K High Roller on Thursday for just over $17K in his third career cash on the tour.
The biggest buy-in of the series, the $25K Superstar Challenge still lies ahead on Friday, providing another chance for Lin to add a third lion to his young pride of APT trophies.
APT Incheon runs to August 16, with the tour returning to Korea next month for APT Jeju. Visit our dedicated APT news section for more from Incheon and across the tour.
Additional images courtesy of the APT.
