Main Event

In just over eight hours of play, Flight A of the 20th Manila Super Series concluded with Japan's Ryoji Hatanaka delivering the bubble. This sent his stack soaring to 436,000 (87 bb) to close the day as chip leader.

The opening flight drew 228 entries with 35 players advancing to Day 2 / ITM round. Each one is guaranteed a piece of the PHP 10 Million prize pool.

Plenty of time for players to jump in the action with three flights yet to be tabled.

On the second hand-for-hand the money bubble quickly burst with Takashi Yagura taking the hard fall. Yagura opens the hand with a 12,000 raise, button Ryoji Hatanaka calls, then both check the flop J♥ 2♦ T♠ . On the turn 9♥ , Yagura bets 10,000, Hatanaka raises 30,000, Yagura calls and head to the river 6♦ . Yagura checks, Hatanaka shoves, Yagura calls with less chips and bubbles.

Ryoji Hatanaka J♠ T♥

Takashi Yagura K♠ K♣

Ryoh Hasegawa three-bets all in for 56,000 with A♣ A♦ and gets fully paid by Scot William Evan with K♦ Q♣ on a board 2♥ 6♦ 4♥ 3♠ T♠ .

Facing a shove of 42,000, big blind Darwin Dilao makes the easy call with A♥ K♥ . At risk player has Q♠ T♥ then pairs up on a board 9♥ J♥ T♦ . No change on the turn 2♣ however on the river A♦ , Dilao spikes the higher pair to claim the pot and boot one.

Utg player shoves 42,000 with A♠ 5♥ and misses the board 8♣ 3♣ kh 7♠ 2♥ to fall to Maxwell Rosete's 7♥ 7♣ set.

Action folds to the small blind Lee Pak Ning who raises 10,000, big blind Jun Xian Kher three-bets to 30,000, Lee flats and they head to the flop T♥ 8♠ T♣ . Jun c-bets 30,000, Lee check-calls then both check the turn 6♠ . On the river K♣ , Lee shoves 82,000, Jun tank-folds.

Ronald Ashley Lane open shoves his last 5 bb with J♦ 2♣ then proceeds to fall to Baek Youngseok's A♠ K♦ on a board 3♥ 3♠ A♥ K♣ 2♠ .

Utg Yu Kunlong raises 11,000, cutoff Jun Xian Kher calls, small blind Baek Youngseok shoves around 119,000, no takers.

Utg Baek Youngseok opens 10,000, Yu Kunlong calls from hijack, the rest fold. Both players check the flop 3♦ 8♥ 2♦ , then Yu bets 7000 on the turn 7♦ . Baek calls and they head to the river Q♥ . No bets again. Baek has A♣ J♥ air, Yu takes it with 7♥ 9♥ pair.

Facing a raise of 8000, cutoff Roman Kundasov three-bets 16,000 and initial raiser Jaeki Choi calls. On the flop 6♣ 7♠ 5♥ , Kundasov fires 21,000, Choi folds.

Cutoff Xia Qi opens 7000, button Ryan Chua three-bets all in for 40,500, Xia calls.

Ryan Chua A♥ 8♣

Xia Qi K♥ Q♦

The board runs 3♥ Q♥ ac 5♠ 9♥ , Chua doubles through.

Cutoff Mark Almusajin opens 7500 then calls small blind Jun Xian Kher's 28,000 three-bet. On the flop J♣ 2♦ 5♣ , Jun c-bets 40,000, Almusajin folds.

Utg Lau Chun Yin opens 8000 then calls small blind Christian Lortie's 13,000 three-bet to head to the flop A♣ 2♣ 9♦ . Lau jams 36,000, Lortie check-calls.

Lau Chun Yin A♠ Q♥

Christian Lortie J♠ J♣

Lau is ahead with top pair and stays in position on the turn T♥ and river 6♣ for a double up.

Utg+1 Benjamin Ebarle opens 5000, next to act Kyle Magbanua calls, cutoff Boon Seng three-bets 24,000, only Ebarle calls. At the flop 7♦ K♥ 2♥ , Ebarle shoves (34,500), Boon Seng gives up his hand.

