APPT Main Event (80,000 PHP)

Day 1A of the ₱58,000,000 GTD APPT Manila Main Event came to a close with 40 out of 270 entries punching a ticket for Day 2 after 15 levels of regulation play. Local pro Christopher Mateo - runner-up at the APPT Manila Main Event in 2023 and APPT Cambodia Main Event champ last November - topped the leaderboard with 690,000 (172 BB) after an average day turned into a sun run during the last two levels. Mateo nearly tripled up his stack aided by the double elimination of Francisco Sanchez and Marco Almarez, before putting a cherry on top by eliminating Xia Qi with T♦ T♥ over A♠ Q♥ .

Two key hands that got me to the top were the double knockout where I had AK against pocket kings and A9. I hit the ace on the flop. And then at the last level I had pocket Tens versus AQ that made me chip leader.

All according to his plan at the start of the day.

Gamble until I have a decent stack, after that just being patient, waiting for good hands and spots to play.

Second in chips Juan Espinar Albarracin from Spain hit the ground running, topping the leaderboard by quite some margin at the end of level 4, 8 and 13 before he plateaued to end the day with 431,000 (108 BB).

Korea's Jaehyuk Kim was a late bloomer as well, first appearing on the leaderboard at level 13 before his last level elimination of Dave Aguila got him to 389,000 (97 BB).

All of today's qualifiers will be able to caress their chips again on Sunday, August 3 at 12pm when Day 2 begins. Until then there are three more opening flights, continuing tomorrow at 12 noon with Flight B.

The SMP Live Updates will be on site to deliver fresh coverage throughout the day.

Things are looking peachy for Acosta when the dealer tables 4♣ A♣ 8♥ 3♠ before turning pear shaped on the Q♠ river, giving Rosete two pair which sends Acosta to the rail.

Mateo's tens hold on 5♥ 2♣ 5♠ 3♥ 8♦ to catapult him into the overall lead.

Under the gun Somashekar Nahadeva wants 8,500 and big blind Rex Clinkscales defends to see the 7♠ T♥ 3♦ flop where he calls Nahadeva's 6,500 c-bet before the A♦ turn gets checked to the 5♦ river. Clinkscales takes over the reins with a 14,500 lead holding A♠ 8♣ and takes it down after Nahadeva calls and mucks.

Aso hits the A♦ in the window with no more tens in the deck to beat him, but the board completes 4♦ 6♦ 8♦ 9♠ to give Calingasan a flush and a nice pot towards the end of the day.

Catching the action on the heads-up turn K♥ 9♥ 2♥ 9♦ with 41,000 in the middle, big blind Christopher Mateo leads 20,000 and button Francisco Sanchez pays up before folding to Mateo's jam on the 7♠ river.

All blanks on 7♠ 4♠ T♥ 5♣ 3♦ grant Zalac a much needed double up.

Espinar Albarracin opens 4,000 from +2 and takes button Ju Won Chung to the 3♣ J♣ T♦ flop where his 8,000 continuation gets met before the 8♠ turn hits the felt. Albarracin slows down to a check, Chung puts out 13,000, but let's it go when he is faced with Albarracin's jam.

With a 4,000 raise and a flat in front, big blind Kiyoung Kim pumps it to 17,000 and only first to act Anant Purohit fills up to lay eyes on the 6♣ J♠ 4♦ flop where he calls Kim's 11,000 c-bet and the T♥ turn is revealed. Kim fires a second barrel of 23,000, but goes deep in the tank before letting it go against Purohit's jam.

When the action folds to small blind Gary Adamson a limp is announced, Francisco Sanchez makes it 7,000 and Adamson pays up to see the J♣ A♣ 2♣ flop that gets checked to the 3♦ turn. Adamson's 10,000 bet gets called, the 8♣ river completes the board, Adamson lays out another 10,000, but surrenders after Sanchez raised to 36,000.

Right after doubling up against Hogyun Kang, David Erquiaga makes it 3,500 from +2 and fills up button Hogyun Kang's 10,000 three-bet to watch the 7♦ J♥ Q♠ flop hit the felt. Kang continues for 8,000 and calls after Erquiaga raised to 28,000. Kang fires another 20,000 on the 8♠ turn and 45,000 on the 7♣ river with Erquiaga calling both times before he throws it in the muck against Kang's A♦ Q♣ .

Picking up the action on the 6♦ 4♥ T♦ 8♣ turn with 53,500 up for grabs, lojack Carmelo Tutay Jr leads 21,000, Leo Kamiya check-raises to 65,000, but lets it go after Tutay tank jammed his massive stack.

Kiyoung Kim leads 3,500 and fills up after lojack Youngtaek Lim increased to 10,000 for the K♦ 4♦ 9♣ flop to be revealed. Lim's 6,500 c-bet gets called, before his 22,000 all-in on the T♦ turn gets the job done.

Both players miss on 5♥ J♠ 5♠ 8♠ T♦ keeping Maxwell's ace-high in the lead for a much needed double up.

Cutoff Raymundo Gomez lays out 3,000 and flicks in the rest after small blind Jayden Zalac - two high roller trophies this series already - ups it to 8,500 to watch the 8♥ 8♣ 3♦ flop hit the felt. Zalac's 4,500 c-bet gets called, the 2♠ turn drops and Zalac slows down to a check-call of 8,500 from Gomez. The 4♠ river gets checked down with Zalac's A♣ Q♦ coming out on top.

No miracles on J♠ 8♣ T♣ 6♠ 8♠ and the rockets hold for Park to double up.

The dealer hits the felt J♦ Q♥ 9♦ 8♠ K♣ , giving Co a straight for a triple up and leaves Teoh with the side pot.

The A♣ river keeps the Romanian ahead for a much needed double up.

The board completes Q♥ and 3♥ which keeps Liao in the lead and sends Benor packing with two levels of late reg still available.