APL Manila Main Event Final Table Cast; PHP 9.65 Million (~USD 166,700) Up Top

After several days of intense play at Prime Poker Club, the esteemed APL Manila Main Event final table has finally met this season’s cast with only eight contenders out of its 739-entry field remaining in the running. Japan’s Mitsuki Sakimoto holds the reins over the Final Day charge with an undeniable 94 big blind lead over second in the running Hoseung Jung.

Today’s Day 3 welcomed back 53 players to the scene, and after eight levels of play, the field thinned and the final table was set. Each player is now guaranteed PHP 903,000 (~USD 15,565) in winnings and stands only inches away from clinching the PHP 9,650,000 (~USD 166,695) top prize.

Those among the Day 3 fallen include Soo Jo Kim (11th), Czardy Rivera (12th), John Tech (13th), Day chip leaders Jongwon Lee (14th), Sangwoo Chun (22nd), Ryan Platon (27th), and Gun Choi (29th), and Lester Edoc (32nd). 

Action resumes tomorrow, March 3rd at 13:30 local time, where only one will rise to victory and catch the lion’s share of the PHP 55,000,000 (~USD 1,000,000) prize pool! 

APL Manila 2025 Main Event

• Dates: February 26 – March 3, 2025
• Buy in: PHP 65,000 (~USD 1,120)
• Guarantee: PHP 55,000,000 (~USD 1,000,000)
• Entries: 739
• Prize pool: PHP 55,000,000 (~USD 1,000,000)
• ITM: 111 places

By the Numbers

• Day 1A: 64 entries, 19 qualified
• Day 1B: 135 entries, 44 qualified
• Day 1C: 82 entries, 29 qualified
• Day 1D: 174 entries, 81 qualified
• Day 1E: 218 entries, 92 qualified
• Day 2: 315 players, 53 qualified
• Day 3: 53 players, 8 qualified
• Final Day: Monday, March 3

Final Table Chip Counts

Level 29: 40,000 /80,000 ante 80,000
Total chips in play: 29,560,000
Average stack: 3,695,000 (46 BB)

Remaining Payouts

Backtrack on SMP Live Updates to see how it all went down.

APL Manila Main Event Final Eight

Seat 1: Hoseung Jung (South Korea) – 4,900,000 / 61 BB

South Korea’s Hoseung Jung holds second rank among the final eight, though he remains significantly behind reigning chip leader Mitsuki Sakimoto. Jung played a key role in shaping the Day 3 conclusion, delivering the final bust just as the day was nearing its end and cutting the final table one player short. Two crucial pots landed Jung’s way as the day wound down, the first of which came from Soo Jo Kim, followed by Paul Zehetleitner’s elimination in 9th place over a flip, to finish with a bag of 4,900,000 (61 BB).

Seat 2: Reiner Magbutay (Philippines) – 4,700,000 / 59 BB

On Jung’s left is local amateur Reiner Magbutay, trailing just two big blinds behind his South Korean seatmate with 4,700,000 (59 BB). Magbutay built most of his stack at the expense of Yu Liu, ultimately finishing him off as the final table bubble in 10th place. Although Magbutay has yet to claim a major victory, his appearance at the final table of this season’s APL Main Event alone already marks a significant milestone in his poker journey, guaranteeing him a career best cash regardless of his performance in tomorrow’s battle.

Seat 3: Edgar Asehan (Philippines) – 2,075,000 / 26 BB

Seasoned local Edgar Asehan stands middle of the pack, having bagged 2,075,000 (26 BB) across the Day 3 charge. One of his most critical pots came at the cost of Younghun Kim after he defended his big blind with ten-deuce suited and caught a flush by the turn to rake in a clean double up late in the day. Asehan has several deep finishes across the local scene under his belt, boasting over $500K in total live earnings to come in 19th across Philippines’ All Time Money List. Should Asehan finish amongst the top three, his current largest cash at $65,750 would entirely be rewritten.

Seat 4: Mitsuki Sakimoto (Japan) – 12,425,000 / 155 BB

Japan’s Mitsuki Sakimoto stole the spotlight throughout Day 3, dominating the action from the moment the field reached the last three tables. One of his biggest boosts came from Day 1 chip leader Sangwoo Chun, whose set was crushed by Sakimoto’s turned flush, sending him to the rail in 22nd place. As the action progressed down to the final two tables, no one came close to matching Sakimoto’s commanding lead, leaving a 100 big blind gap to the next player in following. Sakimoto delivered two more eliminations just as the day closed and finished with a massive 12,425,000 (155 BB) stack to come into the Final Day with nearly half the chips in play and in prime position to lock in the final victory.

Seat 5: Jae Yi Chang (South Korea) – 1,490,000 / 19 BB

The most experienced player amongst the final eight, South Korea’s Jae Yi Chang has had a number of years in training across the felt, with results dating back to 1997. His best live record of $96,807 from a WSOPC victory back in 2008, would be hard to beat with only a second place finish altering his standings. Among his many accomplishments, Chang made local headlines last April when he took down the Metro Summer Event for PHP 1.46 million (~USD 26K). Chang triumphed over a 912-entry field, pushing his total live earnings to an impressive $785,560.

Seat 6: Jeseok Lee (South Korea) – 375,000 / 5 BB

The last of three South Korean contenders remaining in the race, Jeseok Lee sits at the bottom of the ranks with only 375,000 (5 BB) to start the Final Day battle. Lee kicked off Day 3 with an average stack but struggled to gain any significant momentum. Despite his relatively uneventful run, Lee did manage to inch his way to the final table, already securing a 13x return on his PHP 65,000 (~USD 1,120) investment.

Seat 7: Sunghak Lee (South Korea) – 1,715,000 / 21 BB

Weighing in on the other end of the table is South Korea’s Sunghak Lee, who holds a stack of 1,715,000 (21 BB), also hovering around the twenty big blind mark. Lee began Day 3 sixth in chips and managed to triple his stack across the Day 3 rounds. Pushing his way to the final table was a defining hand by the last two tables, where he delivered Younhan Lee’s elimination in 15th place after a top pair clash earned him a third of his current stack, propelling him to 5th in rank.

Seat 8: Renato Villanueva Jr (Philippines) – 1,610,000 / 20 BB

Well-known in the local scene, Renato Villanueva Jr has been performing strongly throughout the Main Event games with a chart-topping stack right on Day 1. Villanueva cruised comfortably through the next two days, making his way to the final table with a chip count of 1,610,000 (20 BB). Villanueva stands hungry for victory with his last win being over a year and a half ago. At least a 5th place finish would crush his best live cash record of $28,300, with his hunt for the PHP 9,650,000 (~USD 166,695) grand prize remaining within reach. 

APL Manila – Main Event Live Updates
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