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.

Malaysia’s Victor Chong open shoves his remaining 19,000 from the +1 position and gets called by Pulkit Tota of India from the hijack. However, Macanese player Gu Huidong 3-bet shoves from the cutoff and when it folds back to the Indian, he elects to stand aside.

Chong turns over Q♦ J♣ while Gu shows Q♥ Q♣ .

The runout provided no subplots: K♦ 2♦ 7♠ K♠ J♥ as Chong busts and Gu’s stack approaches the double century mark.

Gu Huidong from Macau, China raises from the hijack to 1,100 and gets a call from Singapore’s Kien Tat Heng from the button as everyone else folds.

The flop goes Q♣ J♠ 7♣ as Gu continues firing, this time for 1,900. Kien calls. The turn card is the T♥ as this time the Macanese player slows down and checks. Kien takes the betting lead for 3,000 and gets check-raised by Gu to 13,000. The Singaporean makes the call. The river is the 4♦ and GU goes all-in and is quickly called.

Gu shows A♠ J♥ for second pair on the flop while Kiem turns over K♣ Q♠ for top pair on the flop. Both players picked up backdoor straight draws on the turn.

Gu’s stack is just above ten BBs and is in emergency mode.