Yohei Kitazato

Yohei Kitazato emerged victorious in the APT High Roller at the 2025 APT Manila Classic, overcoming a tough field of 127 entries (90 unique) to claim the Bronze Lion Trophy and the PHP 5,360,600 (~$92,107) top prize. The Japanese pro navigated a rollercoaster final table, securing a dramatic triple-up with quad kings before closing out Leon Sturm in heads-up play.

Along with the title, Kitazato also locked up a TWD 350,000 (~$10,700) seat for the upcoming APT Championship later this year, which boasts a TWD 165 million (~$5 million) guaranteed prize pool. With this victory under his belt, he now sets his sights on an even bigger stage, hoping to extend his winning run.

The PHP 21,945,600 (~$380,370) prize pool was shared among the top 17 finishers, with players battling through a tense bubble phase before shifting their focus to the final table. Sturm, who came within reach of the title, was forced to settle for runner-up, while Benjamin Jacobs rounded out the podium in third place.

The road to victory was anything but smooth for Kitazato, who entered heads-up play with a commanding lead but quickly saw it evaporate. However, a massive hand where his turned nut flush cracked Sturm’s flopped set sealed the momentum shift, leaving his opponent short-stacked. Moments later, Kitazato put the tournament to rest, ensuring his name would be etched into APT history.

APT High Roller Final Table Results

*Also wins a TWD 350,000 APTC seat

The final day began with 35 hopefuls, all aiming to navigate their way into the money before setting their sights on the final table. Early exits included Zhen Chen (32nd), Victor Dai (30th), Daniel Smiljkovic (27th), and Florencio Campomanes (26th), each falling short of a cash.

As the bubble approached, the tension grew, with Rishi Mehra (21st), Michael Allen (20th), and Thijs Hilberts (19th) coming painfully close to a payday. Emilien Pitavy then found himself at risk, running pocket jacks into Shinya Maeda’s pocket kings. Just when it seemed his tournament was over, a fortunate jack on the turn kept his hopes alive—much to the frustration of Seong Uk Huh, who remained short-stacked.

Huh’s fate was ultimately sealed as his queen-jack couldn’t overcome Pitavy’s ace-jack, officially bursting the bubble and securing the final 17 players a place in the money.

Seung Uk Huh (right) bubbles APT High Roller

Bao Qiang Ho (14th) and Scott Margereson (13th) fell just shy of the final table, as did the last remaining APT Lion Trophy holder, Thanisorn Saelor—the 2023 APT Incheon High Roller champion.

Saelor’s run came to an end in a crucial flip, as his ace-queen went up against Benjamin Jacobs’ pocket tens. A clean board for Jacobs meant no comeback for Saelor—who bowed out in eleventh—while Jacobs surged to the top of the chip counts heading into the final table.

Thanisorn Saelor

When the final table began, the average stack sat just below thirty big blinds. However, per APT policy, major final tables must start with an average of at least thirty big blinds, prompting a rollback to Level 22 to ensure deeper play.

The final table saw its first elimination just four hands in, as Seungmook Jung, who started one off the bottom of the counts, moved all in for around ten big blinds with ace-six. Emilien Pitavy called with ace-ten, and while Jung picked up an open-ended straight draw on the flop and additional chop outs on the turn, he couldn’t find the help he needed. Pitavy’s kicker held, sending Jung to the rail in ninth.

Vlada Stojanovic was the next to fall after shoving from the button with ace-jack, only to be called by Sturm in the big blind with ace-queen. With no help from the board, Stojanovic’s run came to an end in eighth place.

Adalsteinn Karlsson

Adalsteinn Karlsson, fresh off an eighth-place finish in the APT Main Event yesterday, was the next to hit the rail. Entering the final table as the short stack—just as he had in the Main Event—Karlsson once again found a way to climb the payouts, this time laddering up two spots. The Icelandic player's run came to an end when he shoved the river with queen-jack, only to run into Pitavy's full house with pocket queens.

With six players remaining, Sturm and Benjamin Jacobs had begun to distance themselves from the rest, holding nearly two-thirds of the chips in play between them. But just as they seemed poised to tighten their grip, a monstrous three-way all-in reshaped the tournament in an instant.

John Matsuda

Nopparut Piyatassakorn moved all in with ace-seven suited, looking for a much-needed double, only for John Matsuda to shove over the top with pocket jacks. Just as the two were ready to sweat the runout, Pitavy looked down at pocket aces in the big blind and instantly called, putting both opponents at risk. The runout brought no miracles, as Pitavy’s rockets held firm to secure a double knockout, eliminating Piyatassakorn in sixth and Matsuda in fifth. Just like that, the tournament was down to its final four.

