Main Event

Down to 2BB, both players flicked it in and ran the final hand of the Main Event.

Xia Qi K♣ Q♣ Paolo Boccaletti J♠ T♣

The board ran A♣ T♥ 5♥ 4♦ 6♥ , sealing the win for Paolo Boccaletti with a pair of tens. Xia Qi exits the arena with a runner up finish and a bonus PHP 35,000 Manila Megastack Main Event entry in addition to his ICM winnings.

Button Paolo Boccaletti limped, Xia Qi raised to 2,000,000. Boccaletti answered with an all-in and Xia makes the call.

Boccaletti A♦ 2♦ Xia K♥ T♥

In for a race, the board 3♦ 3♣ 3♥ 9♦ 6♥ missed to pair either player with Boccaletti’s ace-high good for the pot.

Button Paolo Boccaletti opened to 1,000,000, called by Xia Qi. Flop Q♥ 4♥ J♠ saw Boccaletti continue for 800,000, check called by the big blind. Both players again checked the turn 9♠ and headed to the river 7♥ . Xia this time, check folded after Boccaletti threw in a bet of 3,000,000.

Button Xia Qi opened to 1,200,000, called by Paolo Boccaletti. Flop came A♠ Q♣ J♦ and Boccaletti check called Xia’s 800,000 bet. Both players checked the turn 3♣ and the river K♠ completed the board. Boccaletti pushed all-in, Xia with a fold.

A limp pot on flop 3♦ 7♣ 8♣ , big blind Xia Qi led for 500,000, called behind by Paolo Boccaletti. Both players checked the turn Q♦ and headed on to the river Q♣ . Xia fired another 700,000 to which Boccaletti folded.

Button Paolo Boccaletti opened to 800,000, Xia Qi with a call. Flop came 2♦ 5♣ 7♠ and Xia check called a 1,000,000 bet from the raiser. Turn A♥ saw Boccaletti fire another 2,000,000 to which Xia check raised to 6,000,000. Boccaletti gives it up and finds a fold. Xia shows 4♠ 3♥ for a turned wheel straight.

Button Xia Qi opened to 800,000, Paolo Boccaletti with a call. On flop 7♣ A♠ K♥ , Boccaletti check raised Xia’s 800,000 bet to 3,000,000 and got his opponent to fold.

Folded to the small blind, John Jay Magadan moved all-in for 2,150,000 total. Big blind Xia Qi made the call with 9♥ 9♠ . Magadan in trouble with J♠ 6♠ , headed for the rails not long after the flop 9♦ 4♣ 2♦ left him drawing dead.

A limp pot on the blinds, the flop 5♣ 7♣ 7♦ saw John Jay Magadan lead out for 400,000, called by Xia Qi behind. Turn 3♠ this time, saw Magadan with a check-call for 600,000. River Q♦ completed the board and Magadan check folded after Xia sent out a 1,600,000 river bet.

Button Xia Qi opened to 900,000 and called off big blind John Jay Magadan’s 4,000,000 jam.

Magadan A♦ 4♦ Xia A♣ 7♠

The board ran A♥ 9♣ 2♦ T♥ 8♣ , giving both players top pair with no kickers in play for a chop.

Three players remain in the running for Manila Super Series 18 Main Event title, which means blind levels will be adjusted to 20 minutes moving forward.

Chip Count Update:

Button Xia Qi opened to 700,000, called by big blind John Jay Magadan. On board 2♥ 2♣ 6♠ 4♦ J♥ , Magadan check-called all three streets including Xia’s river bet of 3,000,000, only to muck his hand after Xia tabled K♣ K♥ .

Button John Clyde Tan opened to 700,000 and snap called big blind Xia Qi’s 4,800,000 all-in.

Xia 8♥ 8♠ Tan A♦ K♣

Up for a flip, the flop 8♣ 4♥ 2♦ quickly left Tan drawing thin with the runout K♠ T♥ sealing Xia’s set of eights good for the win.

Talks of an ICM deal is being discussed at the table.

Chip Count Update:

Button Xia Qi opened to 550,000 and called off a 4,725,000 (19 BB) jam from small blind Paolo Boccaletti.

Boccaletti 8♠ 8♣ Xia A♠ Q♠

In for a flip, the board 9♥ 4♦ 3♣ T♥ 3♥ ran safe for Boccaletti’s pocket pair as he took a chunk off the chip leader.

