Main Event (45,000 PHP)

Head to head a third time around, Cheolmin Byeon faced Kiwanont Sukhum at showdown once more after his button shove for 2,700,000 was called by the Thai chip leader.

Running a flip, Byeon missed to improve on board 7♠ J♠ Q♣ J♥ J♣ , leaving Sukhum to bag the win with a full house and move on to heads up play.

Kiwanont Sukhum open raised all-in on the button and saw Cheolmin Byeon call off his 2,925,000 stack.

In for a race, neither connected with board 6♦ 2♣ 7♣ 9♥ 9♣ , leaving Byeon's king-high good for the takedown.

Cheolmin Byeon defended his big blind against Kiwanont Sukhum's 600,000 button open, and check called another 400,000 on flop 4♦ 4♣ T♦ . Both checked turn J♥ through to river 8♦ , where Byeon checked a third time around. Sukhum went for a final bet of 1,000,000, and revealed a full house J♠ 4♠ after Byeon paid the price.

Kiwanont Sukhum opened on the button, called by William Ysmael. Cheolmin Byeon on the big blind, squeezed all-in for 2,625,000 and was challenged by the raiser.

Running a flip, Byeon's pocket pair held on board 6♣ 3♥ 5♠ 2♦ 5♥ , keeping the action still at three-handed.

William Ysmael opened on the button, called by Cheolmin Byeon on the small blind. Kiwanont Sukhum on the big blind, shot out a raise to 1,300,000 and saw only Ysmael complete.

On flop 7♣ Q♣ Q♥ , Sukhum check called a 950,000 bet from Ysmael and arrived at showdown shortly after no more bets went in on either turn 3♣ or river 9♣ . Sukhum revealed A♦ A♠ and picked up the boost to stack over half the chips in play.

Only three players remain in the running, with Kiwanont Sukhum holding a slight advantage over the field. Next level will see only 30 minutes on the clock, paving the way for faster-paced action.

Chip Count Update

William Ysmael limped in on the small blind and called a 500,000 raise from Cheolmin Byeon behind.

Action on board J♣ 4♣ 2♦ 7♣ A♣ was checked down to the river, where Ysmael went for a final 580,000. Byeon paid the price and mucked as Ysmael tabled the nut flush K♣ 9♣ .

Cheolmin Byeon defended his big blind against James Dela Cruz' 325,000 button open, and check called 250,000 on flop A♣ 6♣ 6♥ .

On turn 3♥ , Byeon faced another 560,000 from Dela Cruz and responded with a check raise to 1,200,000. Dela Cruz completed, yet surrendered on river Q♠ as Byeon finished with an all-in.

William Ysmael opened utg and called Cheolmin Byeon's button jam for 2,465,000.

Ysmael ahead, slipped back a chunk to his opponent as board T♥ J♦ 9♦ 5♣ J♣ landed Byeon two pair to hold on to his seat.

A limp pot blind vs blind led William Ysmael to bet 135,000 on flop J♠ 9♦ T♣ . Cheolmin Byeon called behind, and faced another 380,000 on turn 6♦ . Byeon padded it further to 800,000 and completed against Ysmael's raise to 1,400,000.

On river 7♠ , Ysmael checked to Byeon, pushing the latter to apply maximum pressure and barrel all-in. Ysmael burnt through three time banks and eventually found the call with Q♦ Q♠ , taking the win as Byeon revealed bottom pair K♥ 6♥ .

William Ysmael opened 250,000 utg, joined by Cheolmin Byeon on the button along with James Dela Cruz on the big blind.

Flop 8♦ 4♥ 5♥ was checked to Byeon, prompting him to bet 150,000. Both called to see turn 2♥ , but shortly surrendered as Byeon went for another 425,000.

James Dela Cruz kicked off the action with a 250,000 utg open and saw Cheolmin Byeon complete on the big blind.

On flop J♥ 2♦ J♦ , Byeon check called a 150,000 cbet from Dela Cruz, and arrived at showdown shortly after no more chips went in on either turn A♦ or river 3♣ . Byeon showed two pair A♣ 8♦ and Dela Cruz mucked.

Cheolmin Byeon opened utg and called a 730,000 three bet from William Ysmael on the big blind.

On flop 4♦ T♠ Q♦ , Ysmael barreled all-in and saw Byeon call off his remaining 1,745,000 with top pair K♥ T♥ . Ysmael was behind with K♦ 4♠ and took the hit as turn 8♠ and river 3♣ sealed his loss.

A limp pot blind vs blind between William Ysmael and Cheolmin Byeon saw action on flop Q♠ 3♠ 3♦ check round to turn 7♠ , where Ysmael led 130,000. Byeon bumped it up to 300,000, and decided to slow down on river A♥ after Ysmael completed. Ysmael showed trip threes 5♠ 3♣ and picked up another boost.

On the next hand, Ysmael opened 240,000 on the button and was met with a 1,000,000 three bet from Byeon. Ysmael clapped back with an all-in, and left Byeon to burn through his last time bank before throwing in the fold.

Moosung Lee pushed his last 1,045,000 utg and was called by Cheolmin Byeon right behind.

