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Okada Manila

Philippines, Manila

APPT Manila 2026

2026.07.28 - 2026.08.10 Add to Calendar

Asia Pacific Poker Tour

Updates Chip Counts Info

Behrang Mohammadigeravand

Blind level

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Entries

43/271

Total Chips

8,130,000

Average

189,070

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 45/271

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 45/271

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 3:29:26 PM

GG, Bro

Level 16: 2,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Moses Saquing

John Matsuda moved 50,000 of his 55,000 stack into the middle, however before he could grab the other 5,000 chips to move all in, Moses Saquing called off his last 15,000, making it a raise to 50,000. Nobody else called, and so the two showed down.

"GG, bro," Matsuda said to Saquing as the two flipped their holdings.

Moses Saquing: 5♥ 5♦

John Matsuda: A♣ T♦

Saquing came out on the right side of the flip on the 8♠ 7♦ K♣ flop, with Matsuda failing to hit one of his overcards.

The 3♣ turn was safe too, and by the time the 5♣ river had been dealt, giving Saquing a set, Matsuda had slid in the 15,000 required to pay his seatmate.

"GG, bro," Saquing joked back to Matsuda.

Player	Chips	Progress
MS Moses SaquingPhilippines	47,000(9 BB)	-1,000
JM John MatsudaJapan	40,000(8 BB)	10,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 3:06:29 PM

Table 31 Counts

Level 16: 2,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Behrang Mohammadigeravand

Player	Chips	Progress
BM Behrang MohammadigeravandAustralia	394,000(79 BB)	364,000
DB Dmitrii BelikovRussia	255,000(51 BB)	-75,000
SM Sumay MishraIndia	167,000(33 BB)	137,000
VM Vamerdino MagsakayPhilippines	130,000(26 BB)	-73,200
SB Sashank BadrinathIndia	115,000(23 BB)	85,000
EM Eoghan Mac GabhannIreland	112,000(22 BB)	82,000
LJ Lukasz JankowskiPoland	105,000(21 BB)	76,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 2:53:35 PM

APPT Open Supasses 500 Entries; PHP 26M Prize Pool

Level 16: 2,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

The APPT Open has now surpassed 500 total entries across its starting flights, pushing the prize pool beyond PHP 26,000,000, well clear of the PHP 15,000,000 (~USD 250,000) guarantee.

With Day 1C now underway alongside the ongoing Day 1B flight, those numbers are only expected to climb further before registration closes across the board.

Level 16: 2,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 54/271

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 2:33:51 PM

Belikov's Boat Busts Edenata

Level 15: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Dmitrii Belikov

The action was joined with a board reading 2♠ K♦ 2♦ 2♥, and a pot of around 60,000 in the middle.

Rudy Edenata had checked from middle position, with cutoff Dmitrii Belikov sending 15,000 into the middle. Shortly after, Edenata check-shoved for 70,500, sending the Russian into the tank.

After around a minute or two of thinking, he eventually stuck in the chips, only to see Edenata turn over A♣ T♣ for ace-high, while Belikov was out in front with J♣ J♥ for a full house.

Only an ace could save the Indonesian on the river, and unfortunately for him, one did not come, with the dealer turning over an innocuous 4♥, keeping Belikov's boat best.

Player	Chips	Progress
DB Dmitrii BelikovRussia	330,000(83 BB)	300,000
RE Rudy EdenataIndonesia	busted	-30,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 2:26:35 PM

Takayama Among Latest to Fall

Level 15: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Player	Chips
MT Mike TakayamaPhilippines	busted
ME Mohamed EbrahimSouth Africa	busted
JC John ConstinianoPhilippines	busted
AK Akihiro KawaguchiJapan	busted
GG Gary GuerreroPhilippines	busted
HT Henrik TollefsenNorway	busted

Level 15: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 63/271

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 2:17:09 PM

Elnatsha and Zhao Tangle Twice

Level 14: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Feras Elnatsha

Small blind Neng Zhao raised to 7,500 and Feras Elnatsha defended his big blind. Elnatsha raised to 25,000 after Zhao continued for 5,500 on the Q♠ 8♣ 2♦ flop, and Zhao opted not to make the call.

In the next hand, after the big blind had been moved around due to a player switching tables, Isaac Hechanova found himself in the big blind with just two 5,000 chips remaining in his stack.

"Where is the rest of it?" Elnatsha asked.

"Maybe under the table," Hechanova joked.

Neng Zhao

Zhao then raised to 6,000 from the button and Elnatsha put in the call. Hechanova laughed as he folded his holding.

The dealer fanned the 2♦ K♦ 6♥ flop and both checked it through to the 8♠ turn, where

Elnatsha led for 11,000, and Zhao didn't fancy calling this one either.

Hechanova busted a couple of hands later.