Utg Xia Qi opened to 550,000 and called off a 750,000 all-in from Shin Hyeonho.

Shin A♦ T♣ Xia A♥ 2♣

Shin with a better ace, locked in the double up the board 8♠ 9♦ 9♠ 5♦ 4♠ missed to pair either player.

Same scenario went down a few hands later, Shin again with a better ace A♠ J♥ against Xia’s A♥ 3♥ . Shin secured another double up off the chip leader after the board spared no bad beats.

Cut off John Clyde Tan opened to 450,000, called by both players on the blinds. Flop came A♠ 3♠ T♥ . Checked to Tan, he continued for 575,000, called only by small blind Xia Qi. Turn 4♠ went check check and river 8♥ saw Xia bet 1,300,000, called behind. Xia shows A♦ 8♣ rivered two pair for the win.

Utg Paolo Boccaletti raised to 500,000, joined by big blind Xia Qi. Flop came 6♣ 9♥ Q♥ and Xia check called 375,000 from the raiser. Turn 7♥ saw Boccaletti send out another 700,000, Xia with a check fold.

Shin Hyeonho defended his big blind against Xia Qi’s button open to 450,000 and saw a flop of 3♥ 6♥ 5♠ . Shin led out for 375,000, called by the raiser. Turn 4♥ saw Shin check call 900,000 from Xia and another 900,000 on the river J♦ .

Xia shows a straight with 7♦ 9♣ , Shin with a muck behind.

Utg Xia Qi opened to 400,000, called by Shin Hyeonho behind. Flop saw Q♦ 3♠ K♠ , Xia again with a check call of 300,000 from his opponent. Turn T♠ merited no bets, river 7♣ prompted Xia to lead out for 650,000, Shin with a fold.

First break of the day sees seven players remain in contention for Manila Super Series 18 Main Event title.

Chip Count Update:

Utg Xia Qi opened to 325,000, called behind by John Clyde Tan. Flop K♦ 3♦ 4♥ saw Xia check call a 300,000 bet from Tan. Action on turn Q♣ went check check, heading on to the river 6♣ . Xia led for 710,000, Tan with a tank-fold.

Hijack Xia Qi opened to 325,000 but folded shortly after small blind Shin Hyeonho pushed all-in for 3,555,000.

A limp pot between the blinds, the flop 3♥ 2♠ 8♥ was checked round and headed to turn Q♦ . Small blind Shah Chirag led out for 160,000, raised by Xia Qi to 500,000. Shah folds and Xia shows Q♣ 8♣ for two pair.

Utg+1 Shah Chirag opened to 325,000 and was met with a three bet from Xia Qi to 950,000. Shah resists to complete and makes the fold.

Facing an open and a call from Ivan Dela Cruz, small blind Xia Qi squeezed three bet to 950,00 and called Dela Cruz’ all-in for 2,300,000.

Dela Cruz J♦ J♥ Xia A♦ Q♦

Running a flip with Dela Cruz at risk, the board A♣ A♥ T♣ Q♣ 7♦ secured Xia the pot with a full house. Dela Cruz heads for the exit in 8th place after losing the flip.

Utg+1 Shin Hyeonho opened to 325,000, joined by chip leader Xia Qi from the big blind. Flop A♥ 9♦ 3♠ saw Xia check call a 200,000 bet from his opponent. Both players check the turn K♣ and Xia, with a final check fold on river Q♦ after Shin fired 350,000.

Utg Xia Qi opened to 260,000, joined by small blind Ho Tung Chun. Flop 3♠ 8♦ 9♣ was checked round to the turn 6♦ . Xia bet 200,000 and was check-called by Ho. The river J♦ saw Xia gun for another 650,000, Ho with a check-fold this time around.

Next hand saw button Ho open to 250,000 and Xia with a big blind defense. On flop 2♦ 6♦ 8♥ , Xia check-called a 250,000 bet from Ho. Turn 8♠ went check-check, leading to the river Q♦ . Xia bet 500,000, called behind. Xia shows K♦ Q♥ for two pair, Ho with a muck.

Utg+1 Edilberto Gopez opened to 250,000, called behind by Xia Qi. No bets were seen on flop A♦ J♠ 5♥ with Gopez leading the turn 8♥ for 300,000, Xia with a call. River 3♠ completed the board and Gopez used up two time banks before moving all-in for his 500,000 left. Xia makes the call with top pair A♣ T♣ , beating Gopez’ bluff with K♠ 4♣ .

