Xin Hua Lai Wins the Massive APPT Manila Main Event
The 2022 PokerStars Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) Manila Main Event crowned its champion this weekend, and Xin Hua Lai is the player that finished on top of the pile. Lai outlasted 800 opponents from 35 countries to secure the trophy, a top prize worth ₱5,973,000 ($107,467), and a ₱57,000 ($1,025) Road to PSPC package. Dutch grinder Thijs Hilberts finished second for the second time in as many outings.
APPT Manila Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xin Hua Lai | Singapore | ₱5,973,000 | $107,467* |
| 2 | Thijs Hilberts | Netherlands | ₱6,071,000 | $109,230* |
| 3 | Dhanesh Chainani | Singapore | ₱5,409,000 | $97,319* |
| 4 | Zhao Feng | Singapore | ₱2,780,000 | $50,018 |
| 5 | Seina Asagirii | Japan | ₱2,197,000 | $39,527 |
| 6 | Wonchul Bae | South Korea | ₱1,654,000 | $29,758 |
| 7 | Kim Michael Enriquez | Philippines | ₱1,184,000 | $21,302 |
| 8 | Woosok Hong | South Korea | ₱827,000 | $14,878 |
| 9 | Jason Magbanua | Philippines | ₱658,745 | $11,851 |
*reflects a three-handed deal
All finalist won a ₱22,000 ($395) Road to PSPC seat, with the champion receiving a ₱57,000 ($1,025) Road to PSPC package
Ferdinand Lu of the Philippines was the player who burst the final table bubble. Lu crashed out in tenth place, narrowly missing out on a ₱22,000 ($395) Road to PSPC seat that were part of the ₱45,452,745 ($816,378) prize pool.
Jason Magbanua's time at the final table was short-lived with the man from the Philippines crashing out in ninth for ₱658,745 ($11,851). Woosok Hong of South Korea and Kim Michael Enriquez of the Philippines were the next finalists heading to the cashier's cage to collect their rewards for their deep runs. Hong grabbed ₱827,000 ($14,878) while Enriquez netted ₱1,184,000 ($21,302).
Seina Asagiri ran out of steam and return to his native Japan with ₱2,197,000 ($39,527) to show for his efforts. Zhao Feng saw his tournament end in fourth place, a finish worth ₱2,780,000 ($50,018).
The final three players decided to make the pay jumps less severe by agreeing to an ICM deal. That deal left ₱900,000 ($16,197) extra for the eventual winner, in addition to the trophy and the ₱57,000 ($1,025) Road to PSPC package.
Lai was the shortest stack of the final three players, but his ace-jack hit top pair to win a three-way all-in against the pocket nines of Thijs Hilberts and the king-queen of Dhanesh Chainani. The trio were all-in together shortly after that hand, Lai holding pocket sevens against the king-ten of Hilberts and the queen-jack of Chainani. A seven on the flop put Lai in front and although Chainani improved to flush on the river, the flush-completing eight of spades gifted Lai a full house and the victory.
The ₱5,409,000 ($97,319) Chainani collected is his largest score. Hilberts, who finished second in this event when it last run in 2019, banked ₱6,071,000 ($109,230) for his back-to-back runner-up finish.