Player	Chips	Progress
FE Feras ElnatshaJordan	240,000(80 BB)	210,000
NZ Neng ZhaoAustralia	37,000(12 BB)	-35,400
IH Isaac HechanovaPhilippines	busted	-95,400

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 1:48:26 PM

Garberg Gains, then Gives Back

Level 14: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Markus Garberg

Markus Garberg is a Norwegian player who currently sits 39th on his country's All-Time Money List. Last year at the APPT Manila Championship, Garberg placed third in the APPT High Roller, banking PHP 1.86M (~$32K) for his efforts. He'll certainly be looking to complete the job here at APPT Manila 2026.

Garberg opened to 6,000 from under the gun in one of the first hands after the break, before being immediately three-bet to 19,000 by table chip leader and third-place Red Dragon finisher Edilberto Gopez.

Once the action had folded back around, Garberg placed a 39,000 four-bet, and after a fair amount of staring down from Gopez, the Filipino eventually let his hand go, adding a healthy chunk of chips to Garberg's stack.

Ajay Nautiyal

The next hand saw Ajay Nautiyal limp from middle position, as did Jose Colada in the small blind, and Garberg checked his option.

The dealer fanned the 5♠ J♠ Q♦ flop, and Colada check-folded, while Garberg check-called Nautiyal's 6,000 continuation-bet.

Both players checked the 8♣ turn to the 3♣ river, where Garberg stabbed 20,000 into the middle. Nautiyal didn't take too long before putting in the call, where the Norwegian flipped over K♥ 9♣ for a missed straight-turned bluff, while Nautiyal's J♦ 7♦ was good with a pair.

Player	Chips	Progress
JC Jose ColadaPhilippines	285,000(95 BB)	-24,000
AN Ajay NautiyalUnited States of America	125,000(42 BB)	-60,500
MG Markus GarbergNorway	123,000(41 BB)	93,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 1:38:32 PM

Post-Break Big Stacks

Level 14: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Jose Colada

Player	Chips	Progress
JC Jose ColadaPhilippines	309,000(103 BB)	201,000
EG Edilberto GopezPhilippines	282,000(94 BB)	282,000
VB Vinay BoobIndia	271,000(90 BB)	241,000
XF Xiaohua FuChina	260,000(87 BB)	136,000
HC Hareesh ChallaIndia	247,000(82 BB)	215,500

Level 14: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 75/271

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 75/271

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 1:13:52 PM

More Hit the Rail

Level 13: 1,000 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Player	Chips	Progress
HJ Haewon JungSouth Korea	busted	-36,400
ZW Zhihua WangChina	busted	-30,000
SW Sung Wook HongUnited States of America	busted	-145,600
FK Fendy KosasihIndonesia	busted	-30,000
SJ Seunghyuk JungSouth Korea	busted	-30,000
JK Jinhyun KimSouth Korea	busted	-30,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 12:59:25 PM

Table 34 Action and Counts

Level 13: 1,000 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

John Tech

Hand 1: Hijack John Tech raised to 5,000 and big blind Mohamed Ebrahim defended. Both players checked the entire 4♣ 3♦ 6♣ 2♣ A♣ board, with Tech tapping the table before anyone had shown a card. Ebrahim flicked over 6♠ 6♥, to the table's amazement, before Tech himself revealed the A♦, awarding the pot to the South African.

Hand 2: Hijack and runner-up in yesterday's Red Dragon final table Czardy Rivera raised and collected the blinds.

Hand 3: Edwards Lawford opened with a raise to 5,500 from early position and collected the blinds. Big blind Fang Kai Yang showed 3♥ 2♦ as he mucked.

Hand 4: Cutoff Ebrahim raised to 5,000 and big blind Siddharth Pandey joined him to the flop.

Siddharth Pandey

Pandey check-called Ebrahim's 5,000 bet following the 8♠ K♦ T♦ flop. On the K♣ turn, Pandey check-raised Ebrahim's 5,000 bet up to 10,500, which was met with a call.

On the Q♦ river, Pandey led for 11,000, and after a short think, Ebrahim opted not to make the call.

Hand 5: Tech raised to 5,000 from under the gun, receiving a call from Yakai Li two seats over, as well as big blind Lawford.

Lawford check-called and Li folded when Tech fired 4,500 on the A♥ 4♥ 8♦ flop. Lawford check-called once more on the T♦ turn, this time for 7,000.

On the 8♣ river, both opted to check, with Tech flicking over Q♥ Q♣ for pocket queens, while Lawford showed K♦ 6♦ for a busted flush draw, awarding the pot to the Filipino.

Edwards Lawford

Player	Chips	Progress
FK Fang Kai YangTaiwan	205,000(82 BB)	80,800
WY William YsmaelPhilippines	157,000(63 BB)	127,000
EL Edwards LawfordAustralia	156,000(62 BB)	50,200
YL Yakai LiChina	139,000(56 BB)	109,000
SP Siddharth PandeyIndia	74,000(30 BB)	44,000
CR Czardy RiveraPhilippines	71,000(28 BB)	41,000
JT John TechPhilippines	70,000(28 BB)	40,000
AK Akihiro KawaguchiJapan	49,000(20 BB)	-13,200
ME Mohamed EbrahimSouth Africa	47,000(19 BB)	17,000

Level 13: 1,000 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 75/271

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 12:29:32 PM

Acdal Takes the Lead

Level 12: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Aj Cris Acdal

Andrew Rodgers opened the action from early position with a raise to 4,500. Aj Cris Acdal made the sole call from the big blind.

