APPT National (60,000 PHP)

With the specter of the Final Table bubble now a reality, walks have abound in the last two tables.

In what appeared to be another hand destined for that fate, the action gets folded to the SB of big stack Jonathan Chetty but instead of surrendering his SB, the South African shoved to steal the ante and the BB of former chip leader Edgar Asehan of the Philippines. The Filipino veteran snap called the all-in move and when the cards were tabled Chetty sheepishly showed 7♥ 3♣ while Asehan turned over Big Slick A♦ K♦ .

But like out of a bad dream for the Filipino, the flop came: 4♠ 6♦ 5♥ for the second nut straight. Needing running diamonds to pull off a miracle comeback and stay in the competition, the poker gods added insult to injury for Asehan by bringing out the K♠ and the K♥ as the last two community cards.

In practically back-to-back hands playing from behind, Chetty enters the Final Table as one the big stacks heading into Day 3.

With the tables now turned, Joris Michl of the Netherlands is now applying as table captain and with the action folded to him on the D, he makes a raise to 60,000. Former chip leader Edgar Asehan, however, ships his remaining stack of 380,000 from the BB and is quickly called by the Dutchman.

Asehan shows that he's way ahead with K♠ K♥ while Michl has an inferior pocket pair in J♦ J♠ .

The runout kept the Filipino ahead for the win: 5♠ A♥ 8♠ 9♣ 8♦ .

Asehan nears the one million mark anew while Michl still has a seven digit stack despite the hit.

The action is folded around to the CO of Dutchman Joris Michl who raises to 50,000. It is folded to former chip leader Edgar Asehan of the Philippines who 3-bets all-in. Michl ships his remaining 492,000 as both players show their hands.

Michl flips over T♠ T♣ while Asehan has A♣ 9♠ .

The runout goes: 6♠ 4♠ 6♣ 2♣ K♦ as Asehan drops to just over 500,000 and Michl now climbs to over one million in chips as the competition nears the homestretch.

With the action folded to him, American Brett Kennedy raises it to 40,000 from the CO and gets 3-bet all-in by chip-leader Edgar Asehan of the host nation in the BB. Kennedy calls by shoving his last 278,000.

Asehan shows A♣ Q♦ while the American tables Q♥ Q♠ .

The flop of 5♥ K♥ T♦ gave a semblance hope to the Filipino as a gutshot striaght draw appeared. The last two cards are the 6♦ and the K♦ to drop Asehan below one million in chips for the first time in a couple of orbits and have Kennedy averting an assassination attempt.

Here are the top ten in chips thus far:

Chip leader Edgar Asehan of the Philippines ha the action folded to him in the HJ and raises to 22,000. He gets a call from Singapore's Ajay Abroi but then Alari Kunnapuu of Estonia 3-bets all-in for 250,000 from the BB. Asehan calls as Abroi folds.

Kunnapuu turns over A♦ Q♥ while Asehan brandishes A♠ K♥ .

This time, there is no miracle as the runout goes: 8♥ 7♠ 8♣ 5♥ T♣ .

The Estonian is railed and Asehan becomes the first to hit seven digits in chips.

Chip-leader Edgar Asehan of the Philippines makes a raise on the CO for 18,000 and gets called on the SB by Singapore's Ajay Abroi.

The flop comes 9♠ 7♣ 6♦ as Abroi chooses to donk out for 16,000. Asehan calls. The turn is the 2♣ and Abroi continues unloading chips, this time for 17,000. The Filipino once again makes the call. The river is the 5♦ completing a one-card straight. Abroi now fires 51,000. Asehan still makes the call.

The Singaporean shows A♥ Q♥ while Asehan flips over 9♦ 5♠ for two-pairs on the turn, much to the astonishment of Abroi.

The Filipino now nears the one million chip mark.

Edgar Asehan of the Philippines has now ascended to the chip lead without a single community card hitting the board as he raised to 17,000 from the +2 position and gets called by Japan's Go Saito on the D.

However, Firat Basbaydar of England opts to 3-bet to 65,000. It's at this point where Asehan 4-bets to 150,000. Saito folds and Basbaydar resorts to using a Time Card to contemplate his decision. The Englishman eventually folds.

The pot now puts Asehan above the 800,000 mark and climb atop the leaderboard.

Here are the chip-leaders entering the upcoming blinds - 4,000/8,000 (8,000):