Fight to the Finish: Lai is the Final Table Front-Runner

Out of the original 389 runners in the APT Asian Series Manila 2013 Main Event, only eight have a chance to take down the title and go down in history as one of the champions of the most prestigious poker events this side of the world.

APT Asian Series Manila 2013 Final Eight

The day started with a flurry of eliminations as nine players got the boot in the very first level of the day and a total of eighteen busted out in the first two levels.

The action did not end there as the bust-out list continued to grow in the next few levels. If there’s a guy who needs to be credited for such, it would be chip-leader Jerry Lai from Malaysia who showed consistency throughout the day and is responsible for at least four eliminations in Day 3.

The Malaysian busted out Marc Rivera in 24th place when his A 10 outdrew Rivera’s 6 6 on a board of A 8 3 K; he also eliminated Joven Huerto (23rd) while trying to steal the big blind with 10 4 before a 10-minute break. Huerto had A 9 but lost when Lai hit a 10 on the turn.

Against Mike Takayama’s (19th place) 10 10, Lai called a re-raise shove of around 200,000 and won the pot when his ladies did not bring him down. In a hand that brought him to over 2M in chips, he ousted Jessie Supnet (15th) with cowboys; and yet in another bust-out, he won against Jun Saito (14th) when he hit the runner-runner for the quads!

Same as the start of Day 3, Lai enters the final day with the most chips with 1.9M. Victorino Torres from Northern Mariana Islands follows closely behind with 1.83M in chips and Franklin Acfalle Jr. from Guam completes the top three with around 1.1M in chips.

Others who have made the final table are Czardy Rivera (Philippines), Arnold Bathan (Australia), Haresh Kukreja (India), Craig Sloan (Australia), and Lestor Edoc (Philippines). For complete chip counts, go to this link.

The champion of the APT Asian Series Manila 2013 Main Event will receive PHP 4.27M. View all the winners and their payouts here.

On tap on the last day of the poker festivities at the Resorts World Manila is the 6-Handed (Event #14) side event set at 1 p.m.