Final 8 Set with Ireland’s Gary Thompson as the chip leader


Under : APT Event, APT Manila, Featured, News

The Final 8 of the Main Event has been established! The Asian Poker Tour saw 31 players return to the felt for Day 2 of the APT Manila 2016 Main Event at the APT Poker Room in the Waterfront Manila Pavilion Hotel and Casino, and after nearly ten hours of play, the Final 8 players was determined with Irishman Gary Thompson as the chip leader with 398,500 in chips.

Chip leader heading into Main Event Final Day, Gary Thompson

Despite entering Day 2 as one of the leaders, Thompson had a rocky start taking several hits to his stack. It wasn’t until the sixth hour of play did he land a massive pot that would send Korea’s Jeon Seung Soo out of the running and kick his own game into high gear. On a board of 5♥ 2♦ 7♠, Thompson snap-called Jeon’s shove. Thompson had J♥ J♣ and Jeon with A♥ 10♥. The turn came K♠ and river Q♦.

When the field was down to one table of ten players, Thompson did some major damage to Vietnam’s Nguyen Hoang Huy’s stack winning two massive pots. At the time, Huy was the player with the most chips.  On the first hand, Huy bet at every stage and Thompson called him down. Thompson had Q♣ 2♣ full house against K♥ Q♠ trips on a board that ran 2♠ Q♦ J♥ 10♠ Q♥. The next hand started off with four players seeing the flop of 7♥ K♣ Q♣. Initial raiser Huy bet it out and only Thompson stayed on sending out a check-raise. After Huy called, the turn was 10♥ and Thompson quickly announced all in. Huy had Thompson covered but opted to fold while showing A♥ A♦. This hand sent Thompson straight to the chip leader’s seat. The final hand of the night saw Thompson eliminate Japan’s Naruyasu Ota in 9th place to establish the Final 8.

SJ Kim

Korea’s SJ Kim finished Day 2 close to the leader with a stack of 364,000. Like Thompson, Kim got his jumpstart in a hand against Jeon. Kim went all in on a flop of J♦ 7♦ 5♠ and Jeon called. Kim had Q♦ 10♦ draw and Jeon with K♣ K♥ overpair. The turn was an A♣ but the river of A♦ was the bullseye for the big double up. From there, Kim grinded his way up, barely relinquishing chips. He eliminated Vietnam’s Thin Pham, and earned a big pot against Huy with his triple jacks to accumulate a massive arsenal at bagging.

Final 8 players
Gary Thompson – Ireland – 398,500
SJ Kim – Korea – 364,000
Nguyen Hoang Huy – Vietnam – 129,000
Sung Ho Kim – Korea – 118,500
Tien Quyet Pham – Vietnam – 112,000
Yohn Paredes – Peru – 109,500
Alexis Lim – Philippines – 101,000
Linglin Zeng – China – 92,500

The Final 8 will resume at 130pm on Monday, October 10, 2016. They will be playing for the first place purse of P766,000, the championship title, and the APT Championship Ring. We will have live updates of the Main Event in the Live Reporting page of the website. You can also watch the daily highlights of the ongoing festival in the APT YouTube channel.

Main Event Hand Highlights

Have a read below of some of the thrilling hand for hand moments in Day 2. See how players climbed to the top, how others survived the day, and how some hit the rail.

Level 18 Blinds 2500-5000 Ante 500

Day 2 ends! Gary Thompson eliminated Naruyasu Ota to form the Final 8. Ota had pocket fours and Thompson with K-Q. The board ran two kings for trips and Ota was out in 9th place. With only nine places paid, Ota earned the first payout of P143,000.

Naruyasu Ota

  • Yohn Paredes doubled up just before this level began with his A-3 hitting a low pair against Sung Ho Kim’s A-2. He won another double up with his A-K besting K-Q.
  • Alexis Lim doubled up through Linglin Zeng with Q-9 over A-6 on a board of 10-7-K-6-9. 

