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Okada Manila

Philippines, Manila

APPT Manila 2026

2026.07.28 - 2026.08.10 Add to Calendar

Asia Pacific Poker Tour

Info Chip Counts Event Photos

Blind level

Break

Entries

60/139

Total Chips

4,170,000

Average

69,500

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 54/131

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 9:12:08 AM

Gelev Delivers Another Double Knockout

Level 10: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Earlier, Kiril Gelev delivered a double knockout after completing a runner-runner flush. This time, he did it again, but with a runner-runner straight.

Vamerdino Magsakay was all in for 13,400, and Sergei Korzhenko also committed his stack of 18,100, with Gelev covering both players.

Vamerdino Magsakay: 9♥ 7♥

Sergei Korzhenko: A♦ J♥

Kiril Gelev: 7♣ 5♣

The Q♠ 8♠ 4♣ flop kept Gelev behind, but the 3♣ turn opened up more possibilities. The 6♠ river completed Gelev’s runner-runner straight, sending both Magsakay and Korzhenko to the rail.

Another unlikely runout for Gelev, who secured his second double knockout of the day just before the break and registration closure.

Player	Chips	Progress
KG Kiril GelevCanada	204,000(170 BB)	39,000
VM Vamerdino MagsakayPhilippines	busted	-55,000
SK Sergei KorzhenkoRussia	busted	-30,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 9:00:00 AM

Magbutay Holds Against Park

Level 10: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Riener Magbutay

Hijack Benhur Ybarsabal opened to 2,500 before button Reiner Magbutay called. Small blind Seunghee Park then pushed all in for 23,300.

Back on Ybarsabal, the decision took some time before eventually folding. Magbutay counted his chips and decided to make the call.

Seunghee Park: A♣ J♥

Reiner Magbutay: 5♣ 5♦

It was a flip for Park’s tournament life, with his ace-jack needing to improve against Magbutay’s pocket fives.

The board ran K♠ 8♠ 2♥ 4♣ 2♣, giving no help to Park as Magbutay’s pocket pair held to score the elimination.

Player	Chips	Progress
BY Benhur YbarsabalPhilippines	72,000(60 BB)	42,000
RM Riener MagbutayPhilippines	61,000(51 BB)	31,000
SP Seunghee ParkSouth Korea	busted	-30,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 8:45:48 AM

Final Level To Register

Level 10: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

This is the final level for registration before the window closes.

After this level, players will head into a 15-minute break, with late registration officially coming to an end once they return to the tables.

Level 10: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 63/129

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 8:30:00 AM

Philippine Poker Legends Arrive

Level 9: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Marc Rivera

John Tech

Vamerdino Magsakay

Several of the biggest names in Philippine poker have joined the action on Day 1A of APPT National, adding plenty of experience and star power to the opening flight.

Among the early arrivals is Marc Rivera, currently sitting 3rd on the Philippines All-Time Money List. Rivera spent a long stretch as the country's top-ranked player and has accumulated more than $4.4 million in total live tournament earnings.

Also taking his seat is John Tech, ranked 7th on the Philippines All-Time Money List, with more than $2.28 million in career live earnings.

Fresh from a strong run in Las Vegas, Vamerdino Magsakay has also entered the field. Currently 8th on the Philippines All-Time Money List, Magsakay has amassed $1,847,488 in total live earnings and comes into APPT National after an impressive Vegas campaign.

Another legend joining the field is Christopher Mateo, ranked 11th on the Philippines All-Time Money List. With more than $1.4 million in live earnings, Mateo is widely respected for his unique old-school approach, relying on instincts, table reads, and experience against today's GTO-driven generation.

With some of the country's most accomplished players now in the mix, Day 1A of APPT National continues to showcase the depth of Philippine poker talent at Cove Manila.

