Main Event (45,000 PHP)

Far behind, Chung landed a set on the flop J♠ T♠ 7♠ however was not out of the woods with two cards to come. The turn 9♥ gave Cowan more outs, and it landed on the river A♠ for the flush to crush Chung's set.

Ju Won Chung may have been denied on a split but still chipped up by picking up a couple of pots shortly after. The first hand, Chung shoved and won the blinds and ante. The next, he faced a raise of 160,000 from Jon Kyte that was called by Graham Cowan. Chung three-bet 450,000 and shipped the pot with no callers.

Ju Won Chung pushed all in with A♦ K♠ and had the better hand against caller Graham Cowan's A♥ 8♠ . Chung further improved on the board T♥ J♣ 4♣ K♥ , however, with the river Q♥ , both had the straight to split the pot.

First hand of the new level and Ju Won Chung shows muscle. Defending his big blind against cutoff raiser Jon Kyte, Chung check-raises the flop 5♠ A♥ 6♠ from 150,000 to make it 350,000 to see the turn. Kyte doesn't take the offer.

Graham Cowan lost a series of pots to send his stack 2.36M. He recovered some of the lost chips against Ju Won Chung. During the hand, Cowan opened from the button for 125,000 and small blind Chung called. Action was the same at the flop and turn T♠ K♠ 8♠ A♦ with Chung check-calling Cowan's 155,000 and 255,000 bets. On the river 8♣ , both checked. Cowan's A♥ Q♠ prevailed.

The next hand, Chung denied Cowan who raised 160,000, Chung shoved and claimed the pot uncontested.

After two levels, the field was trimmed to 6 players. Entering the new level with Kim Enriquez in the lead.

Sitting on utg+1, Graham Cowan was dealt K♣ T♠ and raised it to 85,000. Next to act Ju Won Chung looked down at A♦ Q♣ and three-bet o 180,000. Cowan took on the challenge and the flop ran 4♦ 2♣ K♦ . Chung continued for 110,000 and Cowan check-called his top pair. Both checked the turn 3♠ to lead to the river 5♣ . Cowan took the reins a 200,000 bet, Chung snap-called then mucked as Cowan revealed his hand.

From utg+1, Alexis Lim opens 80,000 and big blind Ju Won Chung wants to play. Flop comes 5♥ A♦ K♠ , Lim fuels in another 40,000 and Chung matches it. Both players tighten up on the turn K♥ with no bets but on the river 5♣ it's back to action. Chung opens 70,000, Lim raises 195,000, Chung folds.

Chip leader Jon Kyte initiated the action on the next three hands. On Hand #5 he opened 85,000 and for the second time, he claimed the blinds and antes.

Immediately after, he opened 85,000 again on Hand #6, Florencio Campomanes shoved 515,000, Kyte folded.

Continuing to pressure the competition, on Hand #7, Kyte opened 85,000 for the third time, cutoff Ju Won Chong answered with a 200,000 re-raise, Kyte called, and the flop came T♥ Q♠ A♠ . Kyte checks, Chung shoved, Kyte surrendered his hand.

The 2025 PokerStars LIVE season opener Manila Megastack 21 is on its final day at world-class Okada Manila in the Philippines. Excitement is at its peak with the newest Main Event champion set to be crowned today. Only 9 players remain out of the 467 entries.

Leading the charge is Norwegian pro Jon Kyte with a stack of 80 bb. Kyte boasts a resume filled with titles and cashes all over Europe including final table finishes at numerous EPT Main Events. He also has two WSOP Circuit rings and just missed a bracelet last year. Kyte is already guaranteed his first cash on Asian soil, and if he takes it to the limit, he will become the second Manila Megastack Norwegian champion following MM 18 winner Henrik Tollefsen.

On the local side, six Filipinos dominate the lineup, thus assuring a crowd of spectators cheering on their favorites. At the top of that list is Kim Enriquez with a stack of 75 bb. Wedged in the lower end is the highly decorated Florencio Campomanes with 15 bb.

The finalists are secured a payout of PHP 365,000 (~$6,280). The biggest slice of PHP 3,900,000 (~$67,090) is up for grabs. Cards start at 1pm. Blinds begin at 20,000-40,000 ante 40,000 with increases every 60 minutes.

Somuchpoker is onsite to bring you all the action.