The dealer fanned the 7♦ J♦ 5♥ flop and Acdal checked. Rodgers fired 9,000 in and the Filipino eventually put in the call.

Acdal checked the T♠ turn too, with Rodgers firing a pot-sized 27,000 this time. Acdal then check-raised it up to 65,000, and after a lengthy tank, the American put in the call.

The T♦ completed the board and Acdal led this time, for 55,000. Rodgers didn't take too long before surrendering the pot, losing a massive chunk of his stack in the process.

Acdal looks to be the chip leader at present, with a stack size around three times the average.

Player	Chips	Progress
AC Aj Cris AcdalPhilippines	295,000(148 BB)	77,000
AR Andrew RodgersUnited States of America	59,000(30 BB)	-74,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 12:07:24 PM

Boat on the River for Kim

Level 12: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Kunwoo Kim

Moses Saquing raised to 4,000 from early position before Kunwoo Kim jammed his last 19,500 from the big blind. Saquing wasted no time sticking in the call, and cards went on their backs:

Kunwoo Kim: T♠ T♣

Moses Saquing: A♦ K♥

Saquing's Big Slick failed to gain any traction against the South Korean's pocket tens on the 9♥ 6♦ 8♥ 8♣ flop and turn, with the short stack improving to a full house on the T♥ river for good measure.

Player	Chips	Progress
MS Moses SaquingPhilippines	48,000(24 BB)	18,000
KK Kunwoo KimSouth Korea	44,000(22 BB)	14,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 12:03:22 PM

Recent Busts

Level 12: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Players who won't be qualifying via this flight of the APPT Open.

Player	Chips	Progress
GT Gary ThompsonIreland	busted
JL Jessie LeonarezPhilippines	busted	-30,000
HH Harry HalimIndonesia	busted	-30,000
PE Paul ElliottAustralia	busted	-23,100
JV Joemark VasayPhilippines	busted	-30,000
SJ Seungmook JungSouth Korea	busted	-30,000
JM Joris MichlNetherlands	busted	-30,000

Level 12: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 108/271

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 11:30:02 AM

Nasty Way to Go

Level 11: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

Jose Colada

Jose Colada raised to 3,000 from middle position and received a call from next-to-act Keng Yong Tan.

Small blind Basant Singh then three-bet jammed his remaining 16,500, and only Colada put in the call with his covering stack.

Basant Singh: A♦ A♣

Jose Colada: 6♦ 6♣

Singh had Colada covered on suits, not to mention the 5:1 odds he had of coming out on

top of the confrontation.

However, it was the Indian's unlucky day, with Colada drilling a set on the 6♥ 7♦ Q♥ flop. No help came on the K♥ J♠ runout, and Singh was eliminated in one of the first hands after the close of registration.

Player	Chips
JC Jose ColadaPhilippines	108,000(72 BB)
BS Basant SinghIndia	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 11:25:16 AM

Latecomers

Level 11: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

Player	Chips	Progress
MG Michael Gabby ConcepcionPhilippines	30,000(20 BB)
JJ John Jay MagadanPhilippines	30,000(20 BB)
EY Edison YuPhilippines	30,000(20 BB)
JC John ConstinianoPhilippines	30,000(20 BB)	-13,700
NK Nurlan KarimzhanovKazakhstan	30,000(20 BB)	3,200
HT Henrik TollefsenNorway	30,000(20 BB)
MG Markus GarbergNorway	30,000(20 BB)
FC Florencio CampomanesPhilippines	30,000(20 BB)	-35,100

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 11:23:05 AM

Reg Closed; PHP 20M Prize Pool Exceeded

Level 11: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

Registration is now officially closed for Day 1B of the APPT Open. The flight has recorded 271 entries, pushing the total prize pool to PHP 20,787,840, with 108 players currently still in their seats.

The field will play down to 41 survivors, with all reaching the money and a Day 2 seat.

Level 11: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 97/246

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 97/246

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 11:05:58 AM

Last Chance for Day 1B!

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

Players have hit their third 15-minute break of the day, and it marks the final opportunity to get registered for this flight of the APPT Open.

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 10:58:31 AM

Miyata Leads the Way at Table 33

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

Miyata Kazuka

Player	Chips	Progress
MK Miyata KazukaJapan	170,000(142 BB)	140,000
YI Yusuke IshikawaJapan	140,000(117 BB)	140,000
GR Gabriel RohSouth Korea	87,000(73 BB)	-35,700
MT Mike TakayamaPhilippines	84,000(70 BB)	54,000
CP Chuyuan PengChina	82,000(68 BB)	52,000
KE Kim EnriquezPhilippines	74,000(62 BB)	44,000
HN Hyungseok NamSouth Korea	45,000(38 BB)	15,000
SK Sakamoto KoichiJapan	30,000(25 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 10:48:15 AM

Quite the Escalation

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

Brenton Buttigieg

Saeed Alavi raised to 2,500 from middle position before facing next-to-act Brenton Buttigieg's 5,500 three-bet. Alavi then four-bet to 15,600 and Buttigieg put in the call.

