Main Event (45,000 PHP)

The excitement at the Manila Megastack 21 Main Event is off to a thrilling start as Flight A has officially concluded with 83 total entries locked in for the battle ahead. After a grueling fifteen-level grind, the field narrowed down to just 13 survivors, all punching their ticket to Day 2 and securing a piece of the PHP 20,000,000 (~USD 342,705) guaranteed prize pool.

At the top of the leaderboard sits local grinder Mark Almusajin, who has set the pace in fiery fashion, bagging an astonishing 520,000 in chips - over 17 times the starting stack! Almusajin made an early statement in the day after a pivotal clash with Edilberto Gopez saw his pocket aces hold strong against Gopez’ ace-king, catapulting him to the top spot and allowing him to build a commanding lead that he would not once relinquish. For the next nine hours, Almusajin continued to control the action, steadily accumulating chips level after level.

Almusajin's dominance was seen in full display, leaving quite a distance with second in position Naohiro Arita's 320,000 chip count. Another Japanese contender joins the top ranks, with Teruhisa Aoyama trailing just behind his compatriot with 310,000 in chips.

But while Almusajin's performance has put him in prime position, the race is far from over. Three more flights are set to follow over the next two days, sure to bring an intense round of competition for Day 2's battle this coming Sunday. All Flight A survivors are off for a two-day break to recharge, or dive head first across the side events for a chance to claim a spadie in between.

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: Friday, January 24

Flight C: Saturday, January 25

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

Day 2: Sunday, January 26

Final Day: Monday, January 27

Mark Almusajin opened 8,000 utg, called by player a seat after along with Paul Elliott on the big blind. On flop 3♣ 5♣ J♠ , Elliott led all-in for 49,500, called by Almusajin with his premium pair.

Paul Elliott Q♥ J♣

Mark Almusajin K♦ K♥

Elliott in rough shape, failed to catch up on either turn 8♥ or river 7♠ , sending him out as the flight's stone cold bubble.

Mark Almusajin opened 7,000 on the cutoff, called behind by Sergei Korzhenko. Action on flop 6♥ 5♦ 2♣ was checked round to turn 9♠ , where Almusajin bet 8,000. Korzhenko made the call, and arrived at showdown shortly after no more bets went in river 7♠ .

Almusajin revealed nut straight 4♥ 3♦ , and added another pile onto his towering stack.

Rey Roca flicked in his last 26,000 on the cutoff and was looked up by Mark Almusajin right on the big blind.

Roca at risk, was left with no worries as board 7♣ 2♥ 9♣ K♣ 3♥ landed him a set to survive through.

Flight A action is close to wrapping up, with five more eliminations to go before bagging time. 13 players out of the 83-entry field are set to advance to Day 2 on Sunday, January 26. Leading the charge is local grinder Mark Almusajin, who has consistently kept the lead all throughout the day.

Chip Counts

Patrick Wahlquist defended his big blind against Mark Almusajin's 5,000 hijack open, and check called two streets - 7,000 and 17,000, on board K♣ 3♥ Q♦ 8♣ . River 5♣ was checked down by both, revealing Wahlquist's top pair K♠ 7♠ , behind against Almusajin's A♦ A♠ all the way.

Brenton Buttigieg opened on the hijack, and went on to four bet jam 55,500 in against Mark Almusajin's raise from the small blind. Almusajin called off, putting his opponent at risk over a flip.

Board K♦ Q♣ 3♥ 7♠ 8♦ missed to fill up Buttigieg's suited connectors, shipping Almusajin the pot with his pocket pair.

With a pot 11,000 situated on flop Q♠ 3♦ 4♦ , Brenton Buttigieg fired a bet of 5,500, and called a check raise to 16,000 from Mark Almusajin on the big blind. On turn T♦ , Almusajin sent out another 18,000, followed by a final 44,000 on river 5♠ . Buttigieg called him down, yet mucked as Almusajin revealed nut flush A♦ 6♦ .

Mark Almusajin opened to 4,500, joined by Teruhisa Aoyama on the button along with the big blind onto flop A♦ 2♦ 6♣ . Almusajin continued for 5,500, called by Aoyama. Both players checked turn A♣ through to river 3♣ , where Almusajin bet a final 9,000. Aoyama gave it up, shipping Almusajin another boost to his already healthy stack.

A pot of 13,000 was seen spread out across flop 5♦ T♣ 7♥ . Mark Almusajin on the button, bet 4,000, followed with another 11,000 on turn 3♣ . Daniel Francis check called both streets, and paid a final all-in for his remaining 17,000 on river 4♣ with top pair T♠ 9♦ . Almusajin showed a better A♣ T♥ , and sent his opponent out the door.

Mark Almusajin opened to 1,900, raised by Edilberto Gopez on the button to 3,500. Almusajin bumped it up further to 11,000, and Gopez completed. On flop Q♥ 3♠ 2♠ , Almusajin continued for 9,000, and snap called Gopez' all-in for 56,700 total.

Edilberto Gopez A♠ K♦

Mark Almusajin A♦ A♥

Gopez in rough shape, found no hope on runout T♦ 2♣ , knocking him out of the Main Event qualifier.

A button vs big blind battle brewed a pot of 22,600 across board A♣ 5♦ 7♣ 3♠ . Mark Almusajin led for 4,700, followed by a hefty 25,000 on river 8♥ . Carsten Klug called the turn bet but gave it up after Almusajin demanded for more.

With 5,100 in the middle on flop 6♠ Q♦ J♠ , four way action saw Mark Almusajin lead 1,500 utg, followed by an all-in from Ricardo Torres for 5,500. All three made the call onto turn A♥ , where Almusajin fired another 8,500. Ilia Timofeev called behind, yet folded on river 2♦ after Almusajin moved all-in.

Almusajin showed two pair A♠ J♥ , leaving Torres' Q♠ 9♣ crushed by the turn.