APT High Roller (200,000 PHP)

Hand 88: Sturm raised all-in from the small blind for 5,200,000. Emilien Pitavy was in the big blind and risked his tournament life with his stack of around 2,300,000.

Emilien Pitavy: A♣ 7♣

Leon Sturm: J♣ 9♥

The board ran out 7♦ J♠ 2♥ 5♥ 8♥ , both paired the flop, but Sturm moved ahead with top pair. Sturm’s hand maintained this lead all the way to the river to send Pitavy out of APT High Roller in 4th place. It was the right call for Pitavy, but not the right result.

Pitavy earned PHP 1,950,000 which will help improve his total live earnings to over USD 600,000. Pitavy also cashed earlier in this series, coming in 3rd at the Baby Superstar Challenge.

Hand 75: Emilien Pitavy opened for 240,000 under the gun with K♥ J♦ and scooped the pot.

Hand 76: Benjamin Jacobs opened under the gun for 275,000 with K♠ J♣ and took down the pot.

Hand 77: Leon Sturm, with A♠ J♠ opened for 275,000 on the button. Jacobs, in big blind, made the call. The dealer fanned out 6♥ 3♠ T♠ giving Sturm a flush draw. Despite that both players checked. On the Q♣ turn, and with action passed, Sturm bet 510,000 and won the pot.

Hand 78: Yohei Kitazato got a walk.

Hand 79: Kitazato jammed all-in with Q♣ 9♠ and won the pot.

Hand 80: Kitazato jammed all-in with pocket sevens on the button and took the pot down.

Hand 81: Jacobs got a walk.

Hand 82: Jacobs jammed all-in with A♦ 9♣ in the small blind and won.

Hand 70: Yohei Kitazato gets a pass on the big blind.

Hand 71: Leon Strum's turn to get keep the blinds.

Hand 72: Benjamin Jacobs raised from under the gun to 250,000 with A♦ 3♥ . Sturm called on the small blind with A♥ T♥ . Both were shown a flop of 4♥ J♠ 5♣ .

Sturm check-called the 175,000 bet of Jacobs to open a T♣ on the turn. Both checked to see a free 8♦ on the river. Sturm fired 575,000 and Jacobs went into the tank for a while and wondered if unicorns existed before finally giving up his cards.

Hand 73: Sturm raised to 275,000 with K♠ J♥ on the button. Eimilien Pitavy jumped all-in with Q♦ T♦ for 2,700,000, but found no customers.

Hand 74: Pitavy raised to 240,000 on the button with K♥ 6♥ and Jacobs jammed all-in for 4,000,000 holding A♥ 9♥ on the small blind. Pitavy let it go.

Hand 65: Yohei Kitazato opened to 200,000 with A♦ 7♠ and got a shove all-in response from Leon Sturm holding K♥ Q♥ on the button. Kitazato folded and Sturm scooped the pot.

Hand 66: Benjamin Jacobs, in small blind, opened to 200,000 with A♣ 3♦ and got called by Kitazato holding Q♣ J♠ in big blind.

The flop came K♠ 8♥ Q♥ . Jacobs led with 150,000 and Kitazato flat called.

The turn 7♥ dropped and both players checked. On the river Q♠ , Kitazato bet 400,000 and Jacobs folded conceding the pot to Kitazato.

Hand 67: Kitazato completed the blind in small with K♣ 7♦ and with T♣ 6♣ , Sturm checked his option in big blind.

The flop came T♥ 4♦ 7♥ and Kitazato bet 150,000 for his mid-pair. Sturm, hitting top pair, just flat called.

Sturm check-jammed all-in Kitazato's bet of 265,000 on the turn 2♠ . Kitazato made the call putting Sturm at risk.

The river 8♣ , however, maintained Sturm's lead for a crucial double up.

Hand 68: Kitazato raised to 200,000 on the button holding A♣ T♠ and got a shove all-in response from Emilien Pitavy in the big blind holding A♦ Q♦ . Kitazato folded and Pitavy scooped the pot.

