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After a swingy heads up, Canadian player Christian Lortie defeated Filipino player Jiego Erquiaga to lock up the Manila Super Series Kick Off title and a cash prize of ₱560,000. In addition, Lortie received a seat worth ₱80,000 to APPT Manila. In a post-win interview with the champ, he shared,

"It feels good to win! I almost messed up the heads up. I made a pretty big mistake one time. It cost me alot of chips but I managed to climb back and win in the end. I'm the luckiest player at the table."

Lortie entered the final day as chip leader and proceeded to dominate, eliminating a long list of opponents. The only time he was in danger was during the intense heads up match against Erquiaga, where he momentarily lost the lead.

"Jiego was my toughest opponent. He plays very well and he's very aggressive. He had me made in alot of situations. In the end, I won a flip for 90 percent of the chips with Jack-Eight versus Nine-Ten, if I lost that one, I'm out.

Summarizing the hand, Lortie raised preflop with J♥ 8♣ then landed top pair with an open-ended draw on the board J♦ 9♦ T♣ . A betting war followed leading to Lortie's four-bet all in. Erquiaga called and was ahead with T♠ 9♠ . The turn 8♦ gave Lortie the higher two pair that held on the river 6♠ .

"I have top pair and open ended straight, because he didn't re-raise on the pre flop I know that he doesn't have King-Queen and he most likely doesn't have a good Jack or Queen-Jack, so anything that he could have I'm at least 50% equity unless he has the bottom straight. But even in the worst case scenario if he has bottom straight I still have the open ended straight so I could get lucky."

After winnng the hand, Lortie eliminated Erquiaga shortly after with A♣ Q♥ dominating Q♣ T♦ . Congratulations to the champ!

That concludes the opening event of the Manila Super Series 21 taking place at the PokerStars LIVE hub in Okada Manila, Philippines. The Kick Off Event drew 283 entries for a prize pool of ₱3,019,610. A total of 43 players got paid with Christian Lortie awarded the largest cut.

Action continues with the series running from February 1 to 9, 2025. The Main Event ₱10M guarantee takes the spotlight on February 6 and will run until the end of the festival. Buy in is ₱18,500 (~$315) with four entry flights scheduled.

Looking like the end for Lortie, he spikes a higher two pair on the turn 8♦ and with the river 6♠ , it's the biggest pot yet of heads up.

It's anyone's game as shown by the flipping of the chip lead. Jiego Erquiaga is now back on top after three-betting all in that wasn't called. Then back to back on a limped pot with the board running 9♣ 8♥ 2♣ A♠ . Erquiaga bet 300,000 and easily claimed the pot.

From the button, Christian Lortie raised 200,000 and Jiego Erquiaga called. With the board running 7♦ A♣ 9♣ 3♥ , Erquiaga took charge with bets of 150,000 and 400,000. Lortie raised all in on the turn which was enough to induce a fold.

Jiego Erquiaga called Christian Lortie's 160,000 preflop raise then put the pressure on the flop 7♥ 7♦ 2♦ . After Lortie c-bet 85,000, Erquiaga check-raise 325,000 to push Lortie out of the pot.

Christian Lortie put stop to the charging Jiego Erquiaga. Raising 160,000 preflop, they head to the flop K♦ 9♦ 5♦ . Erquiaga bets 150,000, Lortie makes it 400,000, Erquiaga calls and the river is felted 7♦ . Lortie bets 500,000, Erquiaga goes deep in the tank using up two time banks then folds.

Jiego Erquiaga continues to challenge the leader Christian Lortie and getting the better result. On a board 8♠ 3♦ K♦ 6♦ 8♥ , Erquiaga bet 200,000 on the river, Lortie called then mucked upon seeing 6♥ 3♥ . Erquiaga reaches 2M.

Immediately after his double up, Jiego Erquiaga picked up another pot by check-raising all in on a flop A♦ 2♦ 3♥ that induced a fold from Christian Lortie.

Jiego Erquiaga limped and Christian Lortie checked it to bring the action to the flop 3♦ 4♣ 3♥ . Lortie led 100,000 and Erquiaga called. Lortie doubled it up on the turn K♦ for 200,000, Erquiaga called again. On the river 5♣ , Lortie shoved and won the pot.

After 72 hands played at the final table, it is now heads up between Christian Lortie and Jiego Erquiaga. The battle for the title, the ₱560,000 ($9,585) cash prize, and seat worth ₱80,000 to APPT Manila has arrived. For the runner up, a worthy payout as well of ₱390,000 ($6,675).

Peter Chung is also in trouble with only 5 bb behind. He risks it all with 4♣ 4♥ on hand and goes head to head against the chip leader Christian Lortie who has A♦ K♠. With the board running 3♠ 3♦ 5♦ J♠ T♣ , Chung's small pair survives to keep him in contention.

Christian Lortie picked up multiple pots with uncalled raises and three-bets. He has now crossed into 4M and is sitting on half of the chips in play.

