APPT Manila Championship (165,000 PHP)

Thomas Ward goes all in for his last 6 bb holding J♣ 7♦ , massive chip leader Hieu Ngo makes the calls with Q♦ J♦ . The board runs 4♦ 5♦ A♦ 8♦ K♠ . Ward has a flush and still falls to Ngo's dominating nut flush.

Hieu Ngo is far ahead of Thomas Ward and wins another pot to inch closer to the title. With Q♥ 5♥ , Ngo limps in and Ward K♥ 8♠ checks. At the flop 8♥ 9♣ 3♥ , Ngo c-bets 200,000, Ward check-calls. On the turn J♥ , Ngo lands the flush and bets 600,000, Ward check-calls again to head to the river 9♠ . Check again from Ward, Ngo bets 1,500,000, Ward calls mucks his two pair.

Hand #105: Hieu Ngo open shoves and wins the blinds and ante.

Hand #106: Thomas Ward limps in with Q♥ 2♥ , big blind Hieu Ngo 9♦ 5♥ checks then leads out 200,000 on the flop 2♠ A♥ T♠ . Ward calls. On the turn Q♣ , Ngo checks, Ward lays out 550,000 and wins the pot.

Hand #107: Hieu Ngo 8♣ 2♣ limps in and Thomas Ward 5♣ 4♥ checks. On the board 9♥ K♥ 4♦ 7♣ , Ngo bets 200,000 and 1,000,000. Ward folds to the turn bet.

Hand #108: Hieu Ngo walks.

Hand #103: Hieu Ngo 4♣ 3♠ limps then folds to Thomas Ward's K♦ Q♣ shove.

Hand #104: Thomas Ward limps in 9♥ 7♦ and Hieu Ngo A♦ 2♣ checks to see a flop 4♦ 5♣ J♦ . Ward bets 220,000, Ngo calls. Both opt to check the turn 8♥ but on the river, heavy betting takes place with 900,000 from Ngo, Ward 2,600,000 all in, Ngo folds.

Hand #101: After paying out a small double up to Thomas Ward, massive chip leader Hieu Ngo Q♦ 8♥ limps and Ward J♣ 3♣ checks. On the flop K♠ 4♠ 9♦ , Ward checks, Ngo wins the pot with a 160,000 bet.

Hand #102: On a limped pot, Thomas Ward Q♥ 2♥ bets 160,000 and Hieu Ngo check-calls. On the turn 8♣ , Ngo jumps out with a 375,000 bet, Ward gives up his hand.

Hand #98: Hieu Ngo walks.

Hand #99: Hieu Ngo raises from the button with A♦ 8♣ , Thomas Ward folds.

Hand #100: Thomas Ward looks down at K♣ T♦ and open-shoves, big blind Hieu Ngo calls with K♥ 8♣ . With the board running 8♦ T♠ T♥ 9♣ A♠ , Ward doubles up.

Hand #93: Hieu Ngo limps A♠ 3♣ and Thomas Ward checks Q♦ 7♣ . Both check it down 2♥ T♠ 8♦ K♥ 2♣ . Ngo wins again.

Hand #94: Thomas Ward K♠ 7♦ limps, Hieu Ngo A♥ 9♣ raises, fast fold from Ward.

Hand #95: Prior to this hand, Thomas Ward lost more chips to Hieu Ngo and a little more in this hand. Following a limp by Ngo T♦ 3♦ , Ward 9♣ 9♠ raises 550,000 and Ngo calls. On the flop A♣ A♠ 6♥ , Ward c-bets 200,000 then folds to Ngo's 650,000 raise.

Hand #96: Hieu Ngo walks.

Hand #97: On a limped pot, both players check to the turn Q♠ T♦ 6♥ 5♠ . Button Hieu Ngo bets 350,000, big blind Thomas Ward check-calls. Both go back to checking on the river 9♥ .

Hand #91: On a limped pot, both players check to the turn 8♥ 3♦ 5♠ 5♣ . Thomas Ward Q♠ 5♦ bets 600,000 and wins the pot.

