APPT Manila 2026 Main Event Sets Record Field of 1,413 Entries

mrinal-gujare
By Mrinal Gujare
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  • APPT Manila 2026 sets new records: 1,413 entries & PHP 97.6M prize pool
  • Joungsun Kim leads 269 Day 2 qualifiers; 207 will cash
  • Defending champion Justin Ong is eliminated before Day 2
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The APPT Manila 2026 Main Event set tournament records at Okada Manila, drawing 1,413 total entries and a PHP 97.6M prize pool. Joungsun Kim leads 269 Day 2 survivors, while 207 players will cash for a PHP 15.53M top prize.

The Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) Manila 2026 festival has reached a landmark achievement at Okada Manila. 

Playing out inside Cove Manila, the PHP 80,000 (~USD 1,300) buy-in Main Event attracted a record-breaking field of 1,413 entries across four starting flights.

The massive turnout produced a PHP 97,666,560 (~USD 1.608 million) prize pool, making this the largest Main Event in APPT Manila history in both overall participation and total prize money.

This year's figures reflect substantial growth compared to prior editions. The 2024 Main Event drew 1,304 entries and generated a prize pool of approximately PHP 91 million. 

In 2025, the tournament recorded 1,246 entries and around PHP 87 million in prize money. The 2026 turnout surpassed both years while also clearing the initial PHP 60 million (~USD 1 million) tournament guarantee by more than PHP 37 million. 

The venue experienced heavy foot traffic throughout the opening phase, with players, spectators, and poker fans filling Cove Manila daily.

Four Starting Flights Yield 269 Day 2 Qualifiers

Participation expanded progressively over four starting flights:

  • Day 1A: 300 entries / 47 survivors
  • Day 1B: 348 entries / 56 survivors
  • Day 1C: 527 entries / 94 survivors
  • Day 1D Turbo: 238 entries / 72 survivors

Day 1C proved to be the largest flight of the series with 527 entries. Every starting flight passed the 200-entry threshold, eventually leaving 269 players with bagged stacks for Day 2.

Joungsun Kim established the benchmark for the field after topping Day 1A with 855,000 chips (171 big blinds). Kim holds a significant advantage heading into the combined field on Day 2, returning with nearly double the stack of his nearest competitors.

Wesley Zikai Huang and Cezar Quiambao share second position on the leaderboard, with each player bagging 484,000 chips (121 big blinds).

Payout Structure, Bubble Details, and Title Defense

Of the 269 returning players, 207 will earn a payout, requiring 62 eliminations on Day 2 before the money bubble bursts.

The minimum payout is set at PHP 128,000 (~USD 2,100). The ultimate winner will receive a top prize of PHP 15,530,000 (~USD 255,800).

A new champion will be guaranteed this year. Defending titleholder Justin Ong was unable to advance through any of the four starting flights, ending his title defense prior to Day 2.

Day 2 will feature 60-minute blind levels. Play will initially focus on eliminating the final 62 players outside the payouts before surviving contenders begin accumulating chips for a potential final table run.
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