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.

Thailand’s Pongrut Lemongkol opens from the +1 position for 5,000 and gets called by Nguyen Trung C hien of Vietnam in the BB.

The flop comes T♥ 6♣ A♠ as Nguyen checks. Lemongkol CBets to 4,000 and completes the steal.

From UTG, Sweden’s Fritz Douhan limps and is met by a raise from Mok Jo Seng of Malaysia at the +1 position to 800. Vietnam’s Nguyen Trung Chien makes the call from the BB and Douhan comes along.

The flop goes 7♥ 9♥ 5♦ as suddenly the Swede takes the betting lead for 800. Mok calls but Nguyen folds. It is Heads Up to the turn which brings in the 3♦ as Douhan fires another 800 bet. Mok still calls. The river is the J♦ and this time, Douhan checks. Mok then unloads 4,000 and gets called.

Mok unfurls K♥ K♦ while Douhan shows 9♣ 2♣ for top pair on the flop, quashed by the Malaysian’s cowboys.

Dinesh Alt of Switzerland raises from the +1 position to 400 and gets two callers in Sweden’s Fritz Douhan and Nguyen Trung Chien of Vietnam.

The flop comes 6♥ 9♠ J♥ as Alt CBets to 700. Both of his opposition call. The turn is the 8♦ and this time Alt slows down and checks. Douhan takes over the betting lead and fires 1,300. Nguyen and Alt make the call. The river is the 5♣ as the Swiss national checks again. Douhan bets again, this time for 5,000 and still gets called by the Vietnamese player and Alt.

The Swede turns over K♥ T♦ for a missed straight draw while Nguyen shows K♠ J♣ for top pair. However, Alt tables A♣ J♠ for top pair-top kicker and it’s enough to take down the three-way pot.

Alt now brings his stack to beyond the 40,000 mark.