APPT National (35,000 PHP)

Day 1B of the APPT National concluded at Cove Manila inside Okada Manila with the 291 entry field downsized to ITM of 44 players. At the top was Macau's Iat Man Leong with a massive 618,000 (103 bb). A portion of Leong's stack was claimed just before the bubble burst when he cracked Richard Marquez's pocket Queens with pocket Tens set. Leong has taken over the top spot of the Day 2 lineup.

Another highlight of the day was the ₱10M guarantee breached. We will have the official figure after Day 1C Turbo completes.

With the bubble round at hand, Vamerdino Magsakay shoved holding A♥ 3♥ from the button, big blind Kevin Ayow looked down at A♠ K♣ and called for his last 54,000. Though ahead, Ayow's lead quickly vanished when the flop ran 2♣ 4♦ 5♥ . With the turn 9♥ and river A♦ , Day 1B wrapped up on a bad beat.

With a raise 12,000 from Emman Segismundo called by one player, big blind Erique Tan liked his odds and makes the call. At the flop J♣ 2♥ A♦ , Segismundo continued for 8000 and Tan stuck with him as one player folded. More chips dumped in when the turn flipped open 3♠ with Tan calling Segismundo's 25,000 bet.

When the river fell 5♦ , Tan pushed all in for 64,000, Segismundo counted out the chips and could easily afford to pay to see but instead he tanked for around five minutes until the clock was called. By the time it ran out, no action was taken forcing Segismundo to fold. Tan collected and said he had the straight.

From under the gun, Jose Cheung limps in with J♥ J♣ , button Seiji Kikuoka raises 13,000, then big blind Lukasz Jankowski shoves 135,000. Only Cheung calls, risking his tournament life and is flipping against Jankowski's A♠ K♣ . The board runs 8♣ Q♠ K♦ 4♦ 3♠ for a higher pair to Jankowski.

William Ysmael plunged to 11 bb in a hand against Seiji Kikuoka. On a board that completed 5♥ 4♣ J♠ 9♥ 4♠ with 102,000 in the pot, Ysmael fired near pot of 100,000, Kikuoka tanked then found reason to call while showing A♥ K♦ . Ysmael mucked without showing.

After picking up a double up, Kevin Ayow scored another in a hand against Yohei Katsuragawa. It started with a busy preflop with four players in for 7000 to see the flop come 7♦ 5♥ 4♣ . Holding 8♦ 8♥ , Ayow c-bet 12,000 and only Yohei continued to the turn 6♥ . Ayow barreled a third time for 9500, Yohei shoved, Ayow snap-called and showed his straight. Yohei was way behind with 9♠ 9♥ and missed the river 4♦ to pay a costly double up.

Every time we pass by Rusty Co, his stack seems to get bigger. He gave us the details of his latest pick up while holding pocket Queens. The hand opened with a raise of 6500 from Seiji Kikuoka, Lukasz Jankowski three-bet 24,000, Co and Shenghao Wu called while the initial raiser folded.

At the flop 2-2-4, Co bet 30,000 and only Wu continued to the turn 8 where all the chips went in. Wu had pocket Tens. The river was a jack.

Bad river for Yuki Ito who had 5♣ 5♠ set on the flop 5♦ K♦ 2♥ and called aggressor, William Ysmael's c-bet of 7000. On the turn 4♥ , Ito took the reins for 15,000 but didn't shake off Ysmael. The river then came down 9♥ , giving Ysmael the higher set. Ito shoved, Ysmael snap-called, Ito was eliminated.

Catching the action with two big stacks banging heads. On a board K♦ 6♥ Q♦ 9♦ with 184,500 already brewed, In Ho Song is all in for 41,500 and Roxanne Victorino struggles to decide. She finally calls and shows K♣ J♣ top pair however is way behind Song's A♣ A♠ . The river 3♦ offers no help to Victorino to nosedive to half a small blind.

From under the gun Seiji Kikuoka likes his one-gapper Q♦ T♦ to raise it up to 4000. Down the orbit, William Ysmael defends his big blind with A♦ 5♣ . They head to the flop 7♦ 5♥ 6♦ where more chips go in. Ysmael leads out 3500 and Kikuoka calls.

On the turn 5♦ , Ysmael lands trips and fires 8500, Kikuoka tanks then raises to 26,500. Ysmael shoves and again Kikuoka goes deep in the tank. He finally calls for his tournament life and is ahead with the flush.

The river 4♣ doesn't improve Ysmael to pay up.

Another big turnout at APPT National with Day 1B drawing 291 entries which was more than enough to surpass the ₱10 Million guarantee. The prize pool is currently at ₱12.7 Million with Day 1C about to kick off.

