APPT Main Event ($1,750)

Just a few hands after being outdrawn by South Africa’s Edgar Antezana, John Matsuda of Japan open shoves his remaining 45,500 from UTG. It gets folded until the SB of Macanese player Gu Huidong who isolates all-in.

Matsuda shows A♦ 5♠ while Gu has A♠ T♣ .

The runout goes: Q♦ 3♦ T♥ while the 5♠ on the turn gives some hope, it is immediately dashed at the river when the 3♣ arrives.

Matsuda will have to come back for Day 1B and try to replicate that sizzling run that just came up short.

In a hand that went all-in preflop, Japan’s John Matsuda’s Pocket Kings lost out to the Ace Queen of Edgar Antezana of South Africa.

With the action folded to him on the cutoff, Japan’s John Matsuda raises to 3,500 and gets a BB defense from Lee Won Jong of Korea.

The flop comes 8♠ 3♦ 4♠ as both players skip the flop. The turn is the 4♦ as Lee takes the betting lead by firing 4,000. Matsuda calls. The river is the 3♥ . The Korean takes one final stab with a bet of 11,000. Matsuda still calls.

The Japanese player shows A♦ K♣ for ace high while Lee shows the K♠ before mucking his hand.

The hero call by Matsuda brings him to six figures in chips.

Raising from the lowjack is Qiu Quan from China to 1,200 and gets a call from Japan’s John Matsuda on the button.

The flop comes J♥ 7♠ 5♥ as Qiu continues firing, this time for 4,500. Matsuda makes the call. The turn is the 9♦. The Chinese player slows down and checks. Matsuda takes over the betting lead and unloads 7,500. Qiu calls. The river is the A♣ as once again Qiu checks. The Japanese player then declares he is all-in and gets called by Qiu.

Matsuda shows A♦ J♣ for aces up on the river while Qiu tables A♥ 8♥ for top pair on the river and a missed nut flush draw.

Qiu exits but still has time to re-enter while Matsuda now clears the 80,000 chip mark.