APPT Main Event ($1,750)

The biggest influx in the APPT Cambodia 2025 (Event #40) Main Event went down in Day 1C when 234 entries graced the NagaWorld Integrated Resorts here in Phnom Penh and when the dust settled, 45 advanced to join the 50 that had already trudged on from the first 2 qualifiers.

This merges with those who made it from the Turbo Day 1D that took place later in the evening that had 85 entries and 26 advancing now brings the runner total to 121 that will converge on Sunday (May 11) as Day 2 commences here at 12:00PM (UCT+7). A total of 643 entries were logged in this US$1,000,000 GTD event.

Among the notables that made it to Day 2 from Day 1C were the Philippines’ lone WSOP bracelet winner Mike Takayama, Pokerstars LIVE Manila Super Series 12 Main Event titlist Hu Jin Long of China, APPT Manila Championship Pokerstars Red Dragon winner Aladin Reskallah of Canada and multi-titled Australian Daniel Nielson.

The race for the chip lead was a harrowing one as so many players traded seats atop the leaderboard, but in the end China’s Hao He rose to the top after busting out two in one hand towards the twilight of the session with a flush. Hao, who has amassed nearly US$250,000 in his career, carries a stack of 518,000 into Day 2 and is followed distantly by Somashekar Kurkhepally Nahadeva of India with 382,000 while Ireland’s Frank Lillis is third with 374,000.

Day 1D saw the likes of APPT Main Event runner-up Kim Donghyup of Korea, 4-time WPT Cambodia trophy winner Erik Rozhynskyi of the Ukraine and international campaigner Guy Taylor of England among those who will be seeing action in Day 2.

Malaysian Victor Chong acquired the most chips from Day 1D with 248,000. Chong, among whose many trophies is the 2023 WPT Passport to the World Championship Super High Roller championship title, shoved his last hand and was called by Japan’s Akihiro Konishi ending up as a full house to surge ahead of the field. Second in chips is the Philippines’ Richard Marquez with 195,000 while Pranav Bathjia of India captured third with 175,000.

Of the 121 players that will return for Day 2, only 95 will be ITM so the fight will resume with the sane ferocity that was required to make it this far.

Ha Manh tuong of Vietnam continues to stay active as he opens from the +1 position for 8,000 and gets calls from the SB of Korea’s Yun Jungsup and the BB of Englishman Craig Jones.

The flop goes 6♦ 3♥ 5♠ as the blinds check. Ha CBets to 16,000 and the blinds call. The turn card is the A♥ and the blinds check again. This time, Ha puts in 33,000. Both blinds are still in there. The river is the 5♦ and this time the Vietnamese player joins in the checkfest.

Yun is first to show and he tables A J for top pair and his opponents muck.

India’s Bagaria Raj Vardhan opens for 3,000 from UTG and it folds all the way to the BB of Englishman Craig Jones who decides to make the call.

The flop is A♦ Q♦ 8♠ as Jones checks. Vardhan CBets to 2,500 and gets check-raised to 9,000. The Indian makes the call. The turn is the J♠ as Jones now unleashes 25,000. Vardhan still makes the call. The river is the A♣ as Jones goes all-in and is quickly called by Vardhan.

Jones tables A♥ Q♣ for a full house on the river while a disgruntled Vardhan shows A♠ J♣ for a smaller boat. It’s one of the worst coolers in the tournament thus far and the result is the sidelining of Vardhan while Jones now eclipses the quarter of a million chip mark.

Englishman Craig Jones opens from UTG for 1,000 and gets 3-bet by Yu Yuan in the +1 position to 2,600 who in turn gets 4-bet by fellow Chinese player Zhou Tong to 6,600. Craig folds after all the aggression which hasn’t ended yet as Yu 5-bets it 11,600. Zhou calls.

The flop is 9♠ 9♣ 7♠ as Yu fires anew, this time for 6,000. Zhiu goes all-in and gets snap called.

Zhou turns over A♠ K♣ while Yu shows the goods: A♣ A♥ .

The last two community cards to appear are the 3♠ and the 6♦ .

Yu’s stack nears the 80,000 mark.

India’s Kaushal Vasa opens from the cutoff for 600 and gets three callers in Craig Jones of England on the button, Hungary’s Michael Adam Bihari in the SB and the BB of Chinese player Yu Yuan.

The flop is Q♥ 7♥ 4♠ as the blinds check. Vasa CBets for 1,000 and gets raised by Jones to 3,500. The blinds fold as the Indian makes the call. It is Heads Up to the turn where the 6♦ appears. Vasa checks as the Englishman bets 3,500 to which Vasa check-raises all-in for 13,000. Jones calls.

Vasa tables J♠ 7♠ for middle pair on the flop while Jones shows 8♥ 5♥ for a flush on the flop that became a straight on the turn. The river card is the 8♦ to seal Vasa’s fate.

Amir Abbas of Australia opens it up from the +1 position for 600 and gets calls from the blinds in Craig Jones of England in the SB and Hungarian Michael Adam Bihari on the BB.

The flop goes K♥ 8♣ 2♣ as Abbas CBets 800 and both his opponents fold.

England’s Craig Jones is back and he is opening from UTG for 300 as Michael Adam Bihari of Hungary in the +1 position, Yu Yuan in the hijack and fellow Chinese player Ye Zhifan on the button all make the call.

The flop is 4♥ 7♦ T♣ as it is checked around to Ye who takes over the betting lead for 700. Jones and Bihari fold, but Yu calls. The turn card is the 5♦ as Yu checks again. Ye now unloads 3,500 and this time Yu chooses not to continue.