Xia Qi opened to 225,000 and Ho Tung Chun defended his big blind to see a flop of 5♠ 5♦ 9♣ . Both players checked, moving on to turn 2♦ . Ho led out a 300,000 bet, called by the raiser. River J♦ saw Ho with another 400,000 to which Xia folded.

Next hand saw button John Jay Magadan open to 225,000 and fold to an all-in from small blind Ho Tung Chun.

Utg+1 Shin Hyeonho opened to 200,000, called by Ho Tung Chun and small blind Xia Qi behind. Flop came 2♣ 7♠ J♣ , checked to Shin, he fired 400,000, called only by Ho. Turn 9♣ saw Shin bet all-in for 920,000. Ho tanked and forked in the call with top pair.

Shin Q♥ Q♣ Ho J♥ T♣

Up against an overpair, the river 3♦ did nothing for Ho as Shin claimed the pot with his pair of queens.

Main Event - Live Updates - Day 2

Day 2 action is officially closed with the final nine players returning tomorrow in contention for the PHP 2,400,000 (~USD 42,232) top prize. Xia Qi leads the pack with over 6.3 Million in chips, followed closely by Ho Tung Chun with 6.2 Million. Final table gameplay resumes tomorrow on Level 29: 50,000/100,000 ante 100,000 at 13:00 sharp!

Chip Counts:

Remaining Payouts

1st - PHP 2,400,000 2nd - PHP 1,450,000 3rd - PHP 1,020,000 4th - PHP 765,000 5th - PHP 590,000 6th - PHP 430,000 7th - PHP 315,000 8th - PHP 225,000 9th - PHP 176,336

Cut off Edilberto Gopez limped call a raise from small blind Xia Qi to 425,000. Flop came Q♦ T♣ 7♣ and Xia check-called 200,000 from his opponent. Turn 8♥ and river 2♠ were checked round with Xia revealing A♥ T♦ by showdown. Xia’s pair of tens was good for the pot after Gopez threw his cards in the muck.

Button Xia Qi opened to 180,000 and was met with a three bet to 310,000 from big blind Joemark Vasay. Action back on Xia, the chip leader moved all-in for Vasay’s 600,000 behind. Vasay folds and dwindles down to 7.5 BB.

Having defended his big blind against button Xia Qi’s open, Joemark Vasay check called all-in on flop 6♣ 3♣ Q♣ for his remaining 240,000. Vasay is ahead with a pair of sixes J♦ 6♦ against Xia’s K♥ J♥ . The turn J♣ and river 2♥ improved both player’s hands, Vasay with two pair for a double up.

11 players left in the running, two more eliminations before the day wraps up. Final table gameplay will resume tomorrow at 13:00.

Chip Count Update:

Committed to his raise, button Xia Qi called off a 485,000 shove from small blind Alvir Inocentes.

Inocentes 5♣ 5♠ Xia 7♣ 9♣

The two run the flip and saw a board of T♣ 9♠ 8♣ K♠ J♣ , quickly crushing Inocentes run for the trophy. Xia scores another elimination with a rivered jack-high straight.

Hijack Aihara Takayaki opened to 125,000 and was joined by both players on the blinds. Action checked all the way to the river Q♣ Q♦ 9♣ J♣ 3♣ , which suddenly saw Xia Qi and Aihara pile all the chips in the middle.

Xia Q♥ J♥ Aihara 3♦ 3♥

Both having made a full house, Xia claimed the pot with a better full queens over jacks vs Aihara’s full threes over queens, leaving his opponent out of the running.

Utg+1 Xia Qi opened to 150,000 and called off a 625,000 jam from small blind John Niko Constiniano.

Constiniano Q♠ Q♦ Xia 6♥ 6♦

In a great spot to double up, Constiniano was left packing after the flop 6♣ K♦ J♥ gave Xia a set, with the turn 9♥ and river 7♥ failing to improve his pocket queens.

Utg opened to 14,000, Richard Marquez fired a raise to 28,000 and was called by both Xia Qi and the original raiser behind. Flop came A♠ J♥ T♥ , utg leads out for 30,000, called by Marquez. Xia puts in a raise to 105,000, utg folds, and Marquez then uses three time banks before moving all-in, Xia with a final call.

Marquez A♥ J♠ Xia J♣ J♦

Top two pair vs set, Marquez was left drawing to two aces from the deck, none of which arrived on turn 4♣ and river 7♦ .