Hand #92: Thomas Ward Q♣ 8♥ limps, big blind Hieu Ngo Q♦ T♦ raises 500,000, Ward three-bets 1,400,000, Ngo flats. At the flop J♥ 5♣ 9♠ , Ngo checks to aggressor Ward who bets 800,000, Nog asks for a count of Ward's stack then calls. Ngo check the turn 2♠ , Ward barrels a huge 2,100,000, Ngo calls to buy the river K♣ . With Ngo landing his straight, he shoves inducing a fast fold from Ward.

Thomas Ward Q♠ 8♠ raises 240,000 and big blind Hieu Ngo calls with 5♠ 3♥ . Ward barrels down every street 3♠ J♠ 6♠ Q♥ A♦ with bets of 160,000, 350,000, and 1,200,000. Ngo folds to the river bet.

With Ngo spiking the two-outer, Chu is eliminated in 3rd place.

Hand #87: Button Thomas Ward looks down at A♥ A♣ and raises 240,000, small blind Justin Chu likes his K♠ T♦ and re-raises 750,000, Ward replies with a four-bet shove of 6,900,000, Chu folds.

Hand #88: Justin Chu Q♣ J♠ opens 240,000 from the button and small blind Hieu Ngo Q♥ 9♣ calls. On the flop and turn J♦ T♦ 5♠ 2♣ , Chu bets 200,000 and 700,000, Ngo check-calls both to head to the river 9♦ . Ngo switches up and leads out with a shove, Chu is well covered and folds top pair.

Hand #82: Thomas Ward looks down at A♦ Q♠ and raises 240,000, big blind / chip leader Hieu Ngo T♠ 8♥ calls to head to a flop 8♦ 6♥ Q♥ . Ward continues 325,000, Ngo thinks about it then folds.

Hand #83: Hieu Ngo A♣ 5♠ and Justin Chu A♥ 5♥ battle on a board 3♥ 7♥ 4♦ Q♠ 2♣ . Chu bets 120,000 on the river, Ngo raises 1,500,000, Chu tanks before three-betting 3,500,000. Ngo calls and splits the pot.

Hand #84: Thomas Ward 4♥ 4♦ raises 240,000, Hieu Ngo 9♦ 6♦ defends his big blind. On the flop Q♠ 2♣ 3♥ , Ward bets 180,000 and just like that, he wins the pot.

Hand #85: Facing a raise of 240,000 from button Justin Chu J♥ T♣ d, big blind Thomas Ward 8♠ 8♣ three-bets 800,000, Chu calls. At the flop 6♠ 2♥ 5♣ , Ward barrels 550,000 and gets called again by Chu. On the turn 9♣ , Ward checks, Chu lays out 1,100,000, Ward answers with a shove of 4,500,000 that pushes out Chu from the pot.

Hand #80: Button Justin Chu 6♣ 5♣ raises 200,000 then calls small blind Hieu Ngo's J♥ J♣ three-bet of 800,000. On the flop 2♥ Q♥ 9♠ , Ngo continues 500,000, Chu tosses his hand in the muck pile.

Hand #81: Button Hieu Ngo Q♠ 6♠ raises 240,000 and doesn't get past big blind Jusin Chu 2♥ 2♣ who calls. At the flop K♦ 6♥ 4♠ Ngo c-bets 150,000 and Chu check-calls. On the turn 7♦ and river 5♦ , both players check. Ngo takes it with the higher pair.

Hand #77: Button Justin Chu 9♦ 9♣ min-raises and is joined to the flop 8♥ 6♣ 4♠ by caller Thomas Ward A♣ T♦ from the big blind. Chu continues 225,000 and quickly wins the pot.

Hand #78: Thomas Ward J♦ 8♣ limps in and big blind Justin Chu 5♠ 2♣ checks. Ward bets 800,000 on a flop A♠ A♥ 9♦ and this time he quickly take the pot.

Hand #79: Justin Chu 5♠ 5♣ limps from the small blind then calls big blind Hieu Ngo's K♠ Q♣ raise of 350,000. At the flop 7♣ A♥ 2♣ , Chu bets 300,000 and Ngo calls. Both players check the turn 3♥ and river T♥ . Chu rakes it in with his small pair.

