The Final 8 of the Asian Poker Tour Philippines 2016 II Main Event was decided few hours ago at Resorts World Mania in Newport City, Philippines. The Main Event has been running for four days seeing a total of 114 entries. The prize pool amounted to US$221,200 with first place scoring a sweet US$56,600. Let’s take a look at who the finalists are, a bit of their background, and how they got to the Final 8.
Shinichiro Tone – Japan – 2,105,000 chips
There were two players from Japan who made it into the Final 8, one of them was Shinichiro Tone who is the massive chip leader with 2,105,000 chips. This is Tone’s first APT Main Event final table. Tone entered the APT scene a few months ago and even claimed a trophy at one of the side events. Tone earned his way into the Final 8 taking down a few big pots including the elimination of two players, UK’s Ben Martin and Filipino Edwin Marzan.
Aso Seitaro – Japan – 976,000 chips
Also hailing from Japan is Aso Seitaro who sits in the second spot with 976,000 chips. Seitaro amassed his stack in a couple of key hands, one of which was a risky call on a gut shot draw. Seitaro also eliminated one player at Day 3 to help boost his stack.
Annie Bordallo – Guam – 900,000 chips
Guam’s Annie Bordallo enters third-in-chips with a 900,000 stack. Bordallo was the massive chip leader coming into Day 3 and denied three players a spot in the Final 8. As a recreational player, Bordallo has participated in several APT events, but this is the deepest she has gone at an APT Main Event. Bordallo was also the bane of many players in Day 3 including Vietnam’s William Kang who she eliminated as the bubble boy.
Linh Tran – Canada – 686,000 chips
The most experienced and decorated player in the Final 8 is this man right here, Vietnam ’s Linh Tran. Tran takes the fourth spot in the chip rung with 686,000. Tran has been having a fantastic run at the Main Event closing out Day 1 flights as the overall leader then finished Day 2 second in command. Tran has many titles under his belt including an APT Main Event championship title that he won last year in Cambodia. Tran is also ranked first in the Vietnam all-time money list.
Lim Yohwan – Korea – 427,000 chips
Korea’s Lim Yohwan is in fifth position with 427,000 chips. This is Yohwan’s first APT Main Event final table berth. Before coming into the poker scene over 2 years ago, Yohwan was a champion video gamer who found thrill in poker and has since never looked back. He won his first APT side event trophy early this year, the No Limit Hold’em Freezeout event. With all the fire and drive he comes in with, Yohwan is definitely due for his first championship title. In Day 3 he rose from a very short stack, climbing upwards while eliminating two players in his path.
Vikram Kumar – India – 362,000
India’s Vikram Kumar is next in line with 362,000 chips. Kumar won a seat to the APT Main Event via Spartan Poker satellite. He didn’t have much luck on Day 1a but returned for Day 1b and has brought his A game all the way to the final table. Kumar entered Day 3 with a very healthy stack but after losing several big pots, one of them to the chip leader Tone, he sits in sixth position entering the Final 8. Kumar is looking to win his first-ever Main Event title.
Kim Enriquez – Philippines – 137,000
Filipino player Kim Enriquez survived Day 3 with 137,000 chips and according to the reports, he seemed to have a hard time picking up chips with his most of his raises getting re-popped. Enriquez has gone deep in many events throughout his poker career and has two event titles on his shelf. His deepest run Main Event run was at the PokerStars Manila Megastack 3 last year in September. His deepest run at an APT Main Event was a 9th place finish. This will be his first APT Main Event final table showing and is the only player out of the four Filipinos who survived Day 3.
Ki Nam Kim – Korea – 94,000 chips
Coming from Korea is newcomer Ki Nam Kim who takes the last spot in the Final 8. Kim is a newcomer to the APT brought in by Team Korea. Although he is at the bottom of the chip rung, Kim is still a player to contend with having held his own throughout Day 3 despite swinging up and down. Getting this far is already a big accomplishment and getting to the finish line will certainly make his first experience at the APT a monumental one.
The Final 8 will resume at 130pm on Tuesday, July 25, 2016. We will have a winner’s story and a recap as soon as it concludes.
Payouts 9th-18th
9th Edwin Marzan – Philippines – US$6,700
10th Andrew Gaw – Philippines – US$5,800
11th Ben Martin – UK – US$5,400
12th Takayuki Iwamoto – Japan – US$5,400
13th Mike Takayama – Philippines – US$4,600
14th Kimura Jongyeol Lee – Korea – US$4,600
15th Steve Tegnelia – USA – US$4,600
16th Tomoyasu Arai – Japan – US$4,100
17th Justin Worth – Australia – US$4,100
18th Ji Woon Kim – Korea – US$4,100
Louis Hartwell
Graduated in Media Communication at the University of Lausanne, Louis Hartman is a co-founder of somuchpoker.com. He began his career in Cambodia as freelance journalist. In same time he was making his living by playing poker every night at that time. Intense learner, he read dozens of poker strategy books to improve his skills during many years. With a strong interest about poker "behind the scene" in Asia and his communication skills, Louis launched Somuchpoker in 2014.
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