HomeFeng Zhao of Singapore is one of the contenders for the APT Player of the Year race ranking second to top gun Sam Razavi entering the APT-RWM Poker Finale 2014.
A Main Event win or ITM might be needed if he plans to unseat the two-time APT POY Razavi.
Zhao is off to a slow start in Day 1A though as he lost a small pot to an unknown opponent who had the pocket eights. Zhao held 4♦ 10♦ and apparently missed his flush draw with a board of 2♦ 6♣ Q♦ 2♣ 4♣.
Filipino Ricardo Torres just got a nice pot off Korean S.J. Kim.
On a board of K♠ A♦ 2♣ 10♦, the Filipino raised to 1,400 after an initial bet from a UTG player. Kim made the call and the UTG player threw away his hand.
The river K♣ arrived and was checked by both players.
Kim: 6♦ 7♦
Torres: J♠ Q♦
Torres’ straight was good against Kim’s busted flush draw for an early win.
Some more popular pros and APT regulars have also joined the Day 1A field now. Among them are S.J. Kim, Linh Tran, Mustafa Fawaz and High Rollers runner-up Yo Doi,
Hook, line, sinker! Dave Fish caught a sweet double up when his Ducks landed a set at the flop. He is now up to 35K.
Singaporean pro is also here already and he just had an early battle with Filipino Jav Medina.
Pre-flop, Medina raised to 125 only to see four players make the call including Koh from the small blind and two other players. Koh checked-called the flop 7♠ Q♠ 8♥ on a Medina 350 bet and the two other players got out of the way.
On the Turn 4♠ it was Koh who led out with 775 and did the same on the river 8♥ for 1125, both times Medina called. Koh tabled A♠ 9♠ for what was the nut flush and Medina mucked his hand.
Some popular pros are already here for the Main Event including Jay Lubas, Richard Marquez, Jav Medina, Vincent Rubianes, Eemil Tuominen and Andrew Nguyen among the early birds today. And we know what they say about early birds, they get the worm– we just don’t know if that means busting out or stacking up the chips early.
We’re minutes away from Day 1A of the APT-RWM Poker Finale 2014 at the Resorts World Manila in the Philippines.
APT-RWM Poker Finale Main Event Live Updates Begin on Saturday (Dec 6) at 1PM