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

South Korea’s Joseph Cheong, who clinched the title in the Superstar Challenge, has etched his name in the history book of another tournament at APT Manila with victory in the PHP 125,000 Zodiac Classic. Cheong emerged victorious and claimed the top prize of PHP 5,216,250 (~$88,675) in remarkable style as he returned the day with only 71,100 chips to start.

The man that goes by 'subiiime' managed to overcome Abraham Ceesvin in a heads-up duel that concluded within ten hands and saw the Singaporean player collect the PHP 3,512,000 (~$59,700) runner-up prize.

Cheong, who is nearing $19,000,000 in live earnings, now has four APT titles under his belt including the Manila Millions at 2013 APT Manila, the Superstar Challenge at APT Jeju 2024, and the Superstar Challenge at APT Manila 2024.

Final Table Results

The day began with 63 hopefuls still in contention and only 31 players would take their share of the prize pool of PHP 24,662,250 (~$419,260). Alexander Keating, the chip leader of Day 1, ended up as the bubble boy when his two pair with four-three couldn’t rival a rivered straight of the eventual champion.

The player who fell short of making the final table and finished in tenth was Yoon Koo Kang, whose pocket sevens failed to receive any help from the board against the pocket tens of Emmanuel Segismundo. Jun Obara (16th) and William Ysmael (27th) also fell short of making it to the final table.

Charles Pansoy was the first casualty at the final table as he shoved all in with an ace on hand, however, his ace-ten was still no match for Ceesvin’s ace-queen, which sent him to the rail in ninth for a payday of PHP 533,000 (~$9,060).

Kei Shinagawa just couldn’t make it as the board wasn’t fond of him. He held the lead with a king in hand, but the runout provided his opponent Cheong a pair of deuces, stopping Shinagawa from moving further and finishing in eighth place together with a prize of PHP 644,000 (~$10,950).

Benjamin Ebarle shoved with Big Slick against the pocket tens of Yan Yee. In the end, the board left both players unimproved, setting the tone for Ebarle to finish seventh and leave with PHP 880,000 (~$14,960).

The pace of eliminations slowed down, and it was bad timing for Segismundo to encounter Ceesvin as he had managed a crucial double-up in the previous two hands. Segismundo’s stack was slightly shorter than his opponent's when he went all in with ace-seven, which was still not enough to beat Ceesvin’s ace-queen, resulting in his elimination in sixth place.

Yee made a critical error on the river when he paired the board with a king, underestimating that the river would complete Benjamin Jacobs’ king-six. After a long period of consideration, he decided to make the call, despite having a stack barely covered by his opponent. As a result, Yee was eliminated in fifth place, taking home PHP 1,588,000 (~$27,000).

Only a few hands later, Ngo Anh followed Yee’s footsteps and was sent to the rail as his ace-four was still not enough to beat Cheong’s ace-king with a clean board running out. Anh then went to the cashier’s desk in fourth place for PHP 2,008,000 (~$34,135) as the reward for his efforts.

When Jacobs was all in, he picked up the flush draw with king-eight, but it wasn’t good enough as Ceesvin had already completed his trips with jack-nine. Although Jacobs was counting on the river card, it didn’t come in his favor, sealing his fate in third with a payout of PHP 2,476,000 (~$42,090).

When the final duel got underway, Ceesvin had only around six big blinds less than Cheong. However, Ceesvin was confident with his king-queen, but it wasn't enough to best queen-eight from Cheong. Unfortunately, the board had picked Cheong’s side, sending an eight as its blessing, which left Ceesvin exiting in second with a payday of PHP3,512,000 (~$59,700).

That left just one man standing, Joseph Cheong! Congratulations to Cheong on another APT title.

Day 2 of the Zodiac Classic has concluded. A recap of today's action will be available shortly

Abraham Ceesvin

Joseph Cheong opened the action on the button by raising to 175,000. Ceesvin responded with a raise to 550,000. Cheong moved all-in and Ceesvin quickly called with his 2,200,000.

