Kick-off

Starting the day as chip leader with 522,000, Keijiro Shimojo continued to play solid poker throughout the day, entering the final table as 4th in chips with about half of the shared chip leaders' 2,300,000 - Christopher Mateo and Quijano Anacleto - at the time. He went on to knock out every player except 6th place finisher Johnson Tan, delivering some bad beats along the way, but never lost his chip lead after taking it.

Congratulating everyone banking a win today, we conclude the live broadcast by having a look at the top 9 all in one spot:

A jam by the leader with A♣ K♥ and a call from Nichols Manalo holding J♣ 6♣ , the dealer can go home after hitting the felt for a final time Q♦ 5♠ 4♦ 2♠ 4♥ , making Keijiro Shimojo champion of the Manila Megastack 20 Kick-off.

Limping with Q♦ T♦ from the small blind, Chris Pasion is facing an all-in from the chip leader in the BB. After some consideration he calls with his remaining 1,700,000 chips and watches Keijiro Shimojo turn over 6♦ 2♦ . Wanting to go home, the dealer tables 7♣ 9♦ 8♦ T♣ A♥ , giving the leader a straight and entering us into a very lopsided heads-up.

Over the next few hands Keijiro Shimojo continues to take down pots to increase his lead with the current stack sizes being :

Nichols Manalo tries to take a stand with 200,000 from the BU and takes the blinds to the flop K♠ 5♦ 5♥ . Checked to him, he continues for 300,000 and is left with the chip leader on the turn Q♠ . Both players check to the river 7♣ , Keijiro Shimojo forks out 500,000 and picks up another significant pot.

With almost all his chips in the middle by being BB, Christopher Mateo puts in the remaining 275,000 with Q♦ 3♠ and SB Limper Keijiro Shimojo calls with A♠ A♣ . Mateo improves on 2♠ T♣ 2♥ T♦ Q♣ , but still falls short to his opponent's rockets.

Jamming 1,000,000 with A♦ T♠ from the button, Chris Pasion is in good spirits after a call from BB Christopher Mateo who shows A♠ 9♠ . The dealer delivers all blanks in the form of 7♣ 6♠ Q♣ 6♥ 8♦ to make Chris Pasion's kicker count.

With Christopher Mateo opening 200,000 from UTG and BB Keijiro Shimojo pumping it up to 500,000, the dealer tables 5♠ 7♦ J♠ and Keijiro Shimojo lays out a 600,000 c-bet that puts Christopher Mateo deep in the tank. He lets it go after consuming three time banks, adding to the leaders gap on the field.

With a limped pot between SB Keijiro Shimojo and BB Quijano Anacleto the dealer hits the felt 2♣ 2♦ 6♣ , followed by a 125,000 lead from Quijano Anacleto that gets called to reveal the A♦ . With 6♥ 4♠ in his hand, the last 225,000 go in for Quijano Anacleto, a quick call from Keijiro Shimojo with trips 8♦ 2♥ the river T♥ hits the board and we are down to the last four.

With a UTG shove for 720,000, Johnson Tan gets called by the other short stack Chris Pasion from the BB holding Q♠ Q♥ and both players get up to watch the dealer carefully lay out T♦ 3♣ K♣ 4♦ 7♠ , thereby eliminating Johnson Tan and giving Chris Pasion some breathing room.

Folded to him, SB Johnson Tan puts his remaining 230,000 in the middle and the chip leader calls.

Christopher Mateo puts 150,000 in the middle from the button, holding K♥ Q♥ , to induce a 420,000 jam From BB Chris Pasion with A♣ Q♠ and the dealer gives us 2♦ A♦ 8♣ 7♥ 9♥ granting the short stack another double up.

A HJ open to 150,000 from Nichols Manalo and a 240,000 jam from Chris Pasion in CO have the short stack at risk and the dealer center stage.

Another standard open of 105,000 from Keijiro Shimojo in the HJ finds to callers from CO and SB for a flop 3♠ 7♠ 5♣ . A 200,000 c-bet see everyone stick around to see the turn Q♥ and another 500,000 from Keijiro Shimojo. With ICM in mind, CO Quijano Anacleto and SB Nichols Manalo decide to let it go.

Keijiro Shimojo continues to bully with a button open to 105,000 and both blinds defending to give us the flop 5♣ 3♠ 3♥ . Checked to the turn 8♠ , BB Christopher Mateo puts in a winning bet of 100,000 to move up the leader board.

