APPT Open (60,000 PHP)

Flight A of the ₱20 Million Guaranteed APPT Open - the first shard event of the 2025 APPT Manila Championship - wrapped up with 11 players advancing out of 79 entries. Topping the pack was Russia’s Anton Iakimenko, who peaked at half a million in chips before closing the night with 339,000 (68 bb), still enough to secure the chip lead.

However, it wasn’t a smooth start for Iakimenko, who had to fire a second bullet and was down to just 7 big blinds at one point before winning a crucial flip with pocket threes that sparked his climb. Behind the leader by eight big blinds was Dutch player Ronald Haverkamp with 298,000 (60 bb). During the final two tables, Haverkamp denied a bluff to keep his stack in the upper tier. Rounding out the top three was Taiwan's Chun Yuan Chen who delivered the bubble to bag up 282,000 (56 bb).

Also making headlines was Dean Caing, ranked fourth in chips. The newcomer won his seat for free via opening day's Early Bird Special. Caing's impressive run continued - proving his victory was more than beginner’s luck.

With Flight A in the books, the survivors have a day break before returning on Sunday, October 19 for Day 2. For those looking to enter, two flights remain—Flight B and Flight C, both running on October 18 at 12pm and 7pm.

Edgar Asehan struggled with a short stack for a majority of the day and couldn't gain much traction to fall on the bubble. His final hand happened while on the small blind where he limped and got to see a flop after big blind Chun Yuan Chen checked.

On a board 3♦ Q♠ J♠ , Asehan led for 4000 and Chen called. The Q♥ turn saw both players tap to bring a river 5♦ . Asehan checked once more, Chen slid out 20,000, Asehan jammed to his doom as Chen called and showed 3♥ 3♠ full house. Asehan had J♥ T♥ two pair.

Another double up during the bubble round with Mike Takayama getting paid by the big stacked Anton Iakimenko. Catching the action on a turn board Q♥ 3♣ K♣ 6♥ with 45,000 in the pot, Iakimenko slid out 37,000 from the big blind position. To his immediate right, Takayama shoved 89,000 total and Iakimenko called.

Takayama flipped over K♥ Q♠ top two pair, Iakimenko was on a draw holding A♣ 2♣ . No luck for Iakimenko on the river 5♠ .

Action folds to small blind Vamerdino Magsakay, he limps in and gets to see the board cheap with big blind Kristiana Stauere checking it. When the flop spread K♠ 3♦ 3♥ , Magsakay tested for 4000 and Stauere called. No action on the turn 2♣ with both players knocking to watch the 5♠ come on the river.

Magsakay checks again, Stauere bets 20,000, Magsakay tanks then shoves 81,000 in total. Barely a minute goes by, Stauere calls and shows K♦ T♥ , Magsakay has her beat with A♠ 4♣ straight.

Flight A has reached the bubble round after short stacked Emmanuel Derecho was eliminated in 13th place. He shoved with A♣ Q♣ and was outdrawn by big blind Chun Yuan Chen's J♣ 8♦ on a board of 9♠ 2♠ 8♠ 4♦ K♦ .

Vamerdino Magsakay could only shake his head in disbelief after being robbed of a full double up against Mike Takayama. All in for his last 39,500 with T♥ T♣ against Takayama’s A♥ K♥ , Magsakay flopped a set on 2♦ J♦ 7♦ T♦ - only for the 6♦ on the river to deny him, putting five diamonds on board and forcing a chop.

A few hands later, redemption came. Dealt T♣ T♦ once again, Magsakay shoved his remaining 27,500 and found a caller in Gary Thompson with 8♥ 8♠ . This time, the board was kind to Magsakay to finally lock up the double.

Battulga Ganbold has been muscling Table 35 with his big stack and finally Chun Yuan Chen stood up to it. Defending his big blind by calling 9000, when the board ran out 4♥ A♠ 8♣ 2♣ 2♥ , Ganbold bet every street - 7000, 20,000, and a shove - Chen check-called throughout. Ganbold flipped over J♦ 4♦ bluff, Chen opened 8♠ 7♠ for the double up.

