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Manila Megastack 19 – 2024 – Festival Results

A♠ the dust settles in an action-packed Day 1A of the Manila Megastack 19 Main Event, Tasuku Maruo of Japan leads the pack who advanced to Day 2 of the competition and the 12 players who survived the 15 level grind are now assured a chunk of the PhP20 Million (~US$357,000) guaranteed prize pool.

Maruo was among the most active players in the competition and was involved in two eliminations towards the latter portion of the evening when his Q♦ Q♠ ousted the desperation shove of Singapore's Wei Amos Yi Zhu's 2♣ 2♠ and just a few hands later when he outdrew Canadian Thomas Lee's A♥ 8♣ with his K♦ T♦ on a board of 2♦ 4♣ 3♥ T♥ 4♦ . Maruo's stack of 410,000 is the only one that concluded the day with over 100 BBs (103 BBs).

Finishing in second is Jose Colada who is one of four local aspirants to make it through. Colada, who incidentally ousted Money Bubble Ryuta Sakurai of Japan, amassed 388,000 in holdings.

Another Japanese player in Dexter Santos took third with 236,000.

Day 2 is on Saturday (September 28).

Chips in play: 2,340,000

Average stack: 195,000 (49 BB)

Blinds: 2,000/4,000 (4,000 BB Ante)

Remaining players: 12

Dates: September 25-29, 2024

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

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

Day 1A entries: 78 / 12 qualified

Day 1B: Thursday, September 26

Day 1c: Friday, September 27

Day 1D (Turbo): Friday, September 27

Day 2: Saturday, September 28

Day 3/Final Day: Sunday, September 29

Date: September 25, 2024

Buy in: Php 45,000

Guarantee: PhP20,000,000

Day 1A entries: 78 (61 unique)

Day 2 qualifiers / ITM: 12

Chips in play: 2,340,000

Average stack: 195,000 (49 BB)

Blinds: 2,000/4,000 (4,000 BB Ante)

Remaining players: 12

Facing a similar situation to that of Jester Intia earlier, Philippine pro Jose Colada had to make a decision folded to him in the BB facing a shove from the +1 by Ryuta Sakurai of Japan. The all-in of 54,500 was substantial but with over 300,000 in chips, Colada decides to go for it and calls.

Sakurai flips over A♦ J♥ while Colada shows A♣ 4♣ , a dominated situation.

The first three community cards, however, gives the Filipino the lead: 9♥ 4♦ 6♥ .

The next two community cards of 3♥ 6♠ seals the deal and the bust out of Sakurai now guarantees that the remaining 12 players will be get a chunk of the prize pool and will be returning for Day 2 on Saturday, September 28.

With a stack of only 50,000 and refusing to play with a miniscule stack should he make it to Day 2, Japan's Ryoya Inokuchi grabbed the opportunity to shove when action was folded to him on the Button. But gets called by Li Xinjing of China.

The cards are turned over and Inokuchi shows 9♠ 9♥ while Li has A♦ 8♠ .

The board goes T♥ 3♠ Q♥ Q♣ 8♣ as Inokuchi dodged the Ace that would have sent him packing and reclaims a six-figure stack anew.

Filipino pro Jester Intia does not really have a decent stack, but faced with a UTG all-in for 18,000 from Kim Woojin of Korea, he is now faced with a tough decision in a chance to bring Day 1A to the Money Bubble with only 14 players remaining.

He excruciated in his seat for what seemed to be an eternity and finally chooses to call.

The Korean shows 5♠ 8♣ and Intia leaps up to unveil J♣ 6♣. He is ahead but facing live cards.

The run out of 2♦ 2♠ A♥ 2♣ 7♦ had the Filipino safely avoiding any potential landmines on a board filled with low cards to oust Kim and bring the proceedings to the precipice with only one elimination to go.

Korea's Jeong Seonghun believes he is in a unique position to gain some much needed chips when it gets folded to him in the D and raises to 10,000 against any random hands in the blinds. However, Tasuko Maruo of Japan 3-bet him to 25,000. Jeong opts to call.

The flop goes 4♦ 2♥ J♣ .

Maruo blasts a 30,000 CBet to which the Korean quickly calls.

The turn is the T♥ as Maruo fires a bigger bet of 75,000. Jeong still flats.

