APPT Main Event

Christopher Mateo has done it! Coming into the final table as chip leader he maintained his big stack throughout then crushed Donghyup Kim at heads up to hoist the PokerStars shard trophy that he was denied back in 2023.

"I feel so good. I am so nervous and happy. This is so special to me because in 2023 I finished second in Manila and now I finally did it."

At six handed, Mateo admitted to switching to a tight strategy noticing everyone was overly active and aggressive. By four handed, he flipped the script, raking in more pots than he had all day. After Kim knocked out the remaining players, it was heads up with Mateo in the lead and never relinquished.

"Kim was aggressive but I was more aggressive. I knew how to play him. I grinded him down until he was short and I did it. I finally won the event."

Congratulations to Christopher Mateo for his incredible achievement!

Final Table Results

1st Christopher Mateo - Philippines - US$ 126,500

2nd Donghyup Kim - Korea - US$ 113,000

3rd Trong Hieu Ngo - Philippines - US$ 66,000

4th Nicola Spicher - Switzerland - US$ 55,600

5th David Erquiaga - Philippines - US$ 39,000

6th Abraham Ceesvin - Singapore - US$ 30,000

7th Sven McDermott - Ireland - US$ 23,000

8th Ziad Zebib - USA - US$ 17,700

9th Vaicheslav I - Russia - US$ 13,953

The third annual APPT Cambodia Main Event taking place at NagaWorld Integrated Resorts in Phnom Penh, ran from November 21 to 25, 2024 with 518 entries across three starting days. With each entry at US$ 1,650, the half a million USD guarantee was obliterated for a larger US$ 746,153 prize pool.

Returning today, the final 9 players were each guaranteed US$ 13,953. On just the second hand, Vaicheslav I was eliminated by Ziad Zebib on a flip however he Zebib wasn't able to hold on to the new found chips very long as he also fell on a flip to Christopher Mateo.

APPT Manila Championship winner Trong Hieu Ngo was nearly out when his Q♦ Q♥ bad beat Sven McDermott's K♣ K♠ with a Q♠ turning up on the river. McDermott was chunked to 1 bb and was soon out in 7th place.

At six-handed, chips shifted rapidly leading to the fall of Ceesvin Abraham on a bad beat by Kim. David Erquiaga followed in 5th place with Trong also coming from behind. Down to four players, Nicola Spicher could not keep up pace with the leaders and was drained out leaving the final three with heavy stacks behind.

At this stage, it was anyone's game with each one well-stacked and the average quite deep. That changed when Kim got the better of Trong, denying him a back-to-back title. Trong pushed into Kim's aces to finish in 3rd place.

The final two players quickly struck an ICM deal that ensured six figures to both. When play resumed, the tide shifted. Mateo's counter aggression outmatched Kim to steadily chip away at his stack. With the counts heavily in his favor, Mateo sealed the deal with a decisive top pair finish and well deserved victory.

Read up on the Final Day via the updates just below.

On Hand #200, the final hand of the APPT Cambodia Main Event was deal. Donghyup Kim open 300,000, Christopher Mateo calls to take the battle to the flop 2♦ 3♥ 9♣ . Kim c-bets 200,000, Mateo check-raises 800,000, Kim jams 2,200,000, and Mateo snap-calls.

Mateo flip open Q♣ 9♥ top pair, Kim has Q♥ J♦ , the turn 3♠ and river 7♠ are no help to Kim to finish in 2nd place.

Hand #194: Christopher Mateo opens for 250,000, Donghyup Kim three-bets 700,000, Mateo flats then they check it to the turn 3♠ J♦ 6♥ 5♣ . Kim leads out 400,000 and the call is made. On the river 3♦ , Kim resumes checking, Mateo test bets 600,000 and it's good enough to ship.

Hand #191: Donghyup Kim opens 300,000, Christopher Mateo calls for a flop A♣ J♠ T♥ . Kim c-bets 375,000 then bets 650,000 on the turn 2♦ . Mateo calls both. The river K♣ is checked slowing down the action. Kim wins it A♠ 4♦ top pair over Mateo's J♦ 5♣ mid pair.

