After four exciting days of thrilling tournament poker the APT Manila 2024 Main Event—the tour's largest-ever Philippines tournament with 1,081 entries—has been whittled down to the final nine players.
These lucky few are duking it out for a share of the PHP 100 million (~USD 1.7 million) prize pool, and with a sizeable PHP 18,060,000 (~USD 307,020) top prize on the line, in addition to the award-winning 24K gold lion APT Main Event trophy and all the accolades that come with it, the battle for the title promises to be epic. To see how we got to this point, you can check out the coverage on the APT Blog.
You can also view all the action as it played out via the live stream on the official APT YouTube channel
The stage is set, the curtains are raised, all that remains is to introduce the players, so let us take a look at the lucky few and examine the poker credentials of our potential future champions-in-waiting:
Seat 1: Daniel Lee
The USA's Daniel Lee made his first cash in the Asian Poker Tour back in May 2024, finishing 5th place in Event #48: No Limit Hold'em Bounty for KRW 6.3 million (USD 4.6K).
Lee followed this up with a second APT final table appearance at the APT Taipei Poker Classic 2024 in Event #33: No Limit Hold'em for TWD 330,700 (USD 10,474). With just over USD 74,000 in live tournament winnings Lee's best result from a monetary perspective came in the recent World Series Millionaire Maker, where he collected USD 12,690 for a 91st place cash.
This final table appearance at the APT Manila Main Event will be his highest career score, and he is returning at the top of the counts with 6,620,000 in chips (55 big blinds).
Seat 2: John Constiniano
The Philippines John Constiniano has made significant cashes in events around the Philippines including an Asia Poker Tour 10th place finish back in November 2022.
Constiniano has over USD 21,000 in live tournament cashes on his poker resume and his first APT final table appearance is going to be recorded as his biggest career payout. Constiniano is returning sixth in the counts with 4,615,000 in chips (38 big blinds).
Seat 3: Renji Mao
With over USD 900K in live tournament winnings, a bracelet, seven APT final tables and two APT titles on his resume, China's Renji Mao is one of the more experienced players at the final table.
Mao brought the chip lead into Day 4 and while he took a hit at the hands of fellow finalist Jaejoong Kim two tables out, the Chinese player bagged up 4,660,000 – valued at 39 big blinds. A fifth place finish or better will see Mao make the second-largest score of his playing career.
Seat 4: Ferdinand Lu
Boasting over USD 120,000 in live tournament cashes, the Philippines Ferdinand Lu has one APT final table appearance on his poker resume which came in the recent APT Taipei Poker Classic 2024 Event #69: Zodiac Classic with his runner-up finish granting him the biggest score of his playing career – a hefty TWD 3 millon (USD 95K).
A fourth place finish or better will see the Filipino top this. Lu is returning seventh in the counts with a stack of 3,825,000 (32 big blinds) and is on the hunt for his maiden live tournament title.
Seat 5: Gab Yong Kim
With results dating back to 2011, over USD 3 million in live tournament winnings and ten tournament titles, including two APT titles and four APT final tables, South Korea's Gab Yong Kim is arguably the most experienced player coming into the final table.
A top two finish will grant Kim the second largest score of his playing career. Kim is on the hunt for his second major tournament title and will be returning with the second largest stack of 5,820,000 (49 big blinds).
Seat 6: Vincent Huang
Vincent Huang is no stranger to high-pressure situations. The Kiwi has has been tearing it up in the Oceania and Asia poker circuits, and has accumulated over USD 1.8 million in live earnings as a result.
While Huang holds the second-shortest stack at 27 big blinds, his final table mates would be remiss to underestimate him. Huang has two victories on the APT circuit, both coming in 2020 in Taipei, and he will come to the final table hungry for his third.
Seat 7: Jaejoong Kim
South Korea’s Jaejoong Kim has either the easiest or most difficult decisions (depending on who you ask), being the shortest stack at the final table with 25 big blinds. Spending most of his Main Event hovering around the middle to bottom stacks, Jaejoong has proven himself to be a survivor time and time again in his journey to the final table.
Regardless of where he finishes tomorrow, Jaejoong can look forward to his highest cash of his career so far. With a few flips and just a little bit of luck, Jaejoong might just finish higher than where most would think.
Seat 8: Edgar Antezana
Edgar Antezana from South Africa has one of the biggest poker pedigrees at the table. With over USD 500,000 in live earnings, the experienced poker pro looks to be one of the favourites with 48 big blinds at the final table, good for third biggest stack and not very far from the chip leader.
On course to the final table, Edgar once held the chip lead five levels before the level the final table is set to play at. He will be on the hunt again, and this time for that coveted golden lion.
Seat 9: Sandagdorj Munkhbaatar
There is not much information regarding the poker career of Mongolia's Sandagdorj Munkhbaatar. The Hendon Mob has his total career winnings at a modest $1,717 all coming from events in this APT Manila series.
Munkhbaatar made a runner-up finish at the PHP 6,000 NLH - Turbo Double Stack for his highest career earning so far. Like Daniel Lee, this final table appearance in the APT Main Event will grant him a career-best score. Munkhbaatar is returning fourth in the counts with 5,040,000 in chips (42 big blinds).