Seat 1, Linh Tran (Canada) - 1,870,000

Linh Tran hails from Canada and plays full time on PokerStars, where you will see him grinding cash games on the $1/2 limits. He's been playing poker for ten years now and learned the sport on TV.

Tran cites winning APT Cambodia as his best result to this point. That victory in Sihanoukville earned him $26,130. He's really enjoyed playing within the venue this week and alongside great players. He says winning a large flip on Day 3 with jacks versus ace-king was crucial in helping him get to the overall table.

Seat 2, Mike Takayama, 27 (Philippines) - 670,000

Mike Takayama hails from the town of Caloocan and is a qualified poker player. He's been playing for three years and learnt by watching other folks play the sport. He loves to play "high stakes" and his biggest achievement thus far is taking down an APT event on this very city for $79,041.

His heroes in life are God and his family. The article he's enjoyed most about this event is the challenges he's faced when competing with the opposite players. The concept of winning the title and trophy is what's kept him going to this point.

Seat 3, Sam Razavi, 35 (England) - 500,000

Sam Razavi lives within the Philippines but originally hails from Brighton on England's south coast. He's a certified poker player and he's been playing for 12 years. His greatest tournament result thus far was taking down ANZPT Melbourne in 2012.

Razavi says he only has one hero on the planet and that's the reason his pal Babis Lappas. He says that holding in there time and again when all of it seemed doomed was essentially the most enjoyable thing about this tournament up to now. He says he also should not have got to the overall table without his life hero wife Menchu who convinced him to stick and stick it out, instead of leave for Cebu, when he was feeling down and tired. As for his hobbies, he says Tasties and Menchu could have the solution to that too.

Seat 4, Seongsu Kong, 47 (Korea) - 970,000

Seongsu Kong comes from Seoul in Korea and says he loves to entertain for a living! He's only been playing poker for 365 days and learned at Holdem School. This result (already) is his greatest poker achievement. He came second in an aspect event last month so wherever he finishes within the final, he's already eclipsed that result.

That was his first ever tournament and it led him to play here in Manila where he feels blessed and honoured to play with such great players. His Mum and dad are his heroes and in his spare time he loves to play soccer.

Seat 5, Joven Huerto, 41 (Philippines) - 355,000

Joven Huerto comes from town of Cainta here within the Philippines and is a Marketing Manager by day. He's been playing for 7 years and learned from his friends. He loves to play cash games starting from PHP500/100 as much as PHP 100/200. His greatest poker achievement to this point was making the APT final here in Manila last December.

Huerto's heroes in life are his wife and three kids - they're his inspiration. He loves the reality that's he's run so deep this week and very hopes he can win. The challenge of playing Asia'a best players, like Celina Lin and Bryan Huang, have helped bring him to this point.

Seat 8, Alan Lau, 29 (Hong Kong) - 1,015,000

Alan Lau is a certified poker player from Hong Kong and have been playing the sport for 4.5 years. He first learned the sport by reading Colin Moshmann book: Sit n Go Strategy. He loves to play any MTT tournaments with a buy in below $1million! Lau's greatest tournament result thus far was coming second within the Baby Dragon tournament in Macau.

His cites his poker heroes because the members of Team Chu and the admins from HKPPA. The article he's liked most about this tournament is that the structure is so great, and he isn't even kidding! The support of his fiancé Amy and all his dear friends are a very powerful reasons he's got this far. When Lau's not playing poker he loves to hearken to music.

Seat 7, Jesse Leonarez, 29 (Philippines) - 4,595,000

Jesse Leonarez from Pasig here within the Philippines will head in to the overall table as overwhelming chip leader. He's a qualified poker player and have been plying his trade for six years. He learned the sport with friends on the Metro Card Club and loves to play "high stakes". That is Leonarez's second appearance in a row on the APPT Manila final table after he won PHP2.083 million for finishing third last year, and he's in an excellent position to do better this year.

His hero is God and he loves challenging himself against the most efficient player at each table he's on the. big prize pool on offer and the idea of having his hands at the trophy has carried him up to now so far.

Seat 8, Bruno Tzu Chien Lo, 30 (Taiwan) - 860,000

Taiwan's Bruno Tzu Chien Lo tells us he's been playing poker for 6 years and originally learned the sport by enjoying online tournaments and setting up hours studying. His best live result thus far was an outstanding 1st-place finish within the Macau Poker Cup 24 Megastack event earlier this year for $29,564.

Lo tells us what he's enjoyed most concerning the tournament this week is talking to players. He attributes his discipline at the felt for this final table appearance. When he isn't playing poker, Lo enjoys tennis and reading.

Seat 9, Sang Yong Lee, 38 (Korea) - 795,000

Sang Yong Lee hails from Korea and have been playing poker for a decade now. He says that he got his start fiddling with friends and now frequents private games. Lee only has one live cash up to now which was within the APPT Cebu Main Event back in 2012. By locking up a seat on the final table Lee has already ensured himself his biggest score yet.

Lee tells us that a very powerful moment to get him thus far within the tournament was winning with ace-king against a tablemate's pockets tens. Clear of the tables Lee can often be found watching movies.

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: Asia Pacific Poker Tour]