Utg+2 opens 5000, cutoff Ryo Hasegawa calls, small blind Maxwell Rosete three-bets 16,500, utg+2 and Hasegawa call for a three-way to the flop 6♥ 9♣ 9♥ . Utg+2 shoves, Hasegawa calls with less chips, Rosete calls with the largest stack.

Utg+2 2♠ 2♥

Ryo Hasegawa T♦ 9♦

Maxwell Rosete K♦ K♠

The turn Q♥ and river 7♣ keep Hasegawa ahead to ship it while railing one in the process.

Button player Prince Mark Aquino open-shoves 11,000 with A♠ 7♦ and is put on the ropes by Jaeki Choi with K♠ 8♦ . The board runs K♣ Q♦ J♦ T♠ T♥ for a straight on the turn to Aquino to double up.

Numbers are up, 35 players out of 228 entries will ITM and advance to Day 2. 72 players remaining.

Utg Ching Li Lok shoves 15,6000 with A♥ K♦ and big blind Gary Nordigian calls with A♠ 8♦ . The board Q♥ 4♥ 9♣ T♠ 5♠ keeps Ching ahead for a double up.

Facing a raise of 2500 that's called, hijack Jaeki Choi calls, then button player Ryoji Hatanaka three-bets 12,000, only Choi calls and both head to the flop 4♦ 4♥ 9♠ . Hatanaka c-bets12,000, Choi check-calls. Both check the turn 3♦ . On the river 8♣ , Choi leads out 18,000, Hatanaka folds.

Button player Tetsuya Tsujisaka opens 2400 then calls big blind Lau Chun Yin's 4000 three-bet. Both players check the flop 8♦ 5♣ T♠ . Lau bets 3500 on the turn 9♥ and Tsujisaka calls. Both return to checking on the river 5♥ . Tsujisaka shows J♦ 9♠ , Lau mucks.

Utg+1 Lenart Ecarma opens 2500 and Tom Henricus Verbruggen defends the big blind. Both players check the flop, then on a turn board Q♦ 7♦ 2♠ K♦ , Verbruggen bets 2700, Ecarma makes it 7500, Verbruggen folds.

Short stacked Jung Heejae with A♥ K♥ shoves his last 7 bb and Kim Kyong Hun calls with K♦ T♥ . When the flop lands 9♣ J♣ Q♣ , it's an instant straight for Kim. With the turn 2♦ and river 5♣ , Jung is eliminated.

Jon Daniel Walker looks down at K♠ K♦ and opens 3800, button Jung Heejae has T♠ T♦ and three-bets 11,600. Back to Walker who four-bets all in for 39,000, Jung calls. The board runs K♥ 4♥ 3♥ 7♣ J♠ , Walker doubles up.

Button Hyungwoo Nam opens 2600 and Benjamin Ebarle defends the small blind. On the flop 9♥ K♥ 3♣ , Ebarle leads out 1200 and gets called. On the turn 6♥ , Ebarle sends out 3200 and this time wins the pot uncontested.

Joris Michl defends the big blind by calling a 2600 raise. On the flop 5♠ 8♥ 7♠ , Michl calls the 2500 bet then both players check the turn 3♠ and river 9♦ . Michl wins the pot with T♥ 9♠ .

Hijack Takashi Yagura opens 22,000 and is called by the blinds to see the flop 5♦ 2♥ 9♠ . Yagura c-bets 3500, only small blind Tan Yang Yang calls. On the turn 2♠ , Yagura bangs out 9000 and is called again. The river J♠ , Yagura continues with a 21,500 bet and takes the pot with Tan opting to fold.

Facing a three-bet shove of 11,200, small blind Hyungwoo Nam calls, then initial raiser utg+2 folds.

All in player A♥ 2♥

Hyungwoo Nam A♣ 9♥

The board runs 5♣ 4♠ 7♣ 5♥ 8♣ , Nam's kicker plays to clean out a player.

Facing a 2500 raise, button Tan Yang Yang three-bets 6,500, small blind Taisei Ogiwara four-bets all in for 85,000, initial raiser folds while Tan calls with a much shorter stack.

Taisei Ogiwara Q♠ Q♣

Tan Yang Yang A♣ K♦

Tan quickly connects as the board completes K♠ 4♦ 5♣ 5♥ T♣ .

