Marco Espela APT National Cup Champion

Marco Espela, a homegrown talent, has emerged victorious in the PHP 12,000 APT Philippines National Cup, besting a competitive field of 726 entries (425 unique players) to claim the iconic lion silhouette trophy and a top prize of Php 1,170,050. Espela cut a deal with Maggy Cenon who also banked Php 1,079,513 (~$ 18,350).

This tournament, boasting a prize pool of Php 7,436,563 (~$126,420), is officially the biggest and highest-paying APT Opening Event ever held in Manila, underscoring APT’s strong following in the Philippines despite a two-year hiatus.

Final Table Action

The pace was intense as thirty-minute blind levels quickly depleted players' stacks, pushing the action. After fourteen levels, the final table was set, with Korea’s Suya Lee narrowly missing out as the bubble for the largest APT opener event in Manila.

The champion entered the final nine with the chip lead, though holding only 30% of the total chips, making the outcome uncertain. China’s Lun Luo, who started third-lowest in chips, was the first to be eliminated. Luo’s pocket Jacks fell to Sunjong Yoo’s King-Queen when a Queen appeared on the board, sending Luo to the rail with PHP 112,000 (~$1,900) for his ninth-place finish.

Within a few hands, Taiwan’s Po Yu Chen, the shortest stack, followed Luo out of the tournament when his Ace-five fell to Ashley Patterson’s King-Queen, as Patterson completed a straight on the turn. Chen exited with a payout of Php 141,000 (~$2,400).

Alvir Inocentes 7th Place Finisher

The eliminations were coming thick and fast especially when Alvir Inocentes from the Philippines and Korea’s Sunjong Yoo found themselves in a three-way all-in against Mack Lee from Singapore who covered both players. Inocentes pocket Tens and Yoo’s Eight-Six suited didn’t have a chance when Lee caught a two-pair with his Ace-Jack on a paired board. Inocentes and Sunjong left the premises together taking with them Php 206,000 ($3,500) and Php 285,000 ($4,845) for 6th and 7th place, respectively.

Players were exiting rapidly, and the next to fall was Thailand’s Kiwanont Sukhum. He shoved with King-Queen suited but was eliminated by Cenon’s Ace-four offsuit, which hit trips on the flop, leaving Sukhum with no chance to recover. Sukhum’s deep run earned him a notable Php 371,000 (~$6,310).

The action continued as Ashley Patterson from the United States soon followed Sukhum’s exit. Unaware of what awaited, Patterson shoved all-in with King-Jack offsuit, only to run into Espela’s pocket Queens, which held strong. Patterson exited with Php 466,000 (~$7,920) in winnings.

And then there were three. However, this trio didn’t last long, as only a few hands after the previous elimination, Mack Lee from Singapore found himself all-in with Queen-Ten suited against Espela’s King-Queen. A Queen on the board couldn’t overcome Lee’s kicker disadvantage, but he was satisfied with the extra Php 1,079,513 (~$10,470) added to his winnings.

Maggy Cenon APT Philippines National Cup Runner-Up

The National Cup came down to an exciting heads-up battle between two Filipino players. With a commanding 9:1 chip lead, Espela seemed poised to swiftly eliminate Maggy Cenon following Lee’s departure. But Cenon had other plans, doubling up with Jack-Nine suited against Espela’s suited Six-Five, neither hand improving on the board. Following this, Cenon steadily chipped away at Espela’s stack until they were nearly even.

At that point, they agreed to an ICM deal, leaving additional cash and the prestigious Lion trophy still in play. In the final hand, Cenon went all-in with Jack-Eight offsuit against Espela’s King-Ten suited, and Espela paired his King on the board to clinch the win. Cenon celebrated her biggest cash prize to date with Php 1,079,513 (~$18,350).

This left Espela as the champion, taking home Php 1,170,050 (~$19,890), his largest career prize. Congratulations to both!

Maggy Cenon finsihed at 2nd Place

Maggy Cenon moved all-in for her remaining 2,285,000 from the button, putting her tournament life on the line. Marco Espela, after requesting a count, made the call, setting up a dramatic showdown.

Maggy Cenon: J 8

Marco Espela: K T

The dealer fanned out a flop of K 6 2 , giving Espela top pair and sending a wave of anticipation through the room. Cenon and her railbirds began packing up, exchanging handshakes with Espela as they braced for the end.

The turn brought the A , followed by the 8 on the river, sealing Cenon’s fate. She made her way to the payout counter to claim her prize as Espela celebrated his victory!

Marco Espela limped in on the button, and Maggy Cenon raised to 750,000 from the big blind. Espela called.

On the flop of 8 2 2 , the action went check-check. A 6 rolled off on the turn, where Cenon bet 500,000 and Espela called.

The river brought a board-pairing 8 , and both players checked to showdown. Cenon tabled J T for ten-high, but it was no match for Espela's queen-high with Q 9 .

Maggy Cenon limped in from the button and Marco Espela checked to take it into the streets.

Both saw a flop of J T K which checked through to see the 4 turn, where Espela bet 300,000 and Cenon called.

The river brought a J which paired with the board, and Espela fired 500,000, forcing Cenon to fold.

After intense deliberation, Marco Espela and Maggy Cenon reached an agreement to battle it out for the Php 52,550 prize and the coveted trophy. With the remaining prize pool secured through ICM calculations, the stakes were set, and the final showdown was ready to unfold.

The two finalists have paused play momentarily while they discuss a potential deal.

Keep it right here to see how that pans out.

Maggy Cenon just took down a few crucial pots, which almost evened out the counts!

First, Marco Espela raised to 410,000 from the button and Maggy Cenon made it 1,200,000 out of the big blind. Espela called.

They went to a flop of 4 3 K where Espela check-folded to Cenon's shove of around 2,000,000.

A few moments later, Espela raised to 320,000 and Cenon called.

On the J A 3 flop, Cenon checked and Espela bet 275,000. Cenon then put in a check-raise to 1,000,000, which got Espela to fold.

Mack Lee

Mack Lee opened the button to 320,000 and only Marco Espela called from the small blind.

Both read a flop of J 5 3 , and Espela checked the action to Lee, who then fired 250,000. Espela made the call after a short time.

They saw a Q land on the turn, where Espela checked again, and Lee fired out 650,000. Espela then shoved all in for around 5,575,000, and Lee called off his remaining chips, roughly 2,000,000.

Mack Lee: Q T

Marco Espela: K Q

Lee still had many outs to win the hand, but the dealer slammed a helpless A on the river to complete the board, meaning Lee was sent to the rail and bagged a PHP 616,000 (~$10,470) payout.

Maggy Cenon

Maggy Cenon opened from the button for 400,000, a bold move against massive chip leader Marco Espela, who held a staggering 9:1 lead and called without hesitation. The dealer laid down a flop of 4 A 7 , and Espela checked, giving Cenon the green light. She seized the moment, shoving all-in, and Espela snap-called.

Maggy Cenon: J 9

Marco Espela: 6 5

Cenon was ahead, but Espela had an open-ended straight draw, one card away from ending her tournament run. The tension spiked as the turn came 2 , followed by the T on the river, leaving Espela’s draw incomplete. Cenon’s bold play paid off as she scooped the pot, doubling up and keeping her tournament hopes alive!

Ashley Patterson

Ashley Patterson shipped for around 1,350,000 from the cutoff four-handed, and Marco Espela called from the button.

Ashley Patterson: Q J

Marco Espela: Q Q

Patterson started to stand up after the 8 4 4 flop left him drawing extremely thin. A T on the turn did give him some outs, but the 7 river wasn't what he needed, and he was out in fourth, just shy of the podium places.