Despite a double up in an earlier hand, Renniel Galvez was still in the danger zone. Looking down at Q♥ J♠ from cutoff, he moved all in and got called by big blind Christian Lortie with K♦ J♣ . When the board ran out 4♣ 9♠ 2♥ 3♦ J♥ , Lortie's kicker played to send Galvez out in 7th place.

Anthony Castro continues to climb, picking up a pot against Jiego Erquiaga. Hand opens with a 125,000 raise from Castro that's met with a three-bet of 270,000 from Jiego Erquiaga. Both take it easy on the flop 4♦ Q♦ 5♦ then Castro bets 300,000 on the turn 3♣ . Erquiaga tanks for a time bank then gives up his hand.

Anthony Castro seems to be the most active player at the final table as he enters another showdown. Short stacked Marc Gagne turns over A♠ 8♣ , Castro with J♣ T♠ , the board spreads 8♥ A♦ 6♠ A♣ 9♣ to ensure the double up for Gagne.

From just 7 bb, Anthony Castro has chipped up to nearly 30 bb. His latest win saw him call James Morile's raise preflop then took command on the flop Q♦ 2♣ T♣ and turn 7♠ with bets of 125,000 ad 250,000. Moriles folded to the turn bet.

Looking down at K♠ J♣ , Jiego Erquiaga bumps it up to 80,000 and big blind James Moriles calls. They proceed to check it to the river Q♣ 5♠ Q♥ K♦ 9♣ . Erquiaga sends out a bet of 150,000, Moriles tank-calls and quickly mucks.

James Moriles min-raises from utg then calls lojack Anthon Castro's 180,000 re-raise. On the flop 7♦ 8♠ 8♦ Castro bets 110,000, Moriles answers with a check-raise fo 250,000. Castro surrenders his hand.

Christian Lortie continues to pull away from the rest. In back to back hands, he wins the blinds and ante to rise past 3M.

Christian Lortie defended his blind then checked the flop Q♦ 3♠ 8♠ with Jiego Erquiaga. On the turn A♠ , Erquiaga tossed in 80,000 that was called. With the river 3♦ , it was back to checking. Lortie showed A♣ J♠ and Erquiage mucked.

Anthony Castro enters a raised pot that leads to a flop K♦ 6♥ K♠ . Following two checks, Castro bets 100,000, and is check-called by Peter Chung. They proceed to check the turn 7♦ then Chung leads out 275,000 on the river T♣ .Castro just flats and shows K♥ Q♠ trips, Chung has better 7♣ 7♠ full house and drags in the pot.

Christian Lortie opens and Marc Gagne defends his big blind. They opt to check it to the turn 3♠ 7♠ A♠ 9♦ . Lortie sweetens the pot for 65,000 and Gagne calls to head to the river 5♦ . Lortie fires a larger 225,000 bet that induces a fold.

From the button Jiego Erquiaga three-bet 130,000, utg James Moriles calls it to see a flop 4♥ 2♠ 7♥ . Erquiaga leads out 80,000 and wins the pot without further action.

Cards now flying at the final table. The blinds have been rolled back to 15,000-30,000.

After five hours of play, the final table was reached. They are all guaranteed a minimum ₱62,610 with the champion pocketing ten times that amount, a total of ₱560,000 plus a seat worth ₱80,0000 to APPT Manila.

Aslan Vainio just missed the final table falling in 10th place. Vainio shoved holding A♥ 3♥ on the small blind that slammed into big blind Jiego Erquiaga's Q♣ Q♦ . The board further favored Erquiaga as it ran Q♥ 6♠ T♣ 6♣ 5♠ . Erquiaga doubled up while Vainio plunged to just 30,000.

On the next hand, Vainio went all in with A♣ T♣ and proceeded to fall to Martin Gonzales' 6♣ 4♦ on a board 7♥ Q♣ 6♦ T♥ 4♥ .

After losing a shove, Anthony Castro defends his big blind then shoves on the flop 7♣ 7♠ 8♠ . Christian Lortie calls and has K♥ Q♣ ahead of Castro's J♠ 9♥ . The turn A♦ changes nothing until the river J♥ for a pair to save Castro.

Marc Gagne has 4♦ 4♥ and min-raise from utg. Martin Gonzales defends the big blind for a flop 7♦ 4♠ T♣ . Gagne bets 65,000 for his set and Gonzales check-calls. They check the turn 7♣ then Gagne fires 185,000 on the river A♥ . Gonzales doesn't bite.

Big stacks go head to head with Christian Lortie laying out a min-raise from the button. Small blind Renniel Galvez three-bets 290,000, Lortie responds with four-bet shove that pushes out Galvez.

Lortie has now entered the 2 Million marker.

Martin Gonzales finds a spot to double up his short 9 bb stack. Looking down at A♦ J♣ , he three-bets alll in and Jiego Erquiaga calls with A♠ 7♠ . Though not needed, Gonzales flops a pair and goes on to double up on a board T♠ J♠ A♣ Q♣ 2♥ .

Anthony Castro defend his big blind and sees a flop K♠ 3♠ 8♦ . Aggressor Christian Lortie c-bets 45,000 and Castro flats. After they check the turn 7♥ , Castro switches up and leads out 120,000 on the river J♦ . Lortie calls then mucks to the J♥ 3♣ two pair.

