
Flight A
Sungheon Hong Sets The Pace As Flight A Wraps Up

Flight A of the APPT National concluded at ITM of nine players led by Korea's Sungheon Hong with a stack of 387,000 (77 bb), setting the bar for the next flights. Hong was a dominant presence throughout, climbing to the top early and never once facing elimination. One of his key knockouts came after registration closed, when his AK out-kicked 2023 APPT Cambodia Main Event champion Chao Ting Cheng’s KJ.
The nine survivors now enjoy a day’s break before returning on Wednesday, May 7 for the next stage of the tournament. All are guaranteed a piece of the prize pool, which is on pace to smash its $150,000 guarantee.
Still to come are Flight B and Flight C (Turbo), offering the last opportunities to join the race for the first PokerStars shard trophy of the 2025 APPT season.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SH Sungheon Hong | 387,000(77 BB) |
MS Maxim Sorokin | 320,000(64 BB) |
AR Anton Rubtsov | 285,000(57 BB) |
BM Bien Mai | 264,000(53 BB) |
AB Adrien Berger | 194,000(39 BB) |
RM Renji Mao | 191,000(38 BB) |
ER Erik Rozhynskyi | 73,000(15 BB) |
AV Armon Van Wijk | 62,000(12 BB) |
HT Hoa Thinh Nguyen | 55,000(11 BB) |
Amit Kaushik Bubbles Flight A

Bubble pressure from Maxim Sorokin with a 100,000 raise and only short stacked Amit Kaushik risks for his last 7 bb .
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
AK Amit Kaushik | A♦K♣ D | busted |
MS Maxim Sorokin | Q♥8♣ CO | 320,000(64 BB) |
When the flop lands Q♠ A♥ 8♠ , both players improved with Sorokin now ahead with two pair. Kaushik still had outs however they don't show up on the turn 5♠ and river Q♣ to fall just one spot to the money.
Maxim Sorokin Grinding

After a series of aggressive raises throughout the orbit, Maxim Sorokin finds himself in the big blind and facing a 10,000 open from Hoa Thinh Nguyen. Sorokin makes the call, then both players check down a dry board of 4♣ Q♦ J♥ 2♥ 7♦ where Sorokin leads out 10,000. Nguyen tosses in the call then mucks to Sorokin's J♦ T♦ second pair.
Short Stacked Igor Vakhnenko Runs Out

Sitting on the big blind, Igor Vakhnenko defends by calling Maxim Sorokin's 8000 raise. When the board lands 5♠ 3♠ 9♠ , Vakhnenko tosses in his last 7000 with K♦ 2♥ . Sorokin calls the cheap all in and is ahead with K♥ T♦ . The turn J♦ and river K♠ spells the end for Vakhnenko who is out-kicked.
The field is down to 11 players.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
MS Maxim Sorokin | 208,000(52 BB) |
IV Igor Vakhnenko | busted |
Maxim Sorokin's Risk Pays Off
Everyone folds to the small blind Renji Mao who bullies with a shove, big blind Maxim Sorokin sees an ace in the hole and goes for it with a decent 66,000 (22 bb) stack.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
RM Renji Mao | Q♦Q♣ SB | 131,000(44 BB) |
MS Maxim Sorokin | A♣5♠ BB | 140,000(47 BB) |
When the flop comes J♠ A♦ 4♠ , Sorokin jumps ahead and with the turn 2♦ and river 9♣ , he doubles up to a much healthier stack.
Chip Counts
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SH Sungheon Hong | 327,000(109 BB) |
RM Renji Mao | 188,500(63 BB) |
BM Bien Mai | 179,500(60 BB) |
KS Karan Sitlani | 146,000(49 BB) |
AR Anton Rubtsov | 145,500(49 BB) |
AV Armon Van Wijk | 133,500(45 BB) |
HT Hoa Thinh Nguyen | 131,000(44 BB) |
MD Max Deveson | 117,000(39 BB) |
ER Erik Rozhynskyi | 109,500(37 BB) |
AK Akihiro Konishi | 83,000(28 BB) |
AK Amit Kaushik | 81,000(27 BB) |
AB Adrien Berger | 71,000(24 BB) |
MS Maxim Sorokin | 68,000(23 BB) |
IV Igor Vakhnenko | 50,000(17 BB) |
Battle Of The Blinds
Everyone folds to the small blind Renji Mao and he limps in. Big blind Maxim Sorokin defends with a raise of 9000, Mao still wants to play and makes the call. Both players proceed to check down the board 4♣ 5♣ K♦ A♦ 7♥ . Mao shows Q♣ 7♣ for the winner.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
RM Renji Mao | 104,500(42 BB) |
MS Maxim Sorokin | 57,500(23 BB) |
Debals Last Stand Falls Short