The dealer fanned the Q♠ J♦ 9♣ flop and Alavi led for 9,000. Buttigieg immediately jammed for around 28,000 and Alavi swiftly put in the call.

Brenton Buttigieg: Q♥ T♥

Saeed Alavi: A♠ T♠

Buttigieg was ahead for the moment, but Alavi had a whole host of outs to help him. The K♥ turn was one of them, giving him a superior straight to Buttigieg, and the inconsequential J♠ completed the board, finalising what was quite a dramatic hand at Table 37.

Buttigieg was covered by Alavi after a quick count by the dealer and was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
SA Saeed AlaviUnited States of America	57,000(48 BB)	8,000
BB Brenton ButtigiegAustralia	busted	-30,000

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

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 103/241

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 10:18:42 AM

Riad Fades the Flush

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

John Riad

Cutoff Ishan Nadkarni raised to 2,700, having just returned from a brief hiatus at his table. John Riad gave a couple of glances at his cards and moved his remaining 9,400-chip stack into the middle, and it didn't take too long for the Indian player to put in the call.

John Riad: K♦ Q♦

Ishan Nadkarni: T♠ 6♠

"Just give me a king," Riad asked.

The dealer obliged, providing the K♠ in the window. Concerningly for the Dane, however, was the remainder of the 4♥ J♠ flop, giving Nadkarni plenty of outs to score the knockout.

Those outs failed to materialise on the 4♦ K♦ runout, improving Riad to trips and securing a full double.

Player	Chips	Progress
IN Ishan NadkarniIndia	120,000(100 BB)	-12,900
JR John RiadDenmark	21,200(18 BB)	-8,800

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 10:00:00 AM

Cooler City At Table 43

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

Isaac Hechanova

A loud roar erupted from Table 43 as three premium hands collided in a massive all-in confrontation.

The shortest stack, Isaac Hechanova, fresh off his runner-up finish in the APPT National last week, was all in for 30,800. Gary Thompson committed his 43,000 stack, while Justin Ong comfortably covered both players.

Isaac Hechanova: K♣ K♦

Gary Thompson: A♠ K♠

Justin Ong: Q♠ Q♣

The board ran 6♥ 4♥ 4♣ 9♠ 7♠, keeping Hechanova's pocket kings safely in front from start to finish.

Hechanova earned a huge triple up, while Ong's queens held against Thompson's ace-king in the side pot to send Thompson to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
IH Isaac HechanovaPhilippines	95,400(80 BB)	65,400
JO Justin OngPhilippines	78,000(65 BB)	48,000
GT Gary ThompsonIreland	busted	-30,000

Callum JuryCallum Jury

8/4/2026, 9:59:16 AM

Table 42 Counts

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

Aj Cris Acdal

Player	Chips	Progress
AC Aj Cris AcdalPhilippines	218,000(182 BB)	73,600
AR Andrew RodgersUnited States of America	133,000(111 BB)	103,000
XF Xiaohua FuChina	124,000(103 BB)	33,000
HN Hyunsik NamSouth Korea	44,000(37 BB)	14,000
JY Jiaxian YeChina	35,000(29 BB)	-33,800
LJ Lukasz JankowskiPoland	29,000(24 BB)	-1,000
KY Keng Yong TanSingapore	14,500(12 BB)	-49,500

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

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 112/239

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 9:42:00 AM

Four-Bet And Follow Through

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

Miyoung Kishimoto

One of the few women in the Day 1B field, Miyoung Kishimoto wasted little time getting involved.

Opening to 2,000 from the cutoff, Kishimoto was met with a 7,500 three-bet from Saeed Alavi in the small blind.

Unfazed, Kishimoto clicked it back with a minimum four-bet to 13,000, and Alavi made the call.

The flop came J♣ T♦ 3♥.

After Alavi checked, Kishimoto immediately moved all in for 18,300. Alavi thought for only a few seconds before folding, allowing Kishimoto to pick up the pot without having to show her hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
SA Saeed AlaviUnited States of America	49,000(49 BB)	-13,000
MK Miyoung KishimotoSouth Korea	46,300(46 BB)	16,300

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 9:30:00 AM

Top Filipino Pros Fill The Field

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

Mike Takayama

The APPT Open Day 1B field is packed with some of the Philippines' biggest names in tournament poker.

Among those in action is Mike Takayama, currently 2nd on the Philippines All-Time Money List with more than US$4.55 million in live tournament earnings.

David Erquiaga

Joining him are several fellow top-10 earners, including David Erquiaga (5th, US$2.49 million), Florencio Campomanes (6th, US$2.48 million), John Tech (7th, US$2.28 million), Vamerdino Magsakay (8th, US$1.84 million), and John Constantino, who currently sits 9th on the country's All-Time Money List.

With six of the Philippines' top ten all-time money winners sharing the felt, the battle for an APPT Open title has become even more stacked.

