
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) |
Anton Rubtsov Shows The Set

With 5♥ 5♦ in the hole, Anton Rubtsov opens 10,000 and finds one customer in big blind Sungheon Hong. The flop runs 6♠ A♣ 5♠ , giving Rubtsov a set. He c-bets 10,000, only to face a check-raise to 22,000 from Hong. Rubtsov just calls.
The 8♣ lands on the turn, and this time Hong leads out for 45,000. Rubtsov stays the course with another call to complete the board with the A♠ river. Hong tanks while playing with his chips then opts to check. Rubtsov tanks back before jamming. Hong tanks again then releases his hand, for Rubtsov to scoop the pot. A♠ a friendly gesture, Rubtsov shows his set.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SH Sungheon Hong | 400,000(80 BB) |
AR Anton Rubtsov | 300,000(60 BB) |
Karan Sitlani Doubles Up
All in preflop.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
KS Karan Sitlani | J♦J♣ UTG | 140,000(35 BB) |
SH Sungheon Hong | A♣9♥ HJ | 370,000(93 BB) |
Table 4 Chip Counts
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
HT Hoa Thinh Nguyen | 131,000(44 BB) | 4 | 1 |
RM Renji Mao | 188,500(63 BB) | 4 | 4 |
MD Max Deveson | 117,000(39 BB) | 4 | 4 |
AK Amit Kaushik | 81,000(27 BB) | 4 | 5 |
ER Erik Rozhynskyi | 109,500(37 BB) | 4 | 6 |
SH Sungheon Hong | 327,000(109 BB) | 4 | 7 |
IV Igor Vakhnenko | 50,000(17 BB) | 4 | 8 |
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) |
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) |
Debals Survives Another Three-Way
Perfect timing for Dorian Debals to pick up aces which he shoves that finds two callers Amit Kaushik and Sungheon Hong. Both players checked down the board. Debals rockets stand for another triple up.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
DD Dorian Debals | A♠A♦ D | 33,500(17 BB) |
AK Amit Kaushik | K♥J♠ CO | 133,500(67 BB) |
SH Sungheon Hong | T♣9♣ MP | 167,000(84 BB) |
Dorian Debals Survives But Still In Danger
Dorian Debals is all in for his last 3 bb and needs to get past Amit Kaushik and Sungheon Hong to stay in the game. At the flop 2♥ 4♥ 9♣ , Kaushik bets 2500 for a side pot and Hong makes it happen. The turn Q♥ is checked down then Kaushik fuels the side pot 7000 more on the river 5♥ . This time Hong passes.
Kaushik wins the side pot and shows K♦ T♠ , Debals has T♦ 9♦ for a triple up with his pair.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SH Sungheon Hong | 163,000(109 BB) |
AK Amit Kaushik | 146,000(97 BB) |
DD Dorian Debals | 14,500(10 BB) |
Four Bet Push Works For Karatayeu

Ivan Karatayeu raises to 3000, Sungheon Hong three-bets 8000, Karatayeu answers with a four-bet jam totaling 35,500 and wins the pot without further challenge.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SH Sungheon Hong | 206,000(137 BB) |
IK Ivan Karatayeu | 46,500(31 BB) |
APPT Champion Kicked Out

