Main Event (45,000 PHP)

The 21st edition of the Manila Megastack Main Event drew a total of 467 entries, holding its PHP 20,000,000 (~USD 342,705) guarantee up high. Tonight’s final flight brought in 77 additional entries, with only 12 players managing to survive and secure a spot into Day 2. Each returning contender is now guaranteed a min cash of PHP 73,000 (~USD 1,250), backed with a fighting chance to claim this season's PHP 3,900,000 (~USD 66,830) top prize.

Running on lightning speed, Joshua Cuevas capped Flight D with the lead, bringing in a smashing 432,000 chip count onto the next round. Cuevas inched over the top spot by the last few levels of play, and stands to be in third position across the overall Day 2 order. Joining him on the list is Netherlands' Joris Michl who finished with 254,000, after sending Renato Villanueva to the rail as the flight’s bubble.

Other local crushers advancing through include Edgar Asehan (240,000), Eman Segismundo (179,000), and Edwin Dela Cruz (152,000).

Play resumes at 13:00 on Sunday, January 26, with 40-minute blind levels running throughout, as the field plays down to the final table. Stay tuned for updates as SMP brings you all the latest directly off the floor!

Manila Megastack 21 Main Event

Date/s: January 23-27, 2025

Buy-in: PHP 45,000 (~USD 770)

Guarantee: PHP 20,000,000 (~USD 342,705)

Entries: 467

Prize pool: PHP 20,000,000 (~USD 342,705)

ITM: 71 places

Flight A: 83 entries, 13 qualified

Flight B: 101 entries, 15 qualified

Flight C: 206 entries, 31 qualified

Flight D [20/15]: 77 entries, 12 qualified

Day 2: Sunday, January 26

Final Day: Monday, January 27

Renato Villanueva committed 75,000 on the cutoff, leaving himself with 1,000 behind. Joris Michl on the big blind, stepped up to the challenge, and called the rest on flop A♠ 3♠ Q♥ .

Renato Villanueva K♠ Q♦

Joris Michl A♣ 7♣

Michl ahead with top pair, delivered the final blow as runout 2♠ 3♥ completed the board, eliminating Villanueva as the flight's stone cold bubble.

Eom Joonghoon pushed his last 43,000 in the middle utg+1 and was looked up by Edwin Dela Cruz right on the big blind.

Board 5♥ 9♦ 9♥ 3♣ 6♦ missed to pair either player, leaving Eom's ace-high good for the takedown.

Edwin Dela Cruz defended his big blind against Joshua Cuevas' 23,000 cutoff open, and battled on board 6♦ 7♦ Q♠ 4♥ 5♣ . Action checked all the way down to the river, pushing Dela Cruz to lead 35,000.

Cuevas made the call with 2♥ 2♠ , and found it good against Dela Cruz's bluff J♣ 9♣ .

Ryan Tan opened on the button and called Eman Segismundo's all-in for 87,000.

Segismundo at risk right on bubble time, dodged a bullet as board 6♣ 9♦ 5♦ 3♣ K♣ ran safe for his pocket pair.

Action is right on bubble time with one more elimination to go before the flight comes to a close. 12 players are set to advance to Day 2 and join the 59 players already in the hunt.

Jean Paul Berdejo sent out a 90,000 three bet against an early open, and saw Joshua Cuevas push behind. Initial raiser folded, leaving Berdejo to call for his last 3,000.

Berdejo in trouble, exited the arena shortly after board 3♥ 8♣ 5♥ 7♣ T♣ delivered no bad beats.

Eman Segismundo opened 20,000 on the hijack, and called 38,000 more following an all-in from Christopher Richards behind.

In for a flip, Richards survived the showdown as his pocket pair held on board 5♥ 7♦ 2♥ 3♦ 8♣ .

William Ysmael opened 40,000 utg+1, called behind by Ryan Tan behind. On flop 7x 7x 9x, Ysmael led all-in for 57,000, and was called by Tan with a premium pair.

William Ysmael J♥ T♥

Ryan Tan K♥ K♣

Drawing slim, Ysmael headed for the rails shortly after missing runout 6x 3x .

The day is close to wrapping up with only 15 players out of the 77-entry field left standing. Three more eliminations are due before the runners reach for bags with 12 players advancing through to Day 2.

Chip Counts

Eman Segismundo opened utg and called Jose Colada's 60,000 all-in from the button.

Up for a flip, Segismundo failed to pair up on board Q♠ 9♥ 3♦ 3♣ K♠ , keeping Colada in the Main Event games.

Edwin Dela Cruz is putting maximum pressure on his opponents as bubble time approaches. Two back to back steals went Dela Cruz's way, earning him a boost up to 32 big blinds.

Dong Woo Lee opened on the cutoff and called Lenart Ecarma's all-in behind for 37,000.

In for a flip, Ecarma was instantly left in pieces as board 8♣ K♣ A♠ A♦ 7♥ landed Lee a full house to bust him out.

Lester Edoc opened 12,000 utg and was joined by three other players onto flop Q♦ 7♥ 6♥ . Edoc continued for 20,000, and snap called Edgar Asehan's check jam for 92,000 more.

Edgar Asehan K♠ Q♠

Lester Edoc K♦ K♣

Edoc ahead, suffered a massive blow as runout came Q♣ 3♠ , landing Asehan trip queens to survive through.

Edgar Asehan defended his big blind vs William Ysmael's utg open, and faced a 9,000 continuation bet on flop J♦ 4♣ 9♣ . Asehan check raised to 30,000, and went on to lead 12,000 on turn 4♠ . Ysmael responded with an all-in, leaving Asehan unable to continue entirely.

Joshua Cuevas opened 12,000 on the hijack and saw Anthony Castro on the small blind, come along on flop 3♣ 8♥ Q♥ . Cuevas continued for 17,000, and called 27,000 more following a check jam from his opponent.

Anthony Castro K♦ K♣

Joshua Cuevas A♥ 9♥

Runout 6♣ A♦ tabled no hearts, but offered Cuevas a pair of aces, just enough to crack Castro's kings by the river.

Dong Woo Lee opened utg+1 and called a 25,000 three bet from Marc Rivera on the button. Action on flop 9♥ 4♦ Q♠ was checked round to turn 4♣ , where Lee gunned for 22,500. Rivera made the call, and committed his last 9,000 on river 5♥ after Lee moved all-in.

Lee showed two pair K♥ Q♥ , enough to crush Rivera's 8♥ 8♠ on all streets.

Anthony Castro pushed all-in for his last 28,000 on the hijack and was looked up by Joshua Cuevas on the small blind.

Castro ahead, locked in the win after board 8♣ 8♦ 6♥ J♣ K♠ felted no aces.

Jason Ng Tze Wei flicked in his last 13,500 against an open, and saw initial raiser Renato Villianueva and Anthony Castro on the big blind, come along on flop 9♥ 6♠ 9♣ . Action checked round to turn 3♣ , where Villanueva bet 10,000. Castro called, building up a side pot, and went on to lead 22,500 on river J♠ .

Villanueva made the call with A♠ Q♦ high, good against Castro's busted straight draw 8♦ 7♦ for the side pot. Wei however, locked in the main pot with two pair A♦ 3♦ , earning him a triple up.

That's it for this season's Manila Megastack Main Event! Registration for the final heat is officially closed with final numbers stacking up to 467 entries, holding up its PHP 20,000,000 (~USD 342,705) guarantee also as its prize pool. 59 runners have advanced so far, with Flight D geared to add 12 more to the list.

Manila Megastack 21 Main Event

Date/s: January 23-27, 2025

Buy-in: PHP 45,000 (~USD 770)

Guarantee: PHP 20,000,000 (~USD 342,705)

Entries: 467

Prize pool: PHP 20,000,000 (~USD 342,705)

Flight A: 83 entries, 13 qualified

Flight B: 101 entries, 15 qualified

Flight C: 206 entries, 31 qualified

Flight D [20/15]: 77 entries, 12 ITM

Day 2: Sunday, January 26

Final Day: Monday, January 27

The pressure is teeming at Okada Manila, Philippines with today's Flight D marking the last chance to qualify for the Manila Megastack Main Event. A PHP 20,000,000 (~USD 342,705) guaranteed prize pool is at stake, ready to tear up the action as players gun for a spot into the Day 2 battle.

Tonight's excitement runs faster paced 20 minute blind levels, with even quicker gameplay picking up as registration closes. Positioned at the summit of the leaderboard is local grinder Edilberto Gopez, who topped yesterday's flight with a towering stack of 546,000. Gopez has set the bar high for today’s field, leading the charge ahead of the 28 survivors already in the hunt.

Flight D [20/15] action begins at 20:00, with registration remaining open through Level 10 @23:40. Stay tuned for updates as SMP brings you all the latest directly off the floor!

Manila Megastack 21 Main Event

Date/s: January 23-27, 2025

Buy-in: PHP 45,000 (~USD 770)

Guarantee: PHP 20,000,000 (~USD 342,705)

Starting stack: 30,000

Flight A: 83 entries, 13 qualified

Flight B: 101 entries, 15 qualified

Flight C: 206 entries, 31 qualified

Flight D [20/15]: Saturday, January 25

Day 2: Sunday, January 26

Final Day: Monday, January 27