Hand 69: Under the gun, Kitazato woke up with 4♠ 4♥ , looked up the ceiling and raised 200,000. Sturm on the button three-bet 475,000 with Q♥ J♦ . Kitazato made the call and saw a flop.

The flop came K♠ A♥ J♣ . Kitazato checked and Sturm fired 180,000. Kitazato snap folded conceding the pot to Sturm.

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Hand 49: Emilien Pitavy completed the blind with 5♣ 4♦ and Benjamin Jacobs checked his option on the big blind with 7♣ 6♦ .

Pitavy check-called the 5♠ 8♥ 6♠ flop after Jacobs bet 100,000.

On the T♥ turn, Jacobs shot another 350,000 after the action was passed to him. Pitavy folded.

Hand 50: Jacobs with Q♦ 7♠ opened for 160,000 and got a shove all-in response from Yohei Kitazato. Jacobs folded and Kitazato scooped the pot.

Hand 51: Kitazato open-jammed with K♣ 8♦ in small blind and won the pot.

Hand 52: Jacobs opened under the gun to 160,000 with J♣ T♥ and got one caller in Pitavy in big blind with J♠ 6♠ .

Pitavy checked the flop of 4♠ T♦ K♣ . Jacobs bet 115,000 and took down the pot.

Hand 53: Leon Sturm raised on the button to 185,000 with A♠ 5♦ and Jacobs defended his blind with a call holding A♥ 2♥ .

The flop came 9♥ 5♣ 4♥ and Sturm checked his mid-pair after Jacobs passed the action to him.

The turn 2♦ got another check from Jacobs. Sturm fired 310,000 into the pot which made Jacobs think about his action. After a few seconds, Jacobs announced all-in. Unable to call Sturm folded the winning hand.

Short stacked Nopparut Piyatassakorn shoved all-in for 735,000 from the hijack and John Matsuda re-jammed all-in from the button for 1,600,000. Emilien Pivaty was in the big blind and immediately called when after he took a peek at his cards.

Nopparut Piyatassakorn: A♠ 7♠

John Matsuda: J♦ J♣

Emilien Pivaty: A♥ A♣

The aces of Pivaty had an opportunity to earn a double knockout, and that's exactly what happened when the board came 3♣ 8♦ 5♠ 3♠ T♦ .

Matsuda earns a fifth place finish for PHP 1,573,000 (~USD 27,027), with a stack bigger than Piyatassakorn who finishes in 6th for PHP 1,241,000 (~USD 21,323).

Matsuda made another 5th place finish in the Super High Roller event in this series along with 3 other cashes. Matsuda's total live earnings have moved up to over USD 700,000.

Piyatassakorn cashed in as a runner-up in the Single Day High Roller event earlier this week. His two final table appearances in this series has moved his total career cashes to nearly USD 150,000.

Hand 42: Leon Sturm raised the small blind to 240,000 with J♥ 3♠ and got a call from Emilien Pitavy on the big blind with K♦ T♦ .

The flop came 4♠ 6♣ 9♥ and both players checked.

The J♠ turn was dealt and got a check-check.

Finally on the 2♠ river Sturm bet 195,000 and took down the pot.

Hand 43: Pitavy completed the small blind with Q♦ 5♠ and Benjamin Jacobs checked his option with 9♦ 3♠ .

Both players checked the runout 9♣ Q♥ T♥ Q♠ K♥ and Pitavy took down the pot.

Hand 44: Sturm opened to 160,000 from the cutoff with Q♣ 7♣ and got a call from Jacobs in the big blind holding K♣ J♣ .

The flop came 2♣ 3♣ T♣ , giving both players a flush—setting the stage for a potential disaster as the two biggest stacks at the table.

Both players slow-played their hands, checking to the 7♦ turn. Jacobs then led out with a 250,000 bet, which Sturm called.

On the 7♠ river, Jacobs fired again, this time for 775,000. Sturm quickly called.

Jacobs tabled his king-high flush, and Sturm, with a relieved smile, revealed his hand, knowing he had narrowly avoided catastrophe.