Lee in trouble, was instantly left drawing dead on the flop 6♥ 3♦ Q♦ 4♠ K♥ as Byeon spiked a set of queens to secure the win.

Cheolmin Byeon has shoved preflop against William Ysmael twice already and remained unchallenged. In another pot, Byeon instead called Ysmael's 200,000 open, and took it down on flop J♠ 5♥ 9♠ with a small bet of 150,000.

Cheolmin Byeon committed his last 690,000 in early position and was challenged by James Dela Cruz behind.

Dominated, Byeon was in luck to find two tens on board T♠ 9♠ 5♦ J♠ T♥ to spare him from elimination.

After a grueling ten hour grind, the 99-player field for today's Manila Megastack 22 Main Event Day 2 Final has dwindled down to its final nine players with James Dela Cruz leading the hunt. All those still in contention are already guaranteed a mincash of PHP 380,820 (~USD 6,640), with the PHP 4,820,000 (~USD 84,035) top prize just inches away.

In addition to the cash prizes, the full final table of nine players will lock in seats to upcoming PokerStars events, with this season’s Main Event champion receiving a PHP 125,000 APPT Manila 2025 Main Event package including seat and accommodation, while the rest of the top eight finishers will receive PHP 9,000 APPT Super Qualifier entries, all drawn from the prize pool.

Manila Megastack 22 Main Event

Date/s: March 20-23, 2024

Buy-in: PHP 45,000 (~USD 775)

Guarantee: PHP 20,000,000 (~USD 345,280)

Entries: 652

Prize pool: PHP 25,613,820 (~USD 446,695)

ITM: 99 places

With only one minute left on Level 27, here are the Final Table Chip Counts with big blinds according to the next level.

A blind vs blind battle between Cheolmin Byeon and Kiwanont Sukhum brewed a pot of 325,000 alongside a completed board of K♣ 9♥ T♦ A♦ T♥ . Sukhum gunned for a final 125,000 on the river and was check called by Byeon, only to muck as Sukhum revealed two pair A♥ 6♣ .

Cheolmin Byeon opened 85,000 early position and was joined by Suya Lee on the button.

Action checked to turn 6♠ K♥ 6♦ A♦ , where Byeon continued for 55,000. Lee called behind, and paid another 125,000 on river 4♣ , and saw his opponent instantly muck, shipping him the pot by default.

The fierce battle for the Manila Megastack 22 Main Event crown continues to be in play with its 652-entry field down to the final two tables. Each remaining contender is now guaranteed PHP 220,000 in winnings and a fighting chance to claim the PHP 4,820,000 top prize.

Chip Count Update

Masataka Setoguchi opened on the cutoff and called a 220,000 three bet from Cheolmin Byeon on the small blind.

On flop 6♣ 3♠ 4♥ , Byeon check called a 125,000 bet from Setoguchi and checked a second time around on turn Q♣ . Setoguchi checked it back to river J♥ , where Byeon bet for the rest.

Setoguchi called off his remaining 297,000 with top set Q♥ Q♠ and shipped the massive pot his way as Byeon tabled a mere 7♦ 7♠ .

Cheolmin Byeon opened 45,000 early position, joined by Jonald Garcia on the small blind.

On flop 3♥ 9♠ K♣ , Garcia check called 30,000, and went on to lead 105,000 on turn J♥ . Byeon raised to 275,000, yet gave it up after Garcia called and pushed 440,000 on river J♦ .

Bidding for a pot of 640,000 across a board of 7♥ J♣ K♠ 9♣ T♦ , chip leader applied maximum pressure on Suya Lee with an all-in on the river. Lee tanked for a minute and eventually decided to lay it down, conserving his 48 big blind stack.

In battle for a 95,000 pot on board 3♠ 2♣ 8♠ 7♦ , Yohei Kosuga gunned for 35,000 on the button and faced a check raise for 110,000 from chip leader Cheolmin Byeon. Kosuga gave up the fight, shipping Byeon another boost to his already towering pile.

Edison Yu open shoved his last 98,000 and was looked up by Cheolmin Byeon right on the big blind.

In for a flip, Yu found none of his overcards appear on board 6♣ 6♠ 4♦ 3♥ 9♣ , ending his Main Event run for good.

Flight B chip leader Ryan Tan failed to get any momentum going across the Day 2 charge and hit the rails following two more losses.

Masataka Setoguchi got full value on his rivered straight with queen-jack on board Ax 10x 2x 3x Kx against Tan's four-deuce and left his opponent short. Tan exited the next hand after taking a final beat from Cheolmin Byeon with pocket tens.

In battle for a massive 400,000 pot in the middle across a completed board of 9♠ 7♦ 9♣ 8♦ 3♠ , Cheolmin Byeon fired a final bet of 230,000, sending Edison Yu deep in the tank. Yu eventually paid his dues and mucked as Byeon tabled K♥ K♣ .

Cheolmin Byeon opened early position and was met with a 33,000 three bet from George Salud on the big blind. Byeon padded it further to 75,000 and left Salud in quick surrender, open folding A♥ Q♣ . Byeon returned the gesture, revealing A♦ A♠ .