John Constiniano

Player	Chips	Progress
VM Vamerdino MagsakayPhilippines	203,200(203 BB)
FC Florencio CampomanesPhilippines	65,100(65 BB)	35,100
JC John ConstinianoPhilippines	43,700(44 BB)	13,700
DE David ErquiagaPhilippines	35,300(35 BB)	5,300
MT Mike TakayamaPhilippines	30,000(30 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 9:15:00 AM

Chip Leaders!

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

Vamerdino Magsakay

Player	Chips	Progress
VM Vamerdino MagsakayPhilippines	203,200(203 BB)	123,100
AN Ajay NautiyalUnited States of America	185,500(186 BB)	155,500
SW Sung Wook HongUnited States of America	145,600(146 BB)	115,600
AC Aj Cris AcdalPhilippines	144,400(144 BB)	114,400
NA Noel AranielPhilippines	141,300(141 BB)	111,300
IN Ishan NadkarniIndia	132,900(133 BB)	65,800
FK Fang Kai YangTaiwan	124,200(124 BB)	94,200
GR Gabriel RohSouth Korea	122,700(123 BB)	92,700
BY Benhur YbarsabalPhilippines	120,900(121 BB)	25,700
SA Seitaro AsoJapan	119,200(119 BB)	89,200
EL Edwards LawfordAustralia	105,800(106 BB)	75,800
AD Arjun DhingraIndia	101,700(102 BB)	71,700
BP Binglong PehSingapore	94,200(94 BB)	64,200

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

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 128/230

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 126/228

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 8:50:00 AM

PokerStars Red Dragon Champion Returns

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

Kim Giboum

Less than 24 hours after lifting the PokerStars Red Dragon trophy, Kim Giboum is back in action following a well-deserved break.

The South Korean captured the biggest title of his career last night, earning PHP 4,550,000 (~USD 74,005) and an APPT Championship Package after an impressive comeback victory in the final table.

Read the full story and our exclusive interview with Kim Giboum on Somuchpoker.

Player	Chips
KG Kim GiboumSouth Korea	30,000(30 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 8:40:00 AM

Guarantee Already Crushed

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

Day 1B has more than doubled the turnout from the opening flight.

After 108 entries were recorded on Day 1A, Day 1B has already attracted 228 entries, pushing the PHP 15,000,000 (~USD 250,000) guaranteed prize pool well into the rear-view mirror.

The prize pool has already climbed past PHP 17,000,000, and the numbers are still expected to rise with three more levels of late registration remaining.

Players will also have one final chance to qualify in the Day 1C Turbo flight later today, meaning the APPT Open field is far from complete.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 8:30:00 AM

Yun Finds Miracle River

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

Jaewan Yun

Three players built a 27,300 pot before seeing a 9♠ 4♦ 2♠ flop.

The action quickly escalated into a three-way all-in. Devadasan Govender was at risk for 24,300, Jaewan Yun was all in for 24,700, while Jaehyung Park comfortably covered both players.

Devadasan Govender: A♠ A♦

Jaewan Yun: Q♠ T♠

Jaehyung Park: 9♣ 6♣

The J♦ turn gave Yun even more equity, adding an open-ended straight draw to go with his spades. When the 8♥ landed on the river, Yun completed the straight to scoop the pot for a huge triple up.

Govender's aces were cracked, sending him to the rail, while Park was left to absorb the loss.

Player	Chips	Progress
JY Jaewan YunSouth Korea	101,000(101 BB)	71,000
JP Jaehyung ParkSouth Korea	26,200(26 BB)	-40,100
DG Devadasan GovenderSouth Africa	busted	-30,000

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

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 127/206

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 8:05:00 AM

Mirchandani Laughs It Off

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Sandeep Mirchandani

Left with just 6,500, Sandeep Mirchandani moved all in, looking poised to steal the blinds. Instead, Akihiro Kawaguchi woke up with a monster in the big blind and made the snap call.

Sandeep Mirchandani: K♠ T♠

Akihiro Kawaguchi: A♥ A♠

Mirchandani burst into laughter the moment he saw Kawaguchi table pocket aces, knowing he had run into the worst possible hand.

The board ran 7♣ 7♠ 4♣ 8♥ J♦, offering no help for Mirchandani and no sweat for Kawaguchi, whose aces comfortably held to record the elimination.

Player	Chips	Progress
AK Akihiro KawaguchiJapan	62,200(78 BB)	32,200
SM Sandeep MirchandaniHong Kong	busted	-30,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 7:55:00 AM

Another Tough Exit For Gopez

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Edilberto Gopez

Fresh off his 3rd-place finish in last night's PokerStars Red Dragon, Edilberto Gopez was back in action looking for another deep run.

Gopez opened to 1,300, but Dohwan Kim responded with a three-bet to 6,700 from the big blind. Gopez fired back with a four-bet shove for 17,400, and Kim snap-called.

Edilberto Gopez: A♥ J♥

Dohwan Kim: A♣ Q♥

Gopez was dominated and couldn't find a way out. Although he paired his ace on the 9♥ 6♣ 5♦ 8♦ A♠ board, Kim's queen kicker played to send Gopez to the rail.