Hand #72: Small blind Thomas Ward 9♦ 7♣ limps in and big blind Justin Chu 9♠ 7♥ checks. On a flop Q♣ 7♠ 6♠ , Ward c-bets 100,000, and Chu calls. Both tap felt on the turn 8♠ for a free river 8♠ . Ward checks again, Chu bets 500,000, Ward calls and it's a chopped pot.

Hand #74: Justin Chu opens from the button and wins the blinds and ante.

Hand #75: Button Hieu Ngo K♥ 6♥ raises 500,000 and big blind Justin Chu Q♣ J♥ gives action. On the flop and turn 9♥ 4♠ T♣ 3♥ , Chu check-calls 150,000 and 700,000. On the river 2♦ , Chu checks, Ngo fires 1,100,000, Chu folds.

Hand #76: Limped pot sees a flop A♥ 4♠ 8♠ . Big blind Hieu Ngo K♠ 3♠ bets 100,000 and small blind Justin Chu K♦ 2♥ calls. Both check the turn 4♠ then Chu sends out 100,000 on the river 7♠ , Ngo raises 800,000, Chu gives it up again.

Hand #70: Thomas Ward 9♠ 7♠ raises 200,000 and Hieu Ngo K♣ 3♥ defends on the big blind. Flop comes 5♣ 9♣ 8♣ , Ward c-bets 100,000 and Ngo check-calls. No bets land on the turn J♣ to bring the river Q♣ . Ngo jumps out with a 500,000 bet and takes down the pot unchallenged.

Hand #71: Small blind Hieu Ngo 8♦ J♥ limps in and Thomas Ward K♥ 6♠ checks his big blind. Ngo barrels the flop and turn 100,000, 250,000 3♠ 3♦ 5♦ 6♥ , Ward calls both. On the river 3♣ , Ngo slows to a check then folds to Ward's 425,000 bet.

Button Hieu Ngo raises 200,000 and big blind Justin Chu Q♠ 4♦ defends to head to the flop 5♠ K♠ K♥ . Ngo c-bets 200,000 and Chu sticks with him to see the turn A♦ . Ngo barrels a third time, 350,000, Chu check-calls. On the river 3♥ , Ngo sends out 1,100,000, Chu tank-calls.

Hieu Ngo shows 3♠ 3♣ full house, Chu mucks. Ngo retakes the lead by a small margin.

Hand #68: Button Justin Chu T♦ T♣ raises 160,000, small blind Hieu Ngo 2♦ 2♣ and big blind Thomas Ward Q♦ 9♠ both call. On the flop J♣ T♥ J♠ , blinds check to Chu who c-bets 200,000, only Ward gives him action. On the turn 7♥ , Ward leads out 350,000, Chu flats his boat. The river 6♦ , Ward misses his draw and checks, Chu bets 2,000,000, Ward folds.

Hand #65: Facing a raise from button Justin Chu 5♥ 4♥ , big blind Thomas Ward A♣ 8♣ re-raises all in for 2,000,000, Chu folds.

Hand #66: Small blind Hieu Ngo J♠ 7♣ raises and big blind Justin Chu J♣ 9♦ calls. Ngo continues on the flop and turn Q♦ 6♣ T♠ 4♦ with 250,000 amd 600,000 bets. Chu check-folds on the turn.

Hand #67: Thomas Ward Q♥ Q♣ raises from the button and big blind Hieu Ngo J♥ 8♣ calls. When the board completes 2♣ J♠ Q♦ 3♦ 6♣ , Ward bets 110,000, 380,000, and all in for 1,600,000, Ngo check-calls throughout. Ward gets paid in full for his set of queens.

Hand #54: Button Justin Chu A♥ 8♥ raises 160,000, Thomas Ward J♠ 9♠ defends his big blind. Both players check to the turn 9♠ 5♥ 2♦ A♣ . Chu bets 150,000 and ward calls. The river 8♠ has Chu firing 800,000, this time, Ward chooses to fold.

Hand #55: From utg, Justin Chu 6♦ 2♦ bumps it up to 160,000, big blind Jun Beum Chun J♥ T♣ calls. On the flop 8♥ 5♠ J♦ , Chu c-bets 125,000 then folds to Chun's check-raise of 350,000.