Hand #187: Christopher Mateo continues to railroad Donghyup Kim winning nine consecutive pots. His lates saw him call Kim's 300,000 preflop raise then call a 1,000,000 flop bet on a board 8♣ A♦ 7♠ . The turn 3♠ and river 5♣ are checked. Mateo rakes it in with 6♦ 7♦ pair.

Hand #181: Christopher Mateo opens 250,000 then fires 360,000 on the flop 6♣ T♠ 8♦ and 450,000 on the turn A♦ . Kim doesn't continue to the river.

Hand #182: Christopher Mateo opens 275,000 and after the call is made, they check it down 3♠ 3♦ 6♠ 9♣ 9♠ . Mateo's K♥ 5♠ wins the pot over 5♥ 4♣ .

Hand #183: After Donghyup Kim's limp, Christopher Mateo raises 300,000, Kim folds.

Hand #184: On a limped pot and a board 5♦ 5♠ T♥ Q♠ , Christopher Mateo bet 200,000 and wins the pot.

Hand #185: Facing a 250,000 raise, Christopher Mateo three-bets 800,000 and wins the pot.

Hand #170: Donghyup Kim raises 250,000 gets popped to 700,000, Kim calls. At the flop Q♣ 7♣ 8♠ , Mateo sends out 350,000, Kim raises 1,000,000 and it's good enough to claim over a million from the leader.

Hand #171: Christopher Mateo opens and takes down the pot.

Hand #172: Donghyup Kim opens and takes down the pot.

Hand #173: Donghyup Kim calls Christopher Mateo's 250,000 raise and then check-calls another 200,000 at the flop T♠ Q♥ J♥ . No bets land on the turn 9♠ . The river 3♣ sees Kim fire 500,000, gets the call again and wins the pot with Q♦ 8♥ straight.

Hand #174: Third consecutive pot for Donghyup Kim who raises 250,000, Christopher Mateo three-bets 700,000, Kim four-bets 1,500,000, Mateo gives up the fight.

Hand #156: Donghyup Kim opens 300,00 and wins the first hands of heads up.

Hand #157: Second pot goes to the leader Christopher Mateo with K♥ 8♣ on a board 7♥ 9♣ 6♦ 6♥ J♠ . Starting off as a limped pot, Mateo calls Kim's 175,000 turn bet. Though he missed the board, his King was still best.

Hand #158: Donghyup Kim opens 275,000 and gets no call.

Hand #159: Christopher Mateo raises 200,000, Donghyup Kim calls then folds to the 175,000 flop bet on a board K♣ 2♣ 2♠ .

Hand #160: Christopher Mateo claims another pot by first defending on the big blind. After the flop is checked, Mateo check-raises from 200,000 to make it 650,000. Kim folds.

Hand #161: Christopher Mateo continues to dominate, claiming another pot with follow up bet on the flop 4♣ 3♣ A♣ .

The finalists have reached an ICM deal and will play for the title and the PokerStars shard trophy.

Christopher Mateo - US$ 126,500

Donghyup Kim - US$ 113,000

The APPT Cambodia Main Event is down to two players, Christopher Mateo and Donghyup Kim. Both players are vying for the US$ 147,500 top prize and the PokerStars shard trophy. For the runner up is US$ 92,000.

It will be a long grind with average stack at 77 bb.

Hand #131: The charging Trong Hieu Ngo is stopped by Christopher Mateo by taking charge in this hand. Facing a 200,000 raise, Mateo three-bets 700,000, Trong flats for a big pot in the middle.

Flop runs 3♦ 4♥ K♠ , Mateo shoots a bet of 300,000 then another 700,000 on the turn 9♣ . Both are called by Trong then they play it safe on the river 7♠ . Mateo flips over K♣ T♠ top pair and collects the pot after Trong mucks.

Hand #132: Christopher Mateo bumps it up to 200,000 and again its him and Trong Hieu Ngo. At the flop K♠ K♣ K♦ , Mateo bets 180,000 and wins the pot uncontested.

Hand #133: Christopher Mateo raises again and is called by two players then they all check the flop 7♣ A♥ Q♣ . The turn 9♣ , it is checked to Mateo who bets 300,000, no takers.

Hand #126: After knocking out David Erquiaga, Trong Hieu Ngo continued to chip up winning multiple pots. The first one saw Trong raise 160,000 preflop then c-bet 130,000 on the flop T♦ K♦ J♠ to which Nicola Spicher folded.

Hand #130: Four hands later, from the button, Trong Hieu Ngo matched up Christopher Mateo's 200,00 raise then they checked the board 8♦ T♥ Q♠ . On the turn 2♠ , Mateo's follow up bet of 200,000 was called again for the river T♣ . Mateo holds back sending the option to Trong who bet 600,000. Mateo folded.

Hand #93-94: David Erquiaga is clawing his way out of danger after claiming two double ups back to back. First one sees him open shove his last 2 bb with Q♠ 8♠ and rivers the winner on a board 2♦ 4♣ 7♠ 5♦ Q♥ to overake Nicola Spichar's J♦ 7♣ pair on the flop.

Next hand Erquiaga shoves again with 2♦ 2♣ and is called by Christopher Mateo with K♥ Q♦ . Mateo misses the board 4♥ 5♥ 8♣ 3♦ 6♥ .

Hand #83: Trong Hieu Ngo defends his big blind by calling hijack Ceesvin Abraham's 150,000 raise. Both see a flop 7♥ Q♣ 2♦ . Abraham continues for 100,000 and takes it down easy.

Hand 84: Action packed preflop opens with Ceesvin raising 120,000, cutoff Nicola Spicher three-bets 250,000, big blind Donghyup Kim four-bets all in, only Spichar calls. Both players flip open K♣ Q♠ and K♦ Q♦ , and proceed to chop the pot on a board 2♥ J♣ 7♠ 5♣ T♣ .

Hand #85: Ceesvin Abraham gets a walk.

Hand #86: Christopher Mateo walks.

Hand #87: David Erquiaga open shoves and wins the blind and ante.

Hand #88: Nicola Spicher limps in from the small blind and big blind Christopher Mateo checks. The flop Q♦ 5♦ J♦ sees Spicher c-bets 125,000, gets called, then take it to the turn A♥ . Both players check it to see the river Q♣ . Mateo leads out 150,000, Spicher calls then mucks to Q♠ T♦ trips.

Hand #73: Nicola Spicher three-bets 400,000 and gets David Erquiaga to give it up.

Hand #74: Looking down at A♠ A♥ , Christopher Mateo raises 140,000 and gets some action from Trong Hieu Ngo. On the flop 8♠ Q♥ 3♠ , Mateo continues 100,000 and Trong matches it. Mateo takes a backseat on the turn 2♦ and checks, Trong takes his cue with a 400,000 bet. Mateo calls for a hefty pot in the middle. On the river 4♠ , check again from Mateo but this time, Trong doesn't take the bait. He checks back then mucks to the aces.

Hand #68: Christopher Mateo opens 125,000 from hijack, Trong Hieu Ngo re-raises 350,000, Mateo wants to see the flop and calls. Cards land 7♥ 4♣ 2♥ , Trong continues 200,000 and Mateo calls to keep him honest. On the turn 7♣ , both players check for a free river 4♥ . Mateo switches gears and leads out 575,000, Trong calls then mucks to the 9♥ 9♠ .

Hand #62: Donghyup Kim opens then gives it up to David Erquiaga's 800,000 reraise.

Hand #63: On a limped pot, small blind David Erquiaga tries to take it down with a 125,000 flop bet on a board K♦ 4♠ J♦ but with big blind Nicola Spicher raising 225,000, he gives up the challenge.

Hand #64: Limped pot, the board is checked to the river 6♣ 4♦ A♠ 7♦ 2♦ . Small blind Nicola Spicher bets 125,000 and gets no action to claim the pot.

Hand #65: Spicher wins another pot by raising preflop then c-betting 100,000 on a board K♣ 6♦ T♦ . Big blind defender Trong Hieu Ngo folds.

Hand #66: David Erquiaga doesn't get his 115,000 raise through with Trong Hieu Ngo shoving his massive stack. Erquiaga folds.

Hand #67: Another three-bet situation with Nicola Spichar raising 100,000 which is wasted on Christopher Mateo's 315,000 three-bet. Spichar dips below a million.

Hand #56: Christopher Mateo raises 125,000 and goes to the flop 3♣ 5♣ J♣ with big blind defender David Erquiaga. Mateo c-bets 100,000 and that's all it takes to win this one.

Hand #57: On a flop 6♣ T♦ 8♦ , Trong Hieu Ngo c-bets 125,000 and Donghyup Kim folds.

Hand #58: Action folds to the small blind Nicola Spicher who limps for a cheap look at the flop A♣ J♦ 6♥ with big blind Christopher Mateo checking. Spicher continues to charge with a 125,000 c-bet, and 225,000 on the turn 4♥ . Mateo calls both then they play it safe on the river J♠ with checks. Mateo shows A♥ 9♥ for the pot.

Hand #50: David Erquiaga defends the big blind by calling the flop then lead out on the flop 5♠ 6♥ 9♥ for 75,000 that Christopher Mateo opts not to challenge.

Hand #51: David Erquiaga attempts for another pot by raising 100,000 but is stopped by small blind Nicola Spicher with a 250,000 re-raise.

Hand #52: Christopher Mateo gets a walk.

Hand #53: Christopher Mateo uses his small blind position to have edge on the big blind Trong Hieu Ngo by raising preflop and c-betting 150,000 on 3♠ A♣ 2♥ . Trong defends then tests Mateo with a small 80,000 bet on the turn Q♦ . Mateo gives it up.

Hand #54: Christopher Mateo makes it 150,000 from the button and wins the blinds and ante.

Hand #55: From cutoff, Christopher Mateo continues to get involved by min-raising, get popped to 300,000 by button Trong Hieu Ngo, Mateo calls to buy an expensive flop 5♦ 4♣ 2♦ . Mateo checks to the aggressor Trong who c-bets 150,000, Mateo folds to lose more chips.

Hand #44: Nicola Spicher won't let the leader Christopher Mateo steal his blinds and three-bets 400,000. It's enough to induce the fold.

Hand #45: Small blind Nicola Spicher limps in and Christopher Mateo checks it. They both check it all the way down 6♠ K♦ 7♣ 8♣ 9♣ . Spicher wins with a king on hand.

Hand #46: Donghyup Kim raises preflop and Ceesvin Abraham calls from hijack. Following a check, Abraham bets 100,000 and wins the pot quite easy.

Hand #47: Christopher Mateo raises from the button and Donghyup Kim won't let go of his big blind that easy. At the flop T♠ 6♥ T♣ , Kim check-calls a 50,000 c-bet. After the turn is 3cchecked, Mateo goes back to betting, this time a large 500,000 on the river Q♠ , Kim calls once more and catches the bluff J♣ 4♣ . Kim rakes in the pot with T♥ 9♣ trips.

Hand #37: Trong Hieu Ngo and Nicola Spicher call Christopher Mateo's min-raise and see a flop Q♣ 6♠ 3♥. . Following two lazy checks, Trong takes the opportunity to bet 100,000 and it's enough to drag in the pot.

Hand #38: On a limped pot, big blind Christopher Mateo takes control on the flop 3 4♣ Q♦ for 150,000 and fires another 225,000 on the turn 3♥ . Small blind Nicola Spicher folds on fourth street.

Hand #39: Sven McDermott min-raises then checks the flop with caller Trong Hieu Ngo in defense of the big blind. At the Q♥ turn , McDermott resumes for 130,000 and it's an easy score with Trong folding.

Hand #40: Three players in a raised pot check down to the river 9♠ K♦ Q♦ 5♥ 5♠ . Small blind Trong Hieu Ngo test bets just under pot for 300,000, no takers.

Hand #41: Christopher Mateo finds no callers to his cutoff raise.

Hand #42: David Erquiaga bets a third of his stack amounting to 200,000 and no one gives him action.

Hand #28: Battle of the blinds, Sven McDermott opens 220,000 from the small blind and is challenged back by big blind Ceesvin Abraham with a 500,000 re-raise. McDermott doesn't bite.

Hand #29: David Erquiaga gets a walk.

Hand #30: David Erquiaga opens a large 300,000 from the small blind and again wins the pot easy.

Hand #31: David Erquiaga limps from the button and so does the small blind Nicola Spicher as the big blind Christopher Mateo checks for a cheap flop of T♦ 4♥ T♠ . Mateo takes the reins for 50,000, Erquiaga raises 125,000, Spicher gets out of the firing line and Mateo does the same to award Erquiaga the pot.

Hand #23: Nicola Spicher defends the big blind by calling Trong Hieu Ngo's min-raise and the follow up 80,000 on the flop 5♣ 3♣ 3♥ . Both players check the turn A♦ and river 8♠ . Spicher's 7♦ 7♠ wins the pot.

Hand #24: Ceesvin Abraham gets called by the big blind to be denied the blinds and ante but the 65,00 c-bet on the flop A♠ 2♦ J♣ is enough to earn it right there.

Hand #25: David Erquiaga opens and finds no callers.

With Mateo pairing up both of his cards and Zebib unable to catch up, Zebib turned his US$ 165 flipout buy in ticket into a sweet US$ 17,700 payout.

Hand #15: Sven McDermott joins the action with a three-bet of 200,000 that's called by open raiser Christopher Mateo. McDermott maintains aggression at the flop J♠ K♠ 6♣ for 155,000 that's called again, then they check the turn 3♠ . Wasting no time counting, McDermott announces all in, Mateo gives it up.

Hand #16: David Erquiaga from the small blind and big blind Nicola Spicher call the button raise by Ceesvin Abraham and take it to the flop 3♥ K♣ J♥ . Sending the action to Abraham, a 100,000 bet is slid out front. Erquiaga check-raises 285,000 and it's enough to induce two folds.

Hand #9: No action for David Erquiaga's button raise.

Hand #10: Trong Hieu Ngo and Nicola Spicher take it the full distance with the latter calling the min-raise from the button. Both players check the flop T♣ 9♦ 4♠ then Trong bets 100,000 on the turn that Spicher calls to see the river Q♠ . Liking what he sees, Spicher fires 275,000 and wins the pot with Trong letting go of his hand.

Hand #11: Nicola Spicher takes down another pot. This time no board was seen. Instead, he opened 80,000, got called by Christopher Mateo, Trong Hieu Ngo three-bet 360,000, back to Spicher who jammed all in pushing his challengers out of the hand.

Hand #7-8: Raiser Christopher Mateo is joined by the blinds to the flop A♦ K♣ T♣ with only Ceesvin Abraham continuing to the turn A♥ by calling Mateo's 100,000 c-bet. Both players check for a free river 4♥ . Abraham tests the waters with a 150,000 bet then believes Mateo has it by folding to the massive 1,000,000 raise.

Following the hand, Mateo rakes in the next one which he kicks off with another min-raise. Big blind Nicola Spicher defends and the bring the bout to the flop 5♣ 3♣ 5♦ . Mateo c-bets another light 80,000 and it's enough for Spicher to pay to see the turn 5♥ . Mateo barrels a third time for 150,000, Spicher gives up the challenge.

Another intense yet thrilling day came to a close at the record breaking APPT Cambodia Main Event with the field reduced to the last 9 players. This was determined at the fall of Sunghak Lee in 10th place to Christopher Mateo just before the eleventh hour kicked in. In turn, Mateo bagged up the largest stack of 3,275,000 (81 bb) with his closest challenger, Nicola Spicher, sitting 13 bb behind.

Running third rank is none other than Trong Hieu Ngo, the champion of the APPT Manila Championship that took place last month. Hieu has been running strong at the festival with a trophy already captured at the Megastack High Roller. Hieu is looking to be the first player to win the APPT Main Event in back to back tours.

Entering Day 2, Sven McDermott led the chase and became the first player to amass a million in chips very early on. McDermott caught Alexsandr Blokhin bluffing to bring about the bubble round.

After several attempts, the bubble burst on Jeremy Jehanne who was forced all in on the big blind and fell to small blind caller Noyan Slamiya.

Others down the lineup are the highly decorated David Erquiaga who is on a hot streak this year, Ceesvin Abraham, Vaicheslav I, and well known cash game slugger Donghyup Kim.

Standing out of that star loaded final 9 lineup is USA's Ziad Zebib, who is already looking at a substantial profit having won his seat via one of the flip out events for just US$ 165.

When the final 9 players return they are each guaranteed US$ 13,954 while awaiting the champion is a life-changing US$ 147,500. The remaining payouts are as follows:

1st US$ 147,500

2nd US$ 92,000

3rd US$ 66,000

4th US$ 50,600

5th US$ 39,000

6th US$ 30,000

7th US$ 23,000

8th US$ 17,700

9th US$ 13,953

Blinds continue for just over 2 minutes at Level 25. At the completion, Level 16 onwards will have blinds increase every 75 minutes.

Ziad Zebib starts us of with a min-raise and calls DB Christopher Mateo's 125,000 to see the flop 3♠ 5♣ T♥ . Checked to the turn J♥ , Zebib leads 100,000, Mateo calls. On the 2♥ river Zebib bets his last 255,000 and Mateo tank folds.

With 23 fighters left the top spots go to:

Christopher Mateo tests the waters with a 35,000 open from the button and Huseyin Akgul defends his BB. Checked down to the turn 6♦ 5♦ 6♣ A♥ we see Akgul take over the reigns with a 40,000 lead, answered by a call. The 7♥ river has Huseyin Akgul bluff for 200,000 with a missed flush draw J♦ 3♦ and a happy customer with A♦ 8♦

UTG Christopher Mateo gets us going with 35,000 and both blinds defend. The flop Q♠ 4♠ A♥ gets checked to him, he continues for 65,000 and only Ziad Zebib finds a call from the BB. The turn T♠ has Zebib lead for 115,000 and thereby secure the pot uncontested.

Arthur Eldin is on a rush picking up pot after pot and sending his challengers tanking. Before Table 3 broke, Eldin went head to head against Christopher Mateo and Donghyup Kim.

Up against Mateo, an 80,000 pot was brewed by the turn 8♣ J♥ T♥ 8♦ . Eldin bet half pot and Mateo flatted. On the river 5♠ , Eldin bet 90,000 and again Mateo called. Eldin flipped open 8♥ 2♥ and collected the pot.

Moving over to Table 2, a pot of 270,000 was built by the river board 5♥ 6♣ 2♠ 3♣ Q♦ . Eldin fired 125,000 and Donghyup Kim tank-folded.

On a 71,000 four-way turn 8♣ A♠ 3♠ 4♠ that gets checked around to the river J♠ , we see Adrien Berger starting the action from the button, making it 55,000 which is enough to take it down.

With the remaining 71 players all guaranteed at least $2,700 the top stacks are :

This time we have David Erquiaga answer a raise with a 139,000 all-in against big stack Christopher Mateo's min-open-call from CO.

Three players in a raised pot preflop see the board run 5♠ 8♣ K♠ . Abdulla c-bets 5500 and only Christopher Mateo gives him action. On the turn 5♣ , same pattern with Mateo calling 13,000 from Abdulla then action changes on the river 7♠ with Mateo banging out 20,000. Abdulla calls then gets shown the bad news 5♥ 6♥ trips and mucks as Mateo scoops it up.