Main Event

Edilberto "Duroy" Gopez of the Philippines is in pole position in the Final Table of the Manila Megastack 19 Main Event and the Manila resident seeks the biggest cash in his already flourishing career if he can take this one down.

Gopez already has seven titles to his name, including the RVS Cup Philippine Poker Championship Main Event where he took down the top prize of PhP1,926,749 (~US$34,493), his biggest haul.

Amassing 4,185,000 in chips, Gopez is way ahead of his closest pursuer in fellow Filipino and Pokerstars LIVE Manila Super Series 15 Main Event titlist Jason Magbanua who currently has 2,715,000, but anything can happen in a Final Table where the Filipinos have the most number of participants.

Day 2 overall chip leader William Ysmael and veteran campaigner Maxwell Rosete are tied for third with 1,450,000.

Will Gopez maintain his chip lead for his biggest win?

The action resumes tomorrow (Sunday, September 29) and cards will be in the air at 1PM (UCT+8).

Dates: September 25-29, 2024

Buy in: Php 45,000 (~US$800)

Guarantee: PhP20,000,000 (~US$357,085)

Prize pool: PhP20,467,485 (~US$365,432)

Entries: 521

ITM: 80 places

Day 1A entries: 78 / 12 qualified

Day 1B entries: 130 / 20 qualified

Day 1C entries: 250 / 38 qualified

Day 1D (Turbo) entries: 63 / 10 qualified

Remaining Payouts:

1st - PhP3,740,000 (~US$66,775)

2nd - PhP2,330,000 (~US$41,600)

3rd - PhP1,670,000 (~US$29,817)

4th - PhP1,290,000 (~US$23,032)

5th - PhP990,000 (~US$17,678)

6th - PhP760,000 (~US$13,579)

7th - PhP585,500 (~US$10,454)

8th - PhP450,000 (~US$8,034)

9th - PhP376,485 (~US$6,722)

This is the Final 9 who will be competing for the biggest chunk of the now PhP20,467,485 (~US$365,432) total prize pool.

Each is now guaranteed PhP376,485 (~US$6,722) and will vie for the top prize of PhP3,740,000 (~US$66,775).

The action gets underway at 1:00PM (UCT+8).

With tension thickening as the specter of missing the Main Event Final Table looms, the action is folded to the D of Singapore's Rishi Mirpuri and he raises to 100,000. Right beside him in the SB, Japan's Yoshifumi Sasaki 3-bets all-in for 470,000, putting tons of pressure as one wrong decision could lead to disaster.

Mirpuri makes the call.

The Singaporean turns over 9♣ 9♦ while Big Slick makes another appearance, this time with the Japanese player: A♥ K♦.

The runout goes: 2♠ 6♣ 8♥ J♦ 2♣ as Mirpuri pumps his fist, dodges all threats and eliminates Sasaki in tenth place to bring the Main Event to the Final Table.

Poland's Choi Chang Gi outlasted a field of 17 and a Final Table that took refused to quit to triumph in the Run It Twice (Turbo) for the top prize of PhP93,688 (~US$1,673).

Run It Twice (Turbo)

Date: September 28, 2024

Buy-in: PhP15,000 (~US$268)

Entries: 17 (14 unique)

Prize Pool: PhP217,668 (~US$3,886)

ITM: 4 places

1 Choi Chang Gi - Poland - PhP93,688 (~US$1,673)

2 Teo Zi Sheng - Singapore - PhP59,000 (~US$1,053)

3 Eric Ceret - France - PhP39,000 (~US$696)

4 Soh Puay Wee - Singapore - PhP26,000 (~US$464)

The Philippines picks up another title at the ongoing Manila Megastack 19 as Ruben Clamares overcame a tough heads up battle to emerge victorious in the Survivor Knockout PhP50,000 (~US$893) Bounty event. The Filipino also took down the top prize of PhP421,000 (~US$7,517).

It took over an hour in the final duel before his raise UTG/D to 130,000 was met with a 3-bet shove from Korean opponent Jung Seungmook to 920,000 to which Clamares called.

Jung showed Q♣ 8♣ while Clamares was ahead preflop with A♥ J♦.

However, the flop tilted the edge to Jung when it came T♦ Q♥ 4♠ , giving the Korean the lead with top pair.

The turn of 2♣ didn't help but the river card of A♦ sealed the win.