Anton Iakimenko picks up two pots to bring his stack up to 500K. On the first hand, he raised 6000 then called Kristiana Stauere's 15,000 three-bet. Staurere continued for 13,000 on a flop Thursday 5♣ 7♦ then was stopped in her tracks by Iakimenko's 32,000 check-raise.

Two hands after, Vamerdino Magasakay made it 6000 and Gary Thompson called. Small blind Iakimenko three-bet 27,000 to push out the raiser while Thompson stuck around to see the flop. When the dealer fanned A♣ T♣ A♦ they checked to the turn Q♥ . No more checking for Iakimenko who bet 22,000 to claim the pot right then.

Edilberto Gopez entered the level with about the same stack as Battulga Ganbold of around 50 bigs until it all vanished in one failed bluff. The hand opened with a raise from Gopez holding A♣ 9♣ , small blind Ganbold three-bet 25,000 with J♦ J♠ . Gopez defended.

At the flop 7♦ Q♦ 6♠ , Ganbold slowed to a check then called Gopez's 14,000 bet. The board paired on the turn 6♥ which both passed up for a free river Q♣ . Ganbold tested for a light 25,000, Gopez answered with a big shove 106,500, Ganbold counted it out and was ahead in chips then called.

Battle of the blinds begins with a limp from Ronald Haverkamp then calls big blind John Salcedo's 13,000 raise. The flop rolls out K♦ J♣ 8♥ and Salcedo resumes for 12,000 that Haverkamp quickly check-calls. Haverkamp checks the turn Q♠ and Salcedo opts to do the same for a free river card 3♥ . Haverkamp switches up and leads 11,000, Salcedo takes his time then sends out a raise but before the count, Haverkamp snap-calls. Salcedo sheepishly opens 9♦ 6♥ bluff, Haverkamp ships the pot with Q♦ J♦ .

Looking good for Derecho, the board granted the fast break with a flop A♠ 8♥ 2♦ and as it completed 6♣ and K♣ , Derecho doubled through.

Oliver Lirio risked his last 21 bigs with A♥ 7♥ and Ronald Haverkamp isolated holding a made J♦ J♥ . No bad beat arrived on a board 6♣ 9♦ 6♥ 2♣ 2♥ to bounce out Lirio and bring the field down to 17 players.

During the earlier rounds, freerolling Dean Caing jumped to one of the biggest stacks however he has since dropped to 58,000 (29 bigs). Still very playable however with the bubble nearing, he was in search of a double up. The moment arrived when he got dealt A♦ K♦ and shoved. John Salcedo. called with A♠ J♦ . The board bricked 8♥ T♥ 2♣ 7♦ 3♣ awarding a happy Caing who shared, "I waited so long for that!"

Only 18 players remaining. Anton Iakimenko is in charge with over 400K behind.

With 41,000 brewed and a board showing 5♦ K♦ J♥ 4♣ 5♣ , Patrick Wahlquist sends Kristiana Stauere deep in the tank after his 30,000 bet. She eventually finds reason to call and it is the correct decision with K♠ 4♠ as Wahlquist turns over Q♣ 9♣ .

At one point in the earlier levels, Anton Iakimenko was down to just 7 bb and now he is sitting on 193,000. His latest pick up was against Lester Edoc with both players vying for the 28,000 pot by the turn board 8♥ 4♠ 2♦ 2♠ . Iakimenko bet 16,500 and Edoc check-called on the big blind. With the river 7♣ , both tapped felt. Edoc showed a missed draw 5♥ 3♦ , Iakimenko raked it with A♠ 8♦ .

After losing some chips, Edilberto goes mano a mano against Ronald Haverkamp that builds a pot of 18,000 by the turn 8♥ 8♦ 3♠ 6♠ . Gopez overbets 22,000 and is called. The 7♦ river sees more chips fuel the pot as Gopez bets 40,000. This time Haverkamp gives up his stake in the pot.

John Salcedo is clearly boss at the table as he sits with well over 200K, dwarfing everyone else in the round. He adds in more after winning two pots.

