After a two-year hiatus, the Asian Poker Tour is returning to Manila for the highly anticipated APT Manila, Philippines 2024.
Boasting over PHP 170 million (~USD 3 million) in prize pool guarantees the 11-day festival, running Monday, October 28 to Thursday, November 7, will be run in partnership with Soul Poker and play out at the tournament tables of the City of Dreams Manila luxury resort.
The last time the tour visited the Philippines’ capital back in November of 2022 it was local Moses Saquing who claimed the accolades, defeating a field of 380 entries to claim the lion’s share of the PHP 23,280,000 (USD 405,823) prize pool.
With the APT Main Event guarantee coming in at PHP 100 million (~USD 1.7 million) – over four times the size of the previous offering – the festival promises to deliver top flight tournament poker and generate some gigantic prizes.
With 109 events on the action-packed schedule, including 22 high roller tournaments, 21 assorted mixed games and 20 Omaha tournaments, in addition to the festival’s 11 key events––nine of which come with PHP seven-figure prize pools or higher––the decision facing most players will be deciding what to play.
Read on as we take a closer peek at the festival’s key events looking at the buy-in, structure, guarantee, and potential field size estimates based on the tour’s previous offerings.
Guarantee: PHP 100M (~USD 1.7M)
Date: Oct 31-Nov 6
Buy-in: PHP 85K (~USD 1,510)
The highlight of the festival, the APT Main Event comes with a juicy PHP 100 million (~USD 1.7 million) prize pool guarantee and will see players compete for the award-winning Gold Lion APT Main Event Trophy.
The last time the tour visited Manila back in November 2022 the Main Event drew a 380-strong field with local Moses Saquing hoisting the old school APT Main Event trophy and claiming the lion’s share of the PHP 23.2 million (USD 405K) prize pool – earning a PHP 4.9 million (USD 85K) top prize.
With APT Main Event fields averaging four figures since the launch of the New Era at APT Taipei 2023, and the prize pool guarantee coming in at over four times the size of the previous Manila offering, expect a four-figure field and a prize pool in the region of USD 1.7 million or above.
With the APT Taipei Poker Classic 2024 yet to play out, it is Japan’s Daisuke Ogita who holds the record for the tour’s largest Main Event win, defeating a 1,182-strong field at APT Taipei 2024 to claim the largest first place prize in Taiwanese poker history, taking home TWD 12.9 million (~USD 409K) for his efforts.
Guarantee: PHP 4M (~USD 71K)
Date: Oct 28-29
Buy-in: PHP 12K (~USD 210)
It is the Philippines National Cup kickstarting the series action, with the two-day tournament getting underway on Monday, October 28.
The staple opening event of the series since the close of 2023, the last three National Cups have all set opening event tour records. Hong Kong’s Ka Chun Yuan currently holds the record for largest National Cup win, defeating a 2,305-strong field at APT Taipei 2024 and banking a TWD 2.26 million (USD 71,700) top prize.
Players start with 30K in chips, with the three starting flights A, B, & C all playing out on the Monday––boasting 30-minute, 20-minute and 15-minute level length respectively––with the top 14 percent of each field making the Final Day and the money.
Mystery Bounty Hunter – Sponsored by Natural8
Guarantee: PHP 6M (~USD 106K)
Date: Oct 29-30
Buy-in: PHP 20K (~USD 355)
The Mystery Bounty Hunter – Sponsored by Natural8 gets underway on Tuesday, October 29 and the two opening flights will play out concurrently with the final of the National Cup.
The last three tournaments have all set APT country records for both field size and prize pool, with two of the three drawing four-figure fields. Singapore’s Jereld Sam defeated the tournaments largest-ever field, seeing off challenges from 1,115 entries to claim the largest portion of the VND 10.7 billion (USD 437,860) prize pool, banking a VND 1.2 billion (USD 52,430) top prize.
Players start with 30,000 in chips, with Flight A kicking off at 11am local time coming with 30-minute levels. Flight B gets underway at 5:30pm and comes with 20-minute levels. The top 14 percent of each flight will make the Final Day and the money.
Guarantee: PHP 15M (~USD 267K)
Date: Oct 30-31
Buy-in: PHP 600K (~USD 10.6K)
Getting underway on Wednesday, October 30, the two-day APT Super High Roller is the second of the tour’s three signature tournaments, with the winner walking away with the coveted Pewter Lion APT Super High Roller Trophy.
The seven New Era tournaments to have played out have drawn an average field of 92 entries and generated an average prize pool of over USD 540,000. The USA’s Isaac Haxton holds the record for the tournament’s richest prize, overcoming a field of 137 entries to take the lion’s share of the TWD 37.8 million (USD 1.19 million) prize pool, taking home a TWD 9 million (USD 287,885) top prize.
