[Live Coverage] APT- RWM Main Event Day 1 & 2

Zoom on the Cash Games

Cash Games are always busy during APT events. We have counted up to 15 tables running in the same time. Highest stakes played in No Limit Holdem are 100 Php / 200 Php  with an automatic straddle of 500 Php. In PLO, games have been played up to 100 Php / 200 Php

Ngoc from Hanoi skipped the Main Event to focus his energy on the Cash Games

Side events in briefs

No Limit Holdem 1 : Bede Connelly from Australia won the No Limit Holdem Side Event

Bede Connely won event number 7

Mixed game PLO / PLH : Sam Razavi 3rd, Archie Mariano (Philippines) 1st

Sam Razavi finally got a great benefit for his jogging session between the Mixed event and the Main Event.  He finished 3rd in the PLO/PLH Mixed event

Archie Mariano (Philippines) won today his first major tournament

 Day 1B Recap

Day 1B is over now.  With 289 registrations for Day 1A and day 1B,  the total number of entries for this event is slightly lower than expected. 72 players are qualified to day 2. Michael Mariakis (Australia) is the cheapleader. After showing great results in Macau where he won an APPTside one year ago, he will try to make his first score in Philippines. Martin Gonzales (Philippines) is 2nd  in chips followed by Azusa Maeda from Japan.

Day 1B cheapleader Michael Mariakis already won an APPT side event one year ago

 DAY 2

We are back for an other day of coverage at Resort Word Manila. 72 players will try today to get closer from the final table of the APT RWM Main Event. 

Tetsuya Tchuchikswa can smile : he busted in the first levels Feng Zhao

Ben Abrahams is out : his pocket nines didn't improve vs AA

One of the two women left in the field

Complicate spot preflop for Blonytair : After calling a calling a raise from the buton, he has to face a All-In squeeze from the Big Blind

Hagupit hurricane started to hit this morning Manila – No link found between this news and the hair cut of this player

Asuza Maeda is among the chipleaders. He started to play live tournament in Asia more than 4 years ago but he still chasing his first major title

Pocket Aces not good enough for Blonytair : after limp reraising preflop he ended up almost drawing dead on the flop vs  the flush of his opponent

Bad beats, big pots… there is always a good reason for a massage

Evan busted the Main Event in a brutal way but he is already back in action in a side event

Rearranging your chips after winning a big pot : maybe the best feeling when playing live poker

Day 1B cheapleader Michael Mariakis is still in 

Don't get confused with the apparences : The screensaver of her cellphone his a picture of her winning a tournament at the Metro Card Club

Sim Ba was still in before the dinner break

In The Money

Day 2 over and the 36 players left are in the money! Bubble boy is Martin Corpus (Philippines). Mike Takayama who was 2nd chips at the end of Day 1A is now chip leader. 

Day 2 chip counts here 

Side Events : APT is innovating

APT is successfully testing two new tournaments formats. After receiving great feedback following the first "Ante Only" event in September, a second edition is running right now and attracting a large number of entries. Several players who just made it to day 3 of the Main Event were even able to join since day 2 ended at 7PM, too. This format is pretty simple but changes the game dynamic completely. Instead of having a small and big blind then adding up antes after a couple of levels, you play with antes from the very first hand but without the usual blinds. In this No Limit Hold'em variation, the first player to speak on every street is the one on the left to the dealer button. What does it change in terms of strategy?  Stealing becomes more valuable from the first level and the absence of blinds change completely the preflop odds.

New formats = new trophies

Yesterday's new format was even more crazy with the very first "Deuces Wild" tournament. In this Hold'em variation, any Deuce (= 2) is a joker and can be used as any chosen card. It means that pocket twos are the nuts preflop and even postflop, unbeatable. The worst thing that can happen to your pair of deuces is a split pot.

Example: You have 22 on the button and raise.  The Big Blind calls with KQ and the Flop is JT9. So your opponent flops the nut straight. But in DeucesWild it doesnt help vs. a pair of 2's since 22 = KQ on this flop. If the board makes a flush possible, 22 makes automatically the nut flush and if the board pairs – let's say another 10 will come – your two deuces and the two tens fill up to quad tens. Since pocket deuces are pretty rare, each player will get dealt this specific hand every 221 hands.  Big preflop action usually involves hands with deuce each – 92 vs. 52 for example. Obviously the 2nd best hand in this game is A2, than K2, than Q2, … and you can have very interesting spots. For example: It's very good to hit your kicker on the board, since you automatically make trips (52 on a flop of 59K is 5559K). Besides this backup you want to hit straight or flush draws as well. So if you have a deuce – colours don't matter for the deuces – and a 9 of spades, and two spades are on the flop, you have a flush draw. If the flop is 78K you have what omaha players call a wrap draw, since any 5, 6, 10 or Jack will give you a straight on the turn. So flopping a three card straight with a deuce in your hand is a super strong draw. One last thing you should consider about the hand ranking : Five of a kind beats a royal flush.. 

We could add several addional examples to show you the interest of the game but the best way is for sure to try it with your friends in your next home game session or join the action next "Deuces Wild" event which will take place during next APT in Cebu. 
From player perspective, it's great to see organizer willing to take risks to make poker more interesting and fun even if it involves addional difficulties for the dealers. Great job !