Survivor Konckout - PhP50,000 (~US$893) Bounty

Date: September 28, 2024

Buy-in: PhP25,000 (~US$446)

Guarantee: PhP3,000,000 (~US$53,563)

Entries: 176 (127 unique)

Prize Pool: PhP3,841,200 (~US$68,582)

ITM: 27 places

Remaining Payouts:

1 Ruben Clamares - Philippines - PhP421,000 (~US$7,517)

2 Jung Seungmook - Korea - PhP263,000 (~US$4,696)

3 Moon Kyung Ho - Korea - PhP188,000 (~US$3,357)

4 Shim Hyunjee - Korea - PhP145,000 (~US$2,589)

5 Michael Calunsod - Philippines - PhP111,800 (~US$1,996)

6 Shinoda Takuya - Japan - PhP85,500 (~US$1,527)

7 Daisuke Kanai - Japan - Php71,500 (~US$1,277)

8 Russel King - Great Britain - PhP59,500 (~US$1,062)

9 Takumi Nakayama - Japan - PhP49,200 (~US$878)

Here are the Final Table members of the Survivor Knockout event:

Seat 1 - Moon Kyung Ho (Korea) 635,000

Seat 2 - Russell King (Great Britain) 220,000

Seat 3 - Jung Seungmook (Korea) 1,035,000

Seat 4 - Takumi Nakayama (Japan) 440,000

Seat 5 - Michael Calunsod (Philippines) 915,000

Seat 6 - Shinoda Takuya (Japan) 700,000

Seat 7 - Daisuke Kanai (Japan) 675,000

Seat 8 - Shim Huynjee (Korea) 370,000

Seat 9 - Ruben Clamares (Philippines) 290,000

Survivor Konckout - PhP50,000 (~US$893) Bounty

Date: September 28, 2024

Buy-in: PhP25,000 (~US$446)

Guarantee: PhP3,000,000 (~US$53,563)

Entries: 176 (127 unique)

Prize Pool: PhP3,841,200 (~US$68,582)

ITM: 27 places

Remaining Payouts:

1st - PhP421,000 (~US$7,517)

2nd - PhP263,000 (~US$4,696)

3rd - PhP188,000 (~US$3,357)

4th - PhP145,000 (~US$2,589)

5th - PhP111,800 (~US$1,996)

6th - PhP85,500 (~US$1,527)

7th - Php71,500 (~US$1,277)

8th - PhP59,500 (~US$1,062)

9th - PhP49,200 (~US$878)

Korea's Bae Wonil bested a field of 18 players to triumph in the 6+ Hold'em event and takes down the top purse of PhP249,275 (~US$4,450).

6+ Hold'em

Date: September 28, 2024

Buy-in: PhP20,000 (~US$357)

Entries: 18 (15 unique)

Prize Pool: PhP307,296 (~US$5,485)

ITM: 4 places

1 Bae Wonil - Korea - PhP249,275 (~US$4,450)

2 Rex Clinkscales - USA - PhP160,000 (~US$2,857)

3 Popa Noerbertas - Lithuania - PhP106,000 (~US$1,893)

4 Kuriga Satoshi - Japan - PhP77,000 (~US$1,375)

William Ysmael makes another bid to increase his stack by raising from the CO to 100,000. However, fellow Filipino Jason Ambata goes all-in from the SB for 695,000. Ysmael calls.

Ambata shows J♣ J♦ while Ysmael has two over card in A♥ Q♣ .

The flop shows an ace but it also reveals a jack: 5♠ J♥ A♣ .

The turn card is the Q♠, to give Ysmael hope for a comebacker and eliminate a dangerous foe.

The river, though, is the 2♥ as Ambata doubles up and Ysmael falls below the two million mark for the first time in awhile.

Wong has decided to put his dwindling stack of 80,000 on the line from the HJ and gets called by Filipino Jason Magbanua on the D. The blinds fold.

Wong flips over 5♣ 5♥ while Magbanua shows A♥ K♣ . The first three community cards gives the Filipino the advantage: 6♦ K♦ 2♣ . The next two cards did not produce the two-outer the Hong Kong player needed to survive as the 8♠ and the J♥ appear.

Survivor Konckout - PhP50,000 (~US$893) Bounty

Date: September 28, 2024

Buy-in: PhP25,000 (~US$446)

Guarantee: PhP3,000,000 (~US$53,563)

Entries: 176 (127 unique)

Prize Pool: PhP3,841,200 (~US$68,582)

ITM: 27 places

1st - PhP421,000 (~US$7,517)

2nd - PhP263,000 (~US$4,696)

3rd - PhP188,000 (~US$3,357)

4th - PhP145,000 (~US$2,589)

5th - PhP111,800 (~US$1,996)

6th - PhP85,500 (~US$1,527)

7th - Php71,500 (~US$1,277)

8th - PhP59,500 (~US$1,062)

9th - PhP49,200 (~US$878)

From the CO. Australian Craig Landry raises it to 110,000 and right on the D is Masanori Ishihara making a bid to go deeper and shoves 465,000. Landry makes the call.

Ishihara shows A♣ K♠ while Landry shakes his head as he tables A♦ Q♣.

The Australina gets no help from the subsequent runout: 5♣ 4♠ 5♦ J♠ K♣ and loses more than half his stack to the Japanese player.

After a few hands that had Hong Kong's Barry Wong regaining a somewhat decent stack, he finds the action folded to him on the CO. Trying to stay aggressive, he went all-in for 685,000 but gets a surprise when American Jaime Reyes also says he's all-in. Wong covers Reyes, but not by much.

Wong shows 3♣ 3♠ while Reyes smiles as he unveils J♥ J♠ .

The runout favored the American: T♦ T♥ 2♦ 6♦ 7♦ . Reyes comes away with most of Wong's chips who is now down to less than two BBs.