Players are now on break. Here are the current chip counts of the final 6 players.

Hand 26: Emilien Pitavy raised on the button with J♥ T♥ to 100,000 and got a three-bet from small blind Benjamin Jacobs to 250,000 with 7♥ 3♣ . Pitavy made the call taking them to the flop.

Jacobs fired 485,000 on the flop Q♠ 4♠ 7♦ and took down the pot.

Hand 27: Nopparut Piyatassakorn open-shoved all-in in the small blind with A♠ 8♦ and won the pot.

Hand 28: Benjamin Jacobs raised to 60,00 in the cutoff with A♥ K♥ and got called by Piyatassakorn on the button with K♣ J♥ . Yohei Kitazato, in the small blind, had other plans and shoved all-in with A♣ K♦ . Jacobs replied with his own all-in making Piyatassakorn fold.

The two players saw they had the same hand and waited for the board to be completed. The board dropped 8♣ T♦ 4♥ T♠ J♣ then split the pot.

Hand 29: John Matsude in the small blind went all in with 8♠ 8♦ and won the pot.

Hand 30: Matsude on the button limped with 9♠ 7♠ . Leon Sturm, in the small blind, followed suit holding Q♣ 8♣ . Emilien Pitavy in the big blind raised to 350,000 for T♠ T♣ and scooped the pot.

Hand 31: Matsuda raised in cutoff to 120,000 holding K♣ T♣ and was called Pitavy with A♠ J♠ in the small blind. Jacobs in iblind also called with J♣ 4♣ to see a flop.

The flop came 3♦ T♦ A♣ which all players checked.

Pitavy led with a 100,000 bet on the turn K♦ making Jacobs fold his hand. Matsuda,however, called to see the last community card.

Both players checked the river 2♦ and Matsuda scooped the pot for two pair.

Hand 21: Nopparut Piyatassakorn raised to 125,000 on the button with Q♣ J♠ and Yohei Kitazato three-bet to 400,000 on the big blind with A♥ T♥ and got Piyatassakorn to fold.

Hand 22: Yohei Kitazato raised to 100,000 on the button with 2♠ 2♣ and Sturm three-bet to 350,000 with A♥ 3♣

Kitazato matched the bet to see a flop of K♠ J♣ Q♥ Sturm led with 115,000 and Kitazato stepped out of the way from the painted board.

Hand 23: Leon Sturm called on the small blind with Q♦ J♠ and Emilien Pitavy checked the big blind with K♦ 9♣

The flop arrived A♠ 4♥ Q♥ Both players checked to open a 5♣ on the turn.

Sturm bet out 105,000 and Pitavy got out of the way.

Hand 24: Leon Sturm raised to 105,000 on the button with J♥ 9♦ and scooped the blinds.

Hand 25: Emilien Pitavy raised to 100,000 on the button with J♥ T♥ Small blind Benjamin Jacobs three-bet to 350,000 with 7♥ 3♣ .

Pitavy matched to see a flop of Q♠ 4♠ 7♦ . Jacobs led out ffor 450,000 and Pitavy folded.

Hand 20: Emilien Pitavy woke up with Q♦ Q♣ in the cutoff and raised to 100,000. In the big blind, Adalsteinn Karlsson called with Q♠ J♠ , taking both players to the flop.

The dealer fanned out 6♦ Q♥ K♠ , giving Pitavy middle set and Karlsson a pair. Karlsson checked, and Pitavy fired 70,000 which Karlsson called, unaware of the trouble he was in.

The K♦ turn paired the board and both players opted to check. On the J♥ river, Karlsson, now holding two pair, shoved all-in. Pitavy snap-called, putting Karlsson at risk.

After seeing Pitavy’s full house, Karlsson could only shake his head before exiting the stage in 7th place for PHP 949,000 (~$16,306).

Hand 17: Yohei Kitazato raised to 100,000 with A♦ 3♣ in cutoff and got a three-bet from John Matsuda on the button with A♣ K♣ who and took down the pot.