The river arrives as the 9♥ as Maruo suddenly slows down and checks. Jeong goes for an all-in river bet which is snap called by his Japanese opponent.

Jeong flips over J♥ J♠ for top set while to his surprise and dismay, Maruo tables K♥ 3♥ for a runner-runner flush.

The table was in shock at the turn of events that led to Jeong's elimination.

We take a break from following the action of the Main Event to congratulate those who emerged victorious in today's Side Events:

Event #29 - Knockout [₱5K Bounty]

Date: September 25, 2024

Buy-in: ₱15,000 (~US$ 268)

Entries: 87 (65 unique)

Prize Pool: ₱678,948 (~US$12,128)

ITM: 11 places

1 Chuan Ooi - Malaysia - ₱ 159,000 (~US$2,840)

2 Zhong Szetho - Singapore - ₱ 155,000 (~US$2,770)

3 Kyungsuk Ko - Korea - ₱ 88,000 (~US$1,572)

Event #32 - Six Handed High Roller

Date: September 25, 2024

Buy-in: ₱100,000 (~US$1,786)

Entries: 3 (3 unique)

Prize Pool: ₱261,900 (~US$4,680)

ITM: 1 place

Winner: Zhen Chen - China - ₱ 261,900 (~US$4,680)

Event #33 - Bubble Rush

Date: September 25, 2024

Buy-in: ₱15,000 (~US$ 268)

Entries: 21 (20 Unique)

Prize Pool: ₱268,884 (~US$4,802)

ITM: 4 places

*Heads up ICM deal made, played for the trophy

1 Keijiro Shimojo - Japan - ₱ 78,000* (~US$1,392)

2 Daijiro Tomoto Japan - ₱ 110,000* (~US$1,963)

3 Akimichi Motomura - Japan - ₱ 48,000 (~US$858)

4 David Erquiaga - Philippines - ₱ 32,884 (~US$587)

Singapore's Tai Weiliang wields the elimination axe as he joined in a three-way preflop all-in situation against short-stacked Hwang Deokgyeong of Korea and England's Ashley Patterson.

Hwang flipped over A♦ 5♠. Patterson had a better hand with 8♣ 8♠ but Tai had the superior hand of Q♦ Q♣ .

The run out did nothing to help those behind: 9♥ 7♠ 7♦ 9♣ 4♥ as Tai scooped the pot, eliminated Hwang and put Patterson against the ropes.

Folded to Hawng Deokgyeong on the HJ, the Korean raises to 6,000. Then suddenly Kim Woojin 3-bet shoves his dwindling stack of 23,500 and gets called by Jeong Seonghun in the BB. Hwang, the initial raiser, folds.

Kim turned over T♦ T♠ while Jeong was in flip with A♥ J♦ .

The run out becomes harmless for Kim as it goes 2♦ 4♥ 2♣ Q♦ 8♥ .

With the hit, Jeong drops significantly and goes well below the 100,000 mark.

There really are no friends at the poker table and that held true when Filipino buddies Jose Colada and Edilberto "Duroy" Gopez battled for each other's chips.

Having a light conversation about what to have as a midnight snack mere minutes before, the two found themselves all-in preflop with Colada showing T♦ T♠ versus Gopez's A♦ Q♥.

Gopez snatched the lead on the flop of Q♦ 8♣ 2♥ but the turn of J♣ provided a sweat card that both laughed at. The river card of 4♠ ensured a double up for Gopez to keep him in contention while Colada still had a healthy stack despite the hit.

Local pro Jester Intia, a popular poker vlogger and poker broadcaster, raised from early position and was re-raised all-in by Korea's Jung Seungmook. Intia made the quick call and learned that he dominated Jung by having A♥ K♥ against the Korean's A♠ Q♦.

The run out went J♥ 9♥ 5♠ and when the turn produced the K♠, Jung was drawing dead. The river card of 7♣ made Intia's victory official and the Filipino also dealt the knockout blow to Jung.

In a Blind versus Blind battle, Canada's Thomas Lee sees an opportunity to steal the blinds and ante to keep himself afloat and shoved in the SB. Tasuko Maruo of Japan, however, surmised his opponent was shoving light and made the call.

When the cards were flipped over, it is revealed that Lee holds A♥ 8♣ and was ahead of Maruo's calling hand of K♦ T♦ .

