APT Phu Quoc 2023

APT High Roller - 8 Max  Day 1

JIN WOO KIM

LE NGOC MINH

KAZUO YAMAMOTO

JIA WILLIAM

PONOMARENKO NIKOLAY

CHEN YUHANG

TOKOO SHUNSUKE

DE ZALDO FURTADO CATELA JOSE MARIA

SHI XIAOCHUN

ERDENEBAYAR BAT-ERDENE

WU JUN HAO

LEE HON CHEONG

CAO NGOC ANH

LE XUAN LONG

NGUYEN TERRY

![Chipleader (1).jpg](https://apt-content.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/Chipleader_1_8893d6c21c.jpg)
_Nikolay Ponomarenko_

**Nikolay Ponomarenko** sits atop of the remaining 31 players in the **₫50,000,000 + 5,000,000 High Roller - 8 Max** event. A total of 102 entries were recorded (64 unique) to create a prize pool of ₫4,497,000,000 and it is Russia's Ponomarenko that bagged up the biggest stack with 807,000 chips after playing fifteen 40-minute levels. The Russian player already has a final table appearance at APT Phu Quoc placing third in the Win The Button - Turbo event and will be looking to add some silverware to his cabinet in this tournament. 

**Shunsuke "Shunpoker" Tokoo** brings through an impressive stack of 620,000. The Japanese vlogger has four final table appearances at APT events including a victory in a High Roller event in Manila last year. 

**Jose Catela** bagged up a healthy 582,000 to bring through to Day 2. Catela bagged a six-figure score in a US-based tournament last year and is looking to continue his run of form here in the High Roller - 8 Max. 

![NZO03616.jpg](https://apt-content.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/NZO_03616_8d6263a8db.jpg)
_Dylan Wayne Foster_

**Dylan Wayne Foster** brings forward 462,000 in his attempt to make the final table. Foster narrowly missed out on a final table earlier this series, placing tenth in the Kickoff event for ₫28,320,000 ($1,205). Foster also made the final table in a High Roller event just two weeks ago bagging him a score worth over $15,000. 

China's **Xiaochun Shi** advanced into Day 2 bringing 385,000 chips with him. Shi has already won a High Roller event here at APT Phu Quoc when he claimed victory in the Single Day High Roller - 8 Max for ₫1,040,920,000	($44,329). Shi has a wealth of experience deep in tournaments and will be looking to use that to his advantage during Day 2.

Another notable to make it through was **Jinwoo Kim**, who finished the day in second with 700,000 chips. **Yuan Yilu** also joins him on Day 2 with 347,000. Yilu finished second in a Single Day High Roller event just a few days ago for ₫568,320,000	($24,179) and is always running deep in these large buy-in tournaments. 

Other players to watch out for on Day 2 are **Morvan Romain** with 240,000 chips, **Bayar Saran** with 193,000 chips, **Siddharth Karia** with 158,000 chips, and **Grand Gardner** with 137,000 chips. 

The full payouts can be found below. 

| Place      | Prize | 
| ----------- | ----------- | 
| 1st| ₫1,263,940,000 ($54,350)    |    
| 2nd| ₫870,670,000 ($37,440)    |    
| 3rd| ₫571,380,000 ($24,525)    |    
| 4th| ₫462,540,000 ($19,890)    |    
| 5th| ₫373,500,000 ($16,060    |    
| 6th| ₫291,870,000 ($12,550)   |    
| 7th| ₫230,040,000 ($9,890)   |    
| 8th| 175,620,000 ($7,551)   |    
| 9th| ₫128,620,000 ($5,530)    |  
| 10th| ₫103,890,000 ($4,467    |    
| 11th| ₫103,890,000 ($4,467)   |    
| 12th| ₫96,470,000 ($4,150)   |    
| 13th| ₫96,470,000 ($4,150)   |    
| 14th| ₫89,050,000 ($3,830)    |  
| 15th| ₫89,050,000 ($3,830)    |  

You can see all the respective Day 1 survivors and the Day 2 Draw [HERE](https://www.theasianpokertour.com/series/apt-phu-quoc-2023/live-reports/0dbd2f9a-bb46-4642-8f9c-9b6278aa168e).

Live reports for Day 2 can be found here and of course, the feature table will be streamed with a 30-minute delay. Here are those all-important stream links again. Join us tomorrow for the final day of the series and see who can take home the top prize!