Quijano Anacleto starts us off with a 110,000 open from UTG, finding a customer in CO Nichols Manalo to take us to the flop 2♠ 6♥ 3♣ . Two checks reveal the turn J♣ with a delayed c-bet of 125,000 being called by Nichols Manalo to see the board complete with the T♥ . Another 150,000 lead from Quijano Anacleto gets countered by a raise to 400,000 and Nichols Manalo moves into 2nd place.

Leader Keijiro Shimojo opens 80,000 from HJ, called by the CO and Eric Ceret announces all-in for 225,000 to take us to the flop 9♣ 6♣ A♥ three-way. Checked to the turn 4♣ , Keijiro Shimojo leads 125,000 with A♣ Q♣ to take us heads up with Eric Ceret showing Q♠ Q♦ and no hope for improvement.

After a 90,000 raise and a 260,000 jam from Gun Jegal in front, Keijiro Shimojo successfully isolates to show J♥ J♣ against Gun Jegal's K♥ K♦ . The dealer sends the favorite home by delivering a massive beat with 2♣ 2♦ 5♦ J♦ 3♣ and we are down to 7 players.

Christopher Mateo is at it again with a 80,000 raise from +1, inducing a 190,000 three-bet from BB Quijano Anacleto to reveal the flop 9♣ J♣ 6♣ . A small 90,000 c-bet takes it down for Quijano Anacleto.

With a raise to 85,000 from +2 Christopher Mateo and BB Keijiro Shimojo pumping it up to 250,000 we go to the flop 7♥ 2♦ 8♣ . One 150,000 c-bet and a call take us to the river Q♥ J♠ , with Keijiro Shimojo tabling T♦ T♥ to scoop the pot.

Starting with a limp from Johnson Tan in +2, CO, SB and BB come along for the ride to the flop 9♦ A♠ 6♣ and four additional checks to the turn 5♦ . SB Christopher Mateo takes the reins with a lead of 75,000, called by CO Keijiro Shimojo and BB Nichols Manalo to the river A♦ . Betting 250,000, Nichols Manalo scares the other players away to bank and decent pot.

Button Keijiro Shimojo opens 75,000 and takes both blinds with him to the flop J♣ J♠ A♣ and everbody checks to the river 9♥ . BB Eric Ceret takes over with a lead of 80,000 and watches Quijano Anacleto put 350,000 in the middle. Not feeling great about it, Eric Ceret folds and hands the pot to the new chip leader.

With an opening of 70,000 from UTG, a call from Nichols Manalo in +1, Quijano Anacleto pumps it up to 350,000 from +2. Only Nichols Manalo pays to see the flop 5♥ 7♦ Q♠ . An 85,000 donk-bet and a call shut down the action until the river 5♠ Q♦ with the players flipping over their cards. A♥ T♣ is enough for Nichols Manalo against 3♣ 6♦ and we move on.

Jongho Lee Opens 60,000 from UTG and finds three takers in +2, HJ and BB to see the flop 3♠ A♣ Q♠ . His 85,000 c-bet gets countered by a 250,000 raise from HJ Keijiro Shimojo to send the action back to Jongho Lee who goes deep in the tank. After the aid of two time banks he says all-in for 650,000, holding A♠ J♠ and gets snapped by Keijiro Shimojo showing 3♥ 3♣ , putting Jongho Lee at risk. The dealer delivers two blanks in the form of 9♣ 8♠ to eliminate the underdog.

The Final Table kicks off with CO Johnson Tan announcing all-in for 375,000 holding A♥ J♦ and SB Quijano Anacleto successfully isolating with A♣ K♥ and the dealer goes to work. A♦ 5♦ T♣ T♠ looks dire for Johnson Tan until the river J♣ saves his run, gifting him a much needed double up.

Quijano Anacleto puts Moon Kyung Ho all-in from the SB and the dealer has the first bubble hand to flip.

Jonald Garcia puts in his last 430,000 from CO with A♠ 7♣ and the BB calls again, this time in the form of Quijano Anacleto showing A♥ 8♣ to dominate. The dealer sends Jonald Garcia packing with 6♦ 4♣ 9♣ 8♥ K♠ and the final table bubble is near.

A UTG jam from Keijiro Shimojo for 585,000 with A♠ 7♠ and a snap from BB Jonald Garcia with K♠ K♥ put the dealer in the spotlight, revealing A♦ A♣ Q♠ Q♣ 3♠ and handing over the pot to Keijiro Shimojo.

A 350,000 all-in from UTG Jonald Garcia gets called by BB Jongho Lee for the next race.

Christopher Mateo initiates the action with a 90,000 raise from +1, Dalipe Jess puts his last 70,000 into the middle for a call in BU and Elmer Kalaquian goes over the top from BB with 410,000. A quick call from Mateo sends the dealer to work.

