APT Main Event (85,000 PHP)

Siyuan Liu raised to 2,400 from under the gun and called the re-raise of 8,500 of table mate Maxim Sorokin when action folded back around to him. Both players saw a flop of 2♥ 4♠ 7♥ . Liu check-called the 15,000 bet of Sorokin for his last 11,700.

Siyuan Liu showed A♥ 4♥ hitting a pair of fours ahead of Sorokin's A♦ K♦ . The turn 8♣ and river 3♦ booked the win for Liu for a desperate double-up.

Toshihide Sawada opened from middle-position and got three-bet to 7,500 by Maxim Sorokin on the button. He made the call and both players went to see a flop that read J♣ 8♦ 5♦ . Both players elected to check. The turn brought the T♣ and Sawada led out for 11,000. The Russian Sorokin responded with a raise to 26,000, which Sawada called.

The river was a spicy one, namely the 5♣ , bringing in the flush as well as pairing the board. Sawada checked and Sorokin went all-in for around 32,000. This sent the Japanese deep into the tank. After a couple of minutes he reluctantly folded his hand, showing J♥ T♥ .

Three players pitched in for a 3,600 pre-flop pot when the dealer opened a 9♣ 2♦ 2♣ flop. The big blind checked to initial raiser, Maxim Sorokin, who led out with 1,500 from the hi-jack. Sunghwan Kim called from the button and big blind Siyuan Liu stepped aside.

The two remaining were given 8♣ on the turn. Sorokin fired again for 2,500 and Kim completed to open a 3♦ river. Sorokin continued the pressure for 3,500, but Kim did not continue. Sorokin added yet another significant pot to his stack, which has the beginnings of a very huge chip wall.

Russian poker pro Maxim Sorokin has over US$600,000 in total live earnings, mostly from WSOP events. A big win in this Asian Poker Tour Manila Main Event would certainly boost his career winnings closer to the 1,000,000 mark.