The first one has him open for 3500 and heads to the flop with two callers. After they all check to the turn K♠ T♦ 7♣ 8♦ , Gopez leads out 5500, Salcedo makes it 12,000, Emmanuel Derecho gets out of the way while Gopez calls. After the 4♥ comes on the river, Gopez checks then snap-folds to Salcedo's 32,000 bet.

Two hands later, Derecho opens 3000, small blind Salcedo jams, big blind Sriharsha Doddapaneni risks and again Derecho gets out of the way. Doddapaneni opens A♠ Q♦ and is in good shape against Salcedo's A♣ T♣ that is until the board runs T♥ 5♦ 6♦ 3♣ 2♣ .

With ten levels in the books, registration for Flight A closed with 79 entries. There are currently 26 players remaining. Only 11 players are guaranteed a spot at ITM.

Catching the action on turn board J♥ 7♠ 6♦ T♥ with three players in the hand and 20,700 in the pot. Utg+1 Adam Monaghan bet 10,000, Battulga Ganbold let go while Michl check-called from utg. The river saw another check from Michl, Monaghan tanked until eventually succumbing to a check. Michl flipped over a winning J♠ 9♥ .

Chun Yuan Chen opened 2,500 and found a caller in Edilberto Gopez. When action landed on the big blind John Salcedo, he defended with a hefty three-bet to 8,200. Only Chen was up for the challenge as they went heads up to a flop of 4♠ A♥ 9♥ . Wasting no time, Salcedo continued for 11,000, Chen also wasted no time and quickly folded.

Action folds around to the small blind Somashekar Mahadeva, he raises 5100. Big blind Kristiana Stauere has a look at his chips then three-bets 14,000. Mahadeva defends and they see a flop J♣ 3♣ Q♣ . Stauere continues for 8000, Mahadeva check-calls and another club lands on the turn T♣ .

Mahadeva switches up and slides out 11,000, Stauere calls. The river finds another club with the K♣ finding the board. Mahadeva bets 25,000, Stauere puts him to the test with a shove, Mahadeva folds. Despite the players asking for her to show the bluff, Stauere tosses it in the muck and collects the pot.

The once big stack Justin Ong dropped significantly in chips and though we missed it, we caught the final two hands that sealed his fate. With just 47,700 behind, he pushed with A♥ 9♦ and still wasn't able to induce a fold from Chun Yuan Chen who had 30,000 behind with Q♠ Q♦ in the hole. No help came for Ong on a board 3♦ 7♣ 7♠ T♥ 4♥ .

On the next hand, Ong three-bet it all and Edilberto Gopez called. Ong was behind again with K♠ T♥ to Gopez's K♥ J♦ . A jack found the flop and ran out J♣ 2♥ 7♣ 8♦ 5♠ . Ong said he wasn't planning to re-enter and quickly left the scene.

Flight A has now entered Level 10 which is the last level to enter. There will be a ten-minute break at the end. Interested players need to make their way before it closes at 19:20.

A flurry of preflop action kicked off when Hideo Sawai opened to 2,500 and Graham Cowan called from the hijack. In the big blind, Sid Lukie wasn’t backing down, shoving for 15,400. Sawai went deep into the tank before moving all-in over the top while Cowan instantly called putting the two at risk.

Sawai stayed ahead on the flop 9♣ 4♠ 8♦ then Cowan took the lead on the turn Q♣ , and with the river 6♦ , it held to sweep and send two players to the rail.

No action to the small blind Daijiro Tomoto, he limps in and got to see the board complete T♥ T♦ 9♠ J♦ 6♠ with big blind Gary Thompson checking to the river. Tomoto checked once more, Thompson attempted to steal for 3000, Tomoto called and it was the right decision. Thompson showed bunk 3♥ 4♦ , Tomoto won it with 8♣ 6♣ .

Small blind John Salcedo looked down at 9♣ 9♠ and flatted Taku Koizumi's cutoff raise of 2500. Big blind Justin Ong joined in for three-way to the flop. When the cards ran 5♦ 2♥ 9♦ , Koizumi continued for 2800 and Salcedo check-called his hidden set. Both checked the turn 3♠ then Salcedo checked the river J♥ . Koizumi paused for a few seconds, checked back, then mucked.

