Main Event

In just over eight hours of play, Flight B of the 20th Manila Super Series concluded with Karen Talamayan locking up the top spot with a massive stack of 929,000 (155 bb). This was 60 bb more than the nearest challenger Lee Wonjae with 570,000 (95 bb).

The second flight was even more popular than opening day, pulleing in 330 entries with 50 players advancing to Day 2 / ITM round. Each one is guaranteed a piece of the PHP 10 Million prize pool.

With two more flights to play out, the guarantee is expected to be breached during the opening round of Flight C.

The bubble has been delivered with Seungmook Jung Q♠ Q♦ railing Ryuki Shirase 7♠ 7♦ . The final board was 6♥ Q♣ 2♠ K♣ 6♠ .

On a raised pot preflop, Victor Miranda c-bets 13,000 on a flop 2♣ 4♥ T♠ , Gary Nordigian raises 38,000, Miranda calls. On the turn 5♣ , Nordigian shoves 55,000, Miranda check-calls.

Gary Nordigian A♦ T♦

Victor Miranda 5♦ 6♦

The river K♣ ensures the double up for Nordigian.

After losing some chips to the leader Karen Talamayan, An Seongbeom proceeds to lose the rest of it. Seongbeom check-raises all in on a flop 4♥ 4♦ 7♦ , Talamayan calls.

An Seongbeom 5♦ 6♦ open ended

Karen Talamayan 4♣ 3♣ trips

The turn 8♠ gives Seongbeom the straight and nearly doubles until the river 8♥ gives Talamayan the boat.

Preflop betting war leads to Chong Zi Heng all in with Q♣ Q♥ , Peter Chung calls with 9♣ 9♥ . With the board running J♠ K♠ 9♠ 2♠ K♥ , Chung spikes the lucky two-outer to end Chong's day.

Utg+2 Karen Talamayan opens 15,000, big blind An Seongbeom calls then bets 16,000 on the flop J♠ 6♠ 4♣ . Talamayan flats then both check the turn 3♥ and river 3♠ . Seongbeom has 5♣ 5♦ , Talamayan wins the pot with A♥ 6♥ .

Qian Zhou calls an all in of 75,000 and dominates with A♦ Q♣ over A♣ 8♦ . With the board running 9♣ A♠ Q♦ 7♦ 5♣ , Zhou ships it while booting one.

Joseph Magnotti three-bets all in with Q♠ Q♣ and holds on for a double against caller Philip Reyes's K♥ J♠ that misses on a nine-high board.

Aldo Alvarez opens 10,000 and Yoo Eunjung defends on the big blind. At the flop J♠ 4♦ 4♥ , big bets land. Alvarez kicks off with 25,000, Yoo check-raises 50,000, Alvarez shoves 135,000, Yoo calls to put Alvarez at risk.

Aldo Alvarez K♥ K♣

Yoo Eunjung K♣ 4♠ trips

The turn 3♦ and river 9♣ spells the end for Alvarez.

Utg Kim Andrei opens and Victor Miranda defends the big blind. Both players check the flop K♣ 9♦ 6♣ then Miranda leads out 8000 on the turn 7♣. Kim answers with a raise to 19,000, Miranda calls. On the river 7♥ , Miranda checks then tank-calls Kim's 29,000 bet. It's a good decision as Kim shows A♦ 4♠ . Miranda earns the pot with 8♣ 6♦ pair.

Rio Shinohara shoves his last 8 bb holding A♣ 2♠ and proceeds to fall to Tom Miao's J♥ J♦ with a board fully in Miao's favor 6♣ 9♠ J♠ 8♠ 8♣ .

On a raised pot preflop, cards run 8♠ K♦ 7♦ , sb Rio Shinohara c-bets 7000, bb Patrick Wahlquist raises 21,000, Shinohara three-bet pushes 144,000, Wahlquist calls (81,000) for his tournament life.

Patrick Wahlquist Q♦ 2♦

Rio Shinohara K♥ T♠

The turn J♣ is no help to Wahlquist but the A♦ is an out for the flush.

From utg Karen Talamayan min-raises, two players call then button Addien Bin Abu Bakar shoves (25,000). Talamayan calls and the other two callers call again. At the flop 2♦ 6♥ 7♥ , hijack Kim Min Hwa bets 20,000, Talamayan calls and one drops out. On the turn 4♣, Kim shoves (74,000), this time Talamayan folds for Kim to win the side pot. For the main pot, both players reveal their hole cards.

Kim Min Hwa A♦ 6♦

Addien Bin Abu Bakar A♠ Q♠

The river K♠ doesn't help Bakar to hit the rail.

