Warm-up (12,500 PHP)

Action is heating up at PokerStars LIVE, Okada Manila with both qualifiers for its opening highlight, Kickoff, wrapped up. The final heat drew in a slightly bigger field of 159 entries, bumping up the final count to 283. Well over the expected turnout, PHP 3,019,610 (~USD 51,690) in total prizes are on the table, all to be awarded across tomorrow's Day 2 battle.

Twenty four more survivors joined the list across the later flight, with Canada's Christian Lortie topping the charts with a massive 540,000 (90 BB) stack. Lortie's rise to the lead came at the cost of Mike Takayama by the final hour after the latter hero called with pocket jacks against Lortie's two pair. Lortie’s late surge pushed him past Flight A chip leader James Moriles, who finished with 437,000 (73 BB), to take the overall lead. Trailing behind are seasoned locals David Erquiaga 456,000 (76 BB), and Richard Marquez 316,000 (53 BB), to round up the top three spots.

Other players to keep an eye on include Martin Gonzales 186,000 (31 BB), Renniel Galvez 176,000 (29 BB), Ashley Patterson 166,000 (28 BB), and Joseph Sia 161,000 (27 BB).

Action resumes at 12 noon this Sunday, February 2nd, with blinds set at Level 17: 3,000/ 6,000 ante 6,000. Stay tuned for more updates as SMP brings you all the latest directly off the floor!

Kickoff

Date/s: February 1-2, 2025

Buy-in: PHP 12,500 (~USD 215)

Guarantee: PHP 2,000,000 (~USD 34,235)

Entries: 283

Prize pool: PHP 3,019,610 (~USD 51,690)

ITM: 43 places

Flight A: 124 entries, 19 qualified

Flight B: 159 entries, 24 qualified

Day 2/ Final: Sunday, February 2

Christian Lortie opened 12,000 utg, called by Jiego Erquiaga on the button. David Erquiaga on the small blind, squeezed to 60,000, and convinced both opponents to give it up with action right on bubble time.

Christian Lortie opened on the cutoff and called a 45,000 three bet from Mike Takayama on the big blind. On board A♣ 2♠ 8♠ 3♠ , Takayama check called both streets - 52,000 and a final all-in for his last 79,000, with J♠ J♣ . Lortie however, smashed the board with two pair A♦ 8♦ , and eliminated Takayama just as river Q♥ hit the table.

A button vs big blind battle brewed a pot of 87,000 even before flop 3♦ 4♠ 2♣ landed on the felt. Christian Lortie led out 30,000 and was called by David Erquiaga behind. On turn 6♥ , Lortie check folded after being faced with a 60,000 bet from his opponent.

With 29 players left holding onto their seats, that means only five more eliminations are due before the day wraps up, with 24 survivors advancing onto Day 2. A total of 43 players are geared to cut a share of the PHP 3,019,610 (~USD 51,690) prize pool, 19 already qualified from today's initial flight.

Chip Counts

David Erquiaga opened on the hijack and was met with a 33,000 three bet from Christian Lortie on the button. Erquiaga responded with a raise to 90,000, enough to convince Lortie to give it up.

Christian Lortie opened 9,000 utg, raised by Manuel Geronimo on the button to 22,000. Lortie clapped back with an all-in, and Geronimo called off for his remaining 140,000.

Flipping for nearly 90 big blinds, Lortie cleaned out his opponent shortly after spiking top pair on board 6♠ A♠ 4♣ 2♣ J♦ to take the win.

Christian Lortie opened 6,000 utg+1, called by Mike Takayama on the button along with both players on the blinds. On flop A♦ 6♣ 6♥ , Lortie continued for 7,000, and picked up the pot straight away.