Asian Poker Tour Philippines 2013


Flip: Leano vs. Gonzaga

Level: 4 Blinds: 100/200 Ante: 0

After a series of raise and re-raises preflop it’s a classic coin flip between two Filipinos– Mark Leano and Terry Gonzaga.

Leano: Q Q
Gonzaga: A K

Flop of J 3 5 means Leano’s Ladies is safe and the turn J and river 4 did not help Gonzaga’s Big Slick either. Gonzaga drops to around a dozen thousand while Leano gets over 21,000 worth of chips.


Last round for Day 1A buy-ins

Level: 4 Blinds: 100/200 Ante: 0

We’re at the fourth level of Day 1A and this is the last round where you can enter today’s main event.

Big board says we have 92 players and we’ll see if that breaks the century mark by the end of this level.


De Guzman doubles, survives

Level: 3 Blinds: 75/150 Ante: 0

Vic de Guzman put his tournament life on the line with J 9 after a flop of 7 9 10 and was up against an opponent’s Q K.

To survive, de Guzman had to avoid any clubs or jacks. Neither came on the turn 6 and river 5 and he gets a lease on life with the win. He doubles up to around 19,000.


Marzan’s bullets bust one

Level: 3 Blinds: 75/150 Ante: 0

After losing most of his chips to Takashi Ogura, an unknown player busted out falling to Edison Marzan’s pocket rockets.

The player shoved with A 10 and was of course called by Marzan.

Flop: 8 7 K
Turn: 6
River: J

Another one bites the dust as Marzan raked in the chips.


Ogura hits flush on the river

Level: 3 Blinds: 75/150 Ante: 0

With the flop J 5 6 already on the board, a mid-position player 3-bet Takashi Ogura. The Japanese responded by moving all-in and we’re off to a classic set vs. draw affair after the MP player called.

MP player: 6 6
Ogura: A 9

The turn 10 was a safe one for the MP player but Ogura would hit his heart on the river 4 to take down the big pot as the Japanese’s stack jumped to over 45,000.


Ooops, Arce gives some to Narang

Level: 3 Blinds: 75/150 Ante: 0

Just as we posted about building a big stack from small pots, Arce lost a considerable amount of his stack to Mandeep Narang. We did not get to see the entire action but saw just enough: Narang had A-10 and the board had a couple of 10s for trips.

Narang, who was seated beside Arce chided his nemesis that he “got nice one from the champ”. Arce dropped to around 15,000.


Arce takes small pot

Level: 3 Blinds: 75/150 Ante: 0

Of course, one effective way of building a big stack is to start winning those small pots.

Neil Arce, the 2009 APT Philippines Main Event champion did just that in a recent hand when his pocket 7s won against an opponent’s A 9. The board was a dry one prompting checks all the way and Arce took down the small pot worth around 1,500.

The former APT champ has now around 23,000.


Head Hunter champ Anh scalps Le’s head

Level: 3 Blinds: 75/150 Ante: 0

Looks like Nam Le will call it an early day. From the hi-jack position, Le raised to 350 and found a caller from the button but faced a re-raise of 1850 from the small blind, Do Hoang Anh, the champion in yesterday’s Head Hunter side event.

Le responded with 3-bet for all of his chips or an additional 7,200 and Anh gamely made the call.

Le’s A K trailed Anh’s pocket 10s and needed an ace or king to survive Day 1A. The flop 7 J 2 did not have the overcard he was looking for and the turn 2 and river Q did not cooperate either.

Le is out today but can still come back tomorrow for Day 1B as players busted out in Day 1A can re-enter.


First break of the day

Level: 2 Blinds: 50/100 Ante: 0

10-minute ceasefire brings the 2nd level to a close. When the players return blinds will climb to 75-150.