Hand #56: Utg Hieu Ngo A♣ 4♣ raises 175,000, Justin Chu with 9♥ 9♠ just flats. On the flop 3♠ 4♠ 7♦ , Chu check-calls 130,000 then on the turn 2♦ and river K♣ , Chu takes charge firing 275,000 and 375,000. Ngo folds to the river bet.

Hand #57: Utg Thomas Ward A♥ 8♦ raises then folds to button Jun Beum Chun's A♣ 5♥ three-bet of 420,000.

Hand #58: Utg Jun Beum Chun likes his 7♦ 5♦ and raises 160,000 only to fold to button Justin Chu's A♠ T♥ three-bet of 400,000.

Hand #59: Jun Beum Chun J♦ 8♣ defends his big blind by calling Justin Chu's A♠ 3♣ preflop raise. Chun opts to lead out 125,000 on the flop 6♦ 5♠ 7♣ and wins the pot with Chu folding.

Hand #43: After his preflop raise is called, Jun Beum Chun A♠ K♠ and Hieu Ngo 7♦ 3♦ check the flop 8♣ 6♦ 6♠ , then Ngo bets 325,000 on the turn 5♠ , Chun calls and denies the steal. Then both check the river 5♣ . Chun's ace kicker plays to claim the pot.

Hand #44: Following button raise of 160,000 by Justin Chu T♣ 8♥ , small blind Hieu Ngo J♠ J♦ three-bets 600,000. Chu folds.

Hand #45: Chip leader Hieu Ngo wins another pot. From the button, Ngo J♠ 9♣ raises then heads to the flop T♣ K♣ K♥ with caller Jun Beum Chun Q♠ 8♥ from the big blind. Ngo c-bets 600,000, Chun check-folds.

Hand #46: Hieu Ngo A♦ 5♣ raises 175,000 then folds to William Ysmael's 9♦ 9♣ three-bet shove of 1,400,000.

Hand #39: Cutoff Justin Chu K♣ J♦ min-raises and Thomas Ward A♥ 7♣ defends his big blind. Both check to the river T♠ 4♠ 9♣ A♠ Q♥ , Chu bets 200,000 and Ward folds top pair.

Hand #40: From hijack, Justin Chu 3♥ 3♦ raises again then calls button Hieu Ngo's A♥ J♠ re-raise of 475,000. On the flop 9♠ 8♠ K♥ , Ngo continues for 275,000 and Chu seeing three overcards gives up his small pair.

Hand #41: Justin Chu K♠ Q♦ continues to drive the action with a raise from utg, no callers.

Hand #8: William Ysmael T♠ T♥ raises 120,000, no callers.

Hand #9: Hijack William Ysmael A♠ K♣ raises 120,000, cutoff Justin Chu A♣ 3♣ calls, small blind Hieu Ngo A♦ Q♣ three-bets 800,000, Ysmael shoves 1,100,000, Chu folds and big stacked Ngo calls the difference.

The board runs K♥ 6♠ 5♠ J♣ 6♥ . Ysmael lands the first double up of the day.

Hand #4: From cutoff Lester Edoc raises 100,000, Thomas Ward calls from the small blind then folds to Edoc's 800,000 c-bet on the flop K♥ 6♠ 8♣ .

Hand #5: Small blind Jun Beum Chun opens 175,000, William Ysmael defends the big blind. On the flop 5♣ 9♥ T♣ , Chun checks then folds to Ysmael's 225,000 bet.

Blinds up - 30,000-60,000 ante 60,000

Hand #6: Hieu Ngo ( T♠ 9♣ ) raises 120,000 from hijack, big blind Justin Chu ( A♥ 7♣ ) calls for a flop A♣ K♣ 8♦ . Chu check-calls 100,000, then both check the turn K♦ . Chu leads out on the river 5♠ for 60,000 and wins it uncontested.

Hand #7: Jun Beum Chun ( Q♦ 9♥ ) opens 125,000, small blind Justin Chu ( A♦ 7♣ ) three-bets 225,000, Chun folds.

