Side event winners: Mike Takayama, Yuta Murakami. Jose Cheung, Reynaldo Manalansan, Lim Chin Wei

With the Main Event now in the books, we focus our attention on the side events. The past few days awarded four new champions namely, Filipino pro Mike Takayama, Yuta Murakami. Jose Cheung, Reynaldo Manalansan, and Malaysian pro Lim Chin Wei. Congratulations to the winners! In addition to cash prizes, everyone that cashed at any of the events (satellites not included) earned points towards the APT Player of the Series race. Make sure to check the standings. 

Event review

Mike Takayama banks a million at the two-day High Rollers 

After three prior cashes, which included a 32nd place finish at the Main Event, highly decorated APT multi champion Mike Takayama shipped his first event of the series. The second two-day High Roller event on schedule attracted 28 big guns for a prize pool of Php 2,716,000 (~US$ 51,717). To close it out, Takayama outlasted fellow compatriots Florencio Campomanes and Edgar Asehan to bank the Php 1,160,300 (~US$ 22,100) top prize and his career ninth APT side event win. Following this event, Takayama jumped in the High Rollers Single Day event and cashed out in 6th place out of 74 runners. He became the first player to cash in five events and moved up to 2nd rank in the APT Player of the Series race. 

Dates: May 2 to 3
Buy in: Php 107,500 (~US$ 2,050)
Entries: 28
Prize pool: Php 2,716,000 (~US$ 51,717)
ITM: 5 places

Payouts

1st Mike Takayama – Philippines – Php 1,160,300
2nd Edgar Asehan – Philippines – Php 672,600
3rd Florencio Campomanes – Philippines – Php 416,300 
4th Kang Seungmin – Korea – Php 274,600
5th Cheuk Nam Lam – Hong Kong – Php 192,200

Crazy call by Yuta Murakami to win the High Rollers Single Day 

Shocking bluff over bluff finish at the High Rollers Single Day with Japan’s Yuta Murakami calling Filipino player Kim Enriquez‘s river shove with just Jack high to win it! Recapping the hand, blinds were at 30K-60K, Murakami raised to 150k, Enriquez called, and both saw a flop 6 8 2. Acting first, Enriquez checked, Murakami c-bet 90k, Kim called. On the turn K, Murakami slid out two yellow towers amounting to 200k, Enriquez check-raised to 450k, Murakami flat-called. On the river A, Enriquez announced all in for a huge 535k, and after counting how much had behind (around 900+) Murakami called. Enriquez sheepishly turned over his 4 5 bluff, Murakami showed his 3 J jack-high better bluff. What a call! 

The event attracted 74 runners for a robust prize pool of Php 4,306,800 (~US$ 82,000). Among the players that reached the money was series opener champion Henrik Tollefsen, Main Event final tableist Moses Saquing, and two-day High Rollers winner Mike Takayama for his fifth series cash. 

Buy in: Php 65,000 (~US$ 1,237)
Entries: 74
Prize pool: Php 4,306,800 (~US$ 82,000)
ITM: 13 places

Payouts

1st Yuta Murakami – Japan – Php 1,193,000
2nd Kim Enriquez – Philippines – Php 795,500
3rd Tan Keng Yong – Singapore – Php 553,000
4th Christopher Mateo – Philippines – Php 399,400
5th Vamerdino Magsakay – Philippines – Php 298,700
6th Mike Takayama – Philippines – Php 230,500
7th John Matsuda – Philippines – Php 183,100
8th Moses Saquing – Philippines – Php 149,200
9th Cheuk Nam Lam – Hong Kong – Php 124,300
10th Henrik Tollefsen – Norway – Php 103,600
11th Haruka Yoshimura – Japan – Php 103,600
12th Lee Chang Hwan – Korea – Php 86,300
13th Ng Shu Yih – Malaysia – Php 86,300

Jose Cheung wins the two-day No Limit Hold’em 

Filipino player Jose Cheung outlasted the 77 entry field of the two-day No Limit Hold’em to lift his first ever APT event trophy and a cool Php 372,700 (~US$ 7,100) payout. Cheung was the lone local at the final table, making his country very proud. You can watch the final 8 race via APT YouTube and APT Twitch.

Buy in: Php 19,800 (~US$ 377)
Entries: 77
Prize pool: Php 1,344,400 (~US$ 25,600)
ITM: 13 places

Payouts

1st Jose Cheung – Philippines – Php 372,700
2nd Sekimoto Toru – Japan – Php 248,300
3rd Lee Duhan – Korea – Php 172,600
4th Yoichi Uesugi – Japan – Php 124,700
5th Ben Loo Soon Yung – Malaysia – Php 93,200 
6th Rei Koyanaki – Japan – Php 72,000
7th Carmen Ling – Malaysia – Php 57,100
8th Feng Zhao – Singapore – Php 46,600
9th Jan Jason Leoncio – Philippines – Php 38,800 
10th Oza Yukina – Japan – Php 32,300
11th Satoshi Kuriga – Japan – Php 32,300
12th Tetsunori Saito – Japan – Php 26,900
13th Go Mori – Japan – Php 26,900

First victory for Reynaldo Manalansan at the PLO event

Filipino player Reynaldo Manalansan was the proud owner of an APT trophy after he bested the 38 entry field of the Pot Limit Omaha event. This was Manalansan’s first ever APT win and live tournament victory. He earned a personal high score of Php 253,400 (~US$ 4,825). 

Buy in: Php 22,000 (~US$ 420)
Entries: 38
Prize pool: Php 737,200 (~US$ 14,037)
ITM: 7 places

Payouts 

1st Reynaldo Manalansan – Philippines – Php 253,400
2nd Thomas Lee – Singapore – Php 162,800
3rd Yoon Kyusong – Korea – Php 109,800
4th Brandon Mifsud – Malta – Php 77,300
5th Jody Kitchen – Canada – Php 56,700
6th Michl Joris – Netherlands – Php 43,200
7th Feng Zhao – Singapore – Php 34,000

Malaysian pro Lim Chin Wei wins the lone Short Deck event

Malaysian pro / WSOPE bracelet winner Lim Chin Wei is a rare sight at the APT however he certainly made his presence felt with a victory at the lone Short Deck scheduled. Lim topped the 26 entry field to take home his first ever APT trophy and Php 194,000 (~US$ 3,690). 

Buy in: Php 19,800 (~US$ 377)
Entries: 26
Prize pool: Php 454,000 (~US$ 8,645)
ITM: 5 places

Payouts

1st Lim Chin Wei – Malaysia – Php 194,000
2nd Pun Pak Hang – Hong Kong – Php 112,400
3rd Calvin Tan – Singapore – Php 69,600
4th Hiroyuki Tane – Japan – Php 45,900
5th Carmen Ling – Malaysia – Php 32,100