Level 17 2000-4000 Ante 500

  • Nguyen Hoang Huy delivers the bubble! Yukiko Sumida went all in with A♥ 10♠ and Huy called with A♦ Q♠. The board drew blanks. Shortly after, Huy won a preflop raise war against Sung Ho Kim. Huy showed his A♥ A♣ and Kim was relieved with his fold of J♣ J♠.
  • Naruyasu Ota tripled up his short stack of 21.5k. He was all in up against Yohn Paredes and original raiser Gary Thompson. The board ran 6♠ J♠ Q♥ 2♠ 3♠ checked all the way down. With no spades around, Ota had a winning Q♦ J♦ top pair. Thompson had K♥ J♥ and Parededs with 10♥ 8♣.
  • Once the big stack, Nguyen Hoang Huy was down to 55k and moved all in. He was called by Gary Thompson. Huy held pocket tens and Thompson with pocket fours. The board bricked and Huy doubled up.
  • Aces cracked! While still on the bubble, Nguyen Hoang Huy and Yohn Paredes were all in. Huy with A♣ A♠ and Paredes with 10♦ 10♣. The board ran 9♦ 3♦ 3♠ J♦ K♦ and Paredes avoided elimination with a lucky flush.
  • Gary Thompson becomes the chip leader. In a four-way raised pot preflop by Nguyen Hoang Huy, the flop came 7♥ K♣ Q♣. Huy bet 25k, Thompson check-raised to 85k, and Huy called while two others got out of the way. On the turn of 10♥, Thompson went all in. Huy reluctantly folded and showed his A♥ A♦ overpair. Thompson climbed to 380k in chips.

Level 16 Blinds 1500-3000 Ante 500

  • Nguyen Hoang Huy got hit again, this time by Linglin Zeng. Zeng’s A♠ J♣ won on a board of 2♥ A♣ 10♣ 7♥ K♠.
  • Gary Thompson claimed a big pot against Nguyen Hoang Huy to slip into the chip leader’s bracket. Huy raised to 8k and was called by both Alexis Lim and Thompson. The flop came 2♠ Q♦ J♥. Thompson checked, Huy bet 22.5k, Lim folded, and Thompson called. On the turn of 10♠, action was the same with Thompson check-calling a 30k bet. On the river of Q♥, Thompson once again check-called a 30k bet. Huy had K♥ Q♠ for trips of queens but Thompson had better with Q♣ 2♣ full house.
  • Tien Quyet Pham boosted his stack after winning a big pot against Gary Thompson. It began with Thompson raising to 6500 and Pham calling on the big blind. At the flop of 10♦ Q♠ 3♠, Pham check-called Thompson’s bet of 7500. On the turn of 2♣, Pham once again check-called a bet of 22.5k. On the river of 6♣, it was checked by both and Pham showed his Q♦ J♣ pair. Thompson mucked. Pham climbed to 128k.
  • Big stacked SJ Kim won a sizable pot against the other big stack, Nguyen Hoang Huy. Huy raised to 8k preflop and Kim called on the big blind. At the flop of 2♥ J♣ 7♠ and turn of J♦, it was checked by both players. On the river of 8♣, Kim bet 11k and was called. Kim opened up Q♠ J♥ for trips.
  • Yukiko Sumida survived with a lucky river for a double up. She was all in with Q♣ 10♣ and Nguyen Hoang Huy called with K♥ 7♥. The board ran 8♠ 5♥ A♦ 6♣ 10♠.

Level 15 Blinds 1200-2400 Ante 400

  • Sung Ho Kim ended the hopes of a past APT champion, Hisashi Ogi. All the chips were in preflop. Ogi with pocket nines and Kim with A-K offsuit. An ace fell on the board giving Kim the higher pair.
  • Gary Thompson earned a pot with his triple sixes up against Alexis Lim. It began with Thompson raising to 5400 and the blinds both calling, Lim and Linglin Zeng. At the flop of 8♣ 6♣ 5♠, they all checked. On the turn of J♣, it was checked once more. On the river of 6♠, action was checked to Thompson who bet 11.5k. Lim called and Zeng folded. Thompson had 6♦ 4♦.
  • Yukiko Sumida doubled up with pocket jacks against Gary Thompson’s Q-J but lost some of her chips on the next hand against Linglin Zeng who shoved with K♣ Q♥ and won over Sumida’s A♠ J♥ when a king landed on the board.
  • Naruyasu Ota eliminated Chiu Sze Keung with pocket queens over pocket sixes.