The flop looked favorable for the Canadian: 2♦ 4♣ 3♥ . But then the T♥ appeared on the turn and Lee could not catch any of his outs of the river as it came 4♦ .

Maruo's win knocks Lee out the competition for Day 1A.

The dust has hardly settled on the crippling of Singapore's Wei Amos Yi Zhu at the hands of Andrej Nagy of Slovakia when the action gets folded to Japan's Tasuko Maruo and raises to 4,000 from the HJ. Wei, in the CO, 3-bet shoved his remaining stack of 24,000 and got insta-called by Maruo.

Wei revealed 2♣ 2♠ while Maruo had his Singaporean's opponent completely crushed with Q♦ Q♥ .

The subsequent run out made Wei's ouster a formality: 7♥ A♥ 9♣ 7♠ 4♥.

Wei will have to try again tomorrow in Day 1B.

After successfully dounling up a few hands back against England's Ashley Patterson, Wei Amos Yi Zhu of Singapore found himself in a raised pot with Slovakia's Andrej Nagy firing a raise from UTG. Wei re-pops it to 15,000 from the Button and Nagy tanks and calls.

The flop goes 4♥ T♥ 2♦ as Nagy checks. Wei comes out with guns ablaze, betting 20,000 and Nagy responds with a check-raise shove of 68,800. Wei immediately calls.

Nagy tables T♣ T♠ for top set while a shocked Wei flips over J♠ J♦.

The turn of 8♣ and the river of A♠ sent Wei's stack plummeting to the danger zone of barely ten BBs.

Two-time Manila Megastack 17 Super Stack champion Ashey Patterson of England found himself calling the all-in heave of Singapore's Tai Weiling in an effort to trim the field.

Tai shows A♥ K♥ while Patterson flips over 8♦ 8♠ .

The flop immediately gave the lead to the Chinese player: T♦ 2♠ A♠ .

The turn card produces a sweat card as the 3♠ arrives, but the 6♣ on the river ensured a much-needed double up for Tai and drags Patterson way below the current average stack of 117,000.

China's Li Xinjing raises from UTG to 4,500 and gets calls from Tasuku Maruo of Japan (CO) and Singapore's Wei Amos Yi Zhu (SB).

The flop comes 6♠ J♦ 2♣ as Wei checks. Li fires a CBet of 5,500 and gets a call from Maruo. Wei folds.

The turn is the 5♣ and this time it's Li who opts to check. Maruo bets 12,000 and Li walks away from the pot.

Day 1A of the Main Event is now at Level 12 and the announcement was made earlier that they will play down to 12 players. The survivors will all be ITM.

There are currently 22 players remaining.

Date: September 25

Buy in: PhP45,000

Guarantee: PhP20,000,000

Day 1A entries: 78

Day 2 qualifiers / ITM: 12

Just when Bailey Fusco of Australia was heading into cruise control after two fortuitous double-ups earlier in the day, he becomes the next casualty as he engaged in a 5-bet battle with China's Li Xinjing ultimately ending in both players going all in preflop.

Fusco tables KcQh while Li shows he dominates his opponent with A♦ Q♠ .

The run out is 8♥ 5♣ 6♦ 2♦ T♠ to send Fusco running to the cage as the ongoing break is the level for re-entry for Day 1A.

Barely a few hands after vanquishing Filipino Ruben Clamares, Japan's Yuta Morikawa is once again in the news but this time as a donor to Singapore's Wei Amos Yi Zhu.

It was short-stacked fellow Singaporean Giam Jian Hui who raised from the HJ to 2,500 and got a call from Ryoya Inokuchi of Japan and Wei but Morikawa squeezed from the BB for 12,500.

Giam and Inokuchi folded but Wei called.

The flop is 3♥ 5♠ 8♦ and the action went check-check.

The turn produces the K♠ as Morikawa checked a second time. This time, Wei takes over the betting lead for 10,000. Morikawa still calls.

The river shows the J♠ . Again Morikawa checks and is met with a shove from Wei. Morikawa eventually throws his hand into the muck.

Wei breaks into six figures in holdings with the triumph.

Japan's Yuta Morikawa raises from CO to 2,500 and is grfeeted with a 3-bet shove from Filipino Ruben Clamares who only has 12,500 behind. Morikawa makes the call.