Down to 7 bb Jose Cheung shoves from utg holding Q♣ T♥ , big blind Tan Yang Yang calls with A♣ 5♣ . A queen on the window as the board completes Q♥ 7♠ 2♥ 5♦ 2♦ , gives Cheung renewed life.

Another score for Karen Talamayan with A♣ 3♦ pairing both cards on a board K♠ A♥ 3♣ 6♦ 5♥ to deny the all in player's A♦ Q♦ bid for a double.

Utg Lee Yohan raises 6500 then calls the small blind's three-bet shove (36,500). Lee is ahead A♦ K♠ to at small blind's K♣ Q♣. With the board running A♣ 5♥ 9♠ Q♠ 7♥ , Lee ships it and rails one.

Karen Talamayan opens then calls a short stacked player's 5 bb shove. Talamayan's A♥ 6♥ spikes the ace on a board 5♣ T♣ 5♥ A♠ Q♥ to dust 8♦ 8♣ .

Patrick Wahlquist calls a three-bet shove holding Q♦ Q♥ and proceeds to rail the lesser J♠ J♣ .

Action folds to the blinds, Kioh Anh raises, Addien Bin Abu Bakar three-bets all in (8 bb) with A♦ T♦ and Anh calls with 5♠ 6♠ . The board runs Q♣ A♦ J♥ Q♠ 8♣ .

Massive stacked Karen Talamayan continues to dominate by claiming another pot with her uncalled bet. Talamayan opens from hijack for 6000, button Lloyd Locsin calls, big blind Kioh Anh three-bets 21,000, both players call. At the flop 6♠ 9♦ 5♣ , Talamayan bets 20,000 and wins the pot with no takers.

Karen Talamayan maintains a dominant chip lead with a small pot won against Addien Bin Abu Bakar. Hand opens with a raise that's called by three players. Talamayan bets the flop 4♥ Q♣ 5♠ and only Bakar calls. Both players check the turn A♣ then Talamayan takes the pot on the river 6♦ after Bakar folds to her 10,000 bet.

On a raised pot preflop, Euryd Rivera and Moon Kyung Ho check the flop and turn 2♣ 7♥ Q♣ 9♥ . On the river 7♦ , Rivera bets 5000, Ho calls and shows Q♦ 3♣ top pair. Rivera mucks.

An Seongbeom three-bets 5400 and is called by initial raiser Seonghun Jeong. Seongbeom continues to bet on the flop 8♥ 6♣ K♣ , Jeong calls the 20,000. The turn 6♥ , Seongbeom jams (27,200), Jeong folds.

Randee Clybouw A♠ K♠ calls William Ysmael's Q♣ Q♦ raise and hits top pair on the flop T♦ A♥ 9♦ . Ysmael c-bets 2200 and is called. The turn Q♠ give Ysmael the set and he bets 11,000, again Clybouw calls. Then on the river 9♣ , Clybouw leads out with a shove only to see his stack pushed to Ysmael.

Down to 14,000 Haewon Jung is all in holding A♠ 8♦ then doubles up through Richard Tolentino's Q♣ J♣ on a board K♥ 6♦ Q♥ T♣ J♠ .

Michihiko Matsuda A♥ J♦ all in for 20,300 and wins the flip against caller Jack Tey Shousheng's 9♥ 9♠ with the board running J♠ 5♠ T♦ A♣ 3♠ .

Emmanuel Derecho three-bets all in with Q♠ Q♣ and doubles up through Haewon Jung's A♣ Q♦ on a board running K♣ J♠ 5♣ 8♣ 3♥ .

Euryd Rivera K♥ Q♦ three-bets all in (17,000) and wins the flip against initial raiser Richard Tolentino who calls with 4♥ 4♦ . The board runs A♦ 3♣ 9♠ T♣ Q♦ .

After losing some chips in the previous hand, Edilberto Gopez three-bet shoves (15,800) and initial raiser Czardy Rivera calls for round two between them. Gopez opens 6♥ 6♦ and is at risk against Rivera's T♠ T♥ . With the flop running 7♦ T♦ Q♦ , Rivera improves to a set, then with the turn 2♦ , Gopez lands the flush. The river 3♥ is no help to Rivera for Gopez to survive.

Utg+1 Czardy Rivera opens 2500 and big blind Edilberto Gopez defends. When the board completes Q♣ 7♠ 4♠ 2♥ 4♥ , Rivera bets every street 2000, 5500, 10,000, and Gopez check-calls throughout. Rivera shows Q♦ J♥ top pair, Gopez mucks.