Level 14 Blinds 1000-2000 Ante 300

  • Jeon Seung Soo shoved himself out of the Main Event. He was up against Gary Thompson and both players contributed to a raised pot preflop. The flop then ran 5♥ 2♦ 7♠ and Jeon went all in with his sizable stack. Thompson called, covering Jeon in chips. Jeon had A♥ 10♥ and Thompson with J♥ J♣. The turn of K♠ and river of Q♦ sealed the win for Thompson and Jeon was eliminated. Thompson climbed to 200k.
  • Lester Edoc crippled down against Tien Quyet Pham. Action folded to the blinds and Edoc raised to 5k. Pham on the bb seat called. On the flop of 7♣ 4♠ K♠, Edoc checked to Pham who laid out a 7500 bet. Edoc check-called. On the turn of 4♦, Edoc fired out 15k and Pham answered with a raise to 32k. Edoc called. On the river of 10♥, Edoc slid out 30k, Pham went all in, and Edoc with only 21k behind tanked for some time. He eventually folded and showed A♥ 4♥ trips. Everyone at the table was shocked while Pham gestured that it was a great fold.
  • Gary Thompson pushed out Jeon Seung Soo in this hand. With action folding to the blinds, Jeon limped in and Thompson checked on the big blind. At the flop of K♦ K♠ 7♠, Jeon bet 2k and Thompson called. On the turn of 2♥, Jeon continued and bet 5k. Thompson called. On the river of A♥, Jeon fired out 10k and Thompson announced all in. Jeon folded.

Level 13 Blinds 800-1600 Ante 200

  • Jeon Seung Soo won a healthy pot against Naruyasu Ota. With 18k in the middle and board of 3♥ 7♥ K♥ 3♦, Jeon bet 6300 and Ota check-called. On the river of J♥, Jeon bet 15k and Ota check-called. Jeon had A♥ K♣ for the nut flush.
  • Preflop raise war between SJ Kim and Gary Thompson. Kim raised to 3300, Thompson three-bet to 9500, Kim four-bet to 23.3k, Thompson moved all in for 62.8k. Kim folded.
  • Alexis Lim picked up two pots early in the new level. In the first one, Chiu Sze Keung raised to 4200 and Lim was one of the three callers to see the flop run A♦ 9♥ K♥. Lim led out for 7500 and only Keung called. On the turn of 5♥ and river of 4♠, they checked it again and with neither holding hearts, Lim won with his A♣ Q♦ against Keung’s A♠ J♦. Next hand saw Lim win a small pot also against Keung.
  • Blinds versus blinds, Nguyen Hoang Huy and Lester Edoc stared down a completed board of 4♠ 3♠ 4♦ K♣ 9♠. Huy bet 5k, Edoc raised to 18k, Huy three-bet to 38k, and Edoc called. Huy showed 8♠ 4♥ trips. Edoc mucked.

Level 12 Blinds 600-1200 Ante 200

  • Tien Quyet Pham cracked Nguyen Hoang Huy’s pocket aces when both his hole cards Q-9 paired up on the board. Pham followed it up with a double up with his pocket queens holding up against Sung Ho Kim’s A-K. Pham nears the 100k mark.