When the hole cards are revealed, the Japanese player has 2♠ 2♣ while Clamares shows A♦ J♥.

The board goes 3♦ 6♠ Q♣ T♥ 8♠ for a complete miss for the Filipino as he loses the coin flip for his tournament life.

Raising from the early position, Joseph Magnotti of the United States makes it 2,500 to go but gets 3-bet by Japan's Ryoya Inokuchi to 7,500. In the SB, Wei Amos Yi Zhu flats as does Magnotti to make it three ways to the flop.

The first three community cards show a monochrome A♥ 2♥ 5♥ as Wei and Magnotti check. Inokuchi leads out for 6,500. Wei folds but Magnotti makes the call.

The turn is the 2♦. Magnotti checks again and this time Inokuchi blasts 28,000 into the middle. To his surprise, Magnotti still calls.

The river is the 5♠ and Magnotti over bets the pot and goes all in. Inokuchi takes a while to ponder his decision but ultimately chooses to fold, losing more than 40,000 in the process.

In the early action of Level 9, Korea's Moon Hyung Ho opens from the D for 3,000 and gets re-raised by local hopeful Jaime Ramon Reyes for 9,000. However, another Korean in An Sangjin 4-bet shoves for 28,800 which is snap-called by Moon for his remaining 23,000. After some tanking, Reyes opts to fold.

Moon tables J♣ J♥ while a disgruntled An flips over 8♣ 8♥ .

The run out is 7♦ 2♥ 7♠ 3♥ 5♦ and An is now on the respirator with less than five BBs.

Down to only 12,500 in chips, Singapore's Tai Weiliang swung for the fences on a 3-bet shove against initial raiser Ryoya Inokuchi of Japan.

When the cards were turned over, Tai held A♥ 9♣ against the 7♥ 7♠ of Inokuchi.

The run out was T♠ 8♦ J♥ 6♥ 9♠ as the pair that would have given Tai the lead if it had come on an earlier street became the eliminator for Inokuchi as he achieved a one-card straight.

Tai went straight to the cage after his momentary bust out.

Local bet Raymundo Gomez opens from the CO for 2,000 and gets the blinds in fellow Filipino Rene Mar David (SB) and Hwang Deokgyeong of Korea to come along.

The flop is A♠ 9♥ 3♥ as it is checked back to Gomez who CBets 2,000 again. This time, David check-raises him to 5,000 as Hwang gets out of the way.

The turn reveals the 6♥ as David now takes the betting lead for 5,000 again. Gomez makes the call.

The river is the 6♦ as David shoves his remaining 15,300. Gomez decides to call.

David unfurls A♥ 5♥ , the nut flush on the turn while Gomez tables A♦ 2♥.

Celebrated Filipino pro Christopher "Big Time" Mateo raises to 2,500 from the HJ and is re-popped to 7,000 by Australia's Bailey Fusco--one of the biggest stacks of the tournament thus far. Mateo opts to call.

The flop is K♠ 9♣ 7♦ as Mateo checks. Fusco unleashes a CBet of 6,000 which is instantly called by the Filipino.

The turn shows the 2♥ to which Mateo check-calls the 16,000 second barrel by Fusco.

The river unveils the Q♣ . Mateo checks a third time and this time Fusco empties the clip by going all in for 24,600. Mateo ponders and chooses to fold, but not before losing more than half his stack in the exchange against the Australian.

The onset of Level 8 saw a pot that went to a seventh bet all in and a call, Hong Kong's Sandeep Mirchandani and Tasuko Maruo of Japan went to war with both holding a suited Big Slick: Mirchandani with A♦ K♦ while Maruo had A♥ K♥ .

What was supposed to be a routine chop turned out to be a nightmare for Mirchandani as the flop came 4♥ 7♠ 6♥ , giving the Japanese player the nut flush draw.

The agony ended quickly as the turn card was the T♥ and the meaningless river card of the 3♠ made the elimination of Mirchandani official.

The shift to Level 8 is greeted with some minor bullying by Slovakia's Andrej Nagy as he raises from the D for 1,800 and gets a call from Japanese player Ryota Sakurai in the BB.

The flop comes 9♥ 3♠ T♠ as both players check.

The turn is the 2♣ to which Sakurai fires a bet of 2,400. After some thinking, Nagy calls.

