APPT Open (60,000 PHP)

Australia’s Leo Kamiya does it again! After 27 hands of heads-up play, Kamiya defeated Norway’s Birger Larsen to become the first player ever to win two APPT Open titles and he did so consecutively, winning his first at the 2025 APPT Manila last July.

"It feels great to win, I am very fortunate to be able to win it again!"

Along with an ICM deal payout of ₱3,230,000, Kamiya received a seat worth ₱165,000 to the APPT Championship Main Event and hoisted the first shard trophy of the series.

The APPT Manila Championship - APPT Open attracted 362 runners across three entry flights with only 53 securing a piece of the ₱20,000,000 prize pool. On the final day, the last nine players returned, each one representing a different flag. Defending champion Leo Kamiya headlined the lineup and throughout the chase, he was never dethroned.

After Kamiya ended the hope of the last local, Maxwell Rosete, he entered the heads-up stage with 99 bb well in the lead against Norway's Birger Larsen's 82 bb. An ICM deal was struck then they played for the title and trophy.

"I just planned to play the best I can. Larsen was a very strong player so I was happy to ICM split."

When play resumed, it didn't take long for Kamiya to widen his lead. On the third heads-up hand, he shoved on a board 4♣ A♠ 5♥ 3♣ 5♦ , with nearly 30% of the chips in play in the pot, roughly 37 bb. He won it with Larsen folding. Another big scoop was calling out Larsen's bluff of K♠ 8♠ on a board Q♦ Q♥ 9♥ T♦ 5♠ believing in his 9♦ 3♦ two pair. When asked what made him call the big river bet, Kamiya shared,

"No interesting reason. Sometimes you just have to call. It was heads up and he was a very capable opponent."

The hand sent Larsen down to 12 bigs. Ten deals later, Kamiya outdrew Larsen's A♥ T♥ top pair with Q♠ 6♣ finding a lady on the turn board that completed 8♣ T♠ 8♥ Q♣ 6♦ .

Congratulations to Leo for his incredible performance and achieving back-to-back APPT Open victories!

Despite his lead, Kamiya had live cards. Larsen improved on the flop 8♣ T♠ 8♥ and had an 86% chance to double up. However Kamiya's 14% found the turn with Q♣ arriving. Only 12% chance for Larsen to steal but it was not to be with the river felting 6♦ .

Larsen earned an ICM deal payout of ₱3,100,000 and a ticket worth ₱165,000 to the APPT Championship Main Event.

On the 15th heads up hand, Leo Kamiya opened and Birger Larsen defended. The flop ran Q♦ Q♥ 9♥ bringing another bet from Kamiya of 50,000, Larsen replied with a check-raise to 420,000. Kamiya topped up then both checked the turn T♦ .

The river 5♠ followed and so did a bet from Larsen of 780,000, Kamiya called and it was the right decision as Larsen showed K♠ 8♠ bluff for Kamiya to win it with 9♦ 3♦ two pair.

On the third heads-up hand, Leo Kamiya raised 160,000 on the button and big blind Birger Larsen repopped to 560,000. Kamiya called to build over 1M pot. More chips went in on the flop 4♠ A♠ 5♥ with a bet of 250,000 from Larsen, called by Kamiya.

Larsen decided to slow it down on the 3♣ turn with a check but Kamiya wasn't feeling the same and fired 650,000. Larsen paid up and the river came 5♦ . Check again from Larsen drew a shove from Kamiya. After two time-banks spent, Larsen surrendered his hand.

An ICM deal has been reached and play will resume for the title and trophy.

Leo Kamiya - ₱3,230,000

Birger Larsen - ₱3,100,000

Both players will also receive a ticket worth ₱165,000 to the APPT Championship Main Event.

Rosete's hopes were soon crushed when the board gave him a 3♥ instead to finish in 3rd place.

The turn 3♦ and river 3♠ sealed Uguccioni's fate in 4th place for his first payout on Asian soil.

Birger Larsen continues his climb and is now closing in on leader Leo Kamiya. He picked up a big pot that began with a min-raise from Michael Uguccioni under the gun, drawing calls from Larsen on the button and Maxwell Rosete in the big blind.

The flop landed A♥ Q♦ 8♣ where it was checked to Larsen, who tested the waters with a 180,000 bet. Rosete folded, and Uguccioni called to see the turn 2♦ , which both checked.