It was a disappointing follow-up for Gopez, who came within touching distance of the PokerStars Red Dragon title just a day earlier. Holding a commanding chip lead three-handed, his bid for the trophy unraveled after losing three crucial all-in confrontations to eventual champion Kim Giboum.

Player	Chips	Progress
DK Dohwan KimSouth Korea	61,300(77 BB)	31,300
EG Edilberto GopezPhilippines	busted	-30,000

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 7:41:00 AM

Flush Overcomes Set And Two Pair

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Xiaohua Fu

A three-bet pot turned into one of the biggest confrontations of the day.

After the preflop action built a 12,700 pot, three players saw an A♠ J♥ 6♥ flop. The action checked to Gary Guerrero on the button, who bet 3,500. Jubal Chetty responded with a check-raise to 8,000, before Xiaohua Fu ripped in his remaining 26,100.

The action wasn't over. Guerrero reshoved for 45,000, and Chetty quickly called, putting both opponents at risk.

Xiaohua Fu: Q♥ 8♥

Gary Guerrero: A♣ J♣

Jubal Chetty: 6♣ 6♦

All three players smashed the flop. Guerrero held top two pair, Chetty flopped bottom set, and Fu had a flush draw.

The K♥ on the turn changed everything, completing Fu's heart flush to vault him into the lead. The T♣ river failed to improve either Guerrero or Chetty.

Fu scooped a massive triple up, while Chetty's flopped set was enough to eliminate Guerrero from the tournament.

Player	Chips	Progress
XF Xiaohua FuChina	91,000(114 BB)	61,000
JC Jubal ChettySouth Africa	84,200(105 BB)	54,200
GG Gary GuerreroPhilippines	busted	-34,900

Level 6: 400 / 800 ante: 800

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 133/183

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 7:25:00 AM

Notables Continue To Arrive

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Minwoong Jeong

Abhinav Iyer

Day 1B continues to attract a strong cast of familiar faces from around the region.

Among the latest arrivals is Abhinav Iyer, fresh off his 2026 WSOP campaign. While the accomplished Indian pro wasn't able to turn his Las Vegas trip into another deep run or final table appearance, he's now looking for a fresh start at APPT Manila.

Also back in action is Jeong Minwoong, the APPT Championship 2025 Main Event winner. The South Korean fired his first bullet in Day 1A but came up empty-handed. With re-entry available, he's returned for Day 1B hoping to keep his APPT success story alive.

Joining them is one of the Philippines' most accomplished tournament players, Florencio Campomanes. A familiar face on the APPT circuit, Campomanes boasts multiple APPT titles, including the 2019 APPT Manila Main Event, the Red Dragon Manila, and most recently the 2024 APPT Open. With an outstanding APPT resume already in place, he'll be aiming to add yet another title to his collection this week.

Player	Chips
FC Florencio CampomanesPhilippines	30,000(50 BB)
MJ Minwoong JeongSouth Korea	30,000(50 BB)
AI Abhinav IyerIndia	30,000(50 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 7:05:00 AM

Chip Leaders!

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Benhur Ybarsabal

Player	Chips	Progress
BY Benhur YbarsabalPhilippines	95,200(159 BB)	65,200
VG Vikrant GuptaAustralia	83,400(139 BB)
VM Vamerdino MagsakayPhilippines	80,100(134 BB)	19,000
JB Javier BecerrilSpain	77,700(130 BB)	47,700
LS Leon StewardPhilippines	73,100(122 BB)	43,100
NZ Neng ZhaoAustralia	72,400(121 BB)	-15,100
AP Adalsteinn Petur KarlssonIceland	72,300(121 BB)	42,300
JY Jiaxian YeChina	68,800(115 BB)	38,800
IN Ishan NadkarniIndia	67,100(112 BB)	37,100
JP Jaehyung ParkSouth Korea	66,300(111 BB)	1,800
RL Rakesh LalwaniIndia	63,500(106 BB)	28,100
AB Ayan BiswasIndia	55,900(93 BB)	25,900

Level 5: 300 / 600 ante: 600

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 123/150

Break

15 minutes

Remaining Players: 120/145

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 6:39:29 AM

Park Wins Three-Way Showdown

Level 4: 200 / 500 ante: 500

Jaehyung Park

Facing a raise from the cutoff, Darius Nass moved all in for 10,900 from the button. Jaehyung Park then reshoved for 25,800 from the small blind, prompting Saeed Alavi to call from the big blind while the initial raiser got out of the way.

Darius Nass: A♣ 8♣

Jaehyung Park: K♠ K♥

Saeed Alavi: J♠ J♣

Park's pocket kings were in great shape and stayed there as the board ran 5♠ 4♠ 3♦ 6♣ 9♣.

The kings held to earn Park a healthy double up, while Nass was eliminated after failing to improve.