Folded to his CO, Rishi Mirpuri of Singapore swung for the fences and went all-in for 525,000. He gets called by Hong Kong's Barry Wong.

Mirpuri turns over A♦ K♦ and was way ahead of Wong's A♣ J♣ ...until the flop of 5♦ 5♥ J♦ where Wong overcame the domination by pairing his jack. It wasn't a long shot for Mirpuri, though, as the flop also gave him the nut flush draw.

The turn was the 3♥ and the river was Mirpuri's money card as the 9♦ arrived to give the pot to the Singaporean and substantially shrunk Wong's stack.

Folded to the blinds, Japan's Koki Furusawa went all-in for 320,000 but got called by Barry Wong of Hong Kong in the BB.

Furusawa shows Q♥ 4♠ while Wong turn over K♥ T♣ .

The flop gave Wong a decisive edge: K♦ J♠ 8♣ and the turn card of 8♦ had the Japanese player drawing dead. The 3♠ officially busted Furusawa.

Chip leader Edilberto Gopez of the Philippines raises to 80,000 on his CO and former chip leader Tasuku Maruo 3-bets all-in for 750,000. This ploy would usually work against steal attempt, but Gopez wasn't trying steal just the blinds and ante. Gopez calls.

Maruo turns over Q♥ T♥ and Gopez shows K♣ K♥ .

The flop offered a semblance of hope for the Japanese player as it went 7♦ 6♥ 5♥ for a flush draw, However, the turn was the 6♦ and the river was the 3♦ as Maruo exits in 13th place for PhP260,000 (~US$4,642).

Australian Craig Landry gets action folded to him in the HJ and shoves his stack of 630,000 down the middle. Filipino William Ysmael, however, makes the call for his tournament life.

Landry turns over A♣ 4♣ while Ysmael has a made hand with T♣ T♠ .

The flop was all Kings: K♣ K♥ K♦ while the turn was the T♦ --not that Ysmael needed it. What Landry needs is an ace on the river.

And that's exactly what happened when the A♦ showed up to give the Australian a higher full hose and still afloat.

With the action folded to the HJ of Jason Magbanua, he raises to 90,000. Suddenly from the BB, former chip leader Moses Saquing declares he is all-in for his remaining chip stack of 720,000. Magbanua calls.

Saquing tables K♦ 8♦ while Magbanua shows A♥ K♠, dominating Saquing's hand.

The first three community cards kept Magbanua in the lead: A♣ 4♣ 4♦ . However, the turn card was the A♦ . The third ace of Magbanua gave the nut flush redraw to Saquing.

The river was a miss as it cme out to be the 3♥ .

Saquing, who many believed was a lock to make the Final Table, falls short.

It was bound to happen at least once .

The two Filipino big stacks takes each other on in an unraised blind versus blind tiff.

William Ysmael completes his SB while Edilberto Gopez checks his option.

The flop is 5♣ J♥ 7♥ as Ysmael checks. Gopez leads out for 50,000 and gets a call.

The turn is the 9♠. Ysmael once again checks and Gopez once again fires 125,000. Ysmael then check-raises to 375,000 and Gopez calls.

The river is the 2♥ .

Ysmael goes for a 550,000 bet which is still called by Gopez.

Ysmael shows T♠ 8♦ for a jack-high straight on the turn. Gopez flips over 8♠ 6♠ for a nine-high straight on the turn.

Had the river card not been a heart, there may have been serious bloodshed between the two big stacks.

Folded to his CO, Japan's Tasuku Maruo raises to 80,000 and William Ysmael of the PHilippines is there to provide the call from the BB.

The flop is Q♥ T♠ Q♠ as Ysmael checks. Maruo CBets for 50,000 and the Filipino makes the call.

The turn is the K♣ and this time both gentlemen check.

The river is the 7♣ . Ismael fires 340,000. Maruo tanks and folds.

Joseph Magnotti of the USA finally found a hand he could shove with and possibly double up with and went for it UTG. It was then folded around to the CO of William Ysmael and the Filipino made the call.

Magnotti flipped over A♥ K♦ while Ysmael showed Q♥ Q♠ .

The runout completely missed Magnotti's Big Slick: 5♥ 9♥ 5♦ 7♦ 6♦ and the American is now sent to the rail for good.

Now in desperation mode after being reduced to just five BBs, Jessie Leonarez shove his remaining 220,000 from the +2 position and finds a caller from the D in Japan's Koki Furusawa.

Leonarez turns over 4♦ 4♠ while Furusawa has a dominating T♣ T♦ .

The runout goes 3♣ K♠ J♦ 3♠ T♥ with the final nail delivered to bust the Filipino.

Jessie Leonarez has the action folded to him and he raises from the HJ for 60,000, Then on the D, Rishi Mirpuri goes over the top and all-in for his remaining 285,000, Leonarez immediately calls.

Mirpuri tables A♠ A♦ while a disgruntled Leonarez shows K♥ K♣ .