The tournament comes with a shot clock, players start with 250,000 in chips and five 30-second time banks, reset to five at the start of the Final Day. If the Final Day starts with more than 16 players this will also be reset at the Final Table. The Day 1 action plays out over sixteen 40-minute levels, and the survivors will return for the Final Day on Thursday, October 31 with the tournament playing down to a champion.
Guarantee: PHP 6M (~USD 106K)
Date: Oct 30
Buy-in: PHP 30K (~USD 530)
The one-day Super Stack plays out concurrently with the opening flight of the APT Super High Roller and the final of the Mystery Bounty Hunter on Wednesday, October 30.
With an average field size of 292 and an average prize pool in excess of USD 127,000 the Super Stack is a fast-paced tournament with a solid structure; players start with 100,000 in chips and the tournament starts with ten 25-minute levels, shortening to 20-minute levels after the close of registration.
China’s Yanfeng Wang was the last man to earn the accolades, defeating a 270-field during APT Jeju 2024 back in April to scoop the largest slice of the KRW 259 million (USD 188,240) prize pool, taking home a KRW 51 million (USD 37,740) top prize.
Zodiac Classic – Sponsored by Natural8
Guarantee: PHP 15M (~USD 267k GTD)
Date: Nov 4-5
Buy-in: PHP 125K (~USD 2.2K)
Following an increase to the buy-in back during APT Taipei 2024, the last three Zodiac Classics have set tour prize pool records and the tournament boasts the largest guarantee outside of the Main Event.
The Zodiac Classic – Sponsored by Natural8 draws an average field of 222 entries and generates an average prize pool of over USD 301,000. China’s Peng Chen was the last man to claim gold, defeating 178 entries during APT Jeju 2024 to claim the largest portion of the KRW 623 million (USD 458,390) prize pool, earning a KRW 131 million (USD 96,830) top prize.
Day 1 of the two-day tournament gets underway on Monday, November 4 with thirteen 40-minute levels scheduled and starts with a shot clock in effect. Players start with 40,000 in chips and two 30-second time banks, reset to five time banks at the start of the Final Day, and at the Final Table.
Guarantee: PHP 4M (~USD 71K)
Date: Nov 5-6
Buy-in: PHP 20K (~USD 355)
The last three Double Stack tournaments to play out have all set tour records for field size, with the tournament averaging 550 entries and generating an average prize pool of over USD 263,000.
China’s Wei Hang Chen is the reigning Double Stack champion, defeating a field of 444 entries during APT Jeju 2024 to take the lion’s share of the KRW 387 million (USD 285,900) prize pool, claiming a KRW 74.9 million (USD 55,150) top prize.
This two-day event comes with two starting flights, which both play out on Tuesday, November 5 with players starting with 60,000 in chips. Flight A gets underway at 11am and comes with 30-minute levels. Flight B gets underway at 5:30pm and comes with 20-minute levels.
Each starting flight plays to 14% (ITM) and players must make the Final Day in order cash. A shot clock will be introduced one table off the money, with players receiving two 30-second time banks, resetting to five at the Final Table.
Guarantee: PHP 15M (~USD 267K)
Date: Nov 6-7
Buy-in: PHP 200K (~USD 3.5K)
The last of the festival’s three signature events comes with a sizable PHP 15 million (~USD 267,000) prize pool guarantee, with the eventual winner walking away with the coveted Bronze Lion APT High Roller Trophy.
Natural8 Ambassador Eric “Six Poker” Tsai was the last man to claim the honours during APT Jeju 2024, overcoming a field of 191 entries to earn the largest slice of the KRW 1.2 billion (USD 886,500) prize pool, banking a payday of KRW 266 million (USD 196,255) for his victory.
The tournament draws an average field of 198 entries and generates an average prize pool of over USD 670,000. Day 1 of the two-day tournament will see players compete over sixteen 40-minute levels, with the survivors returning for the Final Day to flight for the trophy.
Players start with 100,000 in chips with a shot clock in effect from the off, with all players receiving five 30-second time banks, reset at the start of the Final Day, and at the Final Table if the Final Day started with 16 players.
Guarantee: PHP 5M (~USD 89K)
Date: Nov 6-7
Buy-in: PHP 25K (~USD 445)
The last of the festival’s key events comes with a PHP 5 million (~USD 89,000) prize pool guarantee, plays out over two days, and comes with two starting flights.
Flight A gets underway at 11am on Wednesday, November 6 and comes with 30-minute levels. Flight B starts at 5:30pm and comes with 20-minute levels, with both starting flights playing down to 14 percent of their respective fields. Players must make the Final Day in order cash.
The average field size comes in at 426, with the tournament generating an average prize pool of over USD 191,000. China’s Yuchao Huang was the last man to hoist the trophy, defeating a field of 327 entries to take the biggest piece of the KRW 250 million (USD 184,340) prize pool, earning a KRW 49 million (USD 36,150) top prize.