APPT Open (60,000 PHP)

Day 2 of the 2025 APPT Manila Championship – APPT Open saw 53 players return to the felt at Okada Manila, each already in the money and vying for a seat at the Final 9. After just seven hours of play and fifteen minutes into Level 23, the target was reached. Though some players wanted to continue, the schedule held firm; the finalists bagged up and will return on Monday, October 20 at 12PM to play for the title.

It was a tight race for the chip lead as Leo Kamiya and Maxwell Rosete were tabled together during the final two tables and traded blows. The defending champion Kamiya gained the upper hand by night’s end, bagging 2,575,000 (103 bb), five big blinds ahead of Rosete’s 2,440,000 (98 bb).

Early in the day, Kamiya surged ahead after a cooler against William Ysmael, then maintained control until Rosete went on a late heater that sent Kunal Jain out in 12th place. Kamiya reclaimed the lead after eliminating Gary Thompson in 11th place and is in prime shape for a back-to-back APPT Open title in the same year!

When play resumes, all nine finalists return in good shape. The average stack is 48 bb. Battulga Ganbold will enter as the shortest stack but still armed with a decent 20 bigs.

Action restarts with 44:26 left in Level 26 (10,000/25,000, ante 25,000). Each player has secured ₱420,000 (~US$ 7,225), but all eyes are on the coveted ₱3,900,000 (~US$ 67,075) top prize and the first APPT shard trophy of the series.

Lewis Cowell couldn’t find a lifeline during short-handed play as his stack continued to slip into the danger zone. Spotting a chance to double, he shoved with A♥ K♠ and was called by Birger Larsen holding A♦ 5♣ . The board, however, refused to cooperate running 2♣ 7♠ 5♠ 6♦ 6♣ to pair up Larsen and seal Cowell’s elimination.

Heavy action erupted at Table 24 with three-bets flying almost every hand to cause Birger Larsen’s stack to take a noticeable hit since the break. In his latest clash, Yao Liu defended the big blind and then shoved on the turn 9♦ K♥ 9♠ J♣ . Larsen tanked briefly before deciding to let it go.

With the field down to 10 players, action has picked up significantly with five players per table. Following a raise by Leo Lombardozzi that was called by button Maxwell Rosete, big blind Craig Jones defends with J♦ 6♦ .

When the flop arrives J♣ 7♦ 7♥ , it is checked to Rosete who bets out and only Jones calls. Same action on the turn 6♣ then Jones led out for 125,000 on the river. Rosete paid to see then mucked to the full house.

Michael Uguccioni looked down at K♦ Q♥ and three-bet all in from small blind. Initial raiser Mikhail Katkov tossed in the one-chip call and revealed A♠ T♠ . It was looking good for Katkov to ship it when the board ran low 6♦ 4♣ 2♦ 8♥ but the river denied him with a Q♣ turning up.

Gary Thompson survived the first flip but on the second it was his last hand with A♣ Q♦ unable to find the board 5♠ 2♠ 8♦ K♠ 7♥ to fall to Leo Kamiya's 7♠ 7♣ that improved to a set.

Another pot swinging Maxwell Rosete's way with Leo Lombardozzi attempting to steal with bunk. From under the gun, Lombardozzi raised 40,000 then called +1 Rosete's 120,000 three-bet. Both players kept cool until the board completed A♣ 2♦ Q♣ 9♦ 6♣ .

No more checking for Lombardozzi as he laid out a bet of 80,000. Rosete called. Lombardozzi sheepishly revealed 4♥ 5♥ bluff, losing in every way to A♠ 9♣ top pair.

Since returning from the break, Maxwell Rosete has been on a tear, surging to the top of the counts with over 2.4 million in chips. His biggest haul came in a massive pot against Kunal Jain.

Defending his big blind against Jain’s cutoff raise, Rosete check-called an 80,000 bet on the K♠ 8♣ J♥ flop. On the 6♠ turn, he turned up the heat with a check-raise from 100,000 to 280,000, prompting Jain to move all in. With no time banks left, Rosete had to act quick and called.

It proved correct.

Jain revealed T♠ 9♠ for a double gutshot, while Rosete tabled K♣ 8♠ for two pair. The river 3♥ sealed the pot for Rosete, and is now the clear front-runner.

Short stacked Michael Uguccioni was all-in for his last 245,000 (12 bb) with J♠ J♦ on hand and needed to fade caller Yao Liu's A♥ Q♠ overcards. The flip went the Italian's way, improving to a full house on a board 8♣ J♣ 7♠ 6♣ 6♥ to secure the double up.

Big blind Maxwell Rosete called button Leo Kamiya’s raise and stayed with him all the way on a board of K♦ 6♦ T♣ K♥ . Kamiya fired every street — 35,000, 100,000, and another 100,000 on the river - but when Rosete called the final bet, Kamiya mucked, conceding the pot without a showdown.

Battulga opened from +1 and it was three-way to the flop with button Birger Larsen and big blind Yao Liu tossing in the call. Ganbold continued for 80,000 on a flop of 7♣ 7♥ 5♣ and only Larsen paid to see the turn which came 6♣ . Both checked it then checked the river 9♥ as well. Ganbold flipped over T♣ T♥ for the win.