The runout goes 6♠ T♦ 5♣ Q♥ 7♦ as Leonarez loses more than half his staff and is down to about five BBs.

The action is now concentrated on the final 2 tables as Japan's Yoshifumi Sasaki raises from UTG to 60,000 and gets calls from local pros Edilberto Gopez in the SB and Jason Ambarta in the BB.

The flop comes K♠ J♠ 9♣ as the blinds check to the raiser. Sasaki CBets for 70,000 and gets a call from Gopez. Ambata folds.

It is heads up to the turn of A♦ . This time both players check.

The river is the 2♠ and now Gopez bets 250,000. Sasaki calls,

Gopez shows 8♠ 7♠ for a rivered flush. Sasaki mucks and Gopez is getting closer to the three million chip mark.

All players now guaranteed PhP198,000 (~US$3,535):

Filipino veteran Jason Magbanua raises from the CO for 55,000 and Emmanuel Segismundo goes over the top all-in for 370,000. He is called by Magbanua.

Segismundo flips over 7♠ 7♣ while Magbanua has two over cards: A♥ Q♣ .

The first three community cards immediately gives Magbanua the advantage: 4♦ Q♠ 5♠ . The last two cards go T♥ T♣ as Segismundo has been eliminated and Magbanua is now the new chip leader.

Filipino pro Euryd Rivera starts the action by raising UTG for 250,000 and gets a call from the HJ from fellow Filipino Maxwell Rosete, who has done well to keep his stack relevant thus far here in Day 2.

The flop comes 7♣ K♣ J♦ . Rivera checks and Rosete fires 100,000. Rivera check-raises all-in and gets called by Rosete.

Rivera turns over 9♥ 9♦ and is crushed when Rosete tables T♠ T♦ .

The turn card of Q♥ gave both a redraw to a gutshot but the K♦ on the river ultimately sealed Rivera's fate as Rosete's stack eclipses one million.

Folded to the CO China's Jack Li-Yinding, he goes for it for 220,000 and gets a call from Filipino Jason Magbanua in the SB.

Li shows J♦ T♦ while Magbanua has A♦ T♣ .

The flop shifts the lead to Li: J♠ 5♥ 3♦ for top pair. The turn, however, gave the lead back to the Filipino: A♣ . The river of the 7♦ was of no help to the player from China as Li is out of the competition due to an unlucky turn card.

In another attempt at a double up, Japan's Masanori Ishihara begins the action by raising from the +1 position to 175,000 as Cheong Yun Rong of Singapore puts in all his chips in a 3-bet shove from the CO for 295,000. Jason Ambata of the Philippines calls the shove as he covers both. Ishihara also calls to make it a three way pot.

Cheong immediately has the advantage when he tables Q♥ Q♠ against the A♦ K♣ of Ambata and the 8♦ 8♣ of Ishihara.

The first three community cards go 2♦ 2♣ 4♣ but the fourth one is the 8♥ which renders both of Ishihara's opponents drawing dead because of his set. The river is the 2♠ to give the Japanese player a full house to boot.

Cheong drops to a mere 40,000.

The short stacks are beginning to dissipate as another all-in preflop ended the run of Japan's Shintaro Ono as Filipino Moses Saquing made a raise from the +2 for 40,000 and got 3-bet all-in by the Japanese player for 280,000. Saquing made the call.

Ono flipped over A♣ 9♥ which was completely dominated by Saquing's A♠ Q♦ .

The run out gave Saquing the lead for good as it went 2♠ 2♦ 8♣ Q♥ K♣ .

Saquing's stack is beginning to dwarf the competition at 1.75 million.

Another all-in preflop situation arose when Yoshifumi Sasaki of Japan raised from +2 and when the action folded around to the short stack of countryman Tadayoshi Uemura in the D, he 3-bet shoved for 240,000. Yoshifumi called.

Yoshifumi tables A♠ Q♠ while Uemura brandished 9♦ 9♣ .

The runout favored Yoshifumi: 8♥ 3♠ A♦ T♣ 2♣ as Uemura busts out and Yoshifumi continues having a seven-figures stack.

Filipino Jessie Leonarez made his bid for a double up as he shove his remaining 364,000 from the CO. He got a customer in Jaime Ramon Reyes of the United States.

Keonarez flipped over K♥ K♠ while Reyes shows A♠ J♥ .

The board did nothing to help the American as it went 2♠ 5♥ 3♦ (sweat flop) 3♦ 5♠ for a much needed double up for the Filipino.

Day 1D chip leader Emmanuel Segimundo of the Philippines starts the action with a raise from UTG for 35,000 and is greeted with a re-raise from the HJ from Hong Kong's Barry Wong to 100,000. A♠ if that wasn't enough, big stack Jason Magbanua 4-bets from the D for 200,000.

Segismundo's stack isn't doing any better and the Filipino pro tanks and even uses a time bank card before eventually opting to fold. Wong, however, calls.

It is heads up to the flop of 4♣ 2♥ 5♠ as Wong checks. Magbanua unloads 50,000 and Wong lets it go.

With that pot, Magbanua is back above the one million chip mark.