Hand #1: Chi Jen Chu limps in, big blind Lester Edoc raises 175,000, Chu folds.

Hand #2: Big blind Hieu Ngo gets a walk.

Hand #3: Jun Beum Chun opens 100,000, blinds Hieu Ngo and Thomas Ward call. On the flop 3♦ A♠ A♥ , Chun c-bets 8000, only Ngo continues to the turn Q♣ then leads out 150,000. Chun tank-folds.

Here are the Final 6 of the inaugural APPT Championship and the action will conclude tomorrow (Sunday, October 27) still here at the Okada Manila.

Everyone at this point is guaranteed PhP2,360,000 (~US$40,430) and the eventual champion takes home PhP11,610,000 (~US$199,100).

Hand #59: William Ysmael raises from UTG with A♥ 8♥ and gets called on the CO by Hieu Ngo with 8♦ 7♦ .

The flop is 5♦ 5♣ 6♥ giving Hieu an open-ended straight draw. Ysmael checks and Hieu leads out on the come for 150,000. The Filipino then proceeds to check-raise it to 425,000. Hieu makes the call. The turn is the card that the Vietnamese player was looking for: 4♥ to complete his straight. Ysmael isn't stopping, though, as he fires another bet of 550,000. Hieu just makes the call. The river is the 3♣ and Ysmael puts the biggest non-shove bet of the competition: 1,000,000. Hieu calls.

Ysmael lost 2,300,000 in that pot.

Hand #55: Having just 3 BBs left in her stack and facing the prospect of posting the BB and the ante soon, China's Li Xinjing went all-in from the +1 position for remaining 160,000 with Q♠ J♠ . He gets calls from William Ysmael in the CO with 7♣ 7♠ , Lester Edoc in the SB with Q♥ 9♣ and on the BB of Hieu Ngo with A♣ 9♠ .

The flop comes 5♣ 6♦ A♥ as Edoc checks his miss and Hieu bets 200,000. That's enough to make the rest fold and have it out with the Chinese player. The turn is the J♦ which suddenly gives Li some hope, but the river is the 6♣ , vanquishing Li and sending the competition to seven-handed play.

Everyone is assured PhP1,810,000 (~US$31,010).

Hand #48: Taiwan's Justin Chu draws Q♠ Q♥ UTG and raises. He picks up two callers in Lester Edoc of the Philippines in the D with 6♠ 6♥ and Hieu Ngo in the BB on a defense with K♠ 3♦ .

The flop is 3♠ 7♠ 4♦ as Edoc picks up a gutshot while Hieu has bottom pair. Chu CBets to 100,000 and gets raised by Edoc to 275,000 as Hieu folds. Chu makes the call. The turn is the J♠ and both check while the river is the K♦ . Again, it goes check-check.

Edoc pulled the brakes just in time.

Hand #47: From UTG Thomas Ward of New Zealand raises with 8♣ 7♣ and the action is folded to th BB where Vietnam's Hieu Ngo awaits to defend with J♦ T♣.

The flop is Q♠ T♦ 5♠ as Hieu checks. Ward CBets to 125,000 and Hieu calls. The turn is the 9♣ as now Ward picks up a gutshot straight draw. Hieu checks again and the New Zealander fires again, this time for 275,000. Hieu still calls. The river is the 8♦ completing a one card straight. Hieu checks again and this time Ward bets 550,000. Hieu again makes the call.

The missed steal by Ward now has him even in chip with his Vietnamese opponent. Ward lost over a million in that hand.

With still nine players remaining, here is where everyone stands at as the blinds go up:

Everyone is still guaranteed PhP1,237,720 (US$21,205).

Hand #36: Lester Edoc raises from UTG with 7♠ 7♦ and gets called by Hieu Ngo in the +1 position with 6♠ 6♥ .

The Vietnamese player flops middle set: 3♦ 6♣ T♠ and the Filipino continues firing for 60,000. Hieu calls. The turn is the 3♣ to give Hieu a full house. Edoc goes for 100,000 but gets raised 275,000. The Filipino tanks and eventually folds.

