APT Philippines 2022 III pays out over $1.4M; Moses Saquing, Paul Kiem, Mike Takayama among big winners

The Asian Poker Tour (APT) concluded its third installment in the Philippines, which featured a record-setting number of 41 events, drawing 2,893 entries, and a guaranteed prize pool that ballooned to over ₱81 Million. The series took place in the Grand Wing Casino, Newport World Resorts from November 15 to 27, 2022.

Among the highlights were major victories by Filipino / American Moses Saquing and USA’s Paul Kiem. For Saquing, he collected his career second major APT trophy this year after winning the Main Event, and Kiem won the Championships Event with a one-hand knockout blow at the heads-up stage of the final table. At the No Limit Hold’em, USA’s Matthew Holley eliminated every player at the final table to lift his first APT title. Closing out the series, WSOP bracelet holder Mike Takayama continued to showcase his skills on the felt en route to winning his third APT Player of the Series title.

Festival review

Overall prize pool: ₱81,074,900 (~$1,433,520)
Entries: 2,893 entries
Main Event prize pool: ₱23,280,000 (~$ 411,623)
Main Event champion: Moses Saquing
Championships Event prize pool: ₱17,169,000 (~$303,572)
Championships Event winner: Paul Kiem
Most titles: Mike Takayama

Player of the Series: MIKE TAKAYAMA

We kick off the headlines with WSOP bracelet winner Mike Takayama who took down an incredible four events and cashed at another four to more than deserve the Player of the Series title. Takayama became the first player in APT history to win three of these distinguished titles. Listed are his winning achievements at the series.

Event #36: High Rollers – ₱1,708,000 (~$30,200)
Event #16: Hyper Single Day High Roller – ₱671,300 (~$11,870)
Event #30: High Rollers 6-Max Hyper Turbo – ₱287,500 (~$4,925)
Event #8: High Rollers Single Day – ₱366,700 (~$6,485)

4,915,000 (~$86,900)

The Main Event attracted 480 entrants for a prize pool of ₱23,280,000 (~$ 411,623). Filipino / American Moses Saquing added to his trophy collection to claim the ₱4,915,000 top prize. This was Saquing’s career best score and second major APT title. Last May, he won the APT Philippines I Championships Event. He now has over $200K in THM tracked live earnings.

Entering the final table as the chip leader, Saquing made good use of his stack advantage by eliminating out two players before facing up decorated Filipino pro / 2019 APT Philippines Main Event winner Christopher “Big Time” Mateo at heads up. Saquing held a near 4-1 chip lead but Mateo was not one to simply fold. The match drew to a close when Mateo made an ill-fated hero call with middle pair against Saquing’s top 2 pair.

Despite falling short, Mateo is probably in no danger of losing his moniker after taking ₱3,276,900 (~$57,940) for his 2nd place finish.

4,196,300 (~$ 74,195)

Paul Kiem of the United States won the Championships Event in stunning fashion, making short work of his heads-up opponent William Teoh of Malaysia. It only took one hand at the heads-up level for Kiem to bag his largest score to date at ₱4,196,300.

The silver finish must be déjà vu for the Malaysian as he also finished second in the Championships Event of the APT last September, behind David Erquiaga who only needed two shuffles to fell Teoh in their duel. On the other hand, the runner-up prize money of ₱2,797,700 (~$49,465) must be more than enough consolation for Teoh.

Matthew Holley sweeps the No Limit Hold’em final table

While Kiem’s quick handiwork is one for the record books, it might pale in comparison to what Matthew Holley accomplished in Event #24, a 2-day No-Limit Hold’em event. In fact, if someone were to create a dictionary of poker jargon, “sun-running” should have Holley’s photograph next to it as he managed to send to the rails each of his seven competitors at the final table in every which way possible. The complete domination netted him a cool ₱431,900 (~$7,635) purse.

Buy in: ₱20,000
Entries: 82
Prize pool: ₱1,590,800
ITM: 14 places

Truly, the series yielded some of the most memorable performances in recent history.