With the board running 4♠ 6♦ 9♥ T♣ K♦ , Iakimenko dodges the big cards to climb to decent health.

Freerolling his seat, Dean Caing limped in from the button then called big blind Emmanuel Derecho's 2500 raise. Both checked the flop Q♠ Q♥ A♦ , then Derecho tested for 2000 on the 8♠ turn. Caing called to continue to the 9♠ river.

Derecho returned to checking, Caing slid out 7000 and won the pot after a quick fold from Derecho. Caing flashed 9♦ 8♥ for two pair as he pulled in the pot.

Action folds to cutoff Battulga Ganbold, he takes command for 1700 and the blinds defend. Three-way to the flop 7♦ Q♠ 4♦ quickly trims to heads up after Ganbold c-bets 1800 that only Cowan check-calls. Ganbold fires again on the 7♣ turn for a much larger 5600 and still doesn't shake off Cowan as the board completes 2♣ on the river. Cowan checks again, Ganbold bets a lower 4700, however this time Cowan doesn't bite and says "you can have it."

Fendy Kosasih open-shoves his last 13,000 with K♠ 8♥ , two spots over Chun Yuan Chen joins in with 31,700 holding K♥ Q♥ , then big stacked John Salcedo calls them both and dominates with A♥ J♦ . With the board running 3♠ A♣ 5♦ 4♣ 4♥ , Salcedo sweeps as two go bust.

Four players in a limped pot see the flop spread 4♥ K♦ 4♦ . Two checks before cutoff Fendy Kosasih, he bets 2200 and finds two callers in button Emmanuel Derecho and the big blind. More chips go in on the turn 7♣ with Kosasih continuing for 4200, only Derecho pays to see the river card 5♥ .

Again Kosasih drives the action for 8500 however this time Derecho answers with a jam of 43,000, Kosasih snap calls and shows Q♣ 4♣ trips which is not good enough against Derecho's 3♦ 6♦ straight.

The final flight of the Okada Kick Off drew the biggest turnout with 269 entries, bringing the total field to 535 entries across all flights. This pushed the prize pool to ₱8,962,800, easily surpassing the ₱8M guarantee. Flight C will play down to 39 survivors, with the full list to be posted once the bubble bursts.

Moses Saquing currently leads the pack with 110 players remaining.

Edgar Asehan and Hideo Sawai went head-to-head in consecutive hands. First bout was a double up for Asehan who went all in for his last 7300 on a board J♥ A♥ Q♣ K♥ and showed 4♥ 6♥ flush. Sawai called with T♠ 9♠ straight and was drawing dead.

Sawai dropped to 10,000 in chips and shoved on the next hand with A♣ Q♠ , Asehan called with K♠ K♦ . An ace on the window held throughout a board A♠ 6♠ 6♥ 7♥ 8♦ for Sawai to recover some chips.

Catching the action on a board K♣ Q♣ 5♠ 3♣ with 15,200 up for grabs, small blind Christopher Mateo bets 8100 and Brett Bader calls. The board completes 5♣ on the river. Mateo dips in again and lays out 25,200, Bader snap-calls, Mateo shows T♥ 7♥ bluff, Bader tables the flush A♣ 8♣ .

According to tablemate Graham Cowan, this was Battulga Ganbold's third elimination in this level. The latest to fall was Jihun Choi who was all in on a flop A♥ K♣ K♦ and drawing dead with A♠ 6♠ to Ganbold's A♦ K♥ full house. The turn 2♦ and river 4♣ were of no consequence.

Ganbold is currently the leader with 162,000 in chips.

Three-way action to the flop 6♦ A♥ K♠ with utg Anton Iakimenko in the driver's seat. He continues for 1600 and only cutoff Abdullah Akbarpoor gives him action. Iakimenko remains relentless on the 4♥ turn firing a bet of 5700 which Akbarpoor quickly calls. The dealer then flips 9♣ on the river. Iakimenko goes all-in, Akbarpoor is covered and squirms in frustration, then reluctantly folds.

The turn T♠ quickly gave Thompson the flush to double up and more as Tomoto was drawing dead.