First hand after the dinner break at Table 24 and Battulga Ganbold is dealt A♥ A♣ . Sitting at small blind, Ganbold raises 60,000 and big blind Lewis Cowell defends. After the flop comes K♥ T♦ 6♦ , Ganbold continues for 50,000 and gets the call once again then both check down the turn 4♦ and river 6♣ . Ganbold reveals the rockets and Cowell shows Q♥ T♠ before mucking.

Lewis Cowell defended on the big blind with a huge three-bet of 125,000 however, initial raiser Yao Liu refused to budge and called. More firepower by Cowell on the flop 7♥ 7♠ 5♦ , laying out 100,000. Liu called again to watch 3♥ land on the turn. Cowell barreled a third time for 225,000 sending Liu to the think tank who then folded before time ran out.

Chun Yuan Chen raised 32,000 from under the gun with K♦ K♠ which found one caller in Kunal Jain on the button. Next to act Leo Kamiya on the small blind then looked down at A♦ Q♠ and three-bet 135,000, Chen answered with shove for 243,000. This pushed out Jain but not the leader.

When the cards flipped open, Chen only needed to dodge an ace and did so through the turn 5♥ 2♣ 4♣ 7♣ but not on the river with A♥ showing up. Chen got up expressing his disbelief "wow".

Massive pot for Leo Kamiya, who defended his big blind to go three-way to a flop of 6♥ K♠ J♦ . Action checked to Gary Thompson on cutoff, who bet in position, only for Kamiya to spring a check-raise to 135,000. Preflop aggressor Leo Lombardozzi bowed out while Thompson made the call.

On the 8♣ turn, Kamiya kept the pressure on with a 180,000 bet, and Thompson again matched it to see the K♦ river. Without hesitation, Kamiya moved all in, putting Thompson to the test for his remaining 585,000 against Kamiya’s 922,000 stack. After a tense count, Thompson folded, sending the bloated pot Kamiya’s way.

Neng Zhao got involved in back-to-back hands that sent his stack up and then nosediving into 16th place. The hand that got him was while he defended his big blind by calling button Gary Thompson's min-raise.

When the board ran 2♣ 7♥ 6♦ 4♠ 4♥ , Thompson barreled throughout for 17,000, 65,000, and 180,000. Zhao check-called then check-raised the river for all of his chips (311,000). Thompson had more behind but tanked using up his last three time-banks before calling.

Zhao showed 8♦ 6♥ , Thompson shipped with 7♣ 6♣ higher two pair.

End of the road for Arkadii Okulov who enjoyed a couple of doubles before finally succumbing to Lewis Cowell. Though he was ahead at the shove with A♣ Q♦ , Cowell's K♥ J♣ partnered one on a board of K♠ 8♠ 3♣ 7♥ 6♦ to pack up in 17th place.

John Matsuda three-bet all in following Kunal Jain's 50,000 and was far behind with K♣ Q♣ against Jain's K♠ K♥ . No help arrived to end his hopes in 18th place.

Ying Wah Peng started the hand with a limp from small blind holding 7♠ 5♠ and big blind Leo Lombardozzi checked with J♠ 2♠ on hand. When the flop came down T♠ 6♠ 4♠ , Peng bet, Lombardozzi raised, Peng jammed, Lombardozzi snapped and showed the higher flush. However, Peng still had outs for the straight flush. His hopes ended on runner runner reds T♥ turn and 6♦ river .

Sitting on the button position, Maxwell Rosete pressured under the gun Yao Liu by three-betting from 20,000 to make it 65,000 to see the flop. Liu called and it was off to the races with a big pot up for grabs.

The dealer fanned 8♥ K♠ J♥ flop. Rosete continued for 65,000, got popped by Liu with a check-raise of 175,000. This sent Rosete tanking until he used up his last two remaining time-banks before giving up his stake in the pot while showing K♣ top pair.

Edgar Asehan went down in a brutal cooler against Kunal Jain that started with a min-raise from Jain in early position, called by Asehan in late position. When the board ran 3♠ J♥ A♦ A♣ T♠ , Jain fired down every street, Asehan called until the river where he raised all-in only to see be dealt a crushing defeat. Jain had J♣ J♠ higher full house over his T♣ T♥ full house.

We are quickly down to 20 players after a flurry of busts to downsize to two three tables. Among the casualties was Mike Takayama in 26th place, losing all of his chips with A♠ Q♠ behind Yao Liu's A♥ K♠ .

Lin Remulla went down in 25th place, going all in with his short stack holding Q♣ 7♥ that failed to improve against caller Leo Kamiya's Q♠ 9♣ .

Daniel Lei min-clicked from first to act then went flop-hunting with two callers - cutoff Neng Zhao and big blind Leo Lombardozzi. Lei backed down when the dealer spread 3♦ 4♣ K♠ giving Zhao the go-ahead which he used for a 20,000 bet. Lombardozzi folded and Lei paid to continue to the turn Q♥ .