From the big blind, Scot William Evan calls the 2,200 raise by Ryan Elicay and both see a flop J♦ Q♣ Q♦ . Elicay c-bets 2200, Evan check-raises to 6000, Elicay folds.

Two short stacks go head to head for all their chips. Tan Yang Yang's Q♠ Q♦ bests A♣ 9♣ on a board 4♦ K♣ 9♥ 4♥ J♠ .

Hand opens with utg all in for 10,300, next to act Dan Erik Larsson joins for 31,000, small blind calls to try to eliminate both players.

Utg K♦ J♦

Dan Erik Larsson Q♣ Q♦

Baek Youngseok A♠ T♠

Board runs Q♦ 3♦ 2♣ 8♣ 2♥ , Larsson scoops while sending one packing.

Maxwell Rosete calls a player's shove and it's a flip. Rosete with A♠ K♠ , all in player with J♦ J♥ . The board runs out 3♥ A♣ 2♥ 8♣ 5♦ . Rosete spikes the higher pair to rail one.

Kunwoo Kim opens 1800 from the button and Genesis Pilao on the big blind defends. Kim c-bets 2000 on the flop T♦ Q♥ 2♣ and is called. Kim c-bets 6000 on the turn 6♦ , this time earns the pot without further challenge.

Hijack open shoves 10,300, button Lloyd Locsin calls, small blind Luqman Alghanim three-bets it all for 21,700, again Locsin calls hoping for a double boot.

Hijack 4♦ 8♦

Lloyd Locsin A♣ T♦

Luqman Alghanim A♦ K♣

Board A♠ 9♦ 5♥ 6♠ Q♦

From utg, Mark Almusajin opens 1400 and is joined by two players to the flop K♠ J♠ 6♣ . Almusajin c-bets 1800 and both players call. The turn 9♣ , Almusajin bets a larger 6100, only big blind Ching Li Lok continues to the river J♥ . Almusajin fires once again, sending out 15,000. This time, Ching folds.

Three players in on a raised pot, flop comes 6♦ A♣ 3♣ , button player bets 2000, big blind Jaewan Yun check-raises 5500, utg folds, button three-bets all in for 11,000, Yun calls.

Button 4♠ 6♠

Jaewan Yun 2♣ 4♣

The turn 9♣ completes the flush for Yun to rail the all in player. River was A♦ .

Following a win, Jimmy Lung Fei Huang claims another pot. Hand opens with utg+2 Chirag Shah raising 1000, button Huang and small blind call. At the flop 9♥ 2♠ A♥ , Shah c-bets 1600 and only Huang continues On the turn 4♣ , Shah bets 3800, Huang shoves (22,000), Shah is covered and opts to fold.

Utg Kim Kinam opens 800 then calls Jimmy Lung Fei Huang's three-bet of 3000. Huang proceeds to bet 2000 on the flop 9♠ K♥ 3♣ , Kim folds.

From hijack Raphael Bulaong opens 1000 and big blind Seung Min Lee defends. Bulaong c-bets the flop 8♥ 5♣ J♣ and gets called. On the turn 5♥ , Lee leads out 1800, this time Bulaong calls, and same on the river 5♦ , Bulaong calls 2000. Lee opens 8♠ T♥ , Bulaong wins it with A♦ J♠ top pair.

Utg Kim Kyong Hun min-raises and the blinds defend. All three check to the turn board 5♠ J♥ K♦ T♣ , small blind Andrej Nagy checks, big blind Jon Daniel Walker bets 800, Kim folds and Nagy follows suit.

Max Mahesh Kumar opens 800 from hijack and cutoff Andrej Nagy calls. Kumar bets the flop and turn 8♦ 9♣ 4♣ 5♦ , Nagy calls the 1400 and 2700. On the river 7♦ , Kumar slows to a check, Nagy bets 5700, Kumar calls then mucks to Nagy's K♦ T♦ flush.

Down to 10,200, Seonghun Jeong open-shoves holding 3♠ 3♣ an button Boon Seng calls with K♦ J♣ . Jeong dodges all the big cards and draws on a board T♣ 7♥ 6♣ Q♦ 5♠ , for a double up.