Just announced only 44 players are guaranteed a spot in the money round. At this time, 140 remain.

Last chance to enter this level. There will be a short break when the level ends. For players that sign up just before the Level 11 starting buzzer, you will still have 20 big blinds to work with. Buy in is ₱35,000 (~USD 615).

Upon flipping, Yang has top pair while Astorga is drawing. The turn 4♦ gives Astorga a pair but still behind until the river 7♠ for two pair to bad beat Yang out of the game.

The momentum continues for Kevin Mateo. After tripling up, Mateo eliminated Cezar Quiambao who took a stand with 5♠ 5♥ but fell to A♦ J♥ on a board A♣ 8♠ T♦ 8♣ J♦ .

The river 4♥ doesn't help out the drawing players for Mateo to scoop up the pot.

Looking down at 2♣ 2♠ , Juyoung Kim opens 2000 and finds one customer in hijack Jangsoo Kim who flats with A♠ A♥ . At the flop Q♠ Q♣ 5♣ , Juyoung continues for 1500 and still Jangsoo just calls to bring the turn 2♥ .

Now with trips, Jiyoung bets 2500, Jangsoo takes it to the limit for 13,200, Juyoung snap-calls with a covering stack. Jangsoo needs a miracle but it doesn't come on the river 4♥ .

In Ho Song called AJ Cris Acdal's raise preflop, joined as well by Pau Iglesias. At the flop T♥ 8♠ 7♥ , more chips splashed in the pot with Acdal's c-bet of 3500 called by Song then check-raised to 10,000 by Iglesias. This didn't shake away anyone for all three to continue to the turn 6♥ . Following two checks, Song took a stab for 10,000 and won the pot with no callers.

Upon revealing, both are drawing for the flush. Mateo needs to pair up but fails on the turn T♠ and river 2♠ to run aground.

Last night's Okada Kickoff champion Maxwell Rosete has just joined the action. Read up on his win just below.

After Maxwell Rosete eliminated Martin Astorga, it only took another handful of deals to ship it. Final hand saw Rosete limp in with A♣ 4♦ , Sukwang Ko shoved with 2♦ 2♥ , and was called. The flip was all Rosete as the board came down T♦ A♥ 4♥ Q♠ 7♣ .

In a post win interview with Rosete he shared,

It feels good to win. I've been on a slump for months already and having this score brings back some confidence to my game though a lot should still be tweaked.

At three handed, Rosete dropped to become shortest stack but still with a very playable 20 bigs versus 39 and 35 bigs. Rosete shared his strategy that eventually led to the fall of the leader Martin Astorga.

I was familiar with the dynamics that was happening at three-handed, aggro on my left and a little bit passive on my right... I just tried to see the flop as cheap as possible versus my left and win small pots until I've built a stack that would make him fold once I get it in. Those added chips would then give a cushion versus the shorter stack. I was also lucky to win an all in preflop situation where I was behind, and won the flip where it mattered the most.

This early win is a big boost for Rosete who recalls his third place finish at last year's APPT Manila Main Event.

I finished 3rd last year and here we go again another chance to get the main shard. I plan to just play the best as I can and hopefully luck will be on my side.

Both players have top pair with Gavino ahead on top kicker. The turn T♥ and river K♥ seals the win for Gavino as he improved to broadway.

Anastasios Pavlou is back in and made quick work of stacking up. He now has over double the starting stack. Same as well for Vamerdino Magsakay who also has doubled it up.

Looking like a sweep for Paino as both are drawing. The odds increase on the turn 4♦ but is denied on the river T♠ to drop as Bestil doubles up and more while eliminating Pavlou.

When the cards flipped open, Magsakay's top pair was drawing dead. The river was an inconsequential 4♣ . This sent Magsakay plunging to just one big blind which he lost on the next hand.

Several players have already fallen early. For Motokatsu Uhara his chips were claimed by Nhu Hai Le, Santo Tripodi eliminated Luke Dainton, and EJ The Grinder chipped up again after giving Sidney Moak the boot.

The turn 9♠ and river 4♥ kept the ladies safe for the first double up of the day.

Early action tends to see plenty of small chips in the middle as was the case in this hand with three four limpers to Makoto Miyatake's min-raise. At the flop 9♠ 9♦ 2♣ , three checks to Andrey Cherakshin saw him betting 500 that was called by button Santo Tripodi and Miyatake.

On the turn T♣ , it was checked to Tripodi who took a chance for 1000 that only Miyatake matched. Both players opted to check the river 4♥. Tripodi showed 5♠ 5♥ which was good enough to claim the pot.