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.

Button player Darren Moves limps and big blind Mark Almusajin Q♦ 9 checks. On the flop and turn Q♣ Q♥ 9♦ , Almusajin quickly fills up to a boat and checks while Moves bets 20,000. Almusajin calls then checks again on the turn 3♦ . Moves slides out 25,000, this time Almusajin check-raises 60,000, Moves calls to complete the board 7♠ river. Almusajin fires another 75,000, Moves calls then mucks to the full house.

Ryan Tan and Mark Almusajin build a pot of 112,000 preflop. On the flop 8♠ 9♥ K♥ , Ryan Tan bets 40,000 and takes it down then and there.

Catching the action on a board Q♥ 8♣ A♥ T♣ 2♦ with 96,000 in the pot. Mark Almusajin takes a stab for 45,000, Jon Kyte folds, Teruhisa Aoyama check-raises all in for 202,000, Almusajin gives up the fight.

With the board runningKd T♠ 8♥ 6♣ A♥ , Almusajin bookends winners for a happy double up.

After scoring a double up off Mark Almusajin, Teruhisa Aoyama zoomed to the top of the leaderboard while Almusajin was sent to the middle of the pack. On the next hand, Aoyama raised 8000 from utg+2 then called big blind Jon Kyte's 35,000 re-raise. Same action on the flop and turn 6♣ A♥ T♦ 5♣ with Aoyama calling Kyte's 19,000 and 55,000 bets. On the river K♦ , Kyte bangs out 105,000 and this time Aoyama opts not to continue.

Facing a raise of 9,000 from one of the day’s chip leaders Mark Almusajin, cutoff player Masakazu Miyamoto bumped it up to 30,000. Almusajin wanted to see the flop and called. The cards landed 3♣ 4♦ 3♦ . Miyamoto continued to represent strength and slid out 17,000, Almusajin gave it up.