Lei checked again and this time Zhao checked back though only momentarily as he resumed for 55,000 on the river 4♠ after a third check from Lei who then folded.

Another table has broken. 31 players remaining with Leo Kamiya leading with 935,000.

Lewis Cowell opens from +1 for 18,000 and it's a bout with button Gary Thompson making the call. More chips come on the 6♣ J♠ K♥ flop with Cowell continuing for 45,000 and called again by Thompson. Now on fourth street, 5♥ turns up. Cowell fires 65,000 prompting Thompson to use a time-bank then opts to fold.

There will be no Vietnam victory at this event with Gary Thompson ending the hopes of their last contender Quang Minh Bach. It happened in back-to-back hands when Quang defended his big blind by calling Thompson's under the gun raise.

At the flop 2♦ 5♠ K♦ , Thompson continued for 10,000 then called Quang's check-raise of 45,000. All of Quang's chips went in on the turn 7♦ and saw the bad news when Thompson snapped with A♠ A♣ . Quang had hope with K♥ 8♦ but the river J♣ was no help.

Down to just 23,000, Quang went all-in on the next hand with A♣ 6♠ and was outdrawn by Thompson with A♥ 4♦ on a board 7♠ K♦ 4♥ J♣ 7♦ .

Three players have fallen within the first twenty minutes of the new level. Among them was Dean Caing who turned his free ticket to a payout of ₱110,000. We will try to get the hand that ended his deep run.

Battulga Ganbold lifted off with a min-raise from under the gun and two players took interest. After his initial aggression, Ganbold slowed down and checked the flop 9♠ T♥ 7♣ , passing the baton to Christopher Mateo who bet 23,000. Only Ganbold continued to the turn J♦ where he switched again and led out for 45,000. Mateo called then both tank-checked the river Q♥ .

Ganbold showed 8♦ 8♥ straight, a visibly frustrated Mateo shows us 9♦ 9♥ and says "I had set at the flop", which he did indeed.

At the start of the day, John Matsuda found himself on the back foot after doubling up Gary Guerrero, leaving him with just 8 big blinds. But the grinder battled back in style, rebuilding his stack that included a bust in George Tomescu. Matsuda now sits comfortably with 50 big blinds.

George Tomescu started the day with one of the biggest stacks but could not hold on to it to eventually lose his last 67,000 (11 bb) to John Matsuda who had just over 100K. It was an all-in preflop situation with Tomescu behind A♦ 9♠ to Matsuda's A♣ T♦ . The board was 2♠ 8♣ Q♣ 4♥ J♥ . Tomescu finished in 39th place.

Leo Kamiya has already knocked out a couple of players and added William Ysmael to that list. Having been moved to Table 1, he opened 12,000 from middle position and small blind Ysmael wanted to play the flop. When the dealer spread 6♦ 3♥ 8♠ , action heated up with Ysmael check-raising Kamiya's 13,000 c-bet to make it 48,000. Kamiya flatted.

The Q♠ came on the turn and this time Ysmael led for 67,000 and again, just a smooth-call from Kamiya to complete the board with 4♥ river. Ysmael announced all-in to his doom as Kamiya snap-called and showed 8♣ 8♦ set. Ysmael had 8♥ 6♥ two pair at the flop that was behind all the way.

Joris Michl was down to just 47,000 when Q♥ Q♠ found him and moved all-in. Neng Zhao called with A♥ T♦ . Though Michl was far ahead, slight sweat at the flop T♥ 7♦ 9♦ with Zhao pairing up. Then with the runner runner 2♣ turn 4♦ river he got the much needed boost.

Poker newbie Dean Caing won his seat to this event when he championed opening day's Early Bird Special and is already earning a big payout no matter where he finishes. Catching him in a hand against Slaven Popov that saw a board 5♥ 7♥ 6♦ T♠ Q♦ , he pushed and well covered Popov who opted to fold. Caing proved he wasn't stealing by showing 5♣ 5♠ set.

Not long after Xiaohua Fu doubled through Gary Thompson, it all transported into Chun Yuan Chen's stack. Fu's final hand was A♠ 7♥ that paired the seven on a jack-high flop. However, Chen had pocket queens when it all went in. No further improvement for Fu to go bust in 44th place. Chen catapulted to one of the top stacks.

Catching the action with Xiaohua Fu all in on a board 8♦ 7♥ 9♥ 5♣ with 8♣ 6♥ straight against Gary Thompson's Q♦ 9♠ top pair. No split on the river 3♣ to earn a double.

With the board staying clean 5♥ 8♠ K♠ 9♥ 9♦ , Okulov shipped to slowly grind to health while Tanaka fell in 45th place.

With no action before them, the blinds go at it starting with Patrick Wahlquist who shoves holding 2♦ 2♥ and Jaemoon Seok snaps with T♠ T♦ . Looking good for Seok to double until a nasty flop comes down J♦ 2♣ J♠ that goes on to complete 3♥ turn and 7♠ river to send him packing up on 46th place.