Main Event

Following five hours of final table play, the MSS 20 Main Event wrapped up with Japan’s Chogo Kento lifting the title after defeating local runner Ronato Alcano in heads up play. Chogo started the day with an average stack yet continuously chipped up to eventually land the top spot. Chogo took high variance spots which paid off and earned him a healthy stack to maneuver his way through the end. For his victory, Chogo takes with him PHP 3,670,000 in winnings which includes a PHP 120,000 valued APPT package.

Congratulations to all the winners!

Full payouts and final recap to follow.

Button Chogo Kento opened to 1,200,000 and called off Ronato Alcano’s 6,000,000 jam. The board 5♣ K♥ 2♥ 6♠ 3♥ missed to pair either player, shipping the overall victory to Chogo with ace high for the final hand.

Button Chogo Kento shoved all-in with J♦ 8♦ and was called by Ronato Alcano with A♠ 7♦ . In for a race, the board landed J♥ A♥ K♥ 2♣ 9♣ , saving Alcano from elimination.

A limp pot saw flop 6♥ 7♥ 7♦ . Alcano pulled a check raise to 1,500,000 and Chogo Kento continues behind. On turn T♥ , Alcano check called a 3,500,000 bet from his opponent followed by a final 11,200,000 on river 4♠ . Chogo shows 2♥ 3♥ for a flush, crushing Alcano’s T♦ 6♦ .

Button Ronato Alcano opened to 800,000, called by big blind Chogo Kento. On flop 9♥ 6♣ 2♠ , Chogo led for 600,000. Alcano clicked back to 1,200,000 and Chogo bumped it up further to 2,000,000. Alcano completed and saw turn 3♦ , where both players checked it through. On river 7♦ , Chogo bet 1,500,000 and Alcano makes the final call. Chogo shows 9♠ T♠ and picks up the pot.

A limp pot rolled flop 6♦ T♦ 3♥ . Checked to Chogo Kento, he fired a 500,000 bet, check called by Ronato Alcano. On turn 8♣ , Chogo barreled another 1,300,000 and Alcano folds.

Button Lee Woosang opened to 800,000 and was called by both players on the blinds. All three checked flop 5♦ 7♦ 9♣ through, moving on to turn A♠ . Checked to Lee, he bet all-in for 5,600,000 and faced Chogo’s Q♦ 6♦ combo draw. Lee with A♦ 5♣ , needed to fade a ton of outs and was crushed to see the river J♦ fill up his opponent’s flush for his elimination.

Button Chogo Kento opened to 900,000, joined by big blind Ronato Alcano on flop J♥ 9♠ 7♦ . Chogo fired for 1,000,000, check called by Alcano. On turn T♠ , Chogo sent out another 1,500,000 and collected the pot after Alcano was unable to continue.

Ronato Alcano defended his big blind vs a button open from Chogo Kento and saw flop Q♠ A♣ 9♠ . Chogo continued for 500,000 and another 800,000 on turn 5♥ . Alcano called both streets and checked river 3♣ for showdown. Alcano tables A♦ 6♥ , Chogo with a muck.

Button Ronato Alcano opened the action and saw both players complete. Action on flop 7♣ T♣ Q♥ was checked through, revealing turn 4♦ . Checked to Alcano, he bet 500,000 and was met with a raise for 900,000 more from Chogo Kento. Alcano puts in the call and sees river 9♣ . Both players check it down and Chogo shows Q♠ T♥ for the win.

Small blind Ronato Alcano opened to 600,000, called behind by Chogo Kento. On flop 3♦ 6♣ 4♣ , Alcano continued for 600,000, called once more by his opponent. Alcano barreled a heftier 2,000,000 on turn A♠ and ushered a fold not long after.

A limp pot blind vs blind, Chogo Kento led with a 300,000 bet on flop K♠ T♦ T♥ , called by Lee Woosang behind. Turn A♥ saw Chogo this time, check raise to 1,200,000 and Lee completes. On river A♣ , Chogo fired a hefty 3,000,000 with Lee making the final call with T♣ 4♠ . Chogo tables A♦ 2♠ for a better full house to ship the massive pot.

Button Ronato Alcano opened to 500,000, called by small blind Chogo Kento. On board J♥ 3♦ 5♦ 8♣ 9♦ , Chogo led all three streets with Alcano eventually giving it up by the river. Chogo collects a nice boost with no showdown.

Button Chogo Kento opened to 550,000 and called off big blind Kim Kihyung Bok’s 3,450,000 all-in with K♠ T♠ . Kim is ahead with T♦ T♥ but crashed shortly after the board Q♣ J♥ A♥ 4♦ Q♦ rolled a straight for his opponent.

Chogo Kento defended his big blind vs cutoff Lee Woosang’s 550,000 open and headed to flop 7♥ K♦ 3♠ . Both players check it through, pushing Chogo to lead for 400,000 on turn J♥ . Lee continues and checks down river 3♦ . Chogo shows K♥ 5♠ and claims the pot with top pair.

Small blind Ronato Alcano opened to 500,000 and called a 1,200,000 three bet from big blind Chogo Kento. On flop 2♦ 3♣ 6♥ , Alcano check called for 750,000 and moved on to turn K♣ . Both players check it through, revealing river 6♣ . Alcano leads for 1,500,000 and Chogo makes the final call. Alcano shows A♣ 4♣ , taking the pot down with a flush to beat Chogo’s J♦ J♣ .

Button Chogo Kento jammed in his 4,025,000 stack with A♥ 6♦ and was called by small blind A♦ 8♦ . Dominated, Chogo was in luck after the board 6♥ Q♥ K♥ 4♠ 9♦ gave him a pair of sixes to survive through.

Hijack Anthony Gabitan flicked in his 470,000 stack with A♥ 7♣ and was called by both players on the blinds. Action on board 4♣ 4♠ 3♥ 6♥ J♦ was checked all the way to the river where Kento Chogo showed Q♣ 9♣ and Lee Woosang with J♥ 6♠ . Lee takes the pot with two pair, leaving the final table four handed.

Kim Kihyung Bok defended his big blind against cutoff Chogo Kento’s 450,000 open and went on to see flop K♣ 6♦ T♥ . Chogo continued for 300,000 and another 500,000 on turn K♥ . Kim called one barrel but eventually gave it up by the turn.

Small blind Chung Ju Won opened to 250,000, called behind by Chogo Kento. Action on flop A♥ 9♠ J♠ was checked through, revealing turn A♣ . Chogo bet 200,000 and another 500,000 on river 9♥ with Chung check calling both streets. Chogo shows 3♥ 7♥ , no good against Chung’s K♥ 8♥ .

After a grueling 11 hours of Day 2 action, the Main Event games wrapped up with the final nine players set led by local runner Ronato Alcano. Alcano stacks a mighty 7,710,000, having delivered two eliminations right by the last half hour of the day. Coming in close second is South Korea’s Kim Bok with a slightly lesser yet equally impressive 7,350,000 chip count to start the final day festivities.

Each player returning to the felt is now guaranteed a minimum payout of PHP 321,944 and a fighting chance to claim the PHP 3,670,000 top prize! Action resumes at 16:00 where a new MSS champion will be crowned by the end of the night.

Cutoff Ron Ryan Mesina pushed all-in for 1,320,000 and was called by big blind Chogo Kento. Board ran 4♦ K♣ 7♠ 6♦ 9♠ , leaving Chogo’s ace high good for the taking.

Utg Alvir Inocentes opened the action and saw big blind Chogo Kento come along on flop 7♦ T♣ 2♣ . Both players check it through, revealing turn 4♥ . Chogo led for 300,000, called by Inocentes. On river 4♦ , Chogo barreled another 400,000 and convinced Inocentes to throw in the towel.

Utg Chogo Kento opened to 250,000 and saw Anthony Gabitan come along from the big blind. Action was checked all the way down to the river 7♥ J♦ 4♠ 3♥ 3♠ where Chogo chucked out a 300,000 bet. Gabitan makes the call, only to muck after Chogo felted 9♥ 9♦ .