If it took one Singaporean to cripple Warrick Wee, it takes another Singaporean to finish the job.

Wee goes all in for his remaining 122,000 from UTG and his countryman Cheong Yun Rong makes the call in the BB.

Wee tables A♠ 9♥ and Cheong shows live card in K♣ 4♣ .

The flop brings something for both: A♦ K♠ 2♣ and the turn card of the Q♠ still looks good for an impending double up for Wee until the river card appears. It is the 4♦ .

The fortuitous two pairs on the river for Cheong knockout Wee from the Main Event.

In a battle of two Singaporeans, Warrick Wee raises from 32,000 from the +2 position and gets a call via BB defense from Rishi Mirpuri.

The flop comes J♠ 3♣ J♥ as Mirpuri checks. Wee CBets to 40,000 and Mirpuri calls.

The turn is the T♣ as Mirpuri checks again. Wee fires 75,000 to which Mirpuri responds by check-raising all-in for 238,000. Wee calls.

Mirpuri turns over J♣ 2♦ for trips on the flop while Wee shows A♥ A♦ .

Needing an ace, a ten or three to come from behind, the river is none of the above as the 5♠ shows up and turns Wee's once decent stack into an endangered species.

Coming off an encouraging double up a few hands previous holding Big Slick, the cards make an appearance again for Filipino Joemark Vasay as he uses it in a raised pot by Japan's Tasuku Maruo who pumps it up from UTG for 35,000. Vasay now shoves a more damaging stack of 264,000 from the HJ. Everyone folds back to Maruo who makes the call.

Maruo tables T♣ T♠ while Vasay's Big Slick is now in the form of A♦ K♣ .

The start of the run out instantly brings bad news to the Filipino: T♥ 7♠ 4♣ as Maruo flops a set. No sweat card comes on the turn of 8♠ and to add insult to injury, the K♥ is the river card.

Vasay is railed and Maruo nears the one million chip mark with the triumph.

Filipino Jason Magbanua has been quietly moving up the ranks and even hit the one million chip mark during the last break.

He raises from the +1 position for 35,000 and the action is folded to Pokerstars Manila Super Series 19 Main Event champion Joemark Vasay in the HJ who has a stack in need of resuscitation. Vsay goes all-in for 132,000. It is folded back to Magbanua who calls.

Vasay turns over A♥ K♦ while Magbanua is in a race situation with 5♠ 5♦ .

The opening of the runout immediately saw Vasay surge ahead: A♠ 4♥ T♣ with a sweat card on the turn as the 3♦ appears. However, the river brought in the 3♥ as Vasay regains some ammunition and kicks Magbanua out of the One Million Chip Club for the moment.

Nearly one orbit after chip leader William Ysmael ended the tournament life of formr chip leader Toyoma Kakihara, the action gets folded around to the D of Japan's Tadayoshi Uemura who took the opportunity to try and steal the blinds and ante by going all-in for his remaining 167,000. Ysmael was in the BB and made the call.

Uemura turned over Q♣ 5♣ while Ysmael showed he had the preflop lead with A♠ 4♣ .

The runout altered matters when it came 5♠ K♥ T♥ 8♥ 6♣ to give Uemura a pair of fives and a double up off of the person who vanquished his countryman. Ysmael hardly felt the hit with his stack still above the 1.4 million mark.

176 entries made the Survivor Knockout - PhP50,000 (~US$893) bounty hit a prize pool of PhP3,755,840 (~US$67,058). Registration has now closed and 79 players remain.

It didn't take Filipino William Ysmael long to finally put former overall chip leader Tomoya Kakihara of Japan out of contention as in the very hand after crippling his Japanese foe, the action was folded all the way to Ysmael on the D and made a raise to 25,000.n Kakihara in the SB 3-bet all-in for his last 99,000. Ysmael called.

Kakihara tables A♥ 2♦ while Ysmael is live with K♠ Q♥ .

The flop immediately gave the Filipino the lead as it went 7♣ 7♠ K♥ . The 2♥ on the turn gave faint hope to Kakihara but that all ended when the river was dealt in the form of the 4♣.

Ysmael is back to the top of the leaderboard, which is where he started Day 2.

Yoshifumi Sasaki opens from UTG for 25,000 as former chip leader William Ysmael from the Philippines makes the call. Another former chip leader in Tomoya Kakihara decides to raise it up to 55,000. Yoshifumi and Ysmael call.

The flop comes 8♦ J♣ 6♣

Ysmael and Kakihara check to the raiser who CBets to 75,000. Ysmael check-raises to 165,000 and Kakihara calls. Yoshifumi can't stand the heat and decides to exit.

The turn card is the 5♠ as this time Ysmael makes a huge bet of 220,000. Suddenly Kakihara goes over the top for all his chips worth 594,000. The Filipino snap calls all-in for his remaining 495,000.

Kakihara turns over A♠ J♦ for top pair top kicker while Ysmael shows 6♦ 6♥ . The Japanese player is drawing dead.

The Q♥ on the river gives Ysmael a pot worth more than 1.5 million and effectively puts Kakihara's tournament life into the ICU.

