Kickoff (16,500 PHP)

After two days, 34 levels and beating a field of 338 players, Romania's Ionut Dragomir emerged on top of this PHP 4,760,527 ($83,049) prize pool tournament, taking home PHP 843,527 ($14,705) and an APPT Manila Main Event Package worth PHP 125,000.

"I'm really happy to win my first trophy and I'm really excited to play here in Manila, it's my first time in Asia. I just came here 2 months ago and I had a feeling that I can take a trophy home to my family in Romania. I started very bad in the other events but this one was one shot, one opportunity and I hit it."

When asked about his take on the scene here in Manila he said:

"My first impression when I started playing two months ago I felt that the field is like soft-ish, I felt comfortable but later on I said "okay" maybe it's soft during the first stages coz then in the later stages I saw how they're playing and they are pretty strong and very tight even if it's a small pot which I don't see in Europe very often. So this is the biggest adjustment for me because I see them play tighter than usual."

Making the very even final table as 5th in chips with the bigger stacks to his left, he had his work cut out for him.

"I stuck to my normal play. I waited for the other players to move and read how they are playing at the final table. I have to admit that I had a good run earlier that got me to second in the chips or maybe chip leader and you know I feel it's a good shot to win a trophy."

On his way to the heads up he busted Masakazu Miyamoto in 8th with A♦ K♥ against A♠ 3♦ and Lemmor Patulot in 4th with T♣ 6♣ against K♣ J♦ before entering the heads up as a slight underdog.

The 27th hand heads up took a decisive turn just 10 hands before the end when he switched to top position after winning a pre-flop all-in against John Costiniano with A♦ 7♦ against K♣ 9♣ then finished him off with a similar A♣ 8♦ against K♦ Q♣ to hoist the trophy.

When asked if he felt any danger in the heads-up he said:

"No, Poker is one flip away from a bust or a double up and I was lucky enough to win at the right moment, even when I was behind."

That concludes the live coverage for today. Well done everyone and the live updates will be back when the Main Event begins on the 20th of March.

Manila Megastack 22 Kick-off

Dates: March 14-16, 2025

Buy-in: PHP 16,500 ($ 288)

Guarantee: PHP 3,000,000 ($ 52,336)

Entries: 338

Prize Pool: PHP 4,760,527 ($ 83,049)

ITM: 51

Chong is looking good until the turn A♠ 8♣ 8♥ Q♠ but the river J♥ ends his run, probably having higher hopes when he punched his final table ticket.

Hand #3: Elmer Kalaquian three-bet jams the big blind against Zi Heng Chongs 120,000 open from +2, winning the pot and loosing a time bank.

Hand #4: Masakazu Miyamoto jams 540,000 from the button with no takers.

Hand #5: Big blind Ionut Dragomir jams 1,030,000 into Keijiro Shimojo's 135,000 open from the hijack to scoop, losing a time bank in the process.

With Keijiro Shimojo in a commanding lead, trying to win his second Manila Megastack Kickoff Event in just a few months and Ichiro Uesugi as the shortest stack the rest of the contenders are on equal footing.

No ace on 9♠ 6♥ 2♣ 2♥ Q♠ sends the No.50 on the PH all time money list packing, adding the 20th cash to his tally this year alone.

After knocking out Nikolai Babushkin with rockets and winning another decent pot against fellow big stack Gabby Concepcion last hand, Elmer Kalaquian is at it again with a 24,000 open from the cutoff and Zi Heng Chong defends his big blind to see the flop 9♦ 2♣ 7♦ . A 20,000 c-bet gets called to the turn T♥ that gets checked to complete the board J♦ where Kalaquian value bets 40,000 with his straight K♣ Q♣ and Chong pays up to muck.