Main Event (45,000 PHP)

Today's Manila Megastack 21 Main Event action has officially wrapped up with another 101 entries added to the tally. Only 15 players survived the day's battle, with local runner Edilberto Gopez bagging a show-stopping 546,000 chip count, enough to surpass Flight A chip leader Mark Almusajin's 520,000 record and set the benchmark for the rest of the tournament.

Gopez’ rise to the top came at the perfect moment, just as the bubble time drew near. The Filipino contender's reign kicked off at the final level of play after a pocket pair clash against Brenton Buttigieg, shipped Gopez a hefty boost. With newfound chips, Gopez pumped up the aggression, applying maximum pressure on his opponents just as the field tightened up and shifted into survival mode.

Right behind Gopez sees South Korea’s Ju Won Chung hold strong with 398,000 in chips, followed closely by Japan’s Michihiko Matsuda with 334,000. Also advancing through is defending champion Richard Marquez with a short, yet playable stack of 86,000.

All Flight B survivors have a day to rest before they return back to the scene on Sunday, January 26, each guaranteed a payday. Two more flights are set to heat up later this afternoon, giving players a last chance to enter and claim a share of the PHP 20,000,000 (~USD 342,705) pot.

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: Saturday, January 25

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

Day 2: Sunday, January 26

Final Day: Monday, January 27

Takahiko Hachiya opened 10,000 on the hijack and was called behind by Edilberto Gopez. On flop 4♥ Q♦ 9♦ , Hachiya check called a bet of 15,000, revealing turn Q♣ . Both checked it through to river A♥ , where Gopez gunned for a final 75,000. Hachiya paid the price, only to muck as Gopez tabled trip queens K♠ Q♠ .

Action folded to Kunlong Yu on the small blind, leading him to open for 12,000. Edilberto Gopez right behind, raised to 45,000 and saw Yu complete. On board 9♣ 7♦ 8♠ 2♥ Q♣ , Gopez triple barreled - 15,000, 55,000, and a final 140,000. Yu called down two streets yet surrendered by the river, shipping Gopez the win with no showdown.

Edilberto Gopez sent out a 32,000 three bet against an utg open, and saw Takahiko Hachiya push all-in on the big blind for 75,000. Initial raiser folded, leaving Gopez priced in to call.

Hachiya a huge favorite, cruised to victory on board 8♣ T♦ 5♣ K♦ J♣ , easily bagging the win with top set.

A blind vs blind battle saw Brenton Buttigieg limp call a 13,000 raise from Edilberto Gopez, revealing flop J♦ 5♦ 2♠ . Buttigieg check raised to 75,000, and called for his remaining 33,000 after Gopez moved all-in.

Edilberto Gopez K♦ K♥

Brenton Buttigieg T♠ T♣

Crushed against pocket kings, Buttigieg headed out shortly after runout K♠ 6♣ left him behind on all streets.

With a pot of 57,000 spread out across board K♥ 4♣ Q♠ 7♣ 9♥ , Edilberto Gopez fired an overbet of 60,000 from the big blind, sending Won Il Bae deep in the tank. Bae eventually called off with top pair K♦ T♦ , costing him his run as Gopez revealed straight J♠ T♥ .

Today's Main Event Flight B action is set to close once the field is down to 15 players. That means only six more eliminations are due before bagging time. Stacking atop is local runner Jester Intia, trailed closely behind by Kunlong Yu.

Chip Counts

Edilberto Gopez completed his big blind vs a utg open from Luqman Alghanim, and proceeded with a check raise to 15,000 on flop T♣ 8♠ T♠ . Alghanim called to see turn A♠ , and committed his last 48,500 after Gopez barreled all-in.

Edilberto Gopez 6♠ 5♠

Luqman Alghanim A♥ J♣

Alghanim drawing slim, headed for the exit as river J♦ failed to save him from his demise.

Facing an open and a three bet, Nazariy Fedyk squeezed all-in on the big blind for his last 29,500, and saw initial raiser Edilberto Gopez push likewise.

Fedyk in rough shape, was left with no hope as Gopez dominated all throughout board Q♣ K♥ T♥ 2♥ 6♠ .

A blind vs blind battle saw a pot of 65,000 in the middle across board J♠ 3♠ 6♠ 7♦ Q♠ . Takahiko Hachiya took the initiative and led all-in for 46,800. Edilberto Gopez behind, gave it up once more and slipped the fold.

With 30,000 in the middle across board 3♠ T♣ J♣ 5♠ , action was caught on utg raiser Edilberto Gopez with a bet of 19,000. Takahiko Hachiya on the small blind, check raised all-in, and pushed Gopez out of the action successfully.

Manila Megastack Main Event Flight B players are off for a 40 minute dinner break, with action set to resume at 8:20 p.m. Registration will close by the end of Level 10.

Top Chip Counts

Edilberto Gopez opened 2,300 utg, called behind by the button along with William Ysmael on the big blind. On flop T♦ 2♠ 2♦ , Ysmael went for a check raise to 9,000, and saw both continue to turn 9♣ . Checked to Gopez, he bet 20,000, and called for the rest after Ysmael jammed for 3,000 more.

William Ysmael T♥ 9♠

Edilberto Gopez A♠ T♠

Ysmael ahead, instead bowed out shortly after river A♥ landed Gopez a better two pair to steal the win.

Edilberto Gopez opened 2,200 on the cutoff and called 8,000 more following a raise from John Constiniano on the big blind. On board 5♦ J♣ 3♥ 8♦ , Constiniano double barreled - 5,500 and 16,200, leaving Gopez unable to continue by the turn.