Heavy action preflop, utg+2 opens 600, Seonghun Jeong three-bets 1800, button Chongmin Park four-bets 5000, utg+2 folds, Jeong calls. At the flop 5♣ 4♥ 9♦ , Park c-bets 4000, Jeong check-calls. On the turn 4♣ , Park fires it all (52,900), Jeong doesn't bite.

Boon Seng opens 500 and two join to the flop A♦ 6♦ 6♣ . Boon c-bets 600, only big blind Chongmin Park continues to the turn Q♠ . Both check then Park leads out 2000 on the river 2♦ , Boon calls then mucks to Park's A♥ 4♣ .

Utg+2 Seonghun Jeong opens 500 and is joined by two callers button Boon Seng and big blind Youngbum Park, then all three check to the turn J♣ T♣ 9♠ 3♣. Jeong bets 600 and claims the pot.

Tran Xuan Ha opens 500 from hijack and Andry Pozdnyakov defends the big blind. Both proceed to check the flop then Tran bets the turn board 4♠ 8♦ 8♣ K♠ . Pozdnyakov folds.

From mid-position, Christian Lortie opens 600 and finds two callers then all check to the turn T♦ A♠ Q♦ 7♠ . Lortie leads out 1,500, only cutoff Prince Mark Aquino calls, then both check the river J♥ . Lortie has A♥ 6♥ , Aquino wins the pot with A♣ J♣ .

From the button, Lenart Ecarma opens 300 and big blind Christian Lortje defends to head to the flop T♣ 9♠ 6♠ . Ecarma c-bets 500 and wins the pot uncontested.

Next hand, Ecarma opens 1800 from cutoff and Lortje calls from small blind. Ecarma bets 5,000 at the flop T♠ 3♣ 6♠ , Lortje check-calls. Then on the turn Q♣ , Ecarma fires 10,000 and this time no challenge from Lortje.

Action folds to the small blind Lortie Christian who limps, big blind Khor Roy checks, both players see a flop A♠ 8♦ 4♦ . Lortie leads out 100, Khor calls, then both check the turn 9♣ . On the river J♣ , Lortie bets 300, Khor bumps it up to 1,000, Lortje folds.

Among the players already in action are Mark Almusajin, Andrej Nagy, Vamerdino Magsakay, Christopher Boys, and John Paredes Graham.

Cards are now flying at the Flight A of the Main Event! Registration stays open until the start of Level 11 which is at approximately 8:20pm.

After five days of pre-games the 20th edition of PokerStars LIVE Manila Super Series opens its doors today, May 29, 2024, with the much awaited PHP 10 Million (~USD 171,180) guaranteed Main Event. All the action takes place at Okada Manila in Manila, Philippines.

To have a chance at the pot, players have four Manila Super Series Main Event flights to choose from with buy in at PHP 20,000 (~USD 350). Each starting stack is 30,000, which is 300 times the opening blinds. For the first three flights - Flight A, Flight B, Flight C - blinds increase every 30 minutes while a shorter 15 minutes duration is scheduled for Flight D Turbo. Registration closes at the start of Level 11 then from there, each flight plays down to ITM of 15% of the field.

After Day 1, survivors will move forward to extended 40 minute gameplay for Day 2 until the final 9 players is reached. In addition to the juicy payouts, the top two finishers of the Main Event will receive an APPT Manila Main Event Package – seat and accommodation, valued at PHP 120,000 (~USD 2,090) taken from the prize pool.

Dates: May 29 to June 2, 2024

Buy in: PHP 20,000 (~USD 350)

Guarantee: PHP 10,000,000 (~USD 171,80)

ITM: 15% of the field

Flight A: Wednesday, May 29 at 3pm

Flight B: Thursday, May 30 at 3pm

Flight C: Friday, May 31 at 1pm

Flight D Turbo: Friday, May 31 at 6pm

Day 2: Saturday, June 1 at 1pm

Final Day: Sunday, June 2 at 1pm

Somuchpoker will be onsite from start to finish. You can track the action via the live updates.

Hijack Ryan Chua opens 600, small blind Max Mahesh Kumar calls, big blind Andrej Nagy three-bets 2500, no callers.