HomeThe first trophy of APT Philippines II 2019 has been awarded! Korean player Jinho Hong topped the 176 runners of the Monster Stack 1 to claim his first-ever live win and PHP 753,400 (~USD 14,500). Hong sets the bar for the APT Player of the Series race.
The Monster Stack 1 event opened the festival on Wednesday, September 11 with a very healthy PHP 2,000,000 (~USD 38,000) guarantee. This brought a rush of 176 entrants to Resorts World Manila’s new Grand Wing, all of them getting a feel of the new APT event venue. With buy-in set at PHP 27,500 (~USD (~USD 530), the prize pool more than doubled to a sweeter PHP 4,268,000 (~USD 82,000). Only 30 players stood to earn a cut.
Returning to the final day, the tables heated up with the final 44 players getting closer to the money. Among the first to get paid was WSOP bracelet winner Ji Young Kim who finished in 28th place. The official final table was reached at the fall of Jiego Erquiaga in 9th place. The Final 8 match streamed live and has now been uploaded in APT YouTube for your viewing enjoyment anytime.
For a brief recap of the action. Jinho Hong entered with a fortress which proved very difficult for his challengers to bring down. First all in saw Thomas Lee double up through Tou Ta Wei and in turn, Tou was crippled down to 3bbs. He fell in 8th place. Out next was Roozbeh Namvarasi (7th) who could not recover after his pocket sevens were cracked by pocket sixes with a six showing up on the flop.
The fall of Thomas Lee (6th) was another painful defeat. His K♠ K♥ was rivered by Hong’s 10♣ 9♣ straight on a board 2♣ Q♥ 8♦ 9♥ J♣. At five remaining, Philippines Richard Nakila began to charge up the ranks. He railed Yoo Gyeong Tae with a higher kicker. Nakila K♦ 6♠, Yoo K♣ 3♣, the board 8♥ 8♣ A♥ 5♠ 2♣.
For a brief moment, the winds changed. Hong attempted a bluff but failed to send a large pile to Won Hee Lee. The hand saw the board complete 5♦ 6♣ Q♥ 7♣ 9♠, Hong fired a big river bet that Lee found the courage to call with 10♣ 10♦. Hong showed 2♣ 3♦. However despite the boost in chips, Lee proceeded to lose a big pot to Yuta Izumi with top pair crushed by a set of fours. Lee’s run ended at the hands of Richard Nakila who spiked a higher pair on the river 7♣ A♥ 2♦ 5♥ K♦ to defeat 4♦ 4♠. Nakila held K♥ Q♠.
This left three players hunting down the title. Izumi and Hong engaged in a big pot that saw both players table top pair but with Izumi with the higher kicker, he claimed it to dethrone Hong for the first time. It didn’t take long for Hong to reclaim it. An ICM deal was then discussed and reached. With no money set aside, Hong was automatically awarded the victory.
Final 8 payouts
1st Jinho Hong – Korea – PHP 753,400 (ICM deal)
2nd Richard Nakila – Philippines – PHP 675,300 (ICM deal)
3rd Yuta Izumi – Japan – PHP 619,500 (ICM deal)
4th Won Hee Lee – Korea – PHP 321,900
5th Yoo Gyeong Tae – Korea – PHP 240,800
6th Thomas Lee – Canada – PHP 185,800
7th Roozbeh Namvarasi – Iran – PHP 147,600
8th Tou Ta Wei – Taiwan – PHP 120,200
Full results here.