The river shows the 7♣ and suddenly Sakurai goes off for a bet of 10,000. Nagy tanks longer but still makes the call.

Sakurai gets caught as he shows 8♦ 5♠ while Nagy tables A♥ 7♠.

Being among the chip leaders, Japan's Shota Urai tries to assert his might as he raises from the D for 1,600 but is called by Tai Weiliang of Singapore, defending his BB.

The flop of 2♥ 9♣ 6♣ does nothing as both check.

However, the turn of the 5♦ draws action as Wei leads out for 4,000 and gets raised by Urai for 9,000 as the Chinese player calls.

The river card of K♠ sees Tai going all in for 19,300. Urai considers for a moment but ultimately folds and momentarily loses his stranglehold of third overall in chips.

Entering Level 7, here are the top five in chips so far in Day 1A of the Main Event:

Hong Long's Sandeep Mirchandani opens play with a raise from the HJ for 1,500 and got calls from Korean Jeong Seonghun and Emmanuel Derecho of Australia.

The flop is Q♣ Q♥ 8♥ and suddenly Derecho donks out for 1,500 as Mirchandani folds and Jeong sticks around.

The turn is the 8♣ . Derecho comes out firing again, this time for 4,000 and is still called by Jeong.

The river shows the J♣ as Derecho opts to go all in for 15,600. To his surprise, it's a snap call for the Korean.

Derecho shows Pocket 5♠ while Jeong unveils A♣ 3♣ for a runner-runner nut flush.

Korea's Choi Jin Woo gets two callers after his UTG raise of 1,500 got two callers in Filipinos Froilan de la Pena in the +1 and Jose Colada on the D.

The innocent looking flop of 8♠ 5♥ T♥ was met with a bet of 8,000 from Choi followed by a shove for 26,400 by de la Pena and a re-shove by Colada for 40,000. Choi called of his remaining 36,800 to make the call and the biggest pot of the Main Event thus far.

De la Pena is first show and reveals J♦ J♣ while Colada is behind with only top pair but with a flush draw holding K♥ 8♥ . Choi was in the worst shape with Q♥ J♥ drawing to a gutshot and with an inferior flush draw. The Korean added any queen to his measly outs.

However, the turn produces the 8♦ which gives Colada trips and the lead.

The river was the 2♣ as Colada deals the knockout blow to two opponents and climbs to the chip leader as the first six figure stack holder.

With Day 1A transitioning to Level 6, defending champion Henrik Tollefsen of Norway raises from the Button to 1,400 and is met with a call from Filipino Vam Magsakay.

The flop comes 5♠ Q♦ 6♥ to which Magsakay checks. The Norwegian fires 1,200 and gets the call.

The turn is the 3♣ and Tollefsen bets 3,000 and still gets a call from Magsakay.

The river produces the T♣ and this time both players check.

Magsakay unveils Q♠ 7♣ as Tollefsen mucks and is now down to less than 20 BBs.

Multi-titled Rene Mar David of the Philippines 3-bet a preflop raise by fellow Filipino Raymundo Gomez of 1,200 from the HJ to 3,100 on the D. Gomez decides to call.

The flop is 5♣ 2♥ Q♥ as Gomez donk shoves for 27,400. David eventually calls.

Gomez shows K♥ 5♥ for middle pair and the second nut flush draw while David tables K♦ Q♣ for top pair.

Gomez hit his draw on the turn when the T♥ arrives and has David drawing dead. The river was the 2♠ ,

Brandon Mifsud of Malta had recently doubled up but dropped down again so deep that he needed another miracle double up to stay alive and found just that against Filipino ace Vam Magsakay.

In a pot originally raised to 2,000 by Hong Kong's Harish Asnani from the D, Magsakay 3-bet in the SB to 5,200. Misfud in the BB makes a 4-bet shove for his remaining 15,800 as Asnani quickly folded but got the call from Magsakay.

Misfud shows A♠ 6♣ while Magsakay brandishes A♥ K♠, completely dominating his Maltese foe.

The flop came 5♣ Q♥ A♦ but the turn was the 6♠ and Misfud never looked back as the 7♦ comes on the river.

It was the second time Misfud outdrew his opponent while being behind preflop.

Entering Level 5, local representative Jose Colada gets involved in a 3-bet pot with China's Jack Li-Yinding that sees a flop of T♦ 2♥ 8♥ .

