Main Event

Richard Marquez steamrolled thew final 6 table knocking out four players just like he did in Day 3. At heads up, Marquez denied WSOP champ Mike Takayama the title by claiming pot after pot to cripple him down then eventually out. Marquez lifted his first-ever major championship title and the massive PHP 4,850,000 (US$93,000) first prize.

We will have a recap for you shortly.

Mike Takayama has fallen! Takayama may have multiple trophies on his poker altar but a PPWC championship title is not one of them. He did win a side event last night so PPPoker is still represented among his victories. Today though, it was not his for the taking. His final hand saw Richard Marquez raise to 170k, Takayama called. At the flop 5♥ T♣ 7♣ , Takayama checked, Marquez fired 200k, Takayama raised to 470k, Marquez shoved, and Takayama called for his tournament life.

Marquez 8♦ 8♠ Takayama 5♦ 7♦ two pair

Takayama was ahead but Marquez announced a ten would turn up, and it did. The turn slapped a T♦ for a higher two pair to Marquez. With the river A♥ , Takayama fell in 2nd place. He earned PHP 2,716,000 for his superb run.

With a raised pot before them, the flop landed J♦ T♣ 3♥ . Mike Takayama checked, Richard Marquez slid out 165k, called by Takayama. On the A♥ turn, no bets came. On the river A♠ , Takayama bet 405k, Marquez folded.

Limped pot, the flop ran 6♥ 3♠ 2♣ . Richard Marquez checked, Mike Takayama bet 80k, called by the leader. The turn Q♠ , Marquez jumped out with a 200k bet, Takayama called. On the river A♣ , Marquez fired 410k, Takayama folded.

After losing multiple pots to Richard Marquez, Mike Takayama charged back to try and regain the lost chips. On one hand, a flop K♠ J♠ 3♦ was felted, Takayama checked then called an 80k bet. On the 9♦ turn, no bets. The river 7♥ saw a 250k bet by Takayama and Marquez folded.

Raised pot preflop, the board fell T♥ T♦ 2♣ , turn K♣ , river 4♠ , no bets landed and Takayama won it with Q♠ 9♠ .

With the flop showing 8♥ 6♠ 2♣ and a limped pot in the middle, Mike Takayama check-called a 100k bet. On the 8♣ turn, no bets. The river 7♠ , Takayama bet 350k, Marquez folded.

By the rate the game is going, Richard Marquez will be locking this up. He has been on a roll winning consecutive pots to create a gap of 5:1. His recent win saw flop A♦ 3♦ T♣ with a raised pot preflop. Marquez checked, Mike Takayama bet 70k, called. On the 3♥ turn, no bets, then on the river 7♥ , Marquez bet 200k, Takayama called, Marquez showed A♠ 2♠ , Takayama mucked.

Richard Marquez raised to 140k, Mike Takayama called. At the flop 4♥ 8♦ T♥ , Takayama checked to the raiser, Marquez bet and a quick fold from Takayama. Marquez showed his A♦ A♠ .

The first round of heads up clearly went to Richard Marquez. He won a large majority of the pots. Here’s how they stand at the break:

Richard Marquez 9,225,000 Mike Takayama 2,265,000

Heads up has begun. First pot went to Mike Takayama but a majority of the next pots went to the leader Richard Marquez.

On a flop 6♥ 2♥ 4♦ , Takayama checked, Marquez bet 80k, called. On the J♠ turn, Takayama checked, Marquez fired 300k, called. The river 9♠ saw the same action with another 300k bet by Marquez check-called by Takayama. Marquez showed J♦ 7♠ and won it. Takayama mucked.

Marquez won another after. Takayama limped in, Marquez raised 160k, called. The board ran K♠ J♠ A♣ K♣ with no bets until the river 4♠ . Marquez bet 250k, Takayama folded.

On a flop J♣ 4♣ 2♦ , Marquez checked, Takayama slid out 70k, called. The turn A♦ saw no bets to bring on the river 2♣ . Marquez checked, Takayama bet 100k, Marquez called. Takayama showed 6♠ 5♣ air, Marquez won with 7♥ 4♦ pair.

Takayama limped, Marquez raised to 160k, called by Takayama. At the flop A♠ J♠ 3♣ , Marquez checked, Takayama slid out 160k, Marquez raised to 400k, Takayama called. On the 3♥ turn, Marquez shoved his monstrous stack, Takayama folded.

Marquez raised to 170k, Takayama called, the flop ran K♣ J♦ 5♦ . Both checked and the turn 8♣ saw Takayama check, Marquez bet 100k, called. The river A♥ both checked. Takayama Q♣ 9♥ miss, Marquez won with 9♠ 9♦ .

With the fall of Lester Edoc, we are now heads up!

Lester Edoc will not be claiming the title here as he was just bounced out by none other than the “executioner” Richard Marquez. From button, Edoc limped in, sb Marquez raised to 205k, bb Mike Takayama folded, back to Edoc who jammed. Marquez snap-called with A♠ A♣ , Edoc had 8♣ 8♠ . The board ran dry for Edoc K♦ 2♦ 5♥ 6♥ 6♠ . Edoc earned PHP 1,649,000 for his great run.