UTG Keijiro Shimojo starts us off with a raise to 65,000, followed by a 275,000 jam from Winifred Obedoza in HJ and an over shove for 525,000 from BB Quijano Anacleto. Keijiro Shimojo calls, putting two players at risk.

The action starts with Keijiro Shimojo opening for 65,000 from the button and Chris Pasion to his left pumps it up to 135,000 for a flop Q♥ 3♠ J♦ . Two c-bets for 80,000 and 200,000 are called to see the river 7♦ K♣ which sees Chris Pasion slow down for a check and Keijiro Shimojo jams for 275,000. Preserving his chips with a fold, Chris Pasion moves down the ladder.

With an open shove from Ricky Oyama in UTG for 150,000 and a call by Jongho Lee in the BB, the dealer has one player at risk.

Winifred Obedoza opens 60,000 from BU and BB Moon Kyung Ho announces all-in for 70,000 with A♥ A♣ . Obedoza fills up with J♣ T♦ and the dealer rolls over 4♠ 9♣ 5♥ 4♦ 5♦ , delivering a double for Moon Kyung Ho.

A 65,000 open from Keijiro Shimojo in CO and Quijano Anacleto defending in BB we see the flop K♥ A♦ T♦ . C-bet 30,000 and a call bring us to the turn J♥ that gets checked to the river 7♥ for Quijano Anacleto to switch it up with a lead of 100,000 that sends Keijiro Shimojo in the tank. Deciding to fold the former chip leader surrenders a time bank as well.

With Nichols Manalo opening another hand for 60,000 and two calls from the BU and SB we get treated with the flop Q♣ A♦ T♣ . A c-bet for 80,000 keeps only BU Elmer Kalaquian in the hunt and the 8♦ turn is revealed for a check-around to the river Q♥ . Another 175,000 from Nichols Manalo does the trick to move up into the top positions on the leader board.

Jamming 55,000 from the button with J♠ J♥ and both blinds filling up we see the board J♣ K♣ 5♦ 5♥ 9♥ get checked down for the Jacks to come out on top.

Chua Woo Hian opens 50,000 from HJ, followed by a 205,000 jam from Nichols Manalo in SB, holding A♦ J♦ and Chua Woo Hian fills up with T♠ 9♠ . All eyes on the dealer delivering 5♣ 2♦ 2♣ Q♥ Q♣ and the ace is good enough for another double up going to Nichols Manalo.

Nichols Manalo jams 100,000 from the high jack with 6♣ 7♣ and Eric Ceret defends his big blind holding 8♦ 9♦ . The dealer puts some color on the felt with 7♥ A♥ 5♣ Q♣ J♦ , improving Nichols Manalo to a pair and a double.

Chris Pasion gets in the action with a 45,000 open from HJ, Moon Kyung Ho defends in SB to see the flop 8♦ 8♣ Q♣ . A 30,000 C-bet and a call is all it takes to move to the river Q♦ 2♠ , scooped up by Chris Pasion with A♣ 2♦ .

A HJ 40,000 open and two calls from BU and BB reveal the flop 3♣ J♣ 4♥ for a friendly check around to the turn J♦ . Checked to Moon Kyung Ho on the button, 40,000 go into the middle with only BB Riki Oyama paying up. The river Q♥ and two checks have Oyama come out on top, showing A♠ 4♦ .

This time, Eric Ceret starts us off with a 40,000 open from UTG, followed by a 115,000 jam from BB Manuel Geronimo and the dealer gets ready to decide another race.

With a 32,000 raise from HJ Eric Ceret and two calls the dealer presents the flop 5♣ 3♣ 5♥ and chips go flying. Initiated by a 30,000 c-bet, answered by a fold from Nichols Manalo and a check-raise from Chua Woo Hian to 90,000, Eric Ceret announces all-in and takes down the pot.

Liao Po Hsun fancies a 33,000 open from HJ with BU Moon Kyung Ho coming along for the ride to the flop 9♦ A♦ T♥ . A 25,000 c-bet and a call shut down the action on the turn A♠ for the river 9♣ to be revealed. A final lead of 40,000 with A♣ 3♣ from Liao Po Hsun receives a call and a muck to pick up a decent pot with aces full.

Picking up the action on 5♥ 3♠ 5♦ 6♠ 5♠ and 260,000 in the pot we see Moon Kyung Ho lead 100,000 out of position that gets countered by a 167,000 jam from Chris Pasion. After taking a while to contemplate, Moon Kyung Ho lets it go, losing a time bank in the process.

Ricky Oyama opens 31,000 from CO, HJ Hyeongjung Kim jams 60,000 and SB Clark Pallaya does the same with 68,000 for a three way race and two players at risk.

