APT High Roller (200,000 PHP)

Hand 1: Vlada Stojanovic opened for 80,000 in cutoff with A♠ J♠ and was called by Leon Sturm in the small blind with K♥ 9♥ .

Sturm check-called a bet of 105,000 from Stojanovic on the K♣ 5♥ A♣ flop. Sturm checked the 6♦ turn and Stonajovic fired another 225,000 into the pot. Sturm folded and Stojanovic scooped the pot.

Hand 2: Benjamin Jacobs got a walk on his big blind.

Hand 3: Seungmook Jung raised to 80,000 from early position with A♣ Q♠ Yohei Kitazato called from the next seat with T♠ T♣ .

Both players saw the flop come down 8♣ A♦ 9♥ The action checked through and the 9♣ landed on the turn. Jung fired 125,000 and Kitazato called.

The river came the T♦ to give Kitazato a full-house. Jung bets 200,000. Kitazato pushed all in for 1,400,000.

Jung went into deep thought and eventually made the fold, leaving himself with only 5 big blinds.

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.

Following the 11th-place bust out, play tightened considerably as players carefully navigated the final table bubble. With only one more elimination before the official final table and a PHP 100,000 pay jump between 10th and 9th place, every decision became crucial.

Preflop raises and folds dominated the action. Some players shoved all in, only to see their opponents perform what felt like a magic trick—a small blind would shove, and the big blind would slowly peel his cards, deciding whether to call. At times, it felt more like baccarat than poker.

But once in a blue moon, a flop was finally seen.

Nopparut Piyatassakorn raised to 80,000, and Vlada Stojanovich defended from the big blind.

The flop came J♦ 9♠ 7♠ , and Stojanovich check-called a 90,000 bet from Piyatassakorn to see the 9♣ turn. Stojanovich then led out for 125,000, but Piyatassakorn responded with a raise to 300,000. Without hesitation, Stojanovich folded.

Vlada Stonajovic opened for 80,000 in cutoff and got one caller in Piyatassakorn Nopparut in big blind taking both players to the flop.

The flop came 8♠ 6♠ 7♠ which both players checked. Nopparut bet our 60,000 on the 8♥ turn and was called by Stonajovic. On the river A♠ Nopparut threw in a time bank card to consider his options. He finally fired 125,000 chips. Stojanovic stared Nopparut down for a few seconds then made the call.

Nopparut immediately threw his hand in the muck, making Stojanovic smile not having to show his cards.