From button position, Richard Marquez raised to 130k, both Mike Takayama and Lester Edoc called. At the flop A♦ 7♦ 2♦ , blinds checked, Marquez c-bet 150k, only Takayama called to see the turn J♦ . Takayama checked, Marquez bet 200k, called. On the river 3♦ , check by Takayama again, Marquez slid out 300k, and got the call. Marquez won the pot with K♦ Q♠ nut flush. Takayama had A♣ Q♦ flush.

Marquez at 5.3M, Takayama down to 3.3M, Edoc at 2.2M.

That’s it! It is an all Filipino affair final 3 with the fall of Irishman Mark Gruendemann in 4th place. Utg Gruendemann raised to 120k, button Lester Edoc called, bb Mike Takayama shoved, Gruendemann risked his tournament life, Edoc folded. Gruendemann A♥ Q♠ , Takayama K♦ K♣ . The board bricked T♣ 4♠ 2♦ 3♣ 6♦ . Gruendemann earned PHP 1,261,000 for his deep finish.

Mike Takayama in the driver’s seat with around 5.3M. Marquez at 4M and Edoc around 2M.

Sb Richard Marquez raised to 205k, Mike Takayama thee-bet to 480k, Marquez folded. Takayama showed Q♥ Q♣ .

With four remaining, small pots being won around the table. One of the pots went to Lester Edoc. On a flop 4♦ 8♦ 4♥ , sb Lester Edoc bet 180k and bb Richard Marquez called. On the 5♣ turn, Edoc slid out 400k, Marquez folded.

Richard Marquez raised from utg and both blinds called, Mark Gruendemann and Lester Edoc. At the flop 9♦ K♠ T♣ , blinds checked, Marquez c-bet 190k, no callers. Marquez at 4.8M.

Richard Marquez continues to be the hatchet man. The next player falling to him was Hans Jurgen Homner. Marquez raised from cutoff, Homner jammed his short stack from the button, Marquez called. Marquez Q♣ T♦ , Homner A♠ 2♦ , the board offered ran 3♦ 3♣ K♦ T♦ 3♥ for a full house to Marquez. Homner fell in 5th place. He earned PHP 1,067,000 for his deep run. Marquez now at 5.3M.

Mike Takayama and Mark Gruendemann face off again. On a raised pot preflop, the flop landed 6♥ 3♠ 7♣ . Both checked. The turn J♣ , Takayama bet 90k, Gruendemann called. On the 9♠ river, another 160k sent out by Takayama, called by Gruendemann. Takayama had Q♠ T♣ air, Gruendemann won with K♦ K♣ . He now has around 1.5M.

Mike Takayama shoved on the button and sb Mark Gruendemann called for his tournament life. Takayama A♥ 2♣ , Gruendemann 9♥ 9♦ . The board rand dry 6♦ Q♥ 7♥ J♠ 7♦ for a double up to Gruendemann. He now has around 1.3M.

Mark Gruendemann’s short stack got even shorter having lost another pot. This time it was Mike Takayama benefiting. It was a limped pot between the blinds, the flop was Q♠ 8♥ 9♥ . Takayama bet 60k, Gruendemann called. On the 6♦ turn, Takayama bet 170k, Gruendemann called. On the 8♦ river, Takayama slid out 900k putting Gruendemann all in to call. Gruendemann folded.

Takayama up to 3.3M, Gruendemann down to 645k.

First break of the day. Here are the estimated chip counts:

Richard Marquez 4.9M Mike Takayama 3M Lester Edoc 1.7M Mark Gruendemann 950K Hans Jurgen Homner 650K

Average stack: 2,298,000

Shortest stacked Hans Jurgen Homner moved all in for his remaining 325k, Lester Edoc called. Homner with Q♣ J♣ , Edoc with A♦ 9♦ . The board ran well for the German Q♠ 4♣ 6♠ T♦ 6♣ for a double up to 670k.

Hijack Lester Edoc raised to 100k and button Richard Marquez called. At the flop T♥ 3♥ K♦ , 8♦ , and A♥ river, no bets landed. Marquez showed 7x 7x and Edoc mucked. Another pot shipped to the chip leader. He now has around 4.9M.

Having just won a big pot, Richard Marquez went on to add more by delivering the first casualty of the table. He raised to 100k from utg, hijack Dong Kyoon Seo all in for 1.090M, Marquez called. Marquez A♣ A♥ , Seo A♠ Q♦ , the board ran Q♥ 3♥ J♠ K♠ 4♥ to end Seo’s run in 6th place. He earned PHP 875,000 for his impressive run.

Marquez now at 4.8M.

Button Mark Gruendemann raised to 100k, bb Richard Marquez three-bet to 250k, Gruendemann called. On the flop 7♣ 3♦ K♦ , Marquez led for 150k, Gruendemann raised to 500k, Marquez called. On the turn A♣ , Marqeuz sent the action to Gruendemann who bet 400k. Marquez answered with a 1M raise. Gruendemann folded.

Marquez up to 3.9M , Gruendemann down to 850k.

Mike Takayama picked up the first good pot of the table. It was a blinds on blinds with Dongkyoon Seo raising to 120k, called by Takayama on the bb. At the flop J♦ K♠ 8♠ , both checked. On the 6♥ turn, Seo checked to Takayama who fired 90k. Seo called. On the river T♦ , Seo switched up and led for 120k, Takayama called. Takayama showed Q♠ J♠ and Seo mucked. Takayama over 3M in chips.

Hanas Jurges Homner shoved on the first hand of the final race, no callers.