Hand #19: Hieu Ngo of Vietnam gets dealt 6♦ 6♣ UTG and raises to 80,000. However, right beside him in the +1 position, chip leader THomas Ward of New Zealang 3-bets it to 230,000. Hieu makes the call.

Lo and behold the flop is 9♦ 9♣ 6♠ for a full house for Hieu. They both check the flop and on the turn of the J♣ , Hieu tries one more time to get more value, but his bet of 350,000 makes his opponent fold.

Hand #18: The action opens from the +1 position where Vietnam's Hieu Ngo to 80,000 with A♠ Q♠ while John Edward Perry of Australia re-raises to 200,000 with A♥ A♣. HIeu calls.

The flop is 6♠ K♣ 7♦ . Perry continues betting, now for 90,000. Hieu opts to float. The turn is the J♠ which now gives the Vietnamese player a multitude of outs: a gutshot and the nut flush draw. Perry's 225,000 is called anew. The river gets one of the outs that Hieu was buying as the T♦ appears. Now HIeu is value betting 325,000. Perry still makes the call and sees the bad news when the cards are turned over.

The Australian is now down to less than ten BBs. There are still nine players remaining.

Hand #7: William Ysmael of the Philippines gets A♥ Q♦ UTG and raises to 80,000 and gets three callers.

The flop is T♥ 9♣ 8♦ representing some form of straight draw for all of Ysmael's opponents in the hand. All check. The turn is the 9♦ and when it's checked b ack Ysmael, he bets 320,000. It's enough to get everyone chasing their draw to fold.

Here are the last nine players who are now all guaranteed PhP1,237,720 (~US$21,205). They will play down to the last six for the official final table that will commence tomorrow (Sunday, October 27).

With 16 players reaming, here's where they stand:

Yu lost the lead on the turn but hits his fortuitous two-outer on the river for yet another double up--his third straight.

Hieu's stack once again falls below the one million mark.

Still reeling from the earlier loss, Korea's Bae Wonchul goes all-in for his remaining 230,000 after Hieu Ngo of Vietnam raised from the HJ.

The triumph by Bae drags Hieu's stack down to below the one million mark for the first time in Day 3.

Vietnam's Hieu Ngo opens from UTG for 50,000 and the action gets folded to the D of Filipino pro Martin Gonzales who 3-bets it to 140,000. Hieu makes the call.

The flop is Q♦ 7♦ 8♥ as both players check. The turn is the 6♥ as Hieu leads out for 130,000. Gonzales calls. The river is the 3♠ . Hieu checks and Gonzales bets 250,000. The Vietnamese player then goes into the tank and burns one Time Bank card before making the call.

Gonzales turns over Q♥ J♠ for top pair on the flop as Hieu mucks.

Former overall chip leader John Edward Perry of Australia has dropped all the way to eighth place in the first leaderboard update of the day. Fellow Australian Thomas Ward now occupies the top spot as he and Filipino pro Lester Edoc are the only ones breaching the two million chip mark at the moment.

Chip counts at end of Level 22:

Vietnam's Hieu Ngo opens the action with a 40,000 raise from UTG and gets called by chip leader John Edward Perry in the HJ. From the CO, Joris Michl of the Netherlands 3-bets all-in for 625,000 as Hieu decides to fold. Perry goes into the tank and uses one of his six allotted Time Banks for this phase. The Australian opts to call.

With Perry hitting trips on the flop, Michl was drawing dead on the turn and the Dutchman crashes out in 26th place.

The 28 players remaining will reconvene on Saturday (October 26) at 12NN (UCT+8) and will play down to the Final 6 players.

Check out the Livestream that begins at 4:00PM.

APPT Manila Championship remaining players:

Event #31 APPT Manila Championship

Date/s: October 23 to 27, 2024

Venue: Okada Manila, Parañaque City, Philippines

Buy in: PHP 165,000 (~US$ 2,850)

Guarantee: PHP 55,000,000 (~US$ 960,850)

Prize Pool: PHP 59,922,720 (~US$1,028,270)

Entries: 416

Players ITM: 63

Total Chips in Play: 20,800,000

Average Stack: 742,857

Blinds: 8,000/16,000 (16,000)

Remaining players: 28

After nearing the one million chip mark not too long ago, Filipino pro Florencio Campomanes is looking for redemption as he raises from early position to 32,000. Vietnam's Ngo Hieu decides to join the Filipino but Korea's Cho Jaegeol has other plans as he 3-bets it to 125,000 from the D. After the blinds fold, Campomanes chooses to call while Ngo opts to fold.

