PokerStars LIVE APPT Manila Championship Pays Out Over $4.27M

PokerStars LIVE APPT Manila Championship is a wrap! Running from October 18 to 27, 2024 in Manila Philippines, the inaugural festival was packed to to the hilt with nonstop poker action for ten days at world class resort Okada Manila. In the aftermath, 43 trophies were awarded and over PHP 247 Million (~US$ 4.27 Million) was paid out. Among the champions, two players captured two titles – Rene Mar David and Jennifer Cassell – while Hieu Ngo walked away as the wealthiest after conquering the APPT Championship.

PokerStars LIVE APPT Manila Championship Final Wrap

The first-ever APPT Manila Championship delivered excitement from start to finish, surpassing all expectations. With such a successful debut, players can look forward to it becoming a permanent fixture on the PokerStars LIVE Manila calendar. Now let’s take a look at the numbers and final highlights.

Date/s: October 18 to 27, 2024
Venue:  Okada Manila
Guarantee: PHP 152,500,000 (~US$ 2.6 Million)
Trophy Events: 43
Festival Prize Pool: PHP 247,066,196 (~US$ 4.27 Million)
APPT Championship prize pool: PHP 59,922,720 (~USD 1,041,772)
APPT Championship winner / Biggest Earner: Trong Hieu Ngo – PHP 11,610,000 (~US$ 199,100)
Most final table cashes: Bert Perry (5)
Most wins: Rene Mar David (2), Jennifer Cassell (2)
Trophy By Flag: Japan (9), Korea (8), Australia (7), China (3), Philippines (4), Canada (1), Finland (1), France (1), Germany (1) Hong Kong (1), India (1), Lithuania (1), New Zealand (1), Pakistan (1), Singapore (1), Taiwan (1), USA (1), Vietnam (1)

APPT Manila Championship – Live Updates
APPT Manila Championship – Festival Results

Trong Hieu Ngo: APPT Championship winner and Biggest Earner

Vietnam’s Trong Hieu Ngo claimed the most coveted trophy of the series, winning the APPT Championship and taking home a career-high payout of PHP 11,610,000 (~US$ 199,100). He was the only player from Vietnam to win a title at the series. Ngo also cashed at the APPT Open to bring his total festival earnings to PHP 11,847,000 (~US$ 204,870) making him the biggest earner. Runner up New Zealander Thomas Ward was the second largest earner with a total payout of PHP 9,775,000 (~US$ 169,000).

Since the launch of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) in 2007, the brand has consistently hosted major events in the Philippines, and this APPT Championship marked a new high: the first of its kind with a record PHP 165,000 (~US$ 2,880) buy-in. The event drew an impressive 416 entries, building a prize pool of PHP 59,922,720 (~USD 1,041,772).

APPT Championship – Livestream

Bert Perry: Most Final Table Cashes

Australia’s John Edward Perry nicknamed Bert had a very successful first visit to the Philippines. Perry was seen at five final tables, the most by any player, of which one earned him a first ever APPT title.

• APPT Championship – 9th place
• Event 3: High Roller Warm Up – 6th place
• Event 8: High Roller Knockout – 1st place
• Event 19: Mini High Roller – 5th place
• Event 38: Super Knockout – 2nd place

Multi Winners: Rene Mar David And Jennifer Cassell

Winning one event is tough enough but two, that’s a double milestone! This was the case for two players, Philippines player Rene Mar David and Australia’s Jennifer Cassell. For David, he championed the opening day’s Superstack – overcoming a field of 80 entries – and the Mystery Bounty, outlasting the 165 field.

For Cassell, she won her first PS spadie at the Double Stack event and at closing day, she lifted a second trophy at the Teams Event with Taiwan’s Hua-Wei Lin.

APPT Manila Championship Final Winners

One of the most sought after majors was the Pokerstars Red Dragon with its unique trophy commemorating the champion’s achievement. Running for three days from October 25-27, the two qualifying flights drew 404 entries with 60 players reaching the ITM round. After a 2.5 hour heads up battle, France’s Aladin Reskallah defeated Joshua Tan at heads up to lock up his first win on Philippine soil and a career high payout of PHP 4,230,000 (~US$ 73,000). 

In a brief interview with Somuchpoker, an exhausted but resolute Reskallah shared, “I’m really happy because of the title and the trophy because it’s the Dragon Trophy. My daughter is under the Chinese sign of the Dragon so I really wanted to win it for her.”

Reskallah also mentioned about his special card protector that is in the shape of Alladin’s lamp. “Of course, to win a tournament you have be very lucky. I touched it when I won a lot of all-ins preflop, I made some really strong hands post flop and I was paid. I was very fortunate.”

Final Day Recap

With everyone returning for the finale already guaranteed PhP115,000 (~US$1,990), it was a scamper to hit pay jumps as the eliminations were rampant at the onset. Two Filipinos stood out as early chip leaders as Alfonso Baja became the first to breach the one million chip mark but Sergius Santos was having a hot streak of his to give chase. Later on, it was Malaysia’s Joshua Tan who took control when he busted Rishi Mehra of Singapore. The Final Table came to fruition when American John Joseph Panish was vanquished by Santos in 10th place. 

During the Final Table, eliminations were as quick as at the start of the day until finally Tan and Reskallah faced for the title. Right before their duel, the players agreed to chop the remaining money and set aside PHP 730,000 (~US$~US$ 12,465) to the eventual winner plus the trophy.

Throughout the 2.5 hour match, the both players had their chances at closing it out and in the it was Reskallah who took it to the finish. Winning two hands, Reskallah’s 5♥5♠ held against Tan’s K♠2♠ to double up then shipped it with K♦6♦ Tan’s Q♣J♦ on a dry board. 

• Dates: October 25-27, 2024
• Venue: Okada Manila
• Buy in: PhP70,000 (~US$1,195)
• Guarantee: PhP25,000,000 (~US$426,876)
• Entries: 404
• Players ITM: 60

Final Table Payouts

*ICM deal reached prior to heads up

Another big winner was Japan’s John Matsuda at the APPT High Roller. Matsuda topped the 58-entry field to lock up the PHP 4,894,100 (~US$ 84,030). He defeated USA pro Joseph Cheong at heads up. The final hand saw a board complete 8♥Q♦K♣10♣7♣. Matsuda with J♠9♥ opened then bet down every street. Cheong check-called throughout, risking his tournament life with K♥3♥ top pair. This was another excellent APPT result for Matsuda who placed 2nd at the APPT Manila Main Event last July.

• Date: October 26-27, 2024
• Buy in: PHP 300,000 (~USD 5,216)
• Guarantee: PHP 10,000,000 (~USD 173,853)
• Entries: 58
• Prize Pool: PHP 16,034,100 (~USD 278,757)
• ITM: 8 places

Final Table Payouts

A familiar face on the podium as Korea’s Sunghak Lee was crowned the APPT Mini Championship title. This win marks an impressive back-to-back victory for Lee, who also claimed the APPT Manila Mini Main title in July.

The APPT Mini Championship pulled in a field of 203 entries to drive the prize pool over double to PHP 5,316,570 (~USD 92,430).

• Date: October 27, 2024
• Buy in: PHP 30,000 (~USD 522)
• Guarantee: PHP 2,000,000 (~USD 34,771)
• Entries: 203
• Prize Pool: PHP 5,316,570 (~USD 92,430)
• ITM: 31 places

Final Table Payouts

Links:

APPT Championship – Live Updates
APPT Manila Championship – SCHEDULE
APPT Manila Championship – Festival Results
APPT Manila Championship – Photos