Main Event (18,500 PHP)

The action folds to the D where the embattled Alex Boldt of the United States sticks in his remaining stack of 170,000 and gets called by the blinds.

The flop comes T♣ 9♥ 4♦ as the SB checks. Kang Seungyeop of Korea bets 200,000 and it’s enough to get the SB to fold.

Boldt tables Q♥ J♣ for an opened-ended straight draw while Kang has a vulnerable 7♣ 7♠ .

Needing to dodge all the American’s outs, Kang sees the last two community cards are the 5♣ and the 5♥ officially boot out Boldt in eleventh place and bring the Main Event to the cusp pf the Final Table.

The next elimination misses out on the opportunity to get an APPT Super Qualifier package.

The action folds to the D where the player limps in and drags the blinds into an unraised pot.

The flop comes T♦ Q♠ 6♠ as Germ de Haas of the Netherlands bets 150,000 from the SB and gets raised to 300,000 by Korea’s Kang Seunghyup in the BB. The limper folds but de Hass makes the call. It is now Heads-Up to the turn that brings in the 3♦ as the Dutchman checks. Kang fires again, this time for 500,000 but is met with a check-raise all-in from de Haas.

Kang takes his time and uses a timebank card before opting to fold.

De Haas’ stack goes above the three million mark anew.

The action opens from the +2 position for 200,000 and it gets folded to the D where Alex Boldt of the United States 3-bet shoves for his last 800,000. In the BB, Korea’s Kang Seunghyup 4-bet shoves which gets the original raiser out of the way.

Boldt shows A♥ T♦ but is dominated by Kang’s A♦ J♥ .

The flop goes 3♦ 5♦ 9♣ but the turn brings in the T♥ to give the lead to the American. The river card is the 5♣ as the outdraw by Boldt keeps hm in the competition and brings the Korean’s stack down to manageable levels.

Germ de Haas of the Netherlands opens from the +1 position for 225,000 and gets three callers, including the blinds.

The flop is K♣ Q♠ 3♣ as the blinds check is back to de Haas who continues for 175,000. In the +2 position, Korea’s Kang Seunghyup raises it to 350,000. The SB folds but in the BB, Ye Kejie of China calls. De Haas is finished with the hand. It is now Heads-Up to the turn where the 2♣ appears. Ye goes all-in for his last 910,000. Kang thinks about his decision and burns a timebank in the process. The Korean chooses to fold.

Ye is keeping up with the leaders and stays within striking distance.

Edilberto Gopez of the Philippines opens from UTG for 125,000 and gets two callers in fellow Filipino Reiner Magbutay in the SB and Kang Seunghyup of Korea in the BB.

The flop goes 4♠ Q♣ 4♣ as it gets checked b ack to Gopez who CBets for 150,000. Both call. The turn is the 9♣ as Magbutay checks again and this time, Kang takes the betting lead for 300,000. Gopez chooses to fold while Magbutay opts to fold and shows the QS as he does so.

Kang turns over K♣ J♣ to show everyone he had a made flush on the turn.

The action folds to the D where Korea’s Kang Seungyeop raises it to 100,000 and gets re-raised in the SB by Yang Chih-Chun of Taiwan to 500,000. Kang 4-bet shoves for his last 1,335,000. Yang goes into the tank and deliberates, burning a timebank in the process before consequently making the call.

To Yang’s chagrin, Kang tables A♠ A♥ against his K♥ Q♥ .

The flop brought in sweat cards for the Korean: 5♥ 9♥ 6♣ as the flush draw gave the Taiwanese player a semblance of hope. However, the turn card is the 5♣ and the river card brings in the K♠ to give Yang the top pair that doesn’t help him.

Yang’s stack drops to below the half million mark as Kang nears the three million mark and contends for the chip lead.