Abraham Ceesvin: K♣ Q♥

Joseph Cheong: Q♦ 8♦

With a double up Ceesvin would be be almost tied again in chips, but the flop brought bad news for him as it came down T♠ 8♥ 5♣. The turn Q♣ and river 3♦ did help Ceesvin to beat Cheong's hand and he was eliminated in 2nd place. This means Joseph Cheong is the APT Zodiac Champion, his second title already this series, after winning the Superstar Challenge.

Joseph Cheong and Abraham Ceesvin both bring a huge stack into the final heads-up for Zodiac Classic.

Benjamin Jacobs

Benjamin Jacobs opened the button to 150,000 and Abraham Ceesvin defended from the big blind.

Both saw the flop come 2♠ T♦ 9♠, and Ceesvin checked the action to Jacobs, who bet 175,000. Ceesvin snap-called to the board-pairing 9♥ turn, where Jacobs shoved all in before Ceesvin check-called to put him at risk.

Benjamin Jacobs: K♠ 8♠

Abraham Ceesvin: J♥ 9♣

Ceesvin picked up the lead for the turned trips of nines, while the board brought flush draw to Jacob. Soon, an A♦ slammed on the river, sealing the fate for Jacobs to finish in third for a payday of PHP 2,476,000 (~$42,090).

Joseph Cheong

Abraham Ceesvin completed from the button and Cheon raised to 225,000. Ceesvin made the call and the flop came down 7♠ 6♠ 5♥ and Cheong bet out 200,000. Ceesvin called again and both players saw the K♠ on the turn. Cheong continued his aggression with a 600,000 bet. Ceesvin called once more.

On the river appeared the 2♥ and Cheong went with a polarizing 1,400,000 chips bet. Ceesvin only thought about it for a few seconds before making the call. Cheong tabled 4♣ 3♣ for a flopped straight and takes a commanding chip lead now.

Ngo Anh

Joseph Cheong opened from the button, and short stack Ngo Anh moved all-in, totaling 790,000. Cheong made the call and Anh's tournament life was at risk.

Joseph Cheong: A♠ K♠ Ngo Anh: A♦ 4♦

The board ran out T♠ 9♠ 7♣ 5♣ 5♥ and Anh has been eliminated in 4th place. For his efforts, he will take more than PHP 2,000,000 back home to Vietnam.

Yan Yee

It folded around to Benjamin Jacobs in the small-blind who raised to 150,000. Yan Yee defended his big-blind and they went heads-up to the flop. On K♥ 8♥ 3♣ Jacobs continued with a 80,000 bet. Yee called and on the turn appeared the T♦. Jacobs did not slow down, instead he bet 200,000. Yee called once more.

On the river came the 6♦ and without much thought Jacobs moved all-in, just covering Yee's 900,000 chips. After using multiple timebanks, Yee eventually decided to call.

Benjamin Jacobs: K♣ 6♣ Yan Yee: K♦ Q♥

That was an unfortunate river for Yee who gets rewarded with PHP 1,588,000 for his great tournament run.

Emmanuel Segismundo

Emmanuel Segismundo shoved all in on the cutoff and Abraham Ceesvin called from the small blind.

Emmanuel Segismundo: A♣ 7♣

Abraham Ceesvin: A♦ Q♠

Ceesvin picked up the lead with his queen, and it didn’t change even after the flop of 9♥ A♠ T♥. Segismundo was looking to spike a seven to win the pot, but the board didn’t come to his way as the dealer swiftly delivered a clean runout of 8♠ 9♦, sealing the deal of Segismundo’s elimination in sixth.

After loosing the hand against Ngo Anh, Ceesvin’s stack dropped to around 700,000, but he managed to double up throught his opponent right away.

Ngo Anh shoved all in from the small blind for around 850,000 and Abraham Ceesvin called off from the big blind.

Ngo Anh: 8♣ 8♦

Abraham Ceesvin: A♠ K♠

Anh held the lead with his snowmen, however, it didn’t last long as the flop wernt K♦ 3♦ 7♥, improving Ceesvin to a higher pair of kings. The dealer soon sent a clean runout of 7♦ J♠, giving Ceesvin a much-needed double up.