Four-handed play stretched on as the remaining players traded chips, each looking for an edge. Eventually, Sturm cranked up the aggression, shoving jack-nine from the small blind into Pitavy in the big blind. Pitavy made the correct call with ace-seven, but the deck put an end to his run—a jack landed on the flop, sealing his fate and sending him to the rail just shy of the podium.

Emilien Pitavy

Kitazato had nursed a short stack all the way to the final three and was looking for a breakthrough. He found a much-needed double-up when he got it in with ace-jack against Jacobs’ king-jack. A king-high flop looked like the end for Kitazato, but the deck had other plans—running clubs gave him a flush, keeping him in contention.

Jacobs, however, struck back shortly after, winning a crucial flip with pocket fours against Kitazato’s ace-ten to reclaim some of those lost chips. But just moments later, the tournament was completely turned on its head with a three-way all-in.

Sturm shoved the button with ten-nine, and Jacobs quickly called from the small blind with ace-eight. Kitazato, waking up with pocket kings in the big blind, snap-called—and the deck delivered quads, tripling him up in at just the right time. Jacobs took the side pot and in an instant, the leaderboard flipped upside down.

Benjamin Jacobs

Despite taking the side pot in that three-way hand, Jacobs had his stack at risk again shortly after with ten-nine, and had to overcome the king-queen of Kitazato. However, a king-high flop was enough to end Jacobs' run in third.

Kitazato entered heads-up play with a five-to-two chip lead, but that advantage vanished almost immediately. On the very first hand of the duel, Sturm found a crucial double-up. Holding queen-eight, he turned trips and confidently called Kitazato’s river shove. Kitazato, who had paired his ace holding ace-queen, was left stunned as the chips slid across the table, resetting the battle to around even stacks.

A huge hand then played out as Sturm's flopped set with pocket threes was taken down by the turned nut flush of Kitazato, who held ace-ten. The chips found themselves in the middle on the river after Kitazato went bet-bet-jam, and Sturm was left on life support with less than three big blinds.

Leon Sturm

Sturm managed to stay alive with back-to-back double-ups—first, his pocket nines held against Kitazato’s jack-five, and shortly after, his king-nine prevailed over seven-six. However, the climb back was simply too steep, and his hopes of a full comeback were ultimately crushed shortly after.

In the final hand of the night, Sturm paired his three on the flop with four-three and got his chips in on the turn against Kitazato’s jack-nine, who had flopped top pair. The river blanked, sealing the victory for Kitazato, while Sturm was forced to settle for second place.

As champions are crowned and fortunes are won, Kitazato's victory serves as a reminder that resilience and well-timed aggression can turn the tide in even the toughest battles. With his APT Championship seat secured, his journey is far from over—his next challenge awaits on an even bigger stage later this year.

Yohei Kitazato claims the APTC seat

Hand 124:

Leon Sturm found 4 3 on the button and made the call. Yohei Kitazato checked his option with J 9 .

Both were treated to a flop of 7 J 3 .

Both checked to see a A on the turn. Kitazato bet 500,000 and Sturm fired all-in for his last 1,100,000. Kitazato snap called.

Sturm had 5 outs on the river and all Kitazato had to do was "hold baby" as APT Host Greg announced.

The river came 5 giving Kitazato all the tournament chips and declaring him the champion of the APT High Roller.

Sturm's APT High Roller runner-up finish will add more to his USD 7 Million total live earnings.

Leon Sturm

Hand 121: Yohei Kitazato moved all-in for 12,000,000 on the button with J 5 , and Leon Sturm instantly called with 9 9 , putting his tournament life at risk.

The flop came A K 5 , giving Kitazato bottom pair but keeping Sturm in the lead.

The 8 turn gave Sturm a flush draw, further strengthening his position.

The 5 river completed his flush for the winning hand—though Greg Liow mistakenly celebrated a Kitazato victory for trips on the river, much to Sturm’s and everyone’s amusement.

Hand 122: On the button, Leon Sturm moved all-in for 860,000 with K 9 and was called by Yohei Kitazato with 7 6 , putting Sturm’s tournament life at risk.

The flop came 4 3 K , giving Sturm top pair.

The T turn kept him ahead, securing his double-up, and the 2 river was merely a formality.

Hand123: Kitazato raised to 500,000 on the button with J 3 and was called by Sturm, who held 9 2 .

Both players checked the runout of A A 6 5 4 . Kitazato scooped the pot for his Jack-high.

Yohei Kitazato

Hand 117: Yohei Kitazato found 8 8 on the button and raised to 400,000. Leon Sturm found A 6 in the big blind and defended.