Dorian Debals had been battling with a short stack for most of the past two levels, and though he managed to double up twice, the pressure from surrounding big stacks never let up. On his final hand, Debals shoved for 17,500 and was called by Maxim Sorokin. It was a classic flip at showdown, but luck didn’t swing Debals’ way, missing his outs to get sent to the rail.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
MS Maxim Sorokin | 9♦9♣ MP | 78,000(31 BB) |
DD Dorian Debals | A♦Q♦ UTG | busted |
Chip Counts
Player | Chips |
---|---|
BM Bien Mai | 201,000(80 BB) |
SH Sungheon Hong | 148,000(59 BB) |
AV Armon Van Wijk | 119,000(48 BB) |
ER Erik Rozhynskyi | 111,000(44 BB) |
AB Adrien Berger | 108,000(43 BB) |
IV Igor Vakhnenko | 70,000(28 BB) |
MD Max Deveson | 70,000(28 BB) |
AR Anton Rubtsov | 67,000(27 BB) |
JM John Matsuda | 58,000(23 BB) |
JM Joseph Magnotti | 52,000(21 BB) |
MS Maxim Sorokin | 38,000(15 BB) |
DD Dorian Debals | 22,500(9 BB) |
Table 4 Update
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
AB Adrien Berger | 126,900(106 BB) | 4 | 1 |
RA Ronald Ashley Lane | 44,700(37 BB) | 4 | 3 |
MS Maxim Sorokin | 19,500(16 BB) | 4 | 4 |
ER Erik Rozhynskyi | 65,000(54 BB) | 4 | 6 |
JY Jia Yi Low | 49,200(41 BB) | 4 | 7 |
IV Igor Vakhnenko | 340,000(283 BB) | 4 | 8 |
Table 4 Update
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
AB Adrien Berger | 41,500(69 BB) | 4 | 1 |
RA Ronald Ashley Lane | 50,500(84 BB) | 4 | 3 |
MS Maxim Sorokin | 30,500(51 BB) | 4 | 4 |
AK Amit Kaushik | 48,800(81 BB) | 4 | 5 |
ER Erik Rozhynskyi | 82,000(137 BB) | 4 | 6 |
JY Jia Yi Low | 43,000(72 BB) | 4 | 7 |
IV Igor Vakhnenko | 16,600(28 BB) | 4 | 8 |
Table 4 Update
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
CJ Craig Jones (2) | 28,000(93 BB) | 4 | 1 |
TE Tom Eady | 31,600(105 BB) | 4 | 2 |
RA Ronald Ashley Lane | 42,000(140 BB) | 4 | 3 |
MS Maxim Sorokin | 24,600(82 BB) | 4 | 4 |
AK Amit Kaushik | 30,000(100 BB) | 4 | 5 |
ER Erik Rozhynskyi | 71,000(237 BB) | 4 | 6 |
IV Igor Vakhnenko | 40,600(135 BB) | 4 | 8 |
Tom Eady On The Grind
Tom Eady picks up a couple of pots to slowly make his way to starting stack. On the first hand, players fold around to him on the button, Eady has A♣ 5♣ and boost the bet to 700. Big blind Maxim Sorokin defends then both players check the flop A♥ 9♦ 2♣ . When the turn comes 2♠ , Eady tosses in a light 600 that's called, and another 1000 bet on the river K♣ that's called once more. Eady flips open his cards and proceeds to claim the pot.
A few hands after, Eady three-bets from middle position and Igor Vakhnenko defends his raise. At the flop 9♥ J♣ K♠ , Eady continues for 5000 and it's enough to drag in the pot.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
IV Igor Vakhnenko | 33,000(110 BB) |
TE Tom Eady | 28,000(93 BB) |
MS Maxim Sorokin | 26,000(87 BB) |