Christopher Mateo

Player	Chips	Progress
CM Christopher MateoPhilippines	78,000(65 BB)	48,000
VM Vamerdino MagsakayPhilippines	55,000(46 BB)	25,000
JT John TechPhilippines	30,000(25 BB)
MR Marc RiveraPhilippines	30,000(25 BB)

Level 9: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 66/120

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 8:10:00 AM

Runner-Runner Flush Earns Gelev Double Knockout

Level 8: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Kiril Gelev

In a wild hand, Sandeep Mirchandani went all in for his last 10,800 chips, and Kiril Gelev called. Sameer Agarwal then shoved all in for 52,700 chips. Gelev took a minute to think it over before calling, putting both players at risk of elimination.

Sandeep Mirchandani: A♠ J♣

Sameer Agarwal: A♦ 2♦

Kiril Gelev: J♥ T♥

The flop came 9♦ 5♠ 3♥, keeping Mirchandani ahead with ace-high and giving him a strong chance to triple up his stack.

However, the 5♥ on the turn gave Gelev a heart flush draw. The 9♥ on the river completed Gelev's flush, winning him the large pot and knocking out both Mirchandani and Agarwal in one hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
KG Kiril GelevCanada	165,000(165 BB)	92,700
SA Sameer Agarwal (2)India	busted	-30,000
SM Sandeep MirchandaniHong Kong	busted	-30,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 7:55:00 AM

Bluff Gone Wrong

Level 8: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Leon Steward

The action was already on the turn when the board showed J♠ T♠ 8♦ T♦.

Under the gun Anant Acharya fired 4,000 into a 10,500 pot. Big blind Leon Steward responded with a check-raise to 11,000, and Acharya made the call.

The 6♥ river completed the board, and Steward continued for 16,000. Acharya then moved all in for 29,000, putting Steward to the test.

After some hesitation, Steward made the call.

Anant Acharya: A♣ Q♠

Leon Steward: A♦ T♥

The table erupted with laughter and disbelief as Acharya revealed ace-high, attempting to turn his hand into a bluff. Unfortunately for Acharya, Steward was holding trips with his ten.

Steward's call proved correct, securing the pot and sending Acharya to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
LS Leon StewardPhilippines	89,100(89 BB)	59,100
AA Anant AcharyaIndia	busted	-30,000

Level 8: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 60/109

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 7:20:00 AM

Lee Extends Chip Lead

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Jaecheol Lee

Facing a minimum raise, Charles Donnadieu called before small blind Rodelo Pabalate three-bet to 8,000. Big blind and current chip leader Jaecheol Lee also joined the action with a call.

The initial raiser folded, and after some thought, Donnadieu announced all in for 39,500. Pabalate went deep into the tank before eventually releasing his hand.

Lee also took some time before making the call.

Charles Donnadieu: J♦ J♠

Jaecheol Lee: Q♠ J♥

Donnadieu was in great shape with pocket jacks on the A♦ A♠ T♠ flop and remained ahead after the 6♠ turn. However, the Q♦ river gave Lee one of his three outs, pairing his queen and sending Donnadieu to the rail.

After hitting the river queen, Lee shouted "Chamba!", a Filipino expression meaning lucky, before collecting the pot and extending his chip lead.

Before the hand, Lee was chatting with Pabalate and mentioned that he had been running lucky recently. Lee shared that he had won around PHP 7,000,000 (~USD 115,000) playing Baccarat at Okada Casino.

Player	Chips	Progress
JL Jaecheol LeeSouth Korea	225,000(281 BB)	195,000
RP Rodelo PabalatePhilippines	42,500(53 BB)	12,500
CD Charles DonnadieuFrance	busted	-30,000

Level 7: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 63/100

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 7:00:00 AM

Magsakay Returns From Vegas

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Vamerdino Magsakay

Fresh from his Las Vegas run, Vamerdino Magsakay has landed and is now seated for Day 1A of APPT National.

One of the Philippines' top poker players, Magsakay arrives after a strong summer run in Las Vegas. While he did not capture a WSOP bracelet, he reached a final table in the WSOP Freezeout, finishing 6th place for $99,590. He also recorded seven WSOP cashes for a combined $157,522 in earnings.