See you tomorrow.

[Youtube](http://youtube.com/TheAsianPokerTour)

[Twitch](http://twitch.tv/asianpokertourlive)

[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/asianpokertour)


Nikolay Ponomarenko Leads High Roller - 8 Max  

Gavin William Best opened to 18,000 and Thien Minh Nguyen made the call. Grant Gardner was next to act and committed his last 52,000 chips into the middle. Terry Nguyen was in the big blind and he re-shoved his stack and the action was back to Best. Best folded his hand as did Minh Nguyen which meant Gardner and Terry Nguyen were heads-up. 

Gardner :Kd: :Qd: 

Nguyen :Td: :Ts: 

The flop of :7d: :Kh: :3s: looked great for Gardner as he had flopped top pair. Nguyen needed a ten to KO Gardner and boost his stack in one of the last hands before play came to a close. 

A turn :Ks: improved Gardner to trips but didn't change the fact Nguyen needed a ten to eliminate the Englishman.

The river came an :As: and Gardner secured the pot to more the double up to around 140,000. 

Gardner Gets a Late Double 

![NZO03652.jpg](https://apt-content.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/NZO_03652_cf16061f4b.jpg)
_Gavin William Best_

Thien Minh Nguyen opened to 17,000 and the action got to Gavin William Best who made Nguyen play for it. 

Best's jam was for over 300,000 and he just about covered the local player. Nguyen decided the bet was just too big and let his hand go. 

Best flipped-over ace-king as he raked in the pot. 

A big jam for big-slick. 

Best All In

On a board reading :3c: :9s: :Qd: :4h: :As: we saw China's Yuan Yilu bet 25,000 into Bayar Saran. 

Saran didn't fold, and neither did he call, but he instead shoved all-in for 121,000 total. Yilu went into the tank before eventually letting it go. 

"Bluff" says Yilu. 

Saran showed his cards and revealed the :4d: :7h:..it was a bluff! 

Yilu will be kicking himself with that one. 

Saran Bluffs Yilu 

![NZO03612.jpg](https://apt-content.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/NZO_03612_32fc746538.jpg)
_Yuhang Chen_

On a flop reading :As: :Jd: :5c: we saw Nikolay Ponomarenko bet 30,000 into two opponents. Yuhang Chen called the bet but Hong Quan Le put in a raise to 115,000. Both Ponomarenko and Chen folded.

Le now close to 500,000. 

Le Leverages His Stack

Florencio Campomanes was all-in for his last 50,000 against Hong Quan Le. 

Le :6h: :6d:

Campomanes :Ad: :2d: 

Campomanes was behind and at risk of busting the tournament. The Filipino player needed to find an ace to stay alive. 

The flop delivered his wish as it came :7h: :Jd: :Ac: giving him top pair and a firm lead in the hand. Le was looking for a six to eliminate his opponent. 

A :7c: fell on the turn giving both players two pair but Campomanes still had the lead. The river :Jh: earned Campomanes the pot because Le was now playing the board as his pocket sixes had been counterfeited. 

| Name      | Country | Chip Count |
| ----------- | ----------- | --- |
| Hong Quan Le | Vietnam    | 400,000   |
| Florencio Campomanes | Phillippines     | 100,000   |

Campomanes Finds The 3-Outer 

Siddharth Karia opened to 12,000 pre-flop and was called by Dinh Tien Thanh. Grant Gardner was behind them both and 3-bet shoved his 100,000 stack in to the middle. 

Both Karia and Thanh folded and Gardner chipped up to around 125,000. 

Gardner Gets One Through

Ken Okada opened to 10,000 off of a 100,000 chip stack and Ngoc Minh Le put him all-in. 

Okada decided to fold his hand and find a better spot.

Le is one of the chip leaders with 550,000. 

Okada Gets Shipped On 

![NZO03653.jpg](https://apt-content.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/NZO_03653_3882f51d93.jpg)

A quick look at the chip selection for this event. 

Blue chips are worth 25,000. 

Pink chips are worth 5,000.

Green chips are worth 1,000. 

Chips in Play 

![NZO03610.jpg](https://apt-content.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/NZO_03610_b260b219a9.jpg)
_Shunsuke Tokoo_

Shunsuke Tokoo is in the High Roller - 8 Max and is our early chip leader. 

Tokoo currently has a stack of 710,000! 