Jack Tey Shousheng shoves with T♦ T♠ and runs into Patrick Wahlquist's K♠ K♥ . With no help from the board, Wahlquist ships it as Shousheng packs up.

Facing a raise by Michihiko Matsuda, William Ysmael defends the big blind and off they go to the flop 2♦ 4♦ K♠ . Matsuda c-bets 3000, Ysmael check-calls. Both players check the turn A♥ then on the river 7♣ , Matsuda bets 3000 to take the pot without a challenge.

Lee Jungkyu opens 3000, Kang Hanbyul three-bets 8400, Lee four-bets all in for 57,000, Kang calls with less (38,000).

Lee Jungkyu A♠ A♥

Kang Hanbyul A♦ K♥

The board runs A♣ T♥ 6♠ 2♥ 6♥ , Kang is eliminated.

Korean ace Seungmook Jung opens 2200 then calls Jacky Ho's all in for 14,200. Jung has K♥ J♥ , Ho A♦ K♣ , the board runs J♠ 3♠ 5♦ 5♠ 2♣ . Ho is eliminated.

Jundy Walker opens 2500 and is called by button Bang Jongmoon. At the flop 2♣ 9♥ T♦ , Walker check-raises all in (14,700), Bang calls to try to eliminate.

Jundy Walker K♠ Q♥

Bang Jongmoon J♥ 9♦ pair

The turn 5♣ is no help to Walker but the Q♠ is the money card to survive and double up.

Cutoff Hyeonho Shin calls a 2000 raise by hijack and the flop runs 9♣ 6♥ J♠ . Hijack checks, Shin bets 4,000 then calls an 8000 raise. On the turn 5♥ , same action with Shin betting 15,000 then calling hijack's shove.

Hijack T♦ T♣

Hyeonho Shin K♥ K♦

The kings stay ahead on the river 2♦ for a double up to Shin.

Four players in on a raised pot preflop amounting to 7600. On the flop 9♣ 5♦ K♦ action checks to the button Srinivas Polishetty who bets 3000, two players call. All three then check down the turn J♥ and river 4♣ . Polishetty wins it with K♣ 2♣ top pair.

Big blind Aldo Alvarez three-bets, initial raiser folds, button Ching Li Lok calls. Alverez pumps in another 5000 at the flop A♠ 9♠ 3♠ and Ching calls. On the turn 3♣ , Alverez bets 7000 which is enough to get Ching to fold.

Rare moment with four players all in preflop. With the board running 7♥ 9♥ A♦ 2♣ 9♠ , largest stacked Richard Tolentino's A♥ K♠ bests A♣ Q♦ , 8♣ 8♠ , T♦ T♣ , for a clean sweep.

Button Ethan Monteverde looks down at A♣ A♥ and raises 1600, big blind defends then head to the flop 9♦ Q♥ 2♣ . Big blind quickly shoves, Monteverde snap-calls and is way ahead of A♠ Q♥ top pair. The turn 4♠ and 6♦ river are good for Monteverde to ship a double.

Utg John Costiniano opens and is called by three players to the flop J♥ 4♠ 2♦ . Costiniano c-bets 1200, two players call to the turn J♣ . Costiniano bets again for 4000, only button Rafael Tensuan calls. On the A♣ river , Costiniano slows to a check, Tensuan sends out 5000, Costiniano opts to fold.

Utg+2 opens 1300 and heads to the flop 2♦ K♦ 9♦ with two callers to which all check. On the turn 2♣ , utg+2 bets 2400, button folds, small blind Victor Miranda check-raises all in and is called to be at risk of elimination.

Victor Miranda K♣ Q♥ two pair

Utg+2 8♦ 7♦ flush

The river K♥ is just the out needed by Miranda to survive and double up.

William Ysmael raises 2700 and is called by Taeil Kim to see the flop 5♥ 4♠ 6♣ . Ysmael bets 700, Kim raises 6000, Ysmael jams and gets called.

William Ysmael T♠ T♦

Taeil Kim Q♦ 7♦

Kim misses the turn 2♣ and river K♥ and is eliminated.

On a raised pot preflop, big blind Lam Wo Kui shoves 41,300 on a flop 8♦ 5♦ T♦ , utg Richard Marquez calls. Lam shows 2♦ 7♦ flush, Marquez with A♦ 9♥ draw. Lam dodges the turn T♠ and river 3♠ for the flush to hold.

Big blind Taeil Kim four-bets all in for 10,400, initial raiser folds while three-bettor Guanghui Ye calls. Kim opens A♠ Q♣ and is flipping against Ye's J♣ J♠ , the board runs out 9♥ Q♥ 5♠ 6♦ 3♠ . Kim wins the flip for a double up.

Button Tony Cong Quoc Khoang three-bets 5100 and is called by initial raiser utg Tom Miao. At the flop Q♥ 9♥ 3♣ , Khoang c-bets 5000 and is check-called to head to the turn 6♦ . Khoang sends out 10,000 and this time claims the pot without further challenge.

John Costiniano four-bets all in for 6800, initial raiser folds while Randee Clybouw calls. Costiniano opens A♥ J♦ , Clybouw K♠ Q♠ , the board runs out 4♥ K♥ 6♥ 3♦ J♥ .

After a utg limp, cutoff Raymond Gomez raises 1500, small blind Koon Manhei Jason and utg call. On the flop J♣ 8♣ 7♦ , Gomez c-bets 2200 and gets check-called by both players to head to the turn 2♥ . Gomez continues with a 4000 bet, Koon check-raises all in for 16,000, utg folds, Gomez calls for his tournament life.

Koon Manhei Jason Q♥ J♦

Raymond Gomez 9♦ T♥

The river K♣ secures the win for Gomez for a double up.

Five players in on a raised pot preflop, card land 6♥ 3♥ 9♠ . Rajaev Kanjani bets 3500 and everyone folds.

Having just doubled up, Christian Balfagon tumbles again and for the second time it is Richard Marquez cleaning him out. The hand opens with a 3000 raise by Balfagon that's called by the button and big blind Marquez. On the flop 5♣ 3♥ 9♣ , Balfagon bet 10,000, button folds, Marquez check-raises 25,000, Balfagon three-bet jams, Marquez calls.

Christian Balfagon J♥ 9♠ top pair

Richard Marquez T♣ 2♣ draw

The turn J♣ improves both and with the river A♣ , Marquez's flush bests Balfagon's two pair.

After falling to Richard Marquez's aces, Christian Balfagon has re-entered and finds a double up against his nemesis. Marquez opens 1000 hijack Balfagon calls then jams the flop 6♦ 4♥ 2♦ . Marquez calls and shows Q♣ 6♣ and is outkicked by Balfagon's A♠ 6♥ . The turn J♣ and river 3♥ are no help to Marquez and Balfagon ships it.

MSS 17 champion William Ysmael is in the house and picks up a pot on his uncalled shove. Ysmael opens the hand with a 900 raise, two players join to the flop 5♦ 4♥ T♣ . Ysmael c-bets 1000, hijack Rafael Tansuan raises 7000, cutoff Michihiko Matsuda folds, Ysmael shoves, Tansuan folds.

Shawn Yue Chang Lim opens 1000 from utg and heads to the flop Q♥ T♣ 7♣ with three callers. Lim continues with a 1700 bet and proceeds to the turn 6♥ with two players. Lim bets again, sending out 5000. No callers.

Heavy preflop action opens with utg 1400 raise, next to act Richard Marquez three-bets 2700, hijack Christian Balfagon four-bets 4000, utg folds, Marquez flats. Both players check the flop 3♥ 9♣ J♦ , then on the K♥ turn, Balfagon jams 35,000, Marquez check-calls.

Christian Balfagon A♣ T♣

Richard Marquez A♦ A♥

The river T♥ pairs up Balfagon but still far behind Marquez's aces.

Noritaka Sadahiro opens 1000 and heads to the flop 3♥ 7♠ 2♥ with three callers. Sadahiro loses two playes on his 3000 c-bet with only big blind Cai Ming Zheng check-calling. On the turn K♥ , Sadahiro fires another 3000 and wins the pot as Zheng folds.

Four players in on a raised pot amounting to 7100. On the flop A♣ K♣ T♠ , hijack Max Mahesh Kumar bets 3200, cutoff Shawn Yue Chang Lim calls, the rest fold. On the turn 4♥ hand river T♣ , Kumar sends out 1,100 and 5100, Lim calls both bets then mucks to Kumar's 8♣ 7♣ flush.

Utg Christian Balfagon opens 2000, button calls, big blind Richard Marquez also defends. At the flop Q♠ 3♠ 4♣ , Balfagon c-bets 4000, only Marquez calls to head to the turn 8♥ to which no bets land. The river A♣ , Marquez leads out 8000 then folds to Balfagon's 16,000 raise.

Seonghun Jeong opens 600 from the button and is joined to the flop 2♠ 5♥ T♥ by the blinds. Jeong c-bets 600 and the blinds stick with him. The turn 9♦ , Jeong lays out 1500, only big blind Harish Kumar Asnani continues to the river 8♣ . Both check. Jeong shows K♥ T♠ top pair, Asnani mucks.

From cutoff, Philip Reyes three-bets 2000 and initial raiser calls. Reyes c-bets 2100 the flop 9♣ 5♠ 8♦ , and 5000 on the turn 7♣ , he is check-called both times. No bets land on the river 7♥ . Reyes has K♥ K♣ and wins the pot.

Under the gun Liang Wang opens 800 and finds two callers to the flop 2♠ J♣ 4♦ . Liang c-bets 1600 and only small blind Chong Foo Kuen calls. Chong check-calls again on the turn 5♣ for 2000 then both check the river Q♦ . Chong shows Q♥ J♠ two pair, Liang mucks.

Utg+2 Keita Kitamura opens 500, button Kim Kyong Hun three-bets 1700, Kitamura answers with a four-bet of 3700, Kim flats. More chips land on the flop Q♥ 6♦ 5♥ , Kitamura c-bets 1000, Kim calls. The turn 5♠ , Kitamura checks, Kim bets a small 400, Kitamura raises 1000, Kim calls. Both players check the river 4♥ .

Kitamura shows A♣ K♦ , Kim wins the pot with K♥ Q♦ top pair.

Lam Wo Kui opens and heads to the flop A♦ A♠ 5♣ with three callers. Lam c-bets 800, two players fold, small blind Christian Balfagon check-raises 2000, Lam folds.

Utg Ito Koki opens 500 then calls utg+1 Ko Yo Han's three-bet of 2000. At the flop 4♠ 2♣ 8♥ , Ko c-bets 1500 and is check-called. Same action on the turn K♣ with 4500 check-called. Both player check the river 5♠ .

Ito shows A♣ 8♣ , Ko with A♠ K♥ higher pair.

Lots of chips dumped in preflop with five players in on a raised pot amounting to 3700. When the board completes T♦ 7♥ 8♦ K♣ A♣ , everyone checks the flop and turn, then on the river utg Benigno Ledina bets 1000, cutoff folds, button Kim Kyong Hun raises 9000, no callers.

From cutoff, Cham Jia Ming opens 400, button three-bets 1600, big blind Andrej Nagy calls and Cham joins to make it a three way. Cham bets 1000 at the flop 9♥ 7♦ 8♣ , button folds, Nagy check-raises 6000, Cham calls to bring the turn 2♣ . Nagy jumps out with a shove (21,000), Cham risks with less chips (19,900).

Cham opens J♦ T♦ straight, Nagy behind with 8♥ 8♠ set. The river 3♣ is not the out Nagy needs to avoid paying the double up.

On a raised pot preflop, utg+1 c-bets 1500 on a flop 4♦ 3♣ 2♠ , cutoff Shinichi Yasouka calls, button Victor Miranda jams (30,500), only Yasuoka calls.

Victor Miranda 4♣ 4♥ higher set

Shinichi Yasuoka 3♠ 3♦ set

The turn 7♥ and river 6♦ completes the board, Miranda doubles up.

From the small blind, Cai Ming Zheng calls a raise by cutoff Jung Haewon that's called the button. On the flop 7♠ 2♦ 5♠ , Jung c-bets 400, button calls again, Zheng check-raises 1700, only Jung continues. On the turn 4♦ , Zheng leads out 2500, Jung calls. A larger 8500 bet on the river Q♦ by Zheng is called. Zheng opens Q♥ 7♥ , Jung mucked.

Facing a raise by cutoff Paul Timovean, big blind Emmanuel Derecho three-bets 1,800 and Timovean calls. Derecho c-bets 2500 at the flop 9♠ 7♠ K♣ , and Timovean calls to bring the turn A♦ . Derecho fires another barrel of 6000 and this time, Timovean gives up the challenge.

43 players getting in the action early, among them are several Flight A fallouts Andrej Nagy, Lenart Ecarma, Chongmin Park, Seonghun Jeong, and Emmanuel Derecho. We should be seeing some of the past MSS champions later today as well.

Shuffle up and deal! The cards are now flying for Main Event Day 1B! Registration closes at the start of Level 11 which is approximately 8:20pm.

The 20th Edition of the Manila Super Series Main Event opens today with Flight B starting at 3pm. Entering players begins with a stack of 30,000, which is 300 times the opening blinds.

Blinds increase every 30 minutes with registration closes at the start of Level 11 (approximately 8:20pm). From there, the flight plays down to ITM of 15% of the field.

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

At yesterday's Flight A, 228 came out for the hunt with 35 advancing to the ITM round. The player to measure up to is Japan's Ryoji Hatanaka who bagged 435,000.

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.

Somuchpoker will be onsite from start to finish.