Day 1B chip leader Vince Nachor of the Philippines has not been having a good Day 2 and is down to only 120,000 in chips which he commits UTG. He gets one customer in China's Tai Weiliang at the D but fellow Filipino Edilberto "Duroy" Gopez opts to isolate by going over the top all-in for 515,000. Tai makes the call and suddenly three players are all-in for a pot worth over one million in chips.

Nachor shows A♣ 2♣ while Gopez tables K♦ K♣. Tai now pins his hopes on yet another double elimination with Big Slick A♠ K♥ .

The runout goes: 4♠ Q♦ 4♣ 2♠ Q♣ as Gopez ejects Nachor and puts a damper on Tai's amazing run by sending the Chinese player down to a mere ten BBs.

Starting Day 2 at nearly the bottom of the rung, China's Tai Weiliang has made serious headway.

This time it Japan's Yuki Homma who makes a raise from the +1 position to 25,000 as Tai makes the call from the +2. Then Kim Donghyun of Korea goes all-in with his dwindling stack of only 39,000 from the SB. Homma and Tai call.

The flop is T♠ J♥ 9♥ as Homma goes for the homer and chucks in 164,000 all-in. Tai quickly calls.

Kim shows 6♣ 6♥ while Homma tables A♣ K♥ for two over cards to the baord and a gutshot Broadway draw. Tai turns over 9♠ 9♣ for mid set on the flop.

With Kim drawing dead, Homma is down to a four-outer that never happens as the 3♥ 5♦ finish off two players and Tai continues his rise from obscurity.

Cruising along atop the leaderboard, Japan's Tomoya Kakihara has the action folded to him on the HJ and raises to 25,000. Local veteran Anacleto "Lito" Quijano calls the raise from the SB.

The flop comes J♥ 9♠ 6♥ as Kakihara CBets to 20,000. The Filipino check-raises to 50,000 as Kakihara calls.

The turn is the 8♦ as Quijano keeps the betting lead by firing another 50,000. This time, the Japanese player raises to 100,000. It's Quijano's turn to do the calling.

The river is the A♠ as Quijano checks. Kakihara unloads 140,000 which is quickly called.

Kakihara shows T♣ T♥ while Quijano flips over A♦ J♠ for two pairs on the river and was ahead from the flop.

The loss takes Kakihara's stack of the one million mark and keeps Quijano's steady rise from short stack to relevant stack going.

China's Li Xinjing starts the action from UTG by raising to 23,000 which attracts three callers: Yoshifumi Sasaki of Japan (HJ), American Joseph Magnotti (CO) and lady player Sannomiya Tsubaki (BB).

The flop is Q♥ 9♠ K♠ as Tsubaki, the initial raiser Li and Yoshifumi all check. Magnotti leads out for 30,000. Tsubaki folds but Li and Yoshifumi call.

It is three handed to the turn of the 3♣ . This time, Li bombs for 65,000 as Yoshifumi steps out f the way. Magnotti goes over the top all-in for 144,000 and gets the call from the Chinese player.

The American flips over J♥ T♥ representing the nuts on the flop while Li is now drawing dead holding Big Slick A♣ K♦.

The 2♠ on the river gave Magnotti a huge portion of Li's stack.

Jung Seungmook of Korea raises from the +1 position for 20,000 as the action gets folded to Filipino Moses Saquing on the D who 3-bets to 40,000. Jung calls.

The flop is 5♦ 7♣ 9♠ as both players check.

The turn yields the J♦ . Jung still checks and Saquing now unloads 50,000 which still gets called by the Korean.

The river is the J♥ . Jung checks a third time and this time Saquing applies pressure with a bet of 100,000. Jung still calls as the Filipino unveils A♣ A♥. Jung mucks and takes a serious hit to his stack.

Saquing now joins Tomoya Kakihara of Japan in the One Million Chip Club.

Chip leader Tomoya Kakihara of Japan raises to 16,000 from the HJ and gets two callers in American Ronald Lane in the CO and fellow Japanese player Yoshifumi Sasaki on the D.

The flop comes 8♠ A♠ 4♥ . Kakihara makes a CBet to 20,000 and Lane announces that he is all-in for 107,000. Yoshifumi folds and Kakihara snap calls the American.

Lane turns over 6♥ 6♣ while Kakihara shows A♣ 8♥ for top two pairs on the flop.

The next two cards are the Q♥ and the 5♥ as the American is busted out and Kakihara becomes the first player to hit holdings of seven figures.

In a preflop that once again went into a 5-bet shove, Jose Colada of the Philippines got the raw end when his Q♣ Q♦ stepped on the K♠ K♦ of American Jaime Ramon Reyes.

The runout went 7♥ 7♦ 4♣ A♠ 4♦ to eliminate Colada and bring Reyes closer to the one million chip mark.

Filipino poker veteran Moses Saquing starts the action by raising UTG for 17,000 and as it is folded to the SB, Ryan Ming Hong of Australia re-raises all-in for 152,000. Saquing calls the shove.