Quijano Anacleto starts the action with a raise to 35,000 from +1 and calls Michael Bueza's 72,000 three-bet from +2 to see the flop 5♠ J♦ 6♦ . Another 20,000 from Quijano Anacleto with 6♥ 7♥ puts Michael Bueza all-in for 8,000, showing A♠ A♦ and the dealer takes center stage to deliver the remaining cards 9♥ K♣ , resulting in a much needed double for Michael Bueza.

Looking at 9♣ 9♥ two hands after and a 175,000 jam in front from Chris Pasion, Birangat Gambhir is all-in for 130,000 and sees the bad news when Chris Pasion flips over Q♠ Q♥ . The dealer keeps us all on our toes by flopping J♣ T♥ 8♣ , but doesnt follow up anything exciting with 6♠ 5♣ to complete the board that seals Birangat Gambhir's exit.

Moon Kyung Ho opens 24,000 from SB and Birangat Gambhir defends to see the flop 3♥ A♠ A♦ . A 14,000 c-bet and a call is all this pot has to offer until the river 7♥ K♦ showdown going to Moon Kyung Ho with Q♦ 8♦ topping 9♠ 8♠ .

Jegal Gun opens 30,000 from the button with a defense from BB Jonald Garcia to the flop 3♦ J♣ 4♠ , a check around to the turn 6♦ and Jonald Garcia puts out a feeler for 23,000. Quickly called by Jegal Gun, the dealer completes the board with the 5♣ and we see another 26,000 from Garcia. Another call and another win for Jegal Gun with J♥ J♦ against Garcia's K♦ 6♣ .

With four limpers in front, BB Michael Bueza puts his remaining 28,000 in the middle. Marciel Cerbito in +1 and Jonald Garcia in +2 are the only takers and check down to the river 6♠ 5♥ 7♠ A♠ 5♣ . Michael Bueza flips over 4♣ 4♥ to take down the pot against 2♣ 2♠ in +1 and J♦ 8♦ in +2.

HJ Quijano Anacleto opens for 21,000 with CO and BB coming along for the ride to the flop 3♠ 8♠ 2♦ . C-bet 30,000, raise to 80,000 from CO Michael Bueza for the turn Q♦ . Suggesting weakness, Quijano Anacleto checks, Michael Bueza jams for 135,000 holding K♠ J♠ and we see a call for his last 70,000 from Quijano Anacleto with 9♥ 8♥ . The 3♦ on the river doesn't change anything and Quijano Anacleto banks a massive pot.

Keijiro Shimojo opens 21,000 from +1 and BB Marciel Cerbito defends to see the flop 9♦ T♠ 5♦ . A 15k c-bet and a call is followed by the 2♥ that gets checked to the river 4♦ and Marciel Cerbito takes the lead by sliding out 51,000. Keijiro Shimojo folds his hand, but retains the overall chip lead.

With the pot already at 95,000 and the board showing 6♠ 2♠ 8♠ J♦ we see Birangat Gambhir check-fold to Chris Pasion's 55,000 lead.

Michael Bueza starts the action from UTG with a 21,000 raise, called by HJ and BB to see the flop Q♣ 7♦ K♣ . A 45,000 c-bet has only HJ Jegal Gun stick around for the turn Q♥ . Faced with another 30,000 c-bet, Jegal Gun goes in the tank but can't find a call despite using a time bank.

With Shiina Tsubasa going all-in for 35,000 holding A♣ 8♠ and Jegal Gun Calling from CO showing Q♦ Q♠ the chances are high to witness another knockout. The dealer stays true to the probabilities by tabling J♥ 9♠ Q♥ 6♥ 5♥ to deliver another blow.

Opening 25,000 from BU, Jimin Lim snaps for his last 100,000 when Jongho Lee announces all-in from the big blind and we go flipping.

Picking up the action on 9♠ 4♦ 5♦ and a 50,000 pot, BU Quijano Anacleto jams 45,000 with J♦ 9♦ and gets called by Johnson Tan showing 8♦ 6♥. The dealer flips 3♠ 3♦ and Quijano Anacleto evades another exit.

When faced with a UTG min-rasie, BU Jeffrey Ballester jams his last 49,000 holding 8♣ 8♥ and initial raiser Jonald Garcia calls the rest with T♦ 9♦ . The dealer favors the over cards with 6♠ J♠ 6♦ A♦ T♠ and we inch one closer to the finish line.

Anastasios Pavlou opens 17,000 from +1, called by HJ and a shove from SB Michihiko Matsuda for 126,000. Anastasios Pavlou fills up and the dealer has another fate to decide.