Colada checks and the lead out of 6,000 is executed by Li-Yinding to which Colada calls.

The turn is the J♥ which completes a flush as both gentlemen checked.

The river is the 4♦ . Colada this time unfurls a bet of 4,500 that gets his Chinese opponent in the tank before eventually letting the hand go.

After suffering a few early hits to his stack, defending Main Event champion Henrik Tollefson of Norway takes on Japan's Shiina Tsubasa as the former raises from UTG 1,200 and gets called by the Norwegian.

The flop of K♠ 3♦ 5♣ is greeted with a bet from Tsubasa for 2,500. Tollefson calls.

The turn is the J♥ and this time Tsubasa makes it 7,000 to go. Tollefson raises all in for his remaining stack of 14,100. Tsubasa calls.

Tollefson shows K♣ T♣ for top pair on the flop while Tsubasa has A♣ J♦ for second pair on the turn.

The river is the 6♣ and Tollefson doubles through to stay in contention for his title defense.

In dire need of a double up, Brandon Misfud of Malta responds to the raise to 2,000 of Hong Kong's Harish Asnani from the CO with a shove in the SB for 16,600. Asnani makes the call.

Misfud tables A♦ 9♠ while Asnani shows 7♥ 7♠ . It's a coin flip.

The flop immediately gives Misfud one of the cards he was looking for as it goes 9♣ 6♣ 3♠ .

The turn produces a sweat card as the T♣ appeared, giving Asnani a redraw to a gutshot.

The river blanks out, however, as the Q♥ arrives and also gives Misfud more artillery at the expense of Asnani.

Raising from the CO, Filipino Edilberto "Duroy" Gopez opens for 700 and gets two customers in Thomas Lee of Canada in the D and Korean Park Jinkyu.

The flop is 9♥ 8♦ J♥ . Park checks, Gopez CBets for 1,500 as Lee folds. Park makes the call.

The turn is the 2♣ . Once again, Park checks and calls Gopez's bet, this time for 4,000.

The river is the 8♠ . Park checks a third street and Gopez goes all in covering Park. The Korean calls.

Gopez shows T♣ 7♣ for a flopped straight. Park mucks.

In less than one orbit, Gopez is the early chip leader of the Main Event.

Newly crowned Deepstack champion Edilberto "Duroy" Gopez of the Philippines immediately gets thrust into action against Canadian Thomas Lee and initially Korea's Park Jinkyu as Lee raises from UTG for 600. But Park 3-bets to 3,000 and this was greeted by a 4-bet from Gopez to 4,800. Lee calls and Park folds.

The flop comes 5♥ 8♦ K♥. Gopez leads out for 5,000 and gets a call from Lee.

The turn is the Q♦ to which Gopez unleashes another bet of 10,000. Lee folds.

Gopez has arrived.

Now at Level 3 (blinds at 100/300 - 300 BB Ante), Bailey Fusco raises from the CO for 700 but local bet Marciel Cerbito makes a wild 3-bet against the Australian for 6,700. Fusco calls.

The flop is 4♥ 8♣ A♥ .

Cerbito bets 6,000 as Fusco calls.

The turn is 3♠ . Cerbito fires another bet, this time for 7,000. Fusco still makes the call.

The river is the 2♣ . This time, both players check.

Cerbito reveals his K♣ K♥ but loses to Fusco's A♣ J♦ .

The Filipino is now reduced to a stack that is slightly above 20 BBs.

Slovakian superstar Andrej Nagy engages Shiima Tsubasa of Japan in a preflop raising war as Nagy initially raises to 700 from UTG then Tsubasa pumped it up to 2,500. Nagy then 4-bet his Japanese opponent to 8,000 and Tsubasa opted to just call.

The flop comes Q♣ 3♥ 4♠ . Nagy shoves his remaining stack of 16,500 and gets a quick call from Tsubasa.

Nagy shows J♠ J♥ but much to his chagrin, Tsubasa tables K♥ K♣ .

The runout goes 2♦ 6♠ as the Slovak was seen heading to the cage, perhaps getting ready to jump back in.

In what was initially a raised pot with five players, Hong Kong's Harish Asnani leads out on the D for 2,700 on a flop of 2♥ K♠ 4♠ . The bet makes all but Yuta Morikawa fold as the Japanese player calls.