Hong turns over K♦ Q♦ and is in a race situation against the Filipino's J♦ J♠ .

The flop is 4♣ 3♣ J♣ giving Saquing a set and rendering the Australian to a zero chance of staying alive unless running clubs happen to force a chop.

The 6♠ on the turn assures that Hong is drawing dead and the meaningless 3♥ on the river busts Hong.

When the action got folded to the Button of Masanori Ishihara, the Japanese player puts in a raise to 16,000. At the BB, American Ronald Lane re-raises all-in for 327,000 covering Ishihara, who makes the call.

Lane shows K♥ Q♥ while Ishihara tables Q♦ Q♠ .

The first three community cards gives the lead to Lane: 6♣ K♦ 4♥ .

The turn is the 5♦ but the river brings the case card that Ishihara needed for the mircle: Q♣

The one-outer severely dents Lane while Ishihara now creeps up on the big stacks.

Korea's Kim Donghyun makes a raise from thr +2 position and the action is folded all the way to the big blind of Filipino Jose Colada who re-raises it to 46,000. Kim then 4-bets to 90,000. Colada's next move is to go all-in for 270,000.

Kim uses one time bank card and eventually decides to lay it down.

Japan's Tomoya Kakihara is now atop the leaderboard:

Nearing Day 2's first break, the action shifts to Japan's Masanori Ishihara as he raises from the CO to 12,000. Fellow Japanese player Tomoya Kakihara re-pops it 25,000 as Ronald Lane of the United States makes the call from the BB. Ishihara 4-bets to 100,000. This time, the blinds opt to just call.

The flop comes 9♥ 9♦ 7♠ as all check.

The turn is the 3♠ and Kakihara leads out for 75,000.

Lane ends up burning two of his five allotted time bank cards to ponder his decision, but ultimately decides to fold. Ishihara follows suit.

With that pot, Kakihara is now the new Main Event chip leader.

The action is folded to the CO where Yoshifumi Sasaki raises it up to 14,000. The action lands on the SB of Filipino Emmanuel Seguismundo who 3-bets to 46,000. Yoshifumi calls.

The flop is 2♦ Q♥ 8♥ as Segimundo CBets to 19,000. Yoshifumi calls.

The turn brings in the 9♦ and Segismundo fires 71,000. The Japanese player still calls.

The river is the K♦ . This time, Segismundo reduces his bet to 15,000 as Yoshifumi still makes the call.

Segismundo turns over Q♣ 6♣ while Yoshifumi shows 9♣ 8♣ , hitting two pairs on the turn completely eluding the Filipino's radar.

Local hopeful Jessie Leonarez makes a raise to 12,000 from the +1 only to be re-raised by Warrick Wee of Singapore from the Button to 30,000. The Filipino calls.

The flop is 6♠ T♠ 6♣ as Leonarez checks. Wee makes a CBet of 40,000 to which Leonarez responds with a check-raise to 100,000. The Singaporean 4-bet shoves his last 98,000 as Leonarez makes the call.

Wee flips over Q♦ Q♠ while Leonarez shakes his head while showing 8♦ 8♣ .

The next two cards are the 2♠ T♦ and Wee gets a reprieve from being one of the tournament short stacks.

The saying goes that one must win the races to progress well in tournaments and that holds true for Singapore's Rishi Mirpuri as he re-raised all-in for his remaining 95,000 against the HJ raise of Korean Chun Jun Beum to 12,000.

Mirpuri reveals his A♣ Q♥ while Chun tables J♦ J♠ .

The flop immediately answers the Singaporean's preflop prayers as it goes 9♥ 2♦ Q♣ . However the turn brings the K♦ to add more outs for Chun.

The river blanks out, though, as the 7♣ arrives and ends up crippling the Korean's stack.

Folded to him on the CO, Korea's Chun Jun Beum limps and when the action gets to Chen Zhen of China in the BB, he raises all-in for his last 70,000. Chun calls the shove.

Chen shows K♥ Q♠ while Chun is coin flipping with 5♦ 5♠ .

The flop gave Chun an almost decisive edge: 5♥ K♠ 2♦ with the Chinese player now requiring running cards to survive.

The turn is the 3♥ which makes Chen drawing dead and the river of the 4♣ made it official.

William Ysmael of the Philippines rises from the +2 position for 11,000 and everyone folds to the BB of China's Li Xinjing who calls.

The flop comes 7♠ T♠ 9♣ as Li checks. Ysmael follows with a bet of 18,000 and is met with a raise all-in byb the Chinese player for 85,000. The Filipino makes the call.

Li tables T♦ 8♣ for top pair and an open-ender while Ysmael shows Q♠ T♣ for top pair with an higher kicker.

The turn is the 4♠ and the river is the J♦ as Li hits a straight and doubles through offm of the chip leader.

It's blind versus blind as Malta's Brandon Misfud just completes his SB against the BB of Filipino Vince Nachor. However, Nachor raises it to 13,000. Misfud tanks and calls.

The flop is 6♥ 4♣ Q♥ as Misfud checks.