The flop came 2 7 3 , Sturm checked and Kitazato led for 650,000.

Sturm made the call to open a K on the turn.

Both checked to see a K fall on the river. Sturm checked and Kitazato shoved all-in for 4,100,000. Sturm went into the tank, before folding.

Hand 118: Sturm completed the small blind with J 3 and Kitazato checked his big blind with A 3 .

A flop of J 2 9 saw Kitazato check and Sturm bet 250,000.

Kitazato matched the bet to bring a 6 on the turn.

Kitazato checked again, and folded when Sturm bet 900,000.

Hand 119: Kitazato raised and Sturm folded.

Hand 120: Sturm called the blind with 3 3 . Kitazato raised to 400,000 with A T and Sturm matched him.

Both players were given a flop of K 6 3 . Kitazatio bet 700,000 and Sturm called to open a 8 on the turn.

Kitazato led out for 1,200,000 and Sturm called to peel a 2 on the river.

Kitazato took a moment then jammed all in. Sturm made the call.

Kitazato's turned nut-flush doubled up from Sturm's flopped set of threes.

Yohei Kitazato

Hand 116: On the first hand of heads-up play, Leon Sturm completed on the button with Q 8 . Yohei Kitazato woke up with A Q and raised to 600,000 from the big blind. Sturm called, sending both players to the flop.

The flop came 8 J 5 and Kitazato continued with a bet. Having hit a pair, Sturm flat-called.

Kitazato then checked the 8 turn, allowing Sturm to take the lead with a 900,000 bet with his trips.

After taking his time to consider his options, Kitazato made the call.

The A river complicated things for him, improving his hand to two pair and he moved all-in for 6,900,000. Sturm snap-called.

Just as heads-up play had begun the tides turned, with Sturm scooping the massive pot to take the chip lead.

Players are on a break to allow the APT staff to set up the heads-up stage.

Benjamin Jacobs with Yohei Kitazato

Hand 115: Right after the monster hand from earlier, Benjamin Jacobs moved all-in on the button and was called by Yohei Kitazato in the big blind, putting Jacobs' tournament life at risk and taking both players to a showdown.

Benjamin Jacobs: T 9

Yohei Kitazato: K Q

Kitazato flopped top pair on K J 4 , but Jacobs picked up a gutshot straight draw, keeping his hopes alive. However, the J 4 runout didn’t improve his hand, and Jacobs was eliminated in 3rd place.

Yohei Kitazato

Hand 114: Sturm shoved all-in for 7,300,000 on the button and Benjamin Jacobs called in the small blind for around 3,200,000. Yohei Kitazato was in the big blind and snap-called for his 2,100,000.

Yohei Kitazato: K K

Benjamin Jacobs: A 8

Leon Sturm: T 9

The flop came T K Q to give the lead to Kitazato with a set of kings. The turn brought a K to assure Kitazato a triple-up with quads.

However, Sturm was still ahead against Jacobs, who needed to hit the river to stay alive. The poker gods threw in a Q to counterfeit the pair of Sturm and award Jacobs the side pot with his Ace kicker.

Hand 111: Yohei Kitazato kept the blinds.

Hand 112: Kitazato raised to 500,000 on the small blind with K 4 and Sturm defended the big blind with T 8 .

Both were given a flop of T 3 9 .

Kitazato check-called when Sturm bet out 350,000 to see a Q turn.

Both checked to see a 6 river. Kitazato bet out 800,000 and Sturm made an easy call to win the pot.

Hand 113: Sturm found 9 7 on the small blind and raised to 525,000 to win the blinds.

Hand 108: Leon Sturm holding A 9 raised to 320,000 on the button and got a caller in Yohei Kitazato, in the big blind, holding Q 7 .

Sturm hit top pair on the flop 5 8 9 but it also gave Kitazato a gut-shot draw. Kitazato passed the action to Sturm, allowing the latter to fire 380,000. Kitazato called.

Now with an open-ended straight draw, Kitazato check-called Sturms bet of 650,000 on the T turn.

Despite missing his draw on the 4 , Kitazato went all-in for a bluff sending Sturm into the tank. After a few seconds of consideration, Sturm folded the winning hand conceding the pot to Kitazato.

Hand 109: Kitazato with J 9 completed the blind and Sturm checked in the big blind.

The dealer fanned 5 A T and Kitazato led with 350,000 and Sturm called.

Both players checked the turn 5 .

Kitazato put pressure on Sturm by betting 400,000 on the river T but instead Sturm pushed back with a 1,500,000 raise. Kitazata took time to consider his options burning a time bank card but ultimately folded his hand.

Hand 110: With pocket sixes on the button, Kitazato jammed all-in and scooped the pot.