Action folds around to the button Edgar Asehan with just 5,300 in chips and risks it all with K♦ 4♦ . Small blind Rudy Edenata snap-calls while big blind Sid Lukie debates then folds while saying he had Ace-Ten with a heart.

Edenata turns over A♥ J♠ and pairs up on the flop J♣ Q♦ 6♠ that holds on the turn 5♣ , then the river K♣ denies him the scoop as Asehan improves to a higher pair for a double up. Lukie would have had broadway.

After a button raise to 1,500 from Jihun Choi, big blind defender John Salcedo fired back with a hefty 4,500 three-bet. Choi paid up to see the flop T♦ 8♠ 4♠ where both checked it through. On the 9♣ turn, Salcedo applied pressured again with a delayed c-bet of 8,500, forcing a fold from Choi.

Players that want to jump in the Okada Kick Off better do so now with registration closing at in about 30 minutes. Currently, Flight C field has grown to 234 entries with 141 players remaining. For a buy-in of ₱20,000 (~US$ 345), players have a chance at the prize pool which is now at ₱8.38M, just past the guarantee.

Blinds are 600-1200 ante 1200. Starting stack is 30,000.

With the 7♦ landing on fifth street, Minter zeroed out while Esguerra collected.

From the big blind, Adam Monaghan with K♣ Q♥ defended and went flop hunting with raiser Brett Bader and cutoff Christopher Mateo. With the cards landing Q♣ 4♠ K♥ , Monaghan checked his top two, Bader continued for 1100, and only Monaghan met it. Both layers checked the turn 6♣ , then Monaghan checked once more on the river 9♠ . Bader opted to do the same then mucked.

What started as an easy min-raise that was called by one player turned into a three-bet of 2900 from cutoff Patrick Wahlquist then a four-bet of 6200 from big blind Kristiana Stauere. Only Wahlquist had the courage to call then both checked it to the turn 5♥ 5♦ Q♣ 7♦ .

No more checking for the aggressor Stauere with a 5000 bet laid out. Wahlquist called again to complete the board with a 6♦ river. Wasting no time dipping in her stack, Stauere jammed and soon after picked up the pot on Wahlquist's snap-fold.

Fresh on his seat, Justin Ong tried to make an early move, shoving it all on a Q♥ J♦ J♥ flop. However his attempt to steal failed as Dean Caing wasn’t going anywhere, snap-calling with A♥ A♣ . Ong’s K♠ 7♣ bluff was in trouble. The 3♦ turn followed by the 2♠ river sealed his fate, sending him straight to the re-entry desk.

Catching the action on a flop of 6♣ 8♠ K♥ with 6,700 already in the middle, small blind Marco Espela checked it over to big blind Leo Kamiya, who continued for 2,300. Espela made the call. The A♥ landed on the turn, and Kamiya kept the pressure on with a 5,000 barrel. Espela once again check-called to see the river come 7♠ .

After one last check from Espela, Kamiya slid out 20,000, putting Espela all-in. Espela tanked for a couple of minutes before ultimately laying it down and preserving his stack.

Last night's High Roller Warm Up champion Fendy Kosasih called a raise of 700 then defended again, calling a three-bet of 2500 by big blind Emmanuel Derecho. A♠ soon as the flop ran 6♠ 7♥ T♦ , Kosasih tested for 2500 that saw a fast-fold from Derecho.

Anton Iakimenko turned up the heat in this hand starting with a min-click from under the gun. Both Alexandru Tudor on the button and Vamerdino Magsakay in the big blind called to see a flop of 5♥ A♣ 7♦ . Iakimenko fired a 700 continuation bet, which only Tudor called.

On the 2♥ turn, Iakimenko loaded up again for 2,800, and Tudor stayed in to see the river 2♣ . Iakimenko then went for maximum pressure, sliding out nearly all his chips—22,300, leaving just 100 behind. Tudor, with only half that amount behind, tanked for some time before finally conceding the pot.