With UTG opening 18,000 and two calls from +1 and BB we get the flop 5♦ 3♦ A♥ and a check around to the turn 6♥ . When checked to him, Eric Ceret slides out 15,000, finds a caller in Michihiko Matsuda from the BB and the dealer reveals the K♦ on the river. Another 25,000 lead from Ceret is enough to take home the pot for an above average stack.

Seonghun Jeong announces all-in from the button, gets a quick call from Chua Woo Hian and all eyes move to the dealer.

Lim Hyunbae starts us off with a 16,000 raise from HJ, called by BB Chua Woo Hian to see the flop J♣ 6♦ 5♣ . An 18,000 c-bet and a call show the turn Q♣ that gets checked to the river A♥ and Chua Woo Hian takes the lead with 32,000 to scoop up the pot uncontested.

Having just scooped a pot, CO Michihiko Matsuda is at it again with a raise to 12,000 and a defense by BB Eric Ceret for a flop 6♥ 5♠ 9♠ . Eric Ceret takes over the reins with a 10,000 donk-bet that takes us to the turn 5♥ . Another 15,000 lead from Eric Ceret is all she wrote.

Yuhei Ando's UTG min-raise finds three callers from BU, SB and BB and the dealer reveals the flop 4♣ 2♣ J♦ . Ando's c-bet gets answered by a check-raise all-in for 80,000 from Michihiko Matsuda in the BB to end the hand right there.

Picking up the action on the river 3♦ 7♠ 4♣ J♣ 3♠ with 55,000 already in the middle BB Michael Bueza puts in 22,000 and gets tested by Chua Woo Hian with a raise to 65,000. Not feeling good about his hand Michael Bueza lets it go and Chua Woo Hian incorporates a nice pot into his stack.

Darren Moves initiates the action with a 13,000 raise from +2 with CO and SB calling to see the flop T♥ 2♥ 9♦ . A 25,000 c-bet keeps only Roxanne Victorino around from CO going to the turn Q♣ . When checked to her, she puts out 55,000 and takes down the pot uncontested.

First to act Michael Bueza slides out a min-raise and BB Lim Hyunbae defends to see the flop 4♣ 5♣ A♣ that gets checked to the turn T♥ . Hyunbae Lim takes the lead with 12,000 and a call for the river Q♠ and another lead for 20,000. Michael Bueza calls again with the winner K♠ T♠ versus 8♦ 6♣

Lee Jongho starts the action with a 12,000 raise from HJ and goes deep into the tank when CO Qi Le Wah announces all-in for 63,000. With two time banks and the chips for a call going in the middle, we have a race on our hands.

With the pot being 90,000 and the board showing 8♥ 9♣ 4♥ J♠ 6♠ we see BB Christian Bulpett slide out 84,000 with T♥ 5♥ , hoping for a fold, but gets called by Moon Kyung Ho with 4♣ 4♠ .

Coming off of an early double up, Lee Suya jams for 60,000 with A♦ T♦ from SB after CO Chris Pasion made it 12,000. Easy call for the CO with K♦ K♥ and the dealer takes center stage flipping over 5♠ 8♥ 5♣ 7♣ 4♥ to deliver the first elimination of the day.

Picking up the action on 2♠ 3♠ A♥ and 50,000 in the middle, we see UTG Quijano Anacleto test the waters with 21,000, followed by a call from BB Liao Po Hsun. Checked to the river 8♠ 6♦ Liao Po Hsun tables 5♦ 2♦ for Quijano Anacleto to pick up the pot showing A♣ Q♣ .

Looking down at K♣ 9♣ and announcing all-in for 38,000 from the button, Lee Suya is up against BB Ryan Tan with A♥ 8♣ . The dealer gets warmed up with K♠ J♣ 6♦ K♦ 5♠ for Lee Suya to double.

Cards are in the in the air with 50 players left battling it out!

The headline event today will be Day 2 of the Kick-off starting at 12:00 noon with the remaining 50 players out of a starting field of 337 over all three flights the previous days. All Day 2 qualifiers have a min-cash of ₱27,000 secured already, but everyone will have their eyes set on the top prize of ₱874,443 and a ₱120,000 2025 APPT Manila Main Event package.

Flight 2 chip leaders Keijiro Shimojo (522,000), Roxanne Victorino (440,000) and Hyunbae Lim (439,000) will start the final day in the top three spots as well. The action will resume at level 17 with blinds of 3,000/6,000/6,000. On the bottom of the field we have 15 players with less than 20BB, so we can be sure for some early action.

Good luck to everyone still in the hunt and we will see you for live updates in a few minutes!