HomeAPT Philippines II 2019 held another elimination round of the featured CHAMPIONSHIPS EVENT at Resorts World Manila. Day 3 concluded with the Final 8 players formed led by China’s Xixiang Luo with a monstrous stack.
Seat 1: Xixiang Luo – China – 4,685,000 (chip leader) – 117 bbs
Seat 2: Graeme Siow – Singapore – 1,045,000 – 26 bbs
Seat 3: Juyuk Park – Korea – 1,435,000 – 35 bbs
Seat 4: Jehun Hong – Korea – 1,555,000 – 38 bbs
Seat 5: Benigno Ledina – Philippines – 975,000 – 24 bbs
Seat 6: Alex Lee – Singapore 785,000 – 19 bbs
Seat 7: Jeonggyu Cho – Korea – 440,000 – 11 bbs
Seat 8: Seung Mook Jung Korea – 2,335,000 – 58 bbs
Final 8 info
Average stack: 1,656,250
Chips in play: 13,250,000
Resuming blinds: 20K-40K ante 40K (clock counting down from 47:38)
Cards in the air: 130pm
The Final 8 race will stream live on APT Twitch and APT YouTube with a one hour delay.
Remaining payouts
1st PHP 4,594,800 (~USD 88,000)
2nd PHP 3,063,100 (~USD 58,800)
3rd PHP 2,129,400 (~USD 40,900)
4th PHP 1,538,000 (~USD 29,500)
5th PHP 1,150,200 (~USD 22,000)
6th PHP 887,700 (~USD 17,000)
7th PHP 704,900 (~USD 13,500)
8th PHP 574,300 (~USD 11,000)
The Championships Event drew a total of 265 entries at PHP 82,500 (~USD 1,600) each for a prize pool of PHP 19,278,700 (~USD 370,000). Payouts guaranteed for the top 27 places.
Final 8 players
Graeme Siow – reigning APT Championships Event champion
Out of Final 8 players, only Singapore’s Graeme Siow hails in with an APT major title having won this same event last month in Incheon, Korea. He is the event’s reigning champion and will enter the final day wedged in the middle with 1,045,000. Though that is below average stack, it is still a very playable 26 bbs.
Xixiang Luo – Final 8 chip leader
Coming in as chip leader is China’s Xixiang Luo with 4,685,000 equivalent to 117 bbs. Luo is one of China’s top pros with a long list of achievements from all over the world. His deepest APT run was in 2016 where he placed 6th at the APT Macau Main Event. To amass his enormous stack and secure his seat to the final 8, Luo railed fellow APT champion Cao Ngoc Anh in 10th place with a full house holding 6♦ 6♣ on a board of 4♥ 2♠ 6♥ 4♦ 2♦.
Korea’s Seungmook Jung had an impressive run entering Day 3 with just 7 bbs then driving it to second rank by the close of day with 2,335,000 (58 bbs). Jung was seen tabling big hands. One of them was sending John Costiniano out in 11th place. Jung is looking to better his 5th place performance at the APT Philippines 2019 Main Event back in April.
In third rank is Korea’s Jehun Hong with 1,555,0000 (35 bbs). Hong delivered the final 8 sending APT decorated champion Gyeong Byeong Lee to his knees in 9th place. Hong has cashed in two major APT events, both at APT Vietnam 2019 in July. He placed 45th at the Main Event and 12th at the Championships Event.
Next down the rung is Korea’s Juyuk Park with 1,435,000 (35 bbs). This is his first-ever appearance at a major poker event final table. Wherever he places, he is already guaranteed to pocket his largest live tournament payout. One hand that helped Park along his way to the final table was a lucky flush with A♠ K♠ against Alex Lee’s A♦ K♥ to deny the split.
Benigno Ledina is the last standing local player with 975,000 (24 bbs) in chips. Ledina stayed strong all day, entering Day 3 in sixth rank and maintaining his large stack throughout. This is his first APT final table appearance however he is no stranger to winning. Two months ago he shipped a big one – the APPT Manila National. He is in fine form to bring in another title on home turf.
If there is one player to keep a close watch on, it is Singapore’s Alex Xiang Wei Lee. Lee is another highly accomplished player in the lineup with a multitude of winnings from all over the world since 2011. He comes in with 785,000 in chips (19 bbs). In January 2019, Lee finished 9th at the APT Kickoff Main Event however his deepest was in 2014 finishing 6th at the APT Asian Series Main Event in Manila. Among Lee’s numerous career titles are two APT side events. To secure his seat to the final 8, Lee racked up an enormous stack during the final two tables and was the first player to reach 2M in chips.
Bringing up the rear is Korea’s Jeonggyu Cho whose young live career is already filled with deep runs and near victories. This year has been a final table year for him in the Asian circuit. His deepest APT Main Event run was in February in Taiwan finishing 4th. Cho is still searching for his first major win. He entered Day 3 running second in chips, maintained it until fellow Gyeong Byeong Lee got very lucky with a runner-runner straight to defeat his set at the flop. Despite the big loss in chips, he still drove his stack up and into the final 8 with 440,000 (11 bbs).
Day 3 recap
Day 3 saw the return of the final 40 players, all of them hunting down the money which started at 27th place then a final 8 seat. The bubble burst at the fall of Florencio Campomanes 10♠ 10♥ to En Ching Wu A♥ K♣ when the board spread Q♣ A♣ K♠ 9♥ 8♣. From there, bust outs were rampant. Among the players in the money were APT decorated champions Iori Yogo (21st), Kannapong Thanarattrakul (22nd), John Tech (23rd), and Soo Jo Kim (25th).
At the unofficial final table of 10 players, Cao Ngoc Anh called to his end in 10th place and Gyeong Byeong Lee exited in 9th place with his top pair dusted by Je Hun Hong’s top pair higher kicker.
You can read up on all the Day 2 and Day 3 action via our Live Updates. The Final 8 race will stream live on APT Twitch and APT YouTube so make sure to follow the action.