Hand 18: Matsuda raised to 100,000 in cutoff with A♠ 4♠ and got a caller in Benjamin Jacobs, defending his big blind with J♥ 9♦ .

The flop came 2♥ J♦ 7♠ which went check-check. Jacobs bet 80,000 the 6♦ turn and Matsuda folded.

Hand 19: Emilien Pitavy raised the pot to 100,000 on the button with A♥ T♦ and took the pot down.

Hand 7: Benjamin Jacobs opened to 80,000 in middle position with A♦ T♣ and got called by Yohei Kitazato with Q♠ J♠ on the button and John Matsuda in big blind with 9♥ 8♥ sending all three players to the flop.

The flop came 7♦ 2♣ 7♣ which was checked by all players. Matsuda led with 230,000 on the turn 5♥ , enough to make Jacobs and Kitazato fold. He scooped the pot.

Hand 8: Adalstein Karlsson woke up with K♦ K♣ and raised to 80,000 in hijack. He got called by Leon Sturm in the big blind with T♦ 6♦ taking both players to the flop. The flop came 2♠ 9♣ 8♥ and was checked by Sturm. Karlsson continued with 110,000 and took down the pot.

Hand 9: Matsuda raised to 80,000 on the button with K♠ K♣ and got called by Emilien Pitavy in big blind with J♥ 9♥ . The flop dropped 8♥ 4♠ 7♣ and was checked by both players. Pitavy bet 60,000 on the turn 4♣ and Matsuda flat called. Pitavy bet 260,000 having completed his straight on the T♠ river and got called by Matsuda. Matsuda mucked upon seeing Pitavy's hand.

Hand 10: Vlada Stojanovic raised to 80,000 in hijack with A♣ J♦ and got an all-in shove from Matsuda with A♥ Q♣ in cutoff. Stojanovic mucked and Matsuda took down the pot.

Hand 11: Pitavy raised to 80,000 on the button with A♠ 6♦ and got called by Nopparut Piyatassakorn in big blind with T♦ 8♦ taking them to the flop. The flop came down J♦ K♠ 3♥ and was checked by both players. Passing the action, Pitavy bet 105,000 on the the Q♣ turn and Piyatassakorn flat called. Piyatassakorn bet 120,000 on the 9♣ river which gave him a straight. Pitavy folded and the pot was awarded to Piyatassakorn.

Hand 4: Seungmook Jung, at risk, open-jammed under the gun and was called by Emilien Pitavy from the cutoff.

Seungmook Jung: A♠ 6♦

Emilien Pitavy: A♥ T♦

Pitavy had Jung dominated and remained ahead as the dealer fanned out 5♥ 4♣ 3♦ , giving Jung a glimmer of hope with an open-ended straight draw.

The 3♥ turn didn't improve his hand, and the K♣ river sealed his fate, sending him to the payout counter in 9th place.

There will now be a short break while the final nine players prepare for the final table.

The level will also be rolled back to Level 22 (20,000/40,000 with a 40,000 big blind ante) to ensure that the average stack for the final table is 30 big blinds.

The action unfolded with Naohiro Matsuda all-in preflop and at risk against Emilien Pitavy in a classic showdown.

Naohiro Maeda: Q♥ Q♣

Emilien Pitavy: A♥ A♦

Pitavy’s pocket aces remained in command on a 3♦ 3♥ K♦ flop. The 5♥ T♥ runout offered no salvation for Matsuda, sealing his elimination as Pitavy raked in the pot and sent him to the payout desk.

Both Emilien Pitavy and Shinya Maeda had all their chips in the middle before the flop.

Emilien Pitavy J♠ J♣

Shinya Maeda K♥ K♠

Pitavy was in danger of being eliminated on the bubble with a shorter stack.

The flop came 8♠ 9♣ 9♥ keeping Maeda in great shape. However, the poker gods threw a J♦ on the turn giving Pitavy one of his two outs to take the lead with a set. The river 6♣ was a brick for Maeda as he lost a huge chunk of his stack and was put on life support with just 5 big blinds left.