Magsakay also added another major victory during his Vegas trip, taking down the $1,100 + $500 No Limit Hold'em Bounty event at the Venetian DeepStack Championship Poker Series for $48,392.

Now back on home soil, he looks to add another deep run to his impressive 2026 campaign at APPT National.

Player	Chips
VM Vamerdino MagsakayPhilippines	30,000(38 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 6:50:00 AM

Chip Leaders At The Break!

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Karlo Rae David

Player	Chips	Progress
KR Karlo Rae DavidAustralia	128,000(160 BB)	98,000
ST Shintaro TsuchiyaJapan	118,000(148 BB)	88,000
GC Glen CymbalukCanada	107,100(134 BB)	59,800
YN Yuki NishioJapan	104,000(130 BB)	74,000
NL Niroshan LoganathanCanada	80,100(100 BB)	50,100
KG Kiril GelevCanada	72,300(90 BB)	-700

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 64/88

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 6:32:32 AM

Players Take A Break

Break

Players are now heading into their first 10-minute break of Day 1A.

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 68/86

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 6:29:27 AM

C-Bet Gets Through

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Akihiro Kawaguchi

Early position, Huang Zikai opened to 1,200 before hijack Akihiro Kawaguchi three-bet to 4,500. Button and current table chip leader Kiril Gelev made the call, while Zikai decided to let his hand go.

The flop came 8♥ 4♠ 2♣.

Kawaguchi continued with a 5,000 bet, sliding a single chip into the middle. After a brief moment, Gelev released his hand, allowing Kawaguchi to take down the pot uncontested.

Player	Chips	Progress
KG Kiril GelevCanada	73,000(122 BB)	43,000
AK Akihiro KawaguchiJapan	37,800(63 BB)	7,800
HZ Huang ZikaiChina	36,600(61 BB)	6,600

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 6:14:32 AM

APPT National Picks Up

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

After a slower start, Day 1A of APPT National is starting to pick up, with the field now reaching 78 entries.

Currently, 63 players are seated and taking part in the opening flight, with more players expected to join as registration remains open.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 5:45:00 AM

Missed Yesterday's Action?

Level 4: 200 / 500 ante: 500

Before following today's APPT National action, catch up on everything that happened during the opening day of APPT Manila 2026.

Read about the biggest highlights, tournament winners, key hands, and major storylines from Day 1.

Level 4: 200 / 500 ante: 500

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 51/58

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 5:17:37 AM

Yatco Sends Lee Out

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

Roberto Yatco

Facing an under-the-gun raise to 1,400, Roberto Yatco made the call before Hyun Woo Lee, left with just 7,600, moved all in from the hijack.

The initial raiser quickly got out of the way, while Yatco made the call to put Lee at risk.

Hyun Woo Lee: K♣ Q♣

Roberto Yatco: A♣ Q♦

Lee found himself dominated and needed help to survive, but the board ran 9♦ 8♥ 3♦ 6♠ 8♠, offering no improvement. Yatco's ace-high held from start to finish, eliminating Lee from the tournament.

Hyun Woo Lee

Player	Chips	Progress
RY Roberto YatcoPhilippines	38,300(96 BB)	8,300
HW Hyun Woo LeeSouth Korea	busted	-30,000

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 45/46

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 5:00:52 AM

New Chip Penalty System Implemented

Level 2: 100 / 300 ante: 300

APPT Manila 2026 has officially introduced the chip penalty system, following the updated rules discussed during last month's TDA Summit.

The new format replaces the traditional hand penalty system with penalties issued through tournament chips. For minor violations such as acting out of turn, players will receive a chip penalty instead of losing hands.

A one-hand penalty is equivalent to the current small blind, while a one-round penalty equals 2.5x the current big blind. The final penalty will still depend on the severity of the violation and the tournament staff's decision.

The penalty chips will be removed from play and taken out of the tournament.

The positive change for players is that after paying the minimum penalty of one small blind, they will still have the chance to participate in the hand instead of automatically sitting out.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 4:50:00 AM

Cymbaluk Hits River Flush

Level 2: 100 / 300 ante: 300

Glen Cymbaluk

With the board already complete K♠ J♥ T♠ 9♣ 5♠, big blind Glen Cymbaluk led out with a small bet of 2,700 into a 16,000 pot.

Juhyung Son responded with a raise to 7,000, but Cymbaluk quickly made the call.

Son turned over K♣ 9♠ for two pair, but Cymbaluk revealed T♠ 6♠, completing a flush on the river and taking down the entire pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
GC Glen CymbalukCanada	47,300(158 BB)	17,300
JS Juhyung SonSouth Korea	16,400(55 BB)	-13,600

Level 2: 100 / 300 ante: 300

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 29/29

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 4:31:24 AM

Turn Bet Gets Through

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Krittapoom In Muang

Under the gun, Mirko Stojkov opened to 600 and picked up one caller. From the cutoff, Krittapoom In Muang raised it to 2,400, and only Stojkov came along.

The flop came Q♠ T♥ 7♠. Stojkov checked, and Muang continued for 2,400, which Stojkov called.

The 8♠ turn brought another opportunity for Muang to apply pressure, firing 5,200 into the pot. After some thought, Stojkov decided to let it go, allowing Muang to take down the pot without showdown.

Player	Chips	Progress
KI Krittapoom In MuangThailand	38,200(191 BB)	8,200
MS Mirko StojkovAustralia	21,400(107 BB)	-3,600

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 4:20:00 AM

Coffee, Rain And Poker

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Joseph Biegler

The weather outside may be gloomy, but the mood inside Cove Manila is the complete opposite. Players are settling in, enjoying the beautiful venue, and soaking in the atmosphere with what feels like the perfect combination - a hot cup of coffee, a great view, and the beautiful game of poker.

Here are the players who beat the rain and made their way straight to the tables:

Early Bird Players

Player	Chips
JB James BonannoUnited States of America	25,000(125 BB)
JB Joseph BieglerUnited States of America	25,000(125 BB)
MK Myungshin KimSouth Korea	25,000(125 BB)
MS Mirko StojkovAustralia	25,000(125 BB)
KD Kasuga DaiSouth Korea	25,000(125 BB)
FE Feras ElnatshaUnited Arab Emirates	25,000(125 BB)
YN Yuki NishioJapan	25,000(125 BB)
JT John TomasPhilippines	25,000(125 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 4:05:00 AM

Shuffle Up And Deal!

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Cards are in the air for Day 1A of APPT National, with the opening flight officially underway at Cove Manila.

Seven players were already seated when the clock started, with the field expected to grow throughout the day as more players make their way in. The action is also expected to pick up as Day 2 of the Okada Kickoff is currently running alongside the opening flight.

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

30 minutes

Remaining Players: 7/7

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

7/29/2026, 1:45:32 AM

APPT National Day 1A Begins with PHP 8M Guarantee

The action continues at APPT Manila 2026 as the APPT National gets underway today at Cove Manila inside Okada Manila. The PHP 30,000 (~USD 485) buy-in event features an PHP 8,000,000 (~USD 130,000) guaranteed prize pool, with Day 1A starting at 12:00 PM local time.

Players will begin with a 30,000 starting stack and play through 30-minute blind levels as they look to secure their spot in the next stage of the tournament.

Registration remains open until 5:30 PM local time, with Day 1A playing down to the money, where the top 15% of the field will advance and secure a payout.

Before Day 1A begins, players can also take their shot through the MEGA Qualifier to APPT National [R+A], starting at 11:00 AM. For just PHP 1,000 (~USD 16), the qualifier guarantees three seats into the APPT National.

Stay tuned as Somuchpoker brings you live updates, key hands, chip counts, and all the latest action from APPT Manila 2026.

Event starts 12:00 local time..