A single card can change everything in poker, sometimes in the cruelest way imaginable. That’s exactly what happened at the PHP 150,000 (USD $2,600) High Roller event at the Asian Poker Tour (APT) Manila Classic, where a jaw-dropping bad beat sent a seasoned player home empty-handed—just one spot away from the money.
A Heartbreaker on the Bubble
The tournament, held on Feb. 13, drew 85 players, generating a prize pool of PHP 11 million (around USD $190,000). With 12 players left, the tension was thick as the money bubble loomed. Every decision mattered, every move carried weight.
Sparrow Cheung, an experienced tournament grinder with over $2.7 million in live cashes, found himself on the short stack. When he looked down at A♦ A♠, it was a dream spot. He moved all in, hoping for a crucial double-up.
Kunal Patni, who was already having a strong series, called from the small blind with A♣ Q♣. But before things escalated further, the big blind shoved all-in as well—holding K♥ K♣.
Sensing trouble, Patni made a disciplined fold, leaving Cheung in a dominant position. His pocket aces were a massive favorite against kings, and a win would keep his tournament hopes alive.
The Poker Gods Had Other Plans
The flop came 2♦ J♥ A♣—a near-perfect outcome for Cheung. He now had a set of aces, reducing his opponent’s chances to near impossible. The only way the big blind could win? Runner-runner quads.
Unbelievably, the deck delivered.
The K♦ landed on the turn, sparking a flicker of hope for the player with pocket kings. Still, with just a 2% chance to win, it seemed like Cheung would survive.
Then came the dagger.
The K♠ on the river sealed one of the most devastating beats in recent APT history—giving the big blind quads and eliminating Cheung in 12th place, one spot away from the money.
Just like that, his tournament was over.
Patni’s Redemption and a Wild Finish
While Cheung walked away empty-handed, the story wasn’t over for Patni. The Indian poker pro, who had already made multiple deep runs at APT Manila, went on to win the tournament, taking home just over $50,000 after defeating Thailand’s Nopparut Piyatassakorn heads-up.
This marked Patni’s second victory of the series and his fourth cash. While he was a mere spectator during Cheung’s brutal bust-out, he made sure to capitalize on his opportunity.
Meanwhile, the APT Manila Classic had another major winner. Russia’s Ivan Govorov captured the Main Event title, securing PHP 11,069,680 (USD $190,201). His triumph was no easy feat, as he had to navigate through a field of 1,202 entrants—making it the largest APT Main Event ever held in the Philippines.
At one point, Govorov was down to just three big blinds at the final table. But poker is full of swings, and he rode an incredible heater to claim the championship.
Brutal Hands, Unforgettable Moments
Poker tournaments are filled with moments of triumph and heartbreak, but some hands stick in memory longer than others. Cheung’s brutal exit at the APT Manila Classic High Roller will go down as one of the worst possible bad beats a player can experience—runner-runner quads to bubble out of a tournament.
But that’s the game. And sometimes, all you can do is shake your head and move on.