Player	Chips	Progress
JP Jaehyung ParkSouth Korea	64,500(129 BB)	38,700
SA Saeed AlaviUnited States of America	12,500(25 BB)	-26,300
DN Darius NassGermany	busted	-10,900

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 6:20:00 AM

Lee Survives The Sweat

Level 4: 200 / 500 ante: 500

Han Sic Lee

Facing a minimum raise, Han Sic Lee three-bet to 2,500. From the cutoff, Hareesh Challa came back with a four-bet to 13,000, forcing the original raiser out of the pot.

Lee then moved all in for 13,400, and Challa made the easy call.

Han Sic Lee: T♦ T♥

Hareesh Challa: A♠ K♠

The Q♣ J♠ 7♠ flop brought a sweat for Lee, as Challa picked up a flush draw, a straight draw, and two overcards.

Fortunately for Lee, the 5♥ turn and 9♥ river bricked out, allowing his pocket tens to hold for a full double up.

Lee let out a sigh of relief as the dealer pushed him the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
HC Hareesh ChallaIndia	31,500(63 BB)	-13,400
HS Han Sic LeeSouth Korea	29,000(58 BB)	15,600

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 6:08:37 AM

Day 1B Outpaces Opening Flight

Level 4: 200 / 500 ante: 500

Just as Level 4 got underway, Day 1B of the APPT Open officially surpassed the 108 entries recorded in Day 1A.

The field has now climbed to 120 entries with six more levels of late registration still available, leaving plenty of time for the numbers to grow even further.

With another starting flight still to come later today, the APPT Open is well on pace to build a strong field in pursuit of its PHP 15,000,000 (~USD 250,000) guaranteed prize pool.

Level 4: 200 / 500 ante: 500

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 92/102

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 5:57:00 AM

Trips Good At Showdown

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

Keng Yong Tan

Four players saw a Q♥ 8♥ 7♦ flop before the action checked around to Keng Yong Tan on the cutoff, who fired 8,000 into the 12,600 pot. Only Christoph Schumann made the call.

Both players checked the K♠ turn.

When the Q♦ paired the board on the river, Schumann led out for 8,000. Tan responded by moving all in for 17,700, putting Schumann to the test.

After spending some time in the tank, Schumann made the call.

Keng Yong Tan: A♠ Q♠

Christoph Schumann: 9♥ 7♣

Tan's rivered trip queens were more than enough to beat Schumann's two pair, earning him a healthy pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
KY Keng Yong TanSingapore	64,000(160 BB)	34,000
CS Christoph SchumannAustralia	1,600(4 BB)	-28,400

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 5:45:00 AM

Chopped With Boats

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

Nicole Dejiro

In a single-raised pot, five players took a flop of J♦ 8♥ 8♦.

From the big blind, Neng Zhao led for 1,200, with only Nicole Dejiro and Nurlan Karimzhanov continuing.

The 8♣ on the turn gave the board trips. Dejiro fired 2,500, forcing Karimzhanov out, while Zhao made the call.

Both players checked the Q♦ river.

Zhao tabled J♥ T♠ for eights full of jacks, while Dejiro revealed K♣ J♣ for the exact same full house.

With identical hands, the pot was split. Nobody could do better than jacks full of eights on the paired board.

Player	Chips	Progress
NZ Neng ZhaoAustralia	87,500(219 BB)	-8,300
ND Nicole DejiroPhilippines	31,100(78 BB)	1,100
NK Nurlan KarimzhanovKazakhstan	26,800(67 BB)	-3,200

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 5:35:00 AM

Zhao Picks Up Where He Left Off

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

Neng Zhao

It doesn't look like Neng Zhao took much time to cool off.

Fresh from a 4th-place finish in the USOP Main Event, the Australian has made the trip to Okada Manila and is already making his presence felt. Just a few levels into Day 1B, Zhao has quietly tripled his starting stack and sits as the early chip leader.

Those who have watched Zhao over the years know his style well. Rarely flashy, he lets his decisions do the talking, patiently picking his spots and staying composed regardless of the situation. That approach has earned him more than US$1 million in live tournament winnings, and once again, it's paying off.

There's still a long way to go, but Zhao has picked up right where he left off.

Player	Chips	Progress
NZ Neng ZhaoAustralia	95,800(240 BB)	65,800

Level 3: 200 / 400 ante: 400

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 61/67

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 5:21:00 AM

Cowan Flashes The Cowboys

Level 2: 100 / 300 ante: 300

Graham Cowan

Facing a limp, Paul Elliott raised to 1,700 from the cutoff. Graham Cowan responded with a three-bet to 5,700 from the small blind, with Elliott making the call.

On the 8♥ 7♣ 5♥ flop, Cowan wasted no time moving all in, putting maximum pressure on his opponent.

After taking a moment to think, Elliott made a disciplined fold, revealing T♠ T♣ for an overpair.

Cowan then tabled K♦ K♥, showing he had Elliott crushed all along as he dragged in the pot without showdown.

Player	Chips	Progress
GC Graham CowanAustralia	46,600(155 BB)	16,600
PE Paul ElliottAustralia	23,100(77 BB)	-6,900

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 5:10:00 AM

Straight To The Chips

Level 2: 100 / 300 ante: 300

Joseph Sia

With the board already reading J♠ 5♦ 4♣ Q♦ K♥ and 5,700 in the middle, Lourd Keven Ejem, fresh off his 7th-place finish in last night's PokerStars Red Dragon final table, led out for 3,200.