It is heads up to the flop of 2♣ T♦ 4♦ as both players check. The turn is the 6♣ and this time the Filipino bets 90,000 and is called by his Korean opponent. The river is the 5♣ . Campomanes checks anew as Cho goes all-in. Cho covers Campomanes and it cost the Filipino a Time Bank card to decide to fold.

Cho now joins the seven digit club.

Korea's Lee Sunghak raises from the +2 position to 32,000 and gets called by Ngo Hieu and his monster stack on the D.

The flop comes T♥ 2♦ J♣ . Lee CBets to 30,000 and gets called by his Vietnamese opponent. The turn is the T♦ and this time, Lee opts to check. Ngo now takes the betting lead away from his Korean opponent by firing 70,000. Lee still calls. The river is the 7♣ as Ngo bets 180,000 and sends Lee into the tank. He excruciates on his decision so long that costs him two Time Bank cards. The Korean eventually folds.

Ngo is now contending for th overall chip lead with this win.

In a rare unraised pot, Vietnam's Ngo Hieu completes his SB and Cho Jaegeol of Korea checks hs option in the BB.

The flop is 8♣ 5♣ 2♦ . Ngo checks and Cho bets 30,000. The Vietnamese player calls. The turn is the A♥ as once again Ngo opts to check. The Korean fires once again, this time for 55,000. Ngo check-raises to 210,000. Cho makes the call. The river is the 4♦ and suddenly Ngo, who covers his opponent declares he is all-in. Cho can't call.

Chip leader John Perry raises to 25,000 from the HJ and gets re-raised by Vietnam's Ngo Hieu in the CO to 75,000. The Australian calls.

The flop is T♣ 9♦ J♦ as Perry checks. Ngo CBets to 45,000 and Perry calls. The turn is the Q♠ and this time, both players check. The river is the 7♠ as Perry checks anew, opening the door for the Vietnamese player to unload 150,000. Perry goes deep into the tank and winds up spending two Time Bank cards before deciding to lay it down.

Ngo now joins the seven figure chip stack club.

Making a raise from early position, Switzerland's Kevin Hasler raises to 10,000 and gets a caller in Ngo Hieu of Vietnam as everyone else folds.

The flop is 8♣ Q♦ 9♦ as both players check. The turn is the 3♣ as Hasler leads out for 30,000 and is called by Ngo. The river is the 6♦. Hasler checks and much to his dismay, Ngo checks behind as the Swiss player flips over A♦ T♦ for the nut flush and Ngo shows 7♠ 7♣.

Ngo Hieu of Vietnam open shoves for 96,000 on the HJ and Filipino pro John Tech makes the quick call from the CO.

Ngo tables 2♣ 2♦ while Tech brandishes A♠ A♦ .

The flop kept the Filipino ahead: 5♣ K♠ 3♠ but the turn card is the 2♥ to give the Vietnamese player a set. Needing one of the two remaining aces in the deck, Tech sees the T♥ on the river and also sees most of his chips going to Ngo.

Tech is left with a stack of less than six BBs after the bad beat.

Flight A of the APPT Manila Championship wrapped up after 11 levels and nearly 12 hours of tournament poker. 59 hopefuls out of 165 total entries will be moving on to Day 2, inching their way closer to a payout from the guaranteed prize pool of PHP 55,000,000 (~US$ 960,850). Flight B will play tomorrow with the survivors of those joining the "Flight A Fifty-Nine" for Day 2.

Date/s: October 23 to 27, 2024

Buy in: PHP 165,000 (~US$ 2,850)

Guarantee: PHP 55,000,000 (~US$ 960,850)

Entries: 165

Starting Stack: 50,000

Average Stack: 139,831

Blinds: 1,000/1,500 Ante 1,500

Remaining players: 59

Here's a look at the Flight A chip counts: