APPT Main Event ($1,650)

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 #134: Nicola Spicher walks.

Hand #135: Trong Hieu Ngo raises 160,000 from utg and Christopher Mateo won't let him take his big blind that easy. At the flop 3♠ 7♥ 6♣ , Trong c-bets 150,000 then faces a check-raise of 500,000, Trong gives it up.

Hand #136: Donghyup Kim looks down at A♦ Q♦ and makes the customary raise, big blind Trong Hieu Ngo won't let it pass without seeing the board 9♥ J♦ 3♥ . Both players check to the turn A♣ where Kim fires 225,000. Trong check-calls and check-calls again on the river 2♥ for 500,000. Kim isn't bluffing and rakes in a hefty pot.

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 #59: David Erquiaga raises then folds to Nicola Spicher's 300,000 re-raise.

Hand #60: Donghyup Kim calls 150,000 from the big blind and goes to the flop 4♣ 9♠ Q♦ with small blind Trong Hieu Ngo. Trong continues for 130,000 and Kim calls then action switches on the turn K♦ with Kim taking control sending out a 125,000 bet that Trong calls. On the river A♠ , Trong tries to reclaim control with a 125,000 bet, Kim answers with a 1,000,000 raise that Trong opts not to challenge.

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 #12: Battle of the blinds enter the flop, small blind Trong Hieu Ngo bets 40,000 on the flop 3♠ T♣ 5♣ and 175,000 on the turn Q♥ , Donghyup Kim folds on the turn.

Hand #13: No callers on David Erquiaga's raise again.

Hand #14: Trong Hieu Ngo also finds no callers to his min-raise.

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.

Donghyup Kim initiates the action with an 80,000 raise, small blind Nicola Spicher three-bets 210,000, Kim calls to go post flop. Cards land Q♦ 3♥ 4♠ , Spicher continues for 175,000, Kim calls then faces another bet of 250,000 on the turn A♣ . Kim opts to fold and drops below the million marker.

Action folds to the small blind Ziad Zebib, he looks down at A♠ Q♦ and shoves 530,000. Big blind Donghyup Kim calls and shows A♦ 3♦ . The board runs 6♠ A♣ 7♠ J♦ 2♥ for a clean double up to Zebib.

Ferdinand Lu makes it 65,000 which is cheap for big blind Donghyup Kim to call and see the flop 3♥ 2♥ 7♦ . Good board for the blind who check-calls 75,000. On the turn T♠ , Lu fires sends out 160,000 but this time is met with a check-raise from Kim to 350,000. Lu gives it some thought and opts to fight another hand.

Donghyup Kim takes charge with a 50,000 raise from hijack that big blind Adrien Berger calls. When the board runs 5♦ Q♥ T♥, Kim fires 150,000 and another 330,000 on the turn 8♠ . Berger check-calls both. On the river K♠ , Kim fires again for 330,000, Berger tanks and pays to see. Kim shows K♦ Q♦ two pair and ships a huge pot as Berger plunges.

Three players are in for 50,000 and all play it friendly on the flop 7♦ K♣ K♠ . On the turn 8♦ , no more checking with Nicola Spicher betting 65,000 and getting Donghyup Kim to join to the river 9♣. It's back to checking again. Spicher dominates with A♣ J♠ over A♦ T♦ to claim the pot.

Jumping into the action on the turn 9♥ 2♣ 4♥ J♥ with 140,000 in the pot, Donghyup Kim check-calls 150,000 to see the turn 5♥ . Hieu Ngo leads with another 250,000 bet to take it down.

With HJ Donghyup Kim opening 40,000, button Hieu Ngo and BB David Erquiaga stay for the flop 9♥ 6♠ A♥ . Kim's 60,000 c-bet takes us to the turn 8♠ heads up with David Erquiaga, another 100,000 c-bet and a call give us the river T♣ and David Erquiaga goes deep in the tank, facing the chip leader's jam. After three time banks he lets it go to preserve some of his chips.

With SB Donghyup Kim pushing his massive stack and BB Khoa Anh Ngo calling for his last 150,000 we have another player at risk.

With 23 fighters left the top spots go to:

Erik Rozhynskyi slides his last 85,000 in the middle, gets called by Donghyup Kim on the button and the table watches the next race unfold.

With the pot being at 74,000, both contestants check to the turn A♣ and the action gets started with a 35,000 bet by HJ Adrien Berger and a call by Donghyup Kim. The river 8♠ has both players fall back to the same pattern, this time with a 225,000 bet by Berger with holding 2♥ 2♦ and the call being good for Kim's A♠ J♥ .

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.

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

Picking up the action on the river 9♠ 8♦ J♦ 7♣ 3♥ we see BB Donghyup Kim over-bet 100,000 into the 74,000 pot to push out Guiyang Wang.

Donghyup Kim re-raises 15,500, Naoki Watanabe calls while initial raiser opts out. On the flop 3♠ 5♠ 2♦ , Kim puts pressure with a 21,500 bet that Watanabe still calls. However, on the turn 7♥ , Kim's big shove is enough to take down the pot without further challenge.

Action folds to the small blind William Lius and raises it to 2000. Big blind Donghyup Kim won't give up his forced bet that easy and calls. On the flop and turn 6♦ 2♦ A♦ Q♦ , Lius bets 3000 and 5000 and Kim continues to defend until the river J♠ . Lius jams and this time Kim gives it up.

Sick flop improves Kim to trips which holds to the end to evade the rail.

Folded around to the button Jeremy Jehanne, he fires 6000 that small blind Donghyup Kim calls. Jehanne continues the aggression with a 5000 bet on the flop 2♥ K♦ 3♣ , again Kim is there to keep him honest. Both check the turn 6♦ for a free river 4♣ . Kim leads out 7000, Jehanne pumps it to 29,000, action back to Kim who tanks then gives up his hand.

Seonghun Park picks up a larger pot by three-betting to 15,000 that's called by initial raiser Donghyup Kim. Both players check it to the turn K♦ 8♦ 7♣ 5♣ . Kim takes a stab for 15,000, called by Park. On the river K♠ , Kim steps on the brakes, Park presses the pedal for 22,000, Kim gives up his stake on the pot.

Utg Ferdinand Lu opens 3500, button Shaoshuai Li calls, small blind Michael Adam Bihari calls, then big blind Donghyup Kim re-raises 16,500. Only Lu pays it and heads to the flop 5♥ 3♠ J♦ . Kim jumps out for 13,000 and quickly wins the pot.

Lu pairs up but not enough to overtake Kim's aces to pay the maximum.