On the river Q♣ , Uguccioni led the minimum prompting Larsen to raise to 420,000. Uguccioni fired back with a three-bet of 990,000, and Larsen unfazed, made the call.

Uguccioni showed A♣ 4♠ for top pair, but Larsen proudly revealed A♦ T♠, his kicker playing to scoop the pot and exclaimed, “give it to me!”

Break time again. Only four players remaining. Everyone is now guaranteed ₱1,340,000.

Birger Larsen woke up with A♦ K♠ and raised 125,000 from hijack. Action folded to the big blind Leo Lombardozzi who also was dealt a strong hand of J♦ J♣ and shoved his last 640,000. No brainer for Larsen and it was a flip.

The flop immediately improved Larsen on a board K♣ 3♥ 2♥ , then improved to trips on the turn K♥ however the win wasn't sealed with Lombardozzi still with two outs. The river 8♣ wasn't one of them for a very happy Larsen to ship it and lose Lombardozzi in 6th place.

Yao Liu's aggression was stopped cold when he three-bet shoved with A♠ 3♦ only to see the bad news with Michael Uguccioni flipping over A♦ A♣ . No hope in sight for Liu on the flop T♠ 5♣ 6♦ , then the turn 2♦ gave a tiny sliver with four outs however it was not to be with a J♥ on the river.

Consecutive pots for Mikhail Katkov with the first one sending two players tanking. Hand opened with a raise of 110,000 from Birger Larsen at cutoff, Katkov defended his small blind with a jam for 1,100,000. Action on big blind Maxwell Rosete, he spent two time-banks before folding.

It was up to Larsen whether to defend, and though he could afford it, he opted out as well after spending a time-bank. A♠ Katkov dragged in his winnings, Larsen asked "Tens? Jacks?" But got no reaction from the Russian.

Next hand Katkov limped on the button and saw the flop cheap with the blind position players Rosete and Yao Liu. At the flop A♦ 3♠ T♦ , Liu led for 100,000 and only Katkov kept him honest until the turn T♥ where he stole control by betting 175,000. Liu check-folded.

First two hands of the new level were walks then Leo Kamiya put a stop to it. From under the gun he raised 100,000 and went hunting with caller Leo Lombardozzi on the button. No action until the turn K♦ 3♥ 6♠ T♠ with Kamiya c-betting a delayed 150,000. Lombardozzi paid to see the river 6♣ . Again Kamiya kept the strong persona with a 225,000 bet and with that, he picked up the pot uncontested, collecting 7.5 bigs to add to his arsenal.

The 7 remaining players are on a 10-minute break. We will be right back.

Leo Kamiya min-raised 80,000 from +1 then Leo Lombardozzi at small blind did the same with a min-click of 120,000. This drew a bit of confusion from big blind Michael Uguccioni and after it was confirmed a legal raise, he called. Kamiya defended for a three-way.

When the dealer fanned T♦ A♠ 5♣ , Lombardozzi continued for 80,000 and only Uguccioni called. They both tapped the 9♣ turn for a free river card 6♦ . Lombardozzi tanked and was slid out a time-bank then changed his mind and value-bet 125,000. Uguccioni called then mucked when seeing A♥ 6♣ two pair.

Birger Larsen has picked up momentum in this level, winning five of the seven deals that have gone by. The first saw raised pot three-way to the flop 3♥ 2♠ 8♦ . Aggressor Yao Liu c-bet 75,000 and only Larsen called. Another 250,000 fired by Liu on the 7♥ turn and still Larsen stuck around to the river 5♣ . This time both checked it. Liu showed air T♠ 9♠ and said "you win", which indeed Larsen won with 9♣ 9♥ .

The very next hand, Larsen min-clicked from cutoff and Maxwell Rosete defended the big blind. They both checked it all the way down 4♣ J♣ 4♠ 2♥ 7♠ . Larsen won the small pot with 8♣ 8♦ .

Another decent pot for Larsen was when he limped in from the small blind and unlike the previous win, he fired down every street - 45,000, 90,000, 350,000 - and big blind Leo Kamiya folded to the river aggression after spending a time-bank.

