APPT Main Event ($1,750)

After a riveting day of intense ups and downs, 26 runners trudge on to Day 2 of the APPT Cambodia 2025 Main Event at the NagaWorld Integrated Resorts here in Phnom Penh, Cambodia where 172 saw action in Day 1B of the competition.

Former APPT Cambodia Main Event champion Alexander Puchalski of Canada finally made it through to Day 2, albeit with the shortest stack among the qualifiers and is joined by the likes High Roller Turbo winner Nikesh Chawla of India, WPT Championship Event Final Table participant Neng Zhao of Australia and multi-titled Vietnamese icon Nguyen Huu Dung.

The biggest stack, however, belongs to Bo Su of Taiwan who used a late crippling of erstwhile big stack Craig Jones when the Englishman had Q♦ Q♥ against the A♠ T♠ of the Taiwanese player and eventually lost most of his stack on a board that went 4♣ T♥ 7♣ A♣ 8♥ . The result of that encounter gave Bo a stack of 509,000 and ended with 521,000 which dwarfs the stack of Day 1A chip leader Nguyen Hoa Trinh of Vietnam who carries 375,000 into Day 2.

Bo’s only cash on record is an 54th place finish in the WPT Championship Event here earlier this year but is poised to make a major splash if he can build on his edge heading into the deep waters of the competition.

Second in chips is Li Shankui of China with 487,000 while third is Vietnam’s Tran Hai Ha with 451,000.

Day 1C will happen on Saturday (May 10) still at 11: 30AM (UCT+7) while the Turbo version (Day 1D—20minute blinds) occurs later on at 6:30PM.

After being outdrawn and getting crippled a few hands prior, England’s Craig Jones makes a bid to advance to Day 2 and he opens from the +1 position and it gets folded to the BB of big stack Tran Hai Ha of Vietnam who 3-bets all-in. Jones makes the call.

Tran tables 5♦ 5♠ while Jones is in a flip with K♥ J♣ .

The runout goes: 4♦ 6♠ 2♠ 9♣ 9♠ as Jones misses everything and the small pocket pair of Tran holds to eliminate the Englishman in an unfortunate chain of events.

The win puts Tran in the top three from this flight with a stack of over 450,000.

England’s Craig Jones raises from the +1 position to 8,000 and it folds to the BB of fellow big stack Tran Hai Ha who defends.

The flop comes T♦ 2♦ J♣ as both check. The turn is the 4♠ and once again no action ensues. The river card is the 4♣ as Tran checks a third time. Now Jones bets 6,000 and is called.

Jones shows 9♣ 9♠ for third pair and the Vietnamese player chooses to muck. Hardly any damage was brought about this minor clash.

Among the chip leaders is Vietnam’s Tran Hai Ha who raises from the +1 position to 3,000 and the action is folded to the button where Sanjeev Kapoor of India re-raises it to 9,500. Tran calls.

The flop goes 4♣ 3♦ J♦ as Tran leads out for 2,200. Then Kapoor shoves his substantial stack of 81,500. The Vietnamese player goes into the tank and eventually decides to make the call.

Kapoor turns over K♠ K♦ while Tran shows A♦ J♥ for top pair-top kicker on the flop, of course now behind to the Indian’s Cowboys.

The turn is the 5♣ but the river card is the J♠ which gives Tran trips and boots out Kapoor.

Tran is now among the big stacks in Day 1B.