APPT Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2023 APPT Manila
APPT Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2023 APPT Manila
Prize Pool
76,832,730 PHP
Entries
1,354
Level
36
Blinds
250,000 / 500,000
Ante
500,000
Entries
395
Players Left
91
Kaminski Tops Day 1a in Manila; Ward and Shih With Decent Stacks
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
The return of the PokerStars Asia-Pacific Poker Tour to the capital of the Philippines after a one-year hiatus can most certainly considered a success story. Several shard trophies have already been awarded since July 27, 2023, but all eyes were set on the crown jewel of the series.
The 2023 APPT Manila PHP65,000 Main Event is off to a very successful start thanks to 395 total entries in the first of the three flights, which has ensured that the PHP 20 million guarantee for the flagship tournament in the Coral Room at Okada Manila has already been surpassed.
So far, a prize pool of PHP22,414,275 has emerged but this figure will certainly be surpassed significantly with two starting days to come. One year ago, the same event gathered 801 entries and generated a prize pool of PHP 45,452,745, of which nearly half has already been reached.
Fewer than one-quarter of the field in the opening flight made it through as 91 players bagged up for the night. Canada's Oleg Kaminski topped the overnight leaderboard by some margin after he turned his 30,000 starting stack into 426,000, whereas Iargo Sebastian Guimaraes finished in second place with 340,500. A trio of players then follows within one big blind, including Hyeonho Shin (324,000), Lok Ching Li (323,000) and Jungsup Yun (322,000).
Noel Llamedo is the only local player to reach the top ten, and his 312,500 are good enough for sixth place, while the APPT veteran Thomas Ward from New Zealand advanced with a very healthy 284,500.
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oleg Kaminski | Canada | 426,000 | 142 |
| 2 | Iargo Guimaraes | Brazil | 340,500 | 114 |
| 3 | Hyeonho Shin | South Korea | 324,000 | 108 |
| 4 | Lok Ching Li | Australia | 323,000 | 108 |
| 5 | Jungsup Yun | South Korea | 322,000 | 107 |
| 6 | Noel Llamedo | Philippines | 312,500 | 104 |
| 7 | Kevin Clemot | France | 296,000 | 99 |
| 8 | Thomas Ward | New Zealand | 284,500 | 95 |
| 9 | Koichi Nozaki | Japan | 277,000 | 92 |
| 10 | Ilia Drobin | Russia | 276,500 | 92 |
French poker pro Nicolas Cardyn, who now calls the nearby Philippine island of Siargao his home, advanced with an above-average stack of 199,000. Further notables to advance included Event #9 winner Dingxiang Ong (179,500), Kitson Kho (150,500), Jenam Yu (149,000), Andy Li (112,500), and Hon Cheong Lee (89,500).
Many other big names of the Asia-Pacific poker scene came up short of securing a stack for Day 2 in the first of three flights such as John Tech, Florencio Campomanes, Jinlong Hu, Mike Takayama, Calvin Tan, the PokerStars Poker Players Championship finalists Marc Rivera and Max Menzel, Ting-Yi Tsai, Lester Edoc, as well as Hal Rotholz to name all but a few. They have another two chances to take a shot at the juicy prize pool here in Manila.
Both remaining starting days will occur on Friday, August 4, 2023. Day 1b gets underway at 1 p.m. local time and will feature a level duration of 40 minutes each. The turbo heat 1c will follow as of 8 p.m. local time, with the level duration cut in half. Both flights are set to complete a total of 13 levels each and the survivors will advance to Day 2 where they join the 91 contenders who made it through so far.
Each starting day allows for a single reentry, and once players bagged up chips, they can no longer join any of the flights thereafter, as only the first successful attempt counts. A bumper field is expected for Day 1b, on which the PokerNews live reporting team will focus. Chip counts of Day 1c and the seat draw for Day 2 will be provided as soon as the local staff has provided it.
Stay tuned on PokerNews as the live poker circuit in Asia continues to thrive in 2023.