Liu immediately improved on the flop T♦ 5♣ 3♠ and looked like it was gonna be an easy scoop until the 7♥ landed on the turn for both players now with sets. Liu called out "no seven" and the dealer obliged with a 6♥ river.

Craig Jones looked down at A♠ Q♦ and decided it was time to risk his last 400,000. Beside him, Leo Lombardozzi was dealt A♥ K♥ and snap-shoved. With no one else interested, they flipped them over and the board ran J♠ 8♣ 8♦ T♣ 6♣ . No improvement for Jones to exit in 8th place.

Yao Liu opened the hand for 60,000 at mid-position and big blind Leo Kamiya defended. Both players kept cool and checked until the turn board 4♦ A♥ K♣ 8♠ . Liu continued for a light 35,000 and Kamiya check-called to see the river T♦ . No more checking for Kamiya with a lead out bet of 225,000. Liu makes the fast call then mucks to the Q♦ J♠ straight.

After losing a three-way showdown to Leo Lombardozzi, several hands later both met again where Lombardozzi opened for 60,000. At cutoff, Leo Kamiya three-bet 175,000. Not backing down, Lombardozzi barreled 400,000. Kamiya also was not budging and five-bet shoved. This time, Lombardozzi gave it up with a snap-fold.

Mikhail Katkov has been on the move since the first deal and picked up a couple of pots. The first was at hand #5 where he raised 50,000 and went to the flop with button caller Leo Lombardozzi. He continued at the flop J♣ 5♠ 4♣ for another 50,000 then checked the turn 8♦ . He picked up the pot after Lombardo folded to his 140,000 bet on the river A♦ .

Two hands after, it folded to the small blind Leo Kamiya who tried to steal for 80,000, Katkov defended his big blind then called Kamiya's 60,000 c-bet on a flop K♦ 2♥ T♦. On the turn T♠ , Katkov took command for 100,000 after Kamiya checked who then called. They both checked the river 3♠ . Kamiya revealed 2♦ 5♠ bottom pair, Katkov won with K♥ 8♣ top pair.

Intense preflop action opened with a min-raise from +1 Leo Kamiya and down the orbit at hijack, Yao Liu three-bet 175,000. Kamiya fired back with a 425,000 four-bet and Liu tamed the action by calling.

Kamiya was on fire and continued for 175,000 at the flop A♥ J♥ 6♥ , Liu assessed using a time-bank then folded saying he didn't have an ace.

First hand of the day and Craig Jones on the big blind three-bets 190,000 to win Mikhail Katkov's 50,000 raise. Jones shows he isn't bluffing as he flip open Q♦ Q♣ .

And they're off! The race to the first APPT shard trophy of the series is underway with the announcement of the customary "shuffle up and deal!" Good luck to all!

From a field of 362 entries, the 2025 APPT Manila Championship - APPT Open is down to the final 9 players! The hunt for the first shard trophy begins at 12PM today, October 20, at the newly renovated Coral Lounge in world-class Okada Manila in Manila, Philippines.

Headlining the all-international lineup is Australia's Leo Kamiya, the defending APPT Open champion. Kamiya captured this very title last July at APPT Manila and now returns in top form, holding a commanding 103 bb in his bid to become the first-ever two-time APPT Open champion.

Close behind is Maxwell Rosete of the Philippines with 98 bb. Rosete started Day 2 as chip leader, weathered a few dips midway through, then regained momentum late in the day. Adding intrigue to the final table dynamic - Rosete also has position on Kamiya.

Rounding out the lineup are several PokerStars LIVE regulars and fresh faces: Yao Liu (China, 48 bb), Michael Uguccioni (Italy, 47 bb), Mikhail Katkov (Russia, 32 bb), Leo Lombardozzi (France, 30 bb), Birger Larsen (Norway, 30 bb), Craig Jones (UK, 25 bb), and Battulga Ganbold (Mongolia, 20 bb).

Action restarts with 14:26 left in Level 26 (10,000/25,000, ante 25,000). When the level ends, play will continue with blinds increasing ever 24 hands until 6-handed play where it will increase every 22 hands, then 20 hands once it reaches 4-handed until a champion is crowned.

Each player has already secured ₱420,000 (~US$ 7,225), but all eyes are on the coveted ₱3,900,000 (~US$ 67,075) top prize and the glory.

Stay tuned to Somuchpoker for all the action from start to finish.