Below is a rundown of the biggest side event winners of the series.

Event #20: High Rollers

Buy in: ₱100,000 (~$1,768)
Entries: 43
Prize pool: ₱4,171,000 (~$73,750)
ITM: 8 places
Winner: HUEN KA YIN – Hong Kong – PhP1,308,900 (~$23,143)

Event #37: Monster Stack

Buy in: ₱25,000 (~$442)
Entries: 168
Prize pool: ₱4,191,700 (~$74,115)
ITM: 28 places
Winner: CZAR IAN MARCOS – Philippines – ₱932,700 (~$16,490)

Event #17: No Limit Hold’em

Buy in: ₱20,000 (~$355)
Entries: 89
Prize pool: ₱1,726,600 (~$30,530)
ITM: 15 places
Winner: BAIMENDINOV ALIBEK – Kazakhstan – ₱461,200 (~$8,155)

Event #1: Mystery Bounty

Buy in: ₱15,000 (~$265)
Entries: 301
Prize pool: ₱2,874,500 (~$50,825)
ITM: 31 places
Winner: JOSEROY JEREMIAS – Philippines – ₱407,600 (~$7,206)

Event #4: Head Hunter

Buy in: ₱20,000 (~$354)
Entries: 94
Prize pool: ₱1,353,600 (~$23,935)
ITM: 16 places
Winner: BUDAI DZIMITRY – Belarus – ₱355,800 (~$6,290)

Event #10: Super Deep Stack Turbo

Buy in: ₱15,000
Entries: 74
Prize pool: ₱1,076,700
ITM: 13
Winner: NOEL LLAMEDO – Philippines – ₱298,100 (~$5,270)

Event #13: No Limit Hold’em Single Day

Buy in: ₱15,000 (~$265)
Entries: 91
Prize pool: ₱1,324,000 (~$23,410)
ITM: 16 places
Winner: HAL ROTHHOLZ – USA – ₱348,200 (~$6,155)

Event #21: No Limit Hold’em Single Day

Buy in: ₱15,000
Entries: 100
Prize pool: ₱1,455,000
ITM: 17 places
Winner: CHRISTOPHER CONSTANZO – Australia – ₱270,000 (~$4,774)

Event #23: High Rollers 6-Max Hyper Turbo

Buy in: ₱40,000
Entries: 20
Prize pool: ₱776,000
ITM: 4
Winner: KURAKAMI DAISUKE – Japan – ₱379,600 (~$6,711)

Event #25: High Rollers Single Day

Buy in: ₱70,000
Entries: 19
Prize pool: ₱1,290,100
ITM: 4 places
Winner: JAYDEN ZALAC – Australia – ₱631,000 (~$11,157)

Event #26: High Rollers 6-Max Hyper Turbo

Buy in: ₱40,000
Entries: 21
Prize pool: ₱814,800
ITM: 4 places
Winner: LESTER EDOC – Philippines – ₱398,600 (~$7,047)

Event #27: No Limit Hold’em Single Day

Buy in: ₱15,000
Entries: 78
Prize pool: ₱1,134,900
ITM: 13 places
Winner: OKUDA AKITOSHI – Japan – ₱314,500 (~$5,560)

Event #34: Deep Stack Turbo

Buy in: ₱9,000 (~$160)
Entries: 74
Prize pool: ₱646,000 (~$11,420)
ITM: 13 places
Winner: SANEHIRA YOSUKE – Japan – ₱179,100 (~$3,165)

One more chance: APT Da Nang Vietnam VSOP 2022

As the winners bask in victory and the not-so-fortunate ones recompose themselves, the promise of another chance and another run looms near indeed. APT goes to Da Nang Vietnam from December 8 to 18, 2022 at the Risemount Premier Resort.

One more chance before the close of 2022!

*Article by Aris Aquino

*All photo from the Asian Poker Tour event gallery