Zodiac Classic - Day 1 - Sponsored by Natural8 - PHP 15,000,000 GTD

Alexander Keating

Day 1 of the PHP 15,000,000 GTD Zodiac Classic - Sponsored By Natural8 has concluded. With a buy-in of PHP 125,000, this highly anticipated event saw 226 entries (157 unique) today, bringing the total prize pool to PHP 24,662,250 (~USD 419,260), easily crushing the guarantee. Out of the 63 players surviving the thirteen 40-minute levels, 31 players will make it into the money.

The USA's Alexander Keating finished the day on top of the chip count leaderboard, bagging 388,100. He will look to continue the amazing run he is having here at APT Manila, already having won two titles, in Event #32 High Roller Double Stack, and Event #52 Single Day High Roller. In total, he has already cashed for over PHP 3,500,000 (USD 60,000) in this series.

Following him closely in chips is Korea's Kim Kiyoung with 377,400. In the (almost) last hand of the day, he took more than 100,000 chips from Paulius Plausinaitis, which catapulted him into second place after Day 1, and will find himself in a great starting position for the final day.

Trong Ngo

Trong Ngo also has a successful day on the felt and he could be seen battling in many pots today, always putting pressure on his opponents. His aggressive play style certainly helped to accumulate 352,400 chips.

Another player to be reckoned with on the final day will be Daniel Neilson, who will be trying to finish his fantastic 2024 in style with a title here at APT Manila. Neilson will be returning with 325,400 chips.

Other notable players to make it through the day are Abraham Ceesvin (208,600), who finished 2nd last month in the APT Taiwan Main Event, Japan's Jun Obara (205,000), the Philippines William Ysmael (148,700), Moses Saquing (106,000), and Canada's Benjamin Leblond (43,800).

Korea's Youngshin Im is the only woman to secure a spot for the final day and will start with 86,000, which equals to almost 30 big-blinds, with players coming back to Level 14 - 1,500/3,000 with a 3,000 big-blind ante.

Youngshin Im

Below can be found the top ten chip stacks. The full survivor list can be found here

And here are the final table payouts, with full payouts to be found here.

Join us for the Final Day which will kick off at 11:15am on Tuesday, Nov 5. Live updates will be posted here.

Day 1 of Zodiac Classic has come to an end. The recap of today's action will follow shortly.

Emmanuel Segismundo opened the cutoff to 5,200, and Mattheew Chan three-bet on the button to 17,000, which Segismundo four-bet to 40,000. Cahn then five-bet shoved all in for around 120,500, sending Segismundo into the tank. After over 1 minute, Segismundo ultimately sent his cards back to the dealer.

On the flop of K♣ 9♠ K♦, Seong Gwon Kim checked the action to Zong Xian Lim from the hijack, who then bet 5,000. Yan Wen Yee folded on the button, and Kim made the call.

A 3♥ hit on the turn, and both players checked through to see a J♥ drop on the river, where the action went check-check again.

Kim quickly tabled two pair with 4♣ 4♦, leaving Lim no choice but to relinquish the pot.

Benjamin Ebarle raised to 5,000 from middle position and was called by Abraham Ceesvin from the cutoff, which Van Nguyen three-bet to 15,000 on the button. Takuya Morita then shoved all in for around 25,000. Only Ceesvin dropped in a call.

Takuya Morita: A♥ J♥

Abraham Ceesvin: 9♣ 9♥

The dry board swiftly ran out 7♥ 6♣ 6♦ T♣ 7♦, sealing Morita's exit in the final level of the day.

Paulius Plausinaitis

With only a couple more hands to play before the end of the day, Kim Kiyoung from Korea opened in middle-position and got three-bet by Paulius Plausinaitis on the button. Kiyoung made the call and both players saw a flop of K♣ T♦ 8♥. Kiyoung checked and Plausinaitis bet 12,000, which was called by Kiyoung.

The turn brought another K♥. Kiyoung checked and Plausinaitis continued his aggression with a 32,000 bet. Now it was Kiyoung's time to take over the betting aggression as he counted out a raise to 80,000. Plausinaitis made the call and the on the river appeared the Q♦. Kiyoung moved all-in and Plausinaitis quickly folded.

Youngshin Im

Youngshin Im raised to 4,000 from under the gun and Yan Wen Yee defended from the big blind to take it into the streets.

On the 8♠ J♥ 3♦ flop, Im Yee checked the action to Im, who made a bet of 4,000. After thinking for a while, Yee tossed his cards into the muck.

Abraham Ceesvin

Abraham Ceesvin opened from early-position and got three-bet to 14,400 by Van Nguyen next to him. Ceesvin responded with a cheeky four-bet to 28,800. Nguyen folded and Ceesvin proudly showed Q♦ 9♥ for the bluff. Ceesvin is certainly somebody to look out for in tomorrow's day 2.

Gyeongbyeong Lee opened the button to 4,000 only to be jammed by Jason Magbanua from the small blind for 14,200. Lee dropped in a call to put Magbanua at risk.

Gyeongbyeong Lee: A♥ 7♣

Jason Magbanua: J♥ J♠

Magbanua picked up the lead at the hand with his pocket jacks, and a flop went T♠ 6♦ K♦, improving nothing for both players. The runout came 5♣ 7♦. Lee paired a seven on the river, but it was not enough against the hooks from Maganua, who scored himself a much-needed double up.

Daniel Neison

Daniel Neilson raised from the hijack to 4,000 and was called by Youngje Ahn on the button and Chun-Yuan Chen from the small blind.

Three players read the flop of 6♥ K♦ 5♦ and checked through to see a 7♣ hit on the turn, where Chen checked the action to Neilson, who bet 5,500, forcing Ahn to fold. Chen made the call.

The river brought a 3♣, and the two elected to check to showdown. After Chen flipped pocked deuces, Neilson showed K♠ Q♥ for flopped top pair of kings to win the pot.