  • SJ Kim had Jeon Seung Soo in a fit after this hand. Action began with a raise by Kim to 25000. Jeon three-bet to 6500. Naruyasu Ota called and Kim did the same. On the flop of J♦ 7♦ 5♠, Jeon bet 15.5k, Ota folded, and Kim check-raised to 32.6k. Jeon moved all in and Kim snap-called. Jeon held K♣ K♥ overpair and Kim with Q♦ 10♦ flush draw. The turn of A♣ was blank but the river of A♦ gave Kim the win and a double up to 150k. An unhappy Jeon dropped to 70k. Kim won the next hand, eliminating Thin Pham with pocket tens holding up against Q-J offsuit in a blinds versus blinds all in preflop situation. Kim climbed to 190k.
  • Linglin Zeng bullied the man with the bulls cap on, Tuan Phong Do, and booted him off the field. Zeng raised to 2700 preflop, Do three-bet to 5700, Zeng sized up Do’s stack and laid out a bet covering his stack. Do tanked for a bit then put his tournament life on the line. Zeng had A♠ Q♣ and Do with J♦ J♠. The board ran 7♦ 10♥ A♣ 6♠ 2♦.

Level 11 Blinds 500-1000 Ante 100

  • Alexis Lim moved all in on a flop of K♦ 6♠ 10♥ and Naruyasu Ota called. Lim had Q♦ Q♠ and Ota with 10♦ 9♦. The turn of 4♦ and river of 8♥ awarded Lim with a double up. Immediately after, Lim won another pot while eliminating Akash Chandrashekhar in the process. Chandrashekhar was all in preflop with his very short stack and both Lim and Thin Pham called. The board ran J♣ 6♠ 9♥ 10♦ 6♥ and it was checked down. Lim won with K♣ Q♣ straight.
  • Naruyasu Ota got fully paid by Akash Chandrashekhar with K♣ K♠ dominating Q♣ Q♥ the entire way. The preflop action was quite heavy with Chandrashekhar raising to 2500, Ota three-bet to 6k, Chandrashekhar four-bet to 14.8k, Ota all in for 45.4k, and Chandrashekhar tanking before making the call. Ota won and doubled up. He climbed to 90k in chips.
  • Nothing but wows in this hand with Mitsuru Sano landing quads against Nguyen Hoang Huy. Action went as follows…. Sano raised to 2500 preflop then called the 8k three-bet by Huy. The flop ran Q♠ J♣ J♦, Huy led with a 12.5k bet only to be answered with a shove by Sano. Huy called. Sano held A♠ Q♣ for two pair while Huy has K♣ K♦ for a higher two pair. The turn of Q♦ improved Sano to a full house, then the river of Q♥ sent him even further ahead with a dominating quadruple queens.
  • What a wild hand! Just after eliminating Iori Yogo, Nguyen Hoang Huy sent another player packing, Zackary Lazarus. Huy raised to 2500 preflop and Lazarus went all in. Huy called. Huy had A♥ 10♠ and Lazarus with K♣ 4♣. The flop ran A♣ Q♣ 7♣ giving Lazarus an instant nut flush. Then the turn came 10♣ giving Huy some outs to overtake. Huy was graced with an A♠ on the river and he improved to a full house to eliminate Lazarus.

Level 10 Blinds 400-800 Ante 100

  • Linglin Zeng lost two consecutive pots but her third try was a big success. She doubled up through Michael Kim Falcon with her 6♦ 8♦ flush on a board of 8♥ 9♦ A♦ 3♦ 3♠.

  • What a call! Sung Ho Kim and Zackary Lazarus battled for a pot that saw a raise by Kim of 1600 preflop. On the flop of K♣ 10♠ 10♣, action was checked to Kim who bet 2500. Lazarus called and Casey Kastle folded. On the turn of 6♥ Kim bet 4k and again Lazarus called. On the river of K♥, Lazarus switched up and led out for 11k. This sent Kim tanking until he finally called. Lazarus mucked and Kim won the pot without having to reveal his hand. Kim showed it anyway, Q♠ J♥ for a missed draw. Lazarus said he folded the same hand.
  • After shoving his short stack several times, Alexis Lim finally got more than the blinds and antes. Action began with Lester Edoc raising to 2k preflop and was called by both Lim and Rei Sato. On the flop of 2♣ A♠ 4♦, action was checked to Lim who went all in for 11.6k. Edoc called. Lim held A♦ 8♦ and Edoc with Q♦ Q♣. With the turn of 10♠ and river of 5♦, Lim doubled up.

 


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