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    Parise, a 22-year-old political science student originally from Indiana in the USA, outlasted a field of 255 players at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino, to pocket the first prize of $179,775: one of the biggest tournament prizes ever awarded in Asian poker.

   The American entered the inaugural APPT in a stylish fashion, earning his ticket to the Philippines after qualifying for the tournament via a free-entry tournament on PokerStars.

"It's so exciting to become the APPT's first ever champion, especially as I won the trip and my seat in the Manila APPT event from a free tournament online at PokerStars," said Parise who captured the trophy after enduring eight hours in the final table.

 "This gave me not only a great opportunity to test my poker skills, but also to visit Asia and experience this totally different culture. It was also an awesome bonus to take down my first professional poker title in front of my mother who was also able to come as part of my PokerStars package."

    Holding a 2:1 chip lead when the heads-up battle with Thailand-based US lawyer Ira Blumenthal started, Parise gradually wore down his more experienced opponent. On the final hand, Parise called the all-in bet of Blumenthal with a pair of 10s. Blumenthal's hand of J 5 was dominated and did not improve on a board of Ks Qc 9c Kh 9h.

     "He had a lot more chips than I did. He is a very solid player and never gave me a chance. There's nothing I could do,'' said the American solicitor who is looking forward to making amends in the second leg in Seoul.

     The minor placings were filled by another US student Nicholas Bamman (third), PokerStars' Supernova Van Marcus (Australia) and Maor Feldinger, an Israeli student playing in his first major poker tournament.

      The APPT continues next month at the Paradise Seoul Casino at the Walker Hill Hotel in Seoul, South Korea. That event is scheduled for September 26-30. The APPT grand final will then be held at Star City Casino in Sydney from December 13-16.

Final results (APPT Manila, Hyatt Hotel and Casino, Manila, Philippines)

Brett Parise (USA) $179,775

Ira Blumenthal (Thailand) $113,858

Nicholas Bamman (USA) $62,921

Van Marcus (Australia) $44,940

Maor Feldinger (Isreal) $35,955

Roger Spets (Sweden) $26,966

Bas van Liere (Netherlands) $20,974

Kazuhiro Sato (Japan) $14,981

Derrick Hernandez (Philippines) $11,386

Steve Junhee Yea (South Korea) $8390

Carlo Gosselin (Thailand) $8390

D'amor Nario (Philippines) $8390

Alexander Fitzgerald (USA) $5993

Carlos Lascano (Philippines) $5993

Ronald Javier (Philippines) $5993

Se Jin Lee (South Korea) $5993

Eric Sia $4794

Nicolas Chouity (Lebanon) $4794

Steven Djingga (Indonesia) $4794

Kelly Flynn (USA) $4794

Seung Soo Jeon (South Korea) $4794

Ronald Singson $4794

Jean-Marc Hauducoeur (France) $4794

Dan Idema (Canada) $4794