The 2023 APPT Cambodia Main Event, Taiwan's Chao Ting Cheng, was eliminated holding King-Jack that couldn't get by Sungheon Hong who not only had a larger stack but also the bigger kicker with Ace-King.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SH Sungheon Hong | 214,000(143 BB) |
CT Chao Ting Cheng | busted |
Top Stacks At The New Level
Player | Chips |
---|---|
BM Bien Mai | 200,000(133 BB) |
SH Sungheon Hong | 165,000(110 BB) |
AK Amit Kaushik | 161,000(107 BB) |
AB Adrien Berger | 152,000(101 BB) |
AK Akihiro Konishi | 126,500(84 BB) |
KS Karan Sitlani | 112,000(75 BB) |
HT Hoa Thinh Nguyen | 99,000(66 BB) |
ER Erik Rozhynskyi | 86,500(58 BB) |
IV Igor Vakhnenko | 70,000(47 BB) |
Table 5 Update
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
BM Bien Mai | 135,000(113 BB) | 5 | 1 |
CT Chao Ting Cheng | 25,000(21 BB) | 5 | 4 |
42,600(36 BB) | 5 | 5 | |
AR Anton Rubtsov | 36,600(31 BB) | 5 | 6 |
PS Patrik Selin | 36,300(30 BB) | 5 | 7 |
SH Sungheon Hong | 142,500(119 BB) | 5 | 8 |
Big Stacks
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SH Sungheon Hong | 166,000(138 BB) |
AB Adrien Berger | 145,000(121 BB) |
MT Minh Thang Tran | 131,000(109 BB) |
ER Erik Rozhynskyi | 130,000(108 BB) |
BM Bien Mai | 124,000(103 BB) |
RM Renji Mao | 74,800(62 BB) |
Short Stacked Lapp Doubles Up
Short-stacked Sebastien Lapp with just 7,500 moves all in after picking up a pocket pair. Sungheon Hong, sitting comfortably with a big stack, has an ace and makes the easy call to put Lapp at risk.
Upon showing, it's a classic flip. Lapp is ahead and improves to a set however he is not out of the woods yet with a flush draw for Hong on the turn. Luckily for Lapp, it doesn't materialize on the river to collect a double up.
Player | Hand | Chips |
---|---|---|
5♠5♣ CO | 17,500(18 BB) | |
SH Sungheon Hong | A♦T♦ D | 157,000(157 BB) |
Mai Gets Value For The Flush
Bien Mai picks up K♦ T♦ under the gun and raises 2000. Both blinds - Sebastien Lapp and Sungheon Hong - call for a three-way to the flop T♠ 2♥ 7♦ . Mai is given the go-ahead and bets 3500, only Lapp continues to the turn 9♦ where both check. On the river 2♦ , Mai's top pair improves to a flush. He jumps out with a 15,000 bet, Lapp calls then mucks after seeing Mai’s hand.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SH Sungheon Hong | 165,000(165 BB) |
BM Bien Mai | 65,200(65 BB) |
7,600(8 BB) |
Table 5 Update
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
BM Bien Mai | 44,800(75 BB) | 5 | 1 |
AR Aladin Reskallah | 9,000(15 BB) | 5 | 2 |
DD Dorian Debals | 29,000(48 BB) | 5 | 3 |
SB Simon Baker | 17,000(28 BB) | 5 | 4 |
35,700(60 BB) | 5 | 5 | |
37,500(63 BB) | 5 | 6 | |
CT Chenzhong Tao | 21,000(35 BB) | 5 | 7 |
SH Sungheon Hong | 75,000(125 BB) | 5 | 8 |
Baba's Semi Bluff Wins The Pot
Sungheon Hong and David Yojiro Baba stare down a flop T♣ Q♣ 8♠ with 6000 already in the pot. Acting first, Hong leads out 3000 and Baba calls. The turn 9♦ sees Hong fire another 3000 bet and once again Baba calls to take them to the river 3♥ . Hong slows down with a check, Baba switches up and bets 2500, and after a brief pause, Hong calls only to muck when Baba reveals A♦ J♦ ace-high.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
SH Sungheon Hong | 82,000(164 BB) |
32,000(64 BB) |
Big Stacks At The New Level
Player | Chips |
---|---|
ER Erik Rozhynskyi | 90,300(181 BB) |
SH Sungheon Hong | 83,000(166 BB) |
JS Jung Su Kim | 78,600(157 BB) |
HT Hoa Thinh Nguyen | 78,200(156 BB) |
RA Ronald Ashley Lane | 65,000(130 BB) |
JM Joseph Magnotti | 44,000(88 BB) |
39,300(79 BB) | |
BM Bien Mai | 31,100(62 BB) |
AK Amit Kaushik | 29,000(58 BB) |
Table 5 Update
Player | Chips | Table | Seat |
---|---|---|---|
ND Nuno Da Silva | 20,100(50 BB) | 5 | 2 |
YL Yao Liu | 22,500(56 BB) | 5 | 3 |
SB Simon Baker | 28,600(72 BB) | 5 | 4 |
QT Quang Trinh Do | 63,900(160 BB) | 5 | 5 |
32,900(82 BB) | 5 | 6 | |
JS Jung Su Kim | 37,800(95 BB) | 5 | 7 |
SH Sungheon Hong | 53,600(134 BB) | 5 | 8 |
River Pressure Earns Hong The Pot

Sungheon Hong and Nuno Da Silva Alves called a raise to 800 from Jung Su Kim to see a flop of A♣ 7♦ 4♥ . Kim fired a 1100 c-bet, prompting Alves to fold while Hong made the call.
On the 7♣ turn, Kim tapped the brakes with a check, and Hong took the option to bet 2,500. Kim called, leading to the 5♥ river. Kim then led out for 3,500, but Hong came over the top with a raise to 11,200. The pressure was enough for Kim to release his hand, and Hong dragged in the pot.
Player | Chips |
---|---|
JS Jung Su Kim | 68,000(227 BB) |
SH Sungheon Hong | 30,000(100 BB) |
ND Nuno Da Silva | 30,000(100 BB) |