APL Road Series Vol.1 – Schedule – Day 3 Recap – Live Updates – Full Coverage
5:45pm: Lester Edoc wins the Main Event!
Level 29: Blinds 40K- 80K ante 10000
Lester Edoc is the APL Road Series Main Event champion! He knocked out the last player in his way, Harold McDonald, to capture the Php1,478,800 first place cash and the bragging rights championship title!
The final hand of the Main Event saw McDonald raise to 250k and Edoc call from the big blind. At the flop 
, Edoc led for 300k, McDonald tanked then moved all in. Edoc snap-called and turned over his 
full house. McDonald had 
two pair. The turn 
and river 
ended the tournament. Congratulations to Lester Edoc!
McDonald earned Php1,037,400 for his 2nd place finish. We will have a recap for you so stay tuned for that write up.
5:35pm: Harold McDonald lands another double up
Harold McDonald
Level 30: Blinds 50K – 100K ante 10000
Lester Edoc may have a massive stack but he is having difficulty putting away Harold McDonald. After grinding him down McDonald returned with a double up. The hand kicked off with Edoc limping in and McDonald checking on the big blind. The flop came 
. McDonald checked then called Edoc’s 125k bet. On the 
turn, McDonald checked, Edoc bet 350k which was answered with a shove. Edoc called. McDonald held 
two pair ahead of Edoc’s 
. The river improved McDonald further to a full house.
McDonald proceeded to win another pot to and climbed over 2M.
5:20pm: Lester Edoc grinding down Harold McDonald
Level 29: Blinds 40K- 80K ante 10000
Despite the extra chips Harold McDonald has gained, he is still falling fast with Lester Edoc grinding him down with numerous raises and bets. Here were a few of those winning hands..
Edoc raised to 165k and McDonald called. On the flop 
, Edoc bet 125k and won the pot. Another pot saw McDonald raise to 165k, Edoc three-bet an additional 975k and won it. Shortly after, McDonald raised to 180k, Edoc called, and the flop landed 
. The board felted , Edoc checked, McDonald bet 160k, and was called. On the 
turn it was checked by both but on the river, Edoc fired out 200k and won it.
5:10pm: Harold McDonald doubles up!
Level 29: Blinds 40K- 80K ante 10000
Harold McDonald has chipped up and we’ve got a game! Prior to his double up, he won the first pot of the heads up round. It started with Edoc limping in on the button and McDonald checking on the big blind. The flop 
McDonald check-called a 100k bet. The turn had both players checking; then on the 
river, McDonald bet 115k and won it with no challenge from Edoc.
A few hands after came the big double up. Edoc raised to 175k, McDonald jammed, and Edoc called. McDonald had and Edoc with 
. The board ran 
. McDonald climbed to 2M.
5pm: Heads up between Lester Edoc and Harold McDonald
Level 29: Blinds 40K- 80K ante 10000
We are now heads up between Lester Edoc and Harold McDonald! Edoc leads with a massive stack of 6M while McDonald has 900k.
5pm: Guak Do Gyeong eliminated in 3rd place – Php667,300
Level 29: Blinds 40K- 80K ante 10000
Guak Do Gyeong moved all with
and Lester Edoc called him with . The board ran 
. Guak had an impressive run at the Main Event topping the starting days chip count, finishing within the top five entering Day 3, and running third in chips earlier today. He earned Php667,300 for his impressive run.
4:55pm: Lester Edoc dominating; McDonald and Guak below a million
Level 29: Blinds 40K- 80K ante 10000
Lester Edoc has over 70 percent of the chips in play with over 5M while both of his opponents have dropped below a million each. While most of the pots didn’t see a board, one of them did and it paid him well. From the sb seat Guak Do Gyeong limped in and Edoc checked from the big blind. At the flop 
, Guak bet 85k and was called. On the 
turn, Guak bet 160k, and Edoc called. On the river , Guak checked, Edoc bet 275k, and won Guak called. Edoc opened 
for a full house. Guak mucked and paid up.
4:45pm: Guak Do Gyeong overtakes Harold McDonald
Level 28: Blinds 30K – 60K ante 10000
With blinds quite high, pots are heftier and bets are costlier. For the last Korean at the table, Guak Do Gyeong, he’s been quite active, raising numerous times preflop. At one of those moments, we got to see a flop 
. Guak bet 195k and won it. He is now up to 1.7M while McDonald dropped to 1.2M. Edoc leads with 4M.
4:30pm: Bell John Perez eliminated in 4th place – Php493,900
Level 28: Blinds 30K – 60K ante 10000
BJ Perez has just exited the Main Event. He was all in with 
which ran smack into Lester Edoc’s . The board ran out 
. Perez earned Php493,900 for his deep finish at the Main Event. This is his highest live tournament earning and deepest finish in a major international event.
Edoc now has around 4.1M in chips. We are down to 3 players, average stack at 2.3M.
4:20pm: Guak Do Gyeong doubles up through BJ Perez
Level 28: Blinds 30K – 60K ante 10000
A big pot finally went down with Guak Do Gyeong shipping in a double up. The hand kicked off with a 175k by Guak and called by BJ Perez. At the flop 
, Guak bet but before a count was done, Perez shoved and Guak snap-called. Perez was ahead 
while Guak had 
flush draw. The turn was safe for Perez but with the 
river, Guak overtook and doubled up to 1.5M. Perez dropped to 870K.
4:15pm: Lester Edoc pulling away, up to 2.8M
Level 28: Blinds 30K – 60K ante 10000
Lester Edoc has just won three pots at the start of the new round to bring him up to 2.8M. On one hand he raised to 155k and found two players to join to the flop 
. Everyone checked and the turn camed . Edoc bet 175k and won it with no callers.
Edoc took down the next one, first limping in on the small blind. The flop saw him lead out for 65k and big blind Harold McDonald folded. Two hands after, he raised on the utg and won the blinds and antes.
3:50pm: Break time chip count update
Players are on a quick break. 4 remaining.
Lester Edoc 2,395,000
Harold McDonald 2,040,000
Bell John Perez 1,330,000
Guak Do Gyeong 1,135,000
Average: 1,725,000 – Total chip in play: 6,900,000
3:45pm: Lester Edoc with the slight lead…
Level 27: Blinds 25K – 50K ante 5000
Harold McDonald has just been dethroned by Lester Edoc. The former raised to 125k and got action from sb BJ Perez and bb Lester Edoc. At the flop , they all checked it and the turn landed . Perez checked again, Edoc bet 135k, and only McDonald matched it up. On the river, Edoc bet 225k, and as we’ve seen before, McDonald tanked. He eventually called showing his 4-5 two pair that was behind Edoc’s straight.
McDonald dropped to 2.1M
3:30pm: No challengers for Lester Edoc
Level 27: Blinds 25K – 50K ante 5000
Lots of pots being won preflop with uncalled raises doing the job. One of those pots was a bit meatier. Harold McDonald raised to 125k, Guak Do Gyeong called, Lester Edoc three-bet to 350k, and won it with no callers.
3:20pm: Action slows down….
Level 27: Blinds 25K – 50K ante 5000
Since the fall of Cho Hyung Woon action has slowed down with players raising but finding no callers. Harold McDonald leads with nearly 3M in chips. The total chips in play is 6.9M.
3:10pm: Cho Hyung Woon railed in 5th place – Php370,800
Level 27: Blinds 25K – 50K ante 5000
Cho Hyung Woon celebrated a double up through the chip leader Harold McDonald with his 
improving to a set on the board against 
. Two hands later though, McDonald took it all back. Woon was all in with and McDonald with . The board ran 
. Woon earned Php370,800 for his deep finish at the Main Event.
We are down to 4 players.
3:00pm: Action continues between: Perez and McDonald
Level 26: Blinds 20K – 40K ante 5000
With 5 players remaining, most of the action seems to be between BJ Perez and Harold McDonald. On one hand, Perez limped in from cutoff and McDonald checked. At the flop , both checked and the turn came 
. McDonald checked, Perez bet 95k, McDonald called. On the river , McDonald checked again, Perez bet 250k, and won it with McDonald folding while showing his 9-5.
One orbit later, the next war between them saw Perez raise to 90k and McDonald call on the big blind. No bets came until the river board 
with Perez laying out 150k. McDonald tanked for a bit then finally slid out the call. It was a good one. McDonald won with 
pair exposing Perez’s 
bluff.
2:50pm: Guak Do Gyeong takes from BJ Perez
Level 26: Blinds 20K – 40K ante 5000
On a raised pot preflop, sb Guak Do Gyeong led for 130k and bb BJ Perez called. On the turn, Guak moved all in for 515k and won it Perez surrendering his hand.
2:40pm: BJ Perez versus Harold McDonald
Level 26: Blinds 20K – 40K ante 5000
Big stacks Bell John “BJ” Perez and Harold McDonald went head-to-head with the pot ballooning to over 300k. Action kicked off with utg Perez raising to 85k called by button McDonald. At the flop 
, and turn , no bets arrived however on the river, Perez fired a 200k bet sending McDonald to the tank. It took a minute or so for McDonald to decide, even asking Perez if he would show, the answer was no. McDonald called with his but had to pay the bet with Perez turning over . Perez now at 1.9M.
2:20pm: Mike Takayama crushed in 6th place – Php296,500
Level 25: Blinds 15K – 30K ante 5000
Mike Takayama has been sitting on a short stack well below average since the start of the day and found several opportunities to bring it up to however it all came crashing down against the chip leader Harold McDonald.
The hand began with a limp by BJ Perez followed by McDonald on the sb seat, and Takayama checking on the big blind. At the flop 
, no bets landed. On the turn, McDonald slid out at 75k bet and only Takayama called. The river had McDonald bet again, this time laying out 110k. Takayama shoved and it was snap-called by the leader. Takayama turned over nut flush but it was no good against McDonald’s full house. Takayama earned Php296,500 for his deep run at the Main Event.
2:10pm: John Tech exits in 7th place – Php246,300
Level 25: Blinds 15K – 30K ante 5000
One of the Philippines leading pros has just fallen out of the running with John Tech eliminated by Bell John “BJ” Perez. Tech moved all in with and was called by Perez with . The board ran . Perez added another 370k to his stack and sits with around 1.8M. Tech earned Php246,300 for his deep run at the Main Event.
1:55pm: Harold McDonald continues to rise
Level 25: Blinds 15K – 30K ante 5000
The chip leader Harold McDonald claimed the first sizable pot of the new level. He raised from the utg seat to 60k and got called by Cho Hyung Woon on the big blind. At the flop , Woon checked, McDonald bet 85k, Woon raised to 200k, and was answered by a shove from the leader. Woon folded. McDonald now over 2.3M.
1:35pm: First break chip update
We are down to 7 players at the Main Event. Here are the chip counts:
Guak Do Gyeong 970K
BJ Perez 1.365M
Lester Edoc 1.090M
Cho Hyung Woon 660K
Harold McDonald 2.085M (chip leader)
Mike Takayama 270K
John Tech 440K
Average stack: 985,714
1:25pm: Choi Jae Young falls in 8th place – Php197,400
Level 24: Blinds 12K – 24K ante 4000
After losing chips to the leader, Lester Edoc quickly made it back by railing Choi Jae Young in 8th place. Choi moved all in for 241k from the utg seat and Edoc looked him up down the orbit. Choi had 
and needed to hit against Edoc’s . The board however threw blanks running . Choi earned Php197,400 for his deep finish here at the Main Event.
1:20pm: Lester Edoc wins one, but loses more to Harold McDonald
Level 24: Blinds 12K – 24K ante 4000
Lester Edoc got involved in two pots that cost him a bit more on the loss to Harold McDonald. The first one was against John Tech who raised to 51k. Edoc defended on his big blind. At the flop , both checked and the turn felted . Edoc led for 40k, Tech flat-called. On the river both checked and Edoc won with over Tech’s pocket kings.