End-of-Day 1a Chip Counts (full)
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
426,000
51,000
|
51,000 |
|
||
|
340,500
50,500
|
50,500 |
|
324,000
199,000
|
199,000 |
|
323,000
223,000
|
223,000 |
|
322,000
112,000
|
112,000 |
|
312,500
182,500
|
182,500 |
|
296,000
21,000
|
21,000 |
|
284,500
-500
|
-500 |
|
277,000
277,000
|
277,000 |
|
276,500
76,500
|
76,500 |
|
258,000
83,000
|
83,000 |
|
237,500
-62,500
|
-62,500 |
|
219,500
69,500
|
69,500 |
|
219,000
79,000
|
79,000 |
|
211,000
46,000
|
46,000 |
|
200,500
80,500
|
80,500 |
|
199,000
54,000
|
54,000 |
|
195,500
-44,500
|
-44,500 |
|
|
183,000
183,000
|
183,000 |
|
181,000
1,000
|
1,000 |
|
179,500
49,500
|
49,500 |
|
179,500
-40,500
|
-40,500 |
|
166,500
166,500
|
166,500 |
|
|
159,000
-11,000
|
-11,000 |
|
150,500
150,500
|
150,500 |
Day 1a Completed
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
An unofficial 91 players have bagged up their chips and locked up their seat for Day 2 while all those who bowed out today have another two starting stacks to achieve the same feat. Assorted counts are to follow, along with a recap of today's action.
Doi Eliminated by Kawamata
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Yukishige Doi pushed all-in for 52,500 and Akiro Kawamata opted to flat-call from two seats over. Lloyd Locsin rubbed his hands before checking the cards and joked "it's gotta be aces if you call" before he then folded.
Yukishige Doi: 9♥6♥
Akiro Kawamata: A♦10♦
A small rail gathered around the table and Doi asked for a six. However, the 10♣8♣2♦4♦2♥ board gave Kawamata tens up and Doi was done just before bagging.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
170,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
|
Busted |
Five More Hands for Day 1a
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
The field dropped to fewer than 100 hopefuls and the clock was stopped with 13 minutes left in the level. Five final hands were drawn and all those who bag up chips cannot enter any of the remaining two starting days.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
Mendoza Jams Up His Stack
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
On the 8♦4♦2♦3♥ turn, Kenzo Mendoza pushed all-in and his opponent from Japan went into the tank before they folded.
"Pick one," Mendoza offered and the K♠ was exposed.
"I didn't have diamonds, that's why I pushed the turn," Mendoza iterated while raking in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
160,000
130,000
|
130,000 |
|
40,000
-50,000
|
-50,000 |
Michl Eliminated by Tito
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Noel Llamedo limp-folded the 5♦5♣ to the all-ins of Joris Michl and Eugene Tito behind him.
Joris Michl: K♣8♣
Eugene Tito: J♠J♥
The pair stayed ahead on the 9♣8♦4♠Q♥4♦ board for Michl to bow out in the final level of the night.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
130,000
-10,000
|
-10,000 |
|
90,000
90,000
|
90,000 |
|
Busted |
Big Stacks Near the End o0n Day 1a
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
375,000
95,000
|
95,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
300,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
|
290,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
|
|
275,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
|
240,000
-40,000
|
-40,000 |
|
|
220,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
|
200,000
-90,000
|
-90,000 |
|
|
180,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
Ward Knocks Out Liao
Level 13
: Blinds 1,000/2,500, 2,500 ante
Po Hsiun Liao open-jammed 51,500 on the button and Thomas Ward called out of the small blind.
Po Hsiun Liao: A♦7♦
Thomas Ward: A♥K♠
The J♥9♠6♠K♣ turn left Liao drawing dead and that made the J♠ river a formality.
One hand later, Li Fang and Carmelo Tutay Jr got their near identical short stacks into the middle.
Li Fang: A♥8♠
Carmelo Tutay Jr: 6♠6♣
The flip went to Fang on a board of A♣Q♥2♠3♥7♠ and Tutay Jr's last 1,500 vanished shortly after.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
285,000
55,000
|
55,000 |
|
|
65,000
30,000
|
30,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted |