Philippines, Okada ManilaEVENT #23

2025.01.27Add to Calendar

PokerStars Live

Ju Won Chung

South Korea

Place

5th

Prize

$17,720

Prize (PHP)

₱1,030,000

Blind level

Level 30: 60,000 / 120,000 ante: 120,000

Entries

1/467

Total Chips

14,010,000

Average

14,010,000

Main Event - Final

TriciaTricia

1/27/2025, 8:57:23 AM

Ju Won Chung Burned Into 5th Place - PHP 1,030,000 /~$17,720

Level 28: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Ju Won Chung - 5th Place

Ju Won Chung shoved for the last time as he fell to Graham Cowan on a sick board. From utg, Chung raised 175,000, Cowan re-raised all in, Chung called putting his tournament life on the line.

Player	Hand	Chips
JW Ju Won ChungSouth Korea	7♦7♣ UTG	busted
GC Graham CowanAustralia	Q♠Q♥ BB	4,900,000(61 BB)

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.

TriciaTricia

1/27/2025, 8:52:58 AM

Ju Won Chung Picks Up A Couple Of Pots

Level 28: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

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.

Player	Chips
GC Graham CowanAustralia	2,600,000(33 BB)
JK Jon KyteNorway	2,100,000(26 BB)
JW Ju Won ChungSouth Korea	1,750,000(22 BB)

TriciaTricia

1/27/2025, 8:44:35 AM

Split Pot Denies Ju Won Chung The Boost

Level 28: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Graham Cowan

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.

Player	Chips
GC Graham CowanAustralia	2,730,000(34 BB)
JW Ju Won ChungSouth Korea	1,550,000(19 BB)

TriciaTricia

1/27/2025, 8:23:37 AM

Check-Raise Takedown For Ju Won Chung

Level 28: 40,000 / 80,000 ante: 80,000

Ju Won Chung

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.

Player	Chips
JK Jon KyteNorway	2,290,000(29 BB)
JW Ju Won ChungSouth Korea	1,335,000(17 BB)

TriciaTricia

1/27/2025, 8:05:12 AM

Graham Cowan Recovers Some Chips

Level 27: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

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.

Player	Chips
GC Graham CowanAustralia	2,800,000(47 BB)
JW Ju Won ChungSouth Korea	1,100,000(18 BB)

TriciaTricia

1/27/2025, 7:33:22 AM

Chip Counts

Level 27: 30,000 / 60,000 ante: 60,000

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

Player	Chips	Table	Seat
AL Alexis LimPhilippines	2,790,000(47 BB)	1	1
JK Jon KyteNorway	1,910,000(32 BB)	1	3
FC Florencio CampomanesPhilippines	810,000(14 BB)	1	4
GC Graham CowanAustralia	3,120,000(52 BB)	1	6
JW Ju Won ChungSouth Korea	1,555,000(26 BB)	1	8
KE Kim EnriquezPhilippines	3,910,000(65 BB)	1	9

TriciaTricia

1/27/2025, 6:34:01 AM

Jon Kyte Chipping Up

Level 26: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Jon Kyte

Jon Kyte is back on the winning beat with three pots collected. The first two were small ones, getting a second walk and stealing the big blind and ante. The third one was more significant. From cutoff, Kyte opened 100,000 and big blind Ju Won Chung defended. Kyte fired away at the flop and turn J♦ 5♦ 2♠ 8♣ for 150,000 amd 390,000, Chung check called. On the river 2♦ , both checked. Kyte claimed the pot with top pair.

Player	Hand	Chips
JK Jon KyteNorway	K♥J♠ CO	2,600,000(52 BB)
JW Ju Won ChungSouth Korea	7♣7♦ BB	1,625,000(33 BB)

TriciaTricia

1/27/2025, 6:18:28 AM

Alvir Inocentes Rivered Into 8th Place - PHP 469,000 /~$8,070

Level 26: 25,000 / 50,000 ante: 50,000

Alvir Inocentes - 8th Place

Alvir Inocentes entered the day with just 12 bb and could not find a break. On Hand #30, he sent his last 80,000 (<2 bb) and nearly doubled up until the river decimated his hopes.

Player	Hand	Chips
JW Ju Won ChungSouth Korea	K♠7♥ BB	2,240,000(45 BB)
AI Alvir InocentesPhilippines	K♦8♦ D	busted

Board:4♣Q♦J♠T♠7♣

TriciaTricia

1/27/2025, 6:14:18 AM

Graham Cowan Has It

Level 25: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

Graham Cowan

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.

Player	Chips
GC Graham CowanAustralia	3,150,000(79 BB)
JW Ju Won ChungSouth Korea	2,110,000(53 BB)

TriciaTricia

1/27/2025, 5:53:23 AM

Ju Won Chung Doubles Up

Level 25: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

Ju Won Chung

On Hand #19, the first double up of the day was delivered with Ju Won Chung winning the flip against Jon Kyte. Before the shove, Chung opened 80,000, Kyte three-bet 210,000, Chung announced all in for 765,000 and was snap-called.

Player	Hand	Chips
JW Ju Won ChungSouth Korea	J♣J♥ MP	1,630,000(41 BB)
JK Jon KyteNorway	A♠K♠ D	2,710,000(68 BB)

Board:8♦4♦4♥8♣2♥

TriciaTricia

1/27/2025, 5:39:32 AM

Alexis Lim Builds And Earns

Level 25: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

Alexis Lim

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.

Player	Chips
AL Alexis LimPhilippines	2,380,000(60 BB)
JW Ju Won ChungSouth Korea	620,000(16 BB)

TriciaTricia

1/27/2025, 5:24:29 AM

Jon Kyte Gets Shoved Twice

Level 25: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

Florencio Campomanes

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.

Player	Chips
JK Jon KyteNorway	3,130,000(78 BB)
JW Ju Won ChungSouth Korea	1,055,000(26 BB)
FC Florencio CampomanesPhilippines	700,000(18 BB)

TriciaTricia

1/27/2025, 2:41:50 AM

Manila Megastack 21 Main Event Champion To Be Crowned Today

Level 25: 20,000 / 40,000 ante: 40,000

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.

Main Event - Final 9 players

Final 9 Players

Player	Chips	Table	Seat
AL Alexis LimPhilippines	2,265,000(57 BB)	1	1
JC John Carlo SayoPhilippines	410,000(10 BB)	1	2
JK Jon KyteNorway	3,215,000(80 BB)	1	3
FC Florencio CampomanesPhilippines	615,000(15 BB)	1	4
AI Alvir InocentesPhilippines	465,000(12 BB)	1	5
GC Graham CowanAustralia	2,625,000(66 BB)	1	6
MA Mark AlmusajinPhilippines	520,000(13 BB)	1	7
JW Ju Won ChungSouth Korea	755,000(19 BB)	1	8
KE Kim EnriquezPhilippines	3,025,000(76 BB)	1	9