Local Legend Mike Takayama Makes History with Victory in Record-Breaking APPT Manila Main Event

Largest APPT Main Event in Manila’s History

This year's APPT Manila Main Event, with a buy-in of 80,000 PHP (about $1,300), highlighted the phenomenal growth of poker in Asia. The tournament, hosted at the luxurious Okada Manila resort, attracted a record-breaking 1,413 entries, making it the largest edition of the event's history.

The initial guarantee of 60 million PHP was shattered, and the final prizepool reached 97,666,560 PHP (around $1.6 million). A total of 207 players shared in the financial rewards.

A Dramatic Finale Full of Miracles and Missteps

Mike Takayama's journey to the title was an emotional rollercoaster. A critical moment came against Yang Yung Mao when Takayama faced elimination on the turn with Q-Q against an opponent’s A-K. With only one "out" showing on the screen, it miraculously appeared on the river, sparking an eruption of joy at Cove Manila.

The tournament also featured other unbelievable stories. Florencio Campomanes staged an almost impossible comeback, clawing his way back from just 0.15 big blinds in the final three to finish in second place.

On the flip side, Fernan Co experienced a tragic exit, finishing in 4th place due to a painful misunderstanding of Seunghyuk Jung's verbal all-in, mistakenly thinking it was just a small bet.

With this victory, Mike Takayama moved to the top of the tournament earnings list among all Filipino players, approaching the $5 million mark.

You can watch the entire final day, filled with these incredible moments, on YouTube:

Final Table Results of APPT Manila Main Event:

Sources: SoMuchPoker, YouTube

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