APPT Manila Championship Awaits in October with more than USD 2.7 Million in Guarantees

From October 18 to 27, 2024, the PokerStars Asia-Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) returns to world class Okada Manila for what shapes up to be yet another exciting live poker festival in the Philippines. The APPT Manila Championship boasts more than PHP 152.5 million (~USD $2.7 million) in guaranteed prize pools and comes fresh off a record-breaking APPT Manila Main Event just two months ago.

APPT Manila Championship – Schedule

APPT Manila Championship Main Event

Back then, the APPT Manila Main Event came with a price tag of PHP 80,000 (∼ USD $1,450) and resulted in a new record field of 1,304 entries, generating a prize pool of PHP 91,071,360 (∼ USD $1,560,398). A similar buy-in will apply for the upcoming APPT Open, which costs PHP 90,000 (∼ USD $1,600) to enter whereas the marquee APPT Championship Event has an increased buy-in of PHP 165,000 (∼ USD $2,945) with a PHP 55 Million guarantee (∼ USD $982,000).

The crown jewel of the schedule boasts more than one third of the overall festival guarantees but also brings with it an incredibly deep structure. Two starting days are available on October 23 and 24, both of which will play eleven levels of 60 minutes each with a starting stack of 50,000. Another three tournament days remain thereafter before a winner is crowned on October 27.

More affordable buy-ins await in the Okada Kickoff (PHP25,000), APPT National (PHP60,000) and the APPT Mystery Bounty Event (PHP25,000). Furthermore, the PokerStars Red Dragon Event returns to the line-up with a buy-in of PHP70,000 (∼ USD $1,250) after previously being hosted as a standalone tournament series by the operator. All of these key events feature guaranteed prize pools and will certainly attracted plenty of notables from near and far.

Okada Kickoff

• Date: October 18-20, 2024
• Buy-In: PHP 25,000 (∼ USD $446)
• Guarantee: PHP 10 million (∼ USD $178,575)

APPT Open

• Date: October 19-22, 2024
• Buy-In: PHP 90,000 (∼ USD $1,607)
• Guarantee: PHP 25 million (∼ USD $446,438)

APPT National

• Date: October 21-24, 2024
• Buy-In: PHP 60,000 (∼ USD $1,071)
• Guarantee: PHP 15 million (∼ USD $267,863)

APPT Championship

• Date: October 23-27, 2024
• Buy-In: PHP 165,000 (∼ USD $2,945)
• Guarantee: PHP 55 million (∼ USD $982,000)
• PokerStars Red Dragon
• Date: October 25-27, 2024
• Buy-In: PHP 70,000 (∼ USD $1,250)
• Guarantee: PHP 25 million (∼ USD $446,438)

APPT Mystery Bounty

• October 26, 2024
• Buy-In: PHP 25,000 (∼ USD $446)
• Guarantee: PHP 2 million (∼ USD $35,717)

There are a total of 61 tournaments listed on the full schedule including 18 satellites to enter key events at a bargain. The final two qualifiers on October 27 will award APPT Cambodia packages for the upcoming stop in late November, and that will likely be the final stop of the APPT in the current year.

High Roller

High Roller regulars also have plenty of events available to showcase their talents and try and claim one of the coveted PokerStars Spadie trophies for their cabinet at home. The Turbo edition of the APPT High Roller comes with a price tag of PHP 100,000 (∼ USD $1,785) whereas the regular edition runs on October 26 and 27. It costs PHP 300,000 (∼ USD $5,357) to enter and comes with a guaranteed prize pool of PHP 10 million (∼ USD $178,585).

Only two events on the schedule are even more expensive and will likely attract small but elite fields: The APPT Super High Roller on October 22 and 23 ((PHP 700,000 / ∼ USD $12,500) as well as one-day APPT One Million Challenge Championship on October 25 (PHP 1,000,000 / ∼ USD $17,858).

During the most recent APPT Manila series in August 2024, the APPT One Million Challenge Championship attracted a field of ten entries with the top three spots paid and Vamerdino Magsakay defeated Mike Takayama in heads-up, while Mehdi Chaoui was the only other participant to take home a cash prize.