Rising local player Benhur Ybarsabal found himself in a three-way pot of 5,700 by the turn against Sid Lukie and Jihun Choi. They all checked it to the river T♦ 4♦ J♣ 3♣ 5♠ , and after two more checks, Ybarsabal slid out a 5,000 steal-bet. Choi quickly folded while Lukie tanked a bit then muttered while folding, “I’m not sure about that one.”

Artem Utevskii opened the action with a raise to 500, picking up a lone caller in button Adam Monaghan. The flop 4♠ 2♥ 7♥ sparked a flurry of raises - Utevskii led out for 600, Monaghan bumped it to 2,000, and Utevskii fired back with a three-bet to 4,000. Monaghan opted to call to see the 9♦ come on the turn. Utevskii slowed down with a check. Monaghan seized the moment, firing 7,700 - roughly 80% of the pot - and it was enough to force Utevskii to fold.

Early Bird Special champion Dean Caing has jumped into the action, freerolling his way after winning his seat yesterday and hoping to turn it into another deep run. In back-to-back hands, Caing was seen defending his big blind in a three-way pot. After everyone checked to the turn Q♠ 5♥ 6♦ A♠ , he led for 1,000 and took it down uncontested.

In the next hand, Caing defended his small blind against Emmanuel Derecho’s 500 open then called Derecho’s 700 c-bet on a Q♦ 8♥ 5♣ flop but opted to release his hand when Derecho fired 2,100 on the 4♥ turn.

Kevin Song opened for 600 and found one customer in small blind Artem Utevskii to see a flop come 5♦ T♠ Q♥ . Both checked to the turn Q♦ where Song resumed with an overbet of 2300. Unfazed, Utevskii slid out the call then fired 7000 on the river 9♦ . Song gave it some thought then mucked his hand.

From under the gun, Sid Lukie found Q♠ Q♥ and opened to 400. Seated next to him, Daniel Minter woke up with a hand of his own and three-bet to 1,200. In the big blind, Ronald Lane peeked at J♦ J♥ and opted to flat, sending the action back to Lukie, who responded with a four-bet to 3,900. Minter bowed out, while Lane made the call to see the flop.

The dealer spread T♦ Q♦ J♣ , giving both players a set. Action checked through. On the 2♠ turn, Lukie tested with a lead for 3,000, and Lane called. The 9♣ river slowed both players down again, as they checked to showdown. With no straight in sight, Lukie's higher set claimed the pot.

Running alongside the APPT Open is the last flight of the Okada Kick Off ₱8M guaranteed. The flight is currently at Level 3 with blinds increasing every 30 minutes. 83 entries so far. Registration closes at the start of Level 11 at 4:20pm. Buy-in is ₱20,000 (~US$ 345).

Flight A: 132 entries / 20 advanced to ITM

Flight B: 117 entries / 17 advanced to ITM

After a slight delay, the APPT Open Flight A is now up and running with two tables good to go. There's plenty of time for players to jump in with blinds increasing every 40 minutes and registration closing at the start of Level 11, around 19:20 this evening.

Good luck to all!

The first APPT shard trophy is up for grabs at the APPT Open with the first of three flights underway today, October 17, at the Coral Lounge in Okada Manila, Philippines. This marks the first event in the 2025 APPT Manila Championship lineup to feature a ₱20 million (~US$ 343,800) guarantee, setting the tone for the festival’s biggest prize pools.

Last year, this event saw Australia’s Matthew Wakeman top the 304-entry field to capture the title, adding over ₱4.8 million to his career winnings. Another strong turnout is expected at this year's edition to easily surpass the guarantee.

To get started, interested players will need to pony up the ₱60,000 (~US$ 1,030) buy-in which comes with a 30,000 stack, equivalent to 300 times the opening blinds of 100-100 ante 100. Blinds increase at a gradual 40 minutes, giving players time to size up the competition. End of day is reached when ITM is 13%-15% of the field remain.

Cards start flying at 12pm local time. Stay tuned to Somuchpoker for live updates throughout the day.

APPT Open - Flight Schedule

• Flight A: October 17, 2025 at 12pm - 40 minute blinds
• Flight B: October 18, 2025 at 12pm - 40 minute blinds
• Flight C: October 18, 2025 at 7pm - 25 minute blinds