The Filipino continues firing, this time for 11,000. Misfud perfroms a check-raise to 34,000 as Nachor 3-bets all-in. Misfud calls for the rest of his stack worth 132,000.

Nachor flips over K♥ K♣ while Misfud shows K♦ Q♦.

The turn produces the T♦ while the river brings the T♣ , eliminating the Maltese player.

Day 1B chip leader Vince Nachor of the Philippines raises from the +1 position to 12,000 and the action gets folded around to the SB of China's Jack Li-Yinding who makes the call.

The flop shows 5♣ 5♦ 7♥ as both players check.

The turn is the 8♦ and Li-Yinding checks again. This time, Nachor fires 10,000 as the Chinese player calls again.

The river is the 8♦. Now Li-Tinding comes blasting for 35,000. Nachor makes the call.

Li-Yindang turns over 5♥ 5♠ , flopping quads. Nachor mucks.

William Ysmael of the Philippines is still way ahead in this chip count update:

A preflop raise war ensued between Singapore's Rishi Mirpuri and Koji Takagi of Japan when Mirpuri opened from the HJ for 8,000 and gets 3-bet by Takagi for 24,000. Mirpuri 4-bet all-in and the Japanese called for his remaining 114,000.

Mirpuri shows A♠ K♥ while Takagi was flipping with 4♦ 4♥ .

The first three community cards gave the Singaporean the lead: 7♦ A♣ 6♥ but hope arrived on the turn for Takagi when the 5♥ appeared to now give him an open-ender.

The river, however, was the K♠ and Mirpuri's two pairs sends Takagi to the sidelines for good.

Terry Gonzaga of the Philippines raises from early position to 9,000 and is called by fellow Filipino and overall chip leader William Ysmael in the SB.

The flop is 4♦ js 6♥ as Ysmael checks. Gonzaga CBets to 15,000 and Ysmael maes the call.

The turn is the T♣ as Ysmael grabs the betting lead with cannon of 38,000. Gonzaga raises all-in for 172,000 and Ysmael quickly calls.

Gonzaga flips over K♣ K♥ while Ysmael shows 6♠ 4♠ for two pairs on the flop.

Needing the jack to pair or draw another king on the river to survive, Gonzaga walks away when the A♠ appears.

Ysmael is now approaching the one million chip mark.

Raising to 8,000 from the +2 position, Filipino Edilberto "Duroy" Gopez gets re-raised all-in by Paul Tadina of Australia--among the short stacks coming into Day 2. Gopez calls the 48,000 shove.

Tadina tables A♠ Q♦ and Gopez confidently flips over A♣ K♦ as he has his opponent dominated.

The runout ensues: 4♣ 4♠ J♠ T♠ 9♠ as Tadina gets the double-up via a backdoor one-card nut flush.

In early action, China's Liu Zhiqiang raises from UTG to 10,000 and gets re-raised by Michael Gabby Concepcion of the Philippines in the +2 position to 28,000. Liu calls.

The flop comes 9♥ 2♠ 3♦ as Liu checks. Concepcion continues his bombardment for 25,000 but Liu suddenly raises all-in for 172,000. The Filipino calls for the rest of his 87,000 stack.

Liu turns over Q♦ 9♦ for top pair while Concepcion shows J♠ J♣ for an over pair.

The next two community cards don't help the Chinese player as it comes 6♦ and K♥.

Liu's stack is down to about 20 BBs.

Each player has now been supplied with five (5) time bank cards for this phase of the competition. Each player is now given a 30-second "shot clock" meaning they have to act in less than half a minute during their turn. If a player exceeds that alloted time, the dealer will take one time bank card and that player will be given 30 seconds more to make a decision.

Cards are in the air for the final 80 players!

The Manila Megastack 19 Main Event is entering the next stage with 80 players out of 521 runners back for another shot at the title. The headliner has been ongoing since September 25 at the world class Okada Manila in Manila, Philippines.

Date: September 27, 2024

Buy-in: PHP 45,000 (~US$ 800)

Guarantee: PHP 20,000,000 (~US$ 357,000)

Entries: 521

Prize pool: PHP 20,467,485 (~US$ 365,335)

ITM: 80 players

Flight Results

Flight A: 78 entries / 12 advanced to ITM

Flight B: 130 entries / 20 advanced to ITM

Flight C: 250 entries / 38 advanced to ITM

Flight D (Turbo): 63 entries / 10 advanced to ITM

Expectedly, a strong local force filled the tables with William Ysmael bagging up the overall largest stack of 755,000 (183 bb). Ysmael is no stranger to victory at the PokerStars LIVE hub. Last year, he won the Manila Super Series Main Event and prior to that, the 2022 APPT Manila Warm Up event.

Other returnees to watch for are past champions Terry Gonzaga and Euryd Rivera, both are on a mission to become the first Manila Megastack two time champions having each won a side event at the series. Also to keep a close watch on is APPT National 2024 champion Vivencio Nachor who has been on a winning spree since December of 2023.

Cards start flying at 1pm with blinds at 2000-4000 ante 4000.