Main Event (45,000 PHP)

After nine levels of play, Day 2 of the Manila Megastack 21 Main Event wrapped up with the Final 9 players locked in. Throughout the day, numerous contenders tugged at the top spot. In the end, it was Norway's Jon Kyte who earned the title with a stack of 3,215,000 (80 bb). One of Kyte's final hands was the elimination of Mike Takayama in 12th place.

Hot on Kyte's heels was one of six locals in the lineup, Kim Enriquez with 3,025,000 (75 bb). Enriquez earned a large portion of his stack when his straight crushed Dong Woo Lee's set. Another notable Filipino finding a bag was multi-decorated PokerStars champion Florencio Campomanes. Campomanes sealed his spot by delivering the final able bubble, eliminating Marco Espela in 10th place.

The finalists have now secured a payout of PHP 365,000 (~$6,280). The biggest slice of PHP 3,900,000 (~$67,090) is up for grabs when action resumes at 1pm on Monday, January 27, 2025.

Not long after paying a flip against Mike Takayama, Florencio Campomanes lost another chunk of his stack. Opening 50,000, big blind Jon Kyte defended and both headed to the flop K♠ 5♣ J♣ . Campomanes c-bet 65,000, Kyte check-called. Both passed on the turn 3♦ to bring the river 4♠ . Kyte jumped out with a 120,000 bet, Campomanes called then mucked to Kyte's A♣ J♠ pair.

Mike Takayama is making his presence felt by taking down a couple of pots to join in the million range. The first hand was a double up off Florencio Campomanes with J♦ J♥ holding against A♠ K♥ on a board 6♥ 3♥ 5♦ 7♣ 9♣ .

Next win begans with Jon Kyte raising 55,000, called by cutoff Mark Almusajin and Takayama. All three checked the diamond flop J♦ 6♦ Q♦ . On the turn 8♠ , Kyte bet 90,000, Almusajin folded, Takayama check-raised 325,000. Kyte used up one time-bank then folded as well.

Dong Woo Lee added another 20 bb to his arsenal by winning three-consecutive pots. The last one was a three-bet that initial raiser Florencio Campomanes opted not to call.

Four players stare down a pot of 180,000 and a flop 6♦ 2♣ 2♥ . After two checks, preflop raiser Maro Espela bets 85,000, Christopher Richards calls, small blind Michihiko Matsuda raises 200,000, Campomanes re-raises 330,000, everyone folds.

When the river comes down A♦ , both players land a full house with Howard's hand dominating.

With no hits for Campomanes, Espela ships it and catapults into the million marker.

Big pot of 147,000 brewed by the turn board 8♣ 8♦ 2♠ 3♣ has Florencio Campomanes betting 120,000, Christopher Richards check-calls. On the river 3♥ , Richards checks again to Campomanes and a 300,000 bet follows. Richards calls and shows T♥ T♠ overpair, Campomanes has better J♠ J♣ to rake in the biggest pot of the day yet.

Following a raise from hijack Martin Astorga, cutoff Florencio Campomanes three-bets 39,000. Astorga calls and they go to the flop 7♠ A♣ K♥ . Campomanes continues for 20,000 and doesn't shake Astorga who check-calls. Change up on the turn 9♣ with Astorga leading out 50,000, and he too doesn't shake his opponent with Campomanes calling. Taking the battle to the river 9♥ , Astorga bets 95,000, Campomanes uses one time-bank before raising 259,000. This was enough to induce a fold.

Florencio Campomanes opens and finds one customer in big blind David Howard. Heavy action on the flop Q♦ 3♣ 6♦ starts with a c-bet of 13,000 by Campomanes, Howard check-raises 28,000, Campomanes three-bets 83,000, Howard let's go of his hand.