The turn is the 8♣ . Asnani now unloads 4,500 but is still called by Morikawa.

The river is the 6♦ and this time both check.

Morikawa tables 7♥ 7♣ and Asnani throws his holdings into the muck.

With the blinds up to 100/200 (200 BB Ante), Malta's Brandon Misfud raises to 500 folded to him on the HJ while Japan's Shiima Tsubasa makes the call from the CO. But then Sannomiya Tsubaki 3-bets to 2,000.

Mifsud then 4-bets to 3,800 making Tsubasa fold. Tsubaki calls in position.

The flop yields 7♣ A♥ K♣ as Misfud leads out for 3,800. Tsubaki makes the call.

The turn shows the T♠. Misfud fires the dame 3,800 bet but his time Tsubaki raises to 11,300.

Misfud tanks but then folds.

Raising from UTG for 300 is Bailey Fusco of Australia but gets re-raised by Japan's Shota Urai at the D for 900. Fusco calls.

The flop shows A♠ 7♠ 5♠ .

Fusco checks and Urai leads out for 1,000. Fusco calls.

The turn brings out the Q♣. Once again Fusco check-calls Urai's bet, this time for 3,500.

The river produces the Q♠ (a one card flush showing on the board).

Fusco once again checks and Urai unloads half his remaining stack for 12,000. Fusco takes a moment to reassess but eventually calls.

The Australian shows A♦ J♠ . Urai sheepishly mucks his hand.

Ireland's Pang Ying raises from the D to 300 and gets called by Bailey Fusco of Australia in the SB and American Jonathan Studer in the BB.

The flop comes 6♦ A♦ 3♠ . The blinds check as Pang leads out for another 300. The blinds call.

The turn is the 5♣ as once again the blinds check and Pang unloads a second barrel for 1,100. Fusco folds but Studer still sticks around.

The river card is the Q♥ as both remaining players check.

Pang tables A♥ J♣ . Studer mucks his hand.

Paul Tadina of Australia uses aggression on a board of T♦ A♥ Q♥ as he opens for 1,200 against Shiima Tsubasa, but the Japanese player calls.

The turn comes the 3♠ . Tadina decides to slow down and check, but Tsubasa takes the betting lead with 2,500. The Australian unloads a check-raise to 6,000 as his Japanese opponent tanks and eventually folds.

Japan's Shiima Tsubasa limps from the CO and gets greeted by a raise from countryman Yuta Morikawa on the Button for 1,800. Tsubasa calls.

The flop shows 7♣ 3♥ J♥ . Tsubasa checks, Morikawa CBets for 1,200. Tsubasa makes the call.

The turn produces the J♦ . This time, both check.

The river is the Q♣ and this time Tsubasa fires out 3,700. Morikawa folds.

After an almost 20 minute delay to get the players into their respective seats, cards are finally in the air for Day 1A of the Main Event of Manila Megastack 19!

The players are being called to their seats to begin the Main Event.

Norway's Henrik Tollefsen is in town to get his shot at back-to-back trophies in the Manila Megastack 19 Main Event as Day 1A kicks off in just a bit here at Pokerstars LIVE at Okada Manila.

Tollefsen, who also took down the 2022 Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) Open Main Event, will be among the multitude of aspirants forking out the buy-in of PhP50,000 (~US$890) in this PhP20 Million (~US$357,500) guaranteed event.

The Main Event will have four Day 1s with Day 1B tomorrow (September 26) also at 1PM (UCT+8) while Day 1C will happen on Friday with the same start time. There will be a Turbo Day 1D also on September 27 at 8:00PM. This is multiple re-entry tourney with 40 minutes per level and late registration is available until the end of Level 10 (which is roughly 8:30PM). The starting stack is 30,000 and the opening blinds are 100/100 (100 BB Ante).

Also on tap today are a slew of Side Events including the Flight B of the Megastack Turbo (PhP2 Million GTD), the 6-handed High Roller, Knockout (PhP5,000 Bounty), and the Bubble Rush.

The festival schedules are here .

After six days of nonstop pre-event games, the Manila Megastack 19 opens its seventh day with the Main Event featuring a PHP 20 Million guarantee! Cards start flying at 1pm. SMP will bring you fresh updates from start to finish so tune in!