Two hands after, Edoc raised to 60k from the button and McDonald defended on the big blind. At the flop , no bets were fired. On the turn, McDonald bet 68k, Edoc raised to 148k, McDonald called. On the river, no bets again and McDonald won with flush.
1:10pm; Joseph Sia falls in 9th place – Php147,900
Level 24: Blinds 12K – 24K ante 4000
The second hand of the final table saw the immediate fall of Joseph Sia. With action folding all the way to the blinds, he shoved and BJ Perez on the big blind called. Sia had , Perez with 
, and the board ran . Sia earned Php147,900 for his deep finish.
1:05pm: BJ Perez draws first blood
Level 24: Blinds 12K – 24K ante 4000
The first pot of the final table went to Bell John Perez, the day’s entering second in command. He raised 55k from the utg seat and was called by big blind Guak Do Gyeong. At the flop , Perez continued with a 50k bet and Guak check-called. On the turn, Perez bet 110k and won it with Guak folding up.
1pm: Race to the title begins!
Cards are now flying at the APL Road Series Vol.1 Philippines in Clark Freeport, Pampanga with the Final 9 players back at the Main Event felt. This inaugural festival has been ongoing since February 24th and will wrap up later today with the crowning of the first APL champion in the country along with the awarding of the last remaining side events. While we eagerly await the emergence of the champion, here’s the lowdown on the tournament.
The Main Event drew in 276 entries and with a buyin of Php27,500 each, the 5M guarantee was easily smashed bringing the prize pool up to a lucrative P6,693,000 (~US$128,400). Earning slices of that pie were 36 players with 27 of them paid last night.
Today, the Final 9 players battle it out for the largest cut, the Php1,478,700 (~US$28,300), along with the first title bragging rights. Play resumed at Level 24 with the clock counting down from 30:39. Blinds are 12K-24K ante 4000 with increases every 40 minutes. Total chips in play is 6,900,000 and the average stack is 766,666.
Here are the Final 9 contenders…
Final 9 players (by chip count)
Harold McDonald – USA – 1,894,000
Bell John Perez – Philippines – 1,098,000
Guak Do Gyeong – Korea – 981,000
Lester Edoc – Philippines – 894,000
Cho Hyung Woon – Korea – 719,000
John Tech – Philippines – 591,000
Choi Jae Young – Korea – 269,000
Mike Takayama – Philippines – 241,000
Joseph Sia – Philippines – 215,000
To know more about the Final 9, just click on the link below. You can also read up on the previous day’s action that earned them a spot at the final table via the link provided.
More: Asia Poker League Road Series: Final Table presentation
Remaining payouts
1st – PhP1,478,700
2nd – Php1,037,400
3rd – Php667,300
4th – Php493,900
5th – Php370,800
6th – Php296,500
7th – Php246,300
8th – Php197,400
9th – Php147,900
Yoon Kyosung wins the NLH Freezeout
The NLH Freezeout side event concluded last night with Korea’s Yoon Kyosung outlasting the 60 player field. Yoon defeated Canada’s Eric Wasylenko at the heads up round to lift another trophy for the country. We will have a recap for you on that event later today.
NLH Freezeout payouts
Prize pool: Php465,600 – Buyin: Php8,800
1st Yoon Kyosung – Korea – Php144,500
2nd Eric Wasylenko – Canada – Php102,400
3rd Luke Pangan – Philippines – Php69,800
4th Yoo Ho Seung – Korea – Php51,200
5th Lloyd Fontillas – USA – Php37,200
6th Jon Jon Lumanlan – Philippines – Php32,600
7th Rugal Advani – Indian – India – Php27,900
Closing Day events
The two-day Deep Stack event will see the final 8 players back at the felt at 2pm. An hour later, at 3pm, the last side event will be underway, the 6 Max tournament. Buyin is Php8,800. Players begin with a 10,000 starting stack, blinds at 25-50 with increases every 30 minutes. Registration stays open until the start of round 7.
More: APL Road Series- Full Coverage
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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