Joseph Sia responded with a raise to 10,000, putting Ejem to the test. After a brief thought, Ejem made the call.

Sia tabled A♠ T♦ for a runner-runner nut straight, prompting Ejem to quietly muck his hand as Sia dragged in the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
JS Joseph SiaPhilippines	41,200(137 BB)	11,200
LK Lourd Keven EjemPhilippines	30,600(102 BB)	600

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 5:00:00 AM

Magsakay Draws First Blood

Level 2: 100 / 300 ante: 300

Vamerdino Magsakay

Not long after doubling back to a full starting stack, Loren Harris became the first player eliminated from Day 1B.

The knockout came at the hands of Vamerdino Magsakay, ending Harris' first bullet of the day.

Harris wasted little time getting back into the action, immediately re-entering the tournament and taking his seat with a fresh starting stack once again.

Player	Chips	Progress
VM Vamerdino MagsakayPhilippines	61,100(204 BB)	31,100
LH Loren HarrisUnited States of America	30,000(100 BB)	-30,600

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 4:50:00 AM

Ong Chasing Another Title

Level 2: 100 / 300 ante: 300

Justin Ong

After falling short of another deep run in the APPT National and failing to defend his PokerStars Red Dragon title, Justin Ong is back on the hunt at the APPT Open.

Ong remains one of the most accomplished players in the field, having captured both the PokerStars Red Dragon and the APPT Manila Main Event during the 2025 festival.

With those titles already on his resume, he'll be looking to add another APPT trophy as his campaign gets underway early in Day 1B.

Player	Chips
JO Justin OngPhilippines	30,000(100 BB)

Level 2: 100 / 300 ante: 300

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 38/39

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 4:35:00 AM

Cooler Right Out Of The Gate

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Loren Harris

The action wasted no time heating up in the opening level.

From under the gun, Eundong Noh opened to 600 and picked up two callers. In the small blind, Loren Harris squeezed to 2,200.

Back on Noh, the action escalated as he four-bet to 6,500, forcing the two callers out. Harris then moved all in for 14,500, and Noh snap-called.

Loren Harris: K♣ K♠

Eundong Noh: Q♥ Q♠

The board ran J♥ 8♣ 7♣ 4♣ 5♣, keeping Harris' kings in front throughout while the river even completed a king-high flush.

Harris doubled back to his starting stack, while Noh took the early hit.

Player	Chips	Progress
LH Loren HarrisUnited States of America	30,600(153 BB)	600
EN Eundong NohSouth Korea	15,500(78 BB)	-14,500

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 4:15:00 AM

Early Bird Players

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Player	Chips
LH Loren HarrisUnited States of America	30,000(150 BB)
HJ Haewon JungSouth Korea	30,000(150 BB)
SK Seongjin KimSouth Korea	30,000(150 BB)
HS Han Sic LeeSouth Korea	30,000(150 BB)
VM Vamerdino MagsakayPhilippines	30,000(150 BB)
PO Phenix OesterstroemSweden	30,000(150 BB)
CS Christoph SchumannAustralia	30,000(150 BB)
MP Marko PuskadijaCroatia	30,000(150 BB)
SB Segundo BartePhilippines	30,000(150 BB)
MC Michael ConfosAustralia	30,000(150 BB)
GC Graham CowanAustralia	30,000(150 BB)
LK Lourd Keven EjemPhilippines	30,000(150 BB)
GG Gary GuerreroPhilippines	30,000(150 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 4:05:00 AM

Shuffle Up And Deal!

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

The cards are officially in the air for Day 1B of the APPT Open at APPT Manila 2026.

A total of 17 players were already in their seats before the tournament clock began, with more expected to join the field as late registration remains open.

Level 1: 100 / 200 ante: 200

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 17/17

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

8/4/2026, 2:37:38 AM

APPT Open Day 1B Gets Underway

After a successful opening flight, attention now shifts to Day 1B of the APPT Open at APPT Manila 2026.

The tournament features a PHP 60,000 (~USD 1,000) buy-in and a PHP 15,000,000 (~USD 250,000) guaranteed prize pool.

Day 1A attracted 108 entries, with only 16 players advancing after playing down to 15% of the field. All survivors are already guaranteed a share of the prize pool and a seat in Day 2.

Hao Lin - Day 1A Chip Leader

Leading the way is Hao Lin, who bagged 571,000 chips. A familiar face on the APPT circuit, Lin returns after another strong performance, adding to his previous 19th-place finish in the APPT Open during APPT Championship Manila 2025.

Day 1B is expected to produce another competitive field as players chase a Day 2 berth. Those who miss today will still have one final opportunity to qualify in the Day 1C Turbo, scheduled to begin at &:00 PM. Like every starting flight, play will continue until 15% of the field remains, with all survivors advancing directly into the money.

Today's Schedule

Event starts 12:00 local time..