Short stacked Filip Bogdan ends his run in 11th place with A♣ 6♠ dominated by Jiego Erquiaga's A♦ J♠ on a dry board 8♠ 4♠ T♣ 3♦ 8♣ .

Intense action between Aslan Vainio and Martin Gonzales as the battle on a board Q♦ T♥ 4♥ T♠ with 200,000 in the pot. Gonzales bets pot, Vainio answers with a check-raise all in for 375,000. Gonzales tanks using up two time banks then gives up his hand.

From utg+1, Royly Oracion looks down at 9♦ 2♦ and decides it's good enough to shove for his last 9 bb. Two spots over, James Moriles wakes up with Q♦ Q♥ and calls. With the board running 5♥ 8♣ J♠ K♣ T♠ , Oracion gets up and leaves.

Renniel Galvez won a pot of over 500,000 against Royly Oracion to bring his stack just 2 bb away from the million marker.

Action folds to the blinds, Jiego Erquiaga raises 50,000 and Martin Gonzales defends. Erquiaga checks the flop Q♦ 3♦ 7♥ leading to Gonzales firing a small bet of 25,000, Erquiaga calls. Action is the same on the turn J♥ with Erquiaga check-calling a larger 80,000 bet. On the river 9♦ , Gonzales barrels a third time for 180,000, Erquiaga uses two-time banks before folding while showing K♠ 7♠ . Gonzales returns the gesture and shows 8♦ 2♣ bluff.

The turn 4♦ and river 9♠ were no help to Sia to finish in 15th place.

Immediately following the hand, Sia went all in with K♦ 9♣ then doubled up through Anthony Castro on a board T♣ 9♠ 4♥ 5♠ 6♦ . Castro had A♠ 2♦ .

Hand opens with a min-raise from hijack Renniel Galvez that's called by Seonghun Jeong on the button. They check it to the turn 4♦ 9♠ 2♥ K♦ . Jeong bets 30,000 and Galvez check-calls. The river 9♣ is doom for Jeong who slides out 50,000 then calls Galvez's check-shove. Jeong shows K♥ Q♥ top pair, Galvez has A♣ 9♦ trips.

Richard Marquez raises 40,000 from hijack and the blinds call. They all check the flop 8♣ T♥ 6♦ . Small blind Anthony Castro leads out 25,000 on the turn 7♠ , big blind Joseph Sia and Marquez call and head to the river 9♦ . Castro opts to check, Sia slides out a tower of 100,000, only Marquez makes the call. Sia shows Q♣ 2♣ bluff , Marquez rakes it in with J♦ 5♥ straight. Though Castro folded, he also showed his hand 7♦ 8♦ .

Christian Lortie's number of kills continues with Jonald Garcia as his next victim. Garcia went all in for his last 7 bb and dominated with A♣ T♦ over Lortie's A♥ 5♠ . However with the board running 6♥ 9♥ Q♠ J♥ 7♥ , Lortie improved to a flush.

Christian Lortie claimed another stack, this time finishing off June Nuestro. With 100,000 in the pot and a board showing 2♦ Q♠ 8♠ 2♥ 5♦ . Nuestro goes all in for 110,000, sending Lortie deep in the tank. After getting called, Nuestro shows T♦ 7♦ bluff, Lortie ships it with A♦ J♣ ace-high.

With a pot of 140,000 brewed, Peter Chung banged out 40,000 on the flop 5♠ 5♣ A♣ . Kiri Gelev check-called then folded to Chung's heftier 450,000 bet on the turn Q♣ .

Christian Lortie is far ahead of the pack with over a million in chips. His latest win was against Martin Gonzales. Both players built a pot of 100,000 preflop then fueled in more on the flop 3♥ 5♣ Q♥ with Lortie's 25,000 bet called. They opted to pass on the turn 7♦ and river 3♦ . Lortie's 4♦ 4♠ with Gonzales missing with Ace-Jack.

Following a raise of 40,000, Joseph Sia three-bets 85,000. After the call, Sia jams on the flop 9♥ 7♣ T♠ and wins the pot right there.

Anthony Castro is dealt A♦ K♦ and raises it up to 35,000. Big blind Peter Chung has A♣ 4♥ and defends. When the board runs Q♥ A J♦ 6♠ , Castro fires 25,000 and 55,000, Chung check-calls then both check the river 9♣ . Castro's kicker plays to rake in the pot.

Christian Lortie raised then called Ryan Tan's shove of 132,000. Tan had A♥ 3♦ , Lortie with 8♦ 9♣ . The board favored Lortie as it ran T♦ 6♥ 7♦ 4♥ 6♣ to send Tan to the exit.

Aslan Vainio is on the rise with multiple pots going his way. He claimed a pot of around 300,000 in a hand against Anthony Castro then another pot against Richard Marquez of around 233,000.

Against Marquez, Vainio opened 25,000, got called by two players then they checke to the turn 6♥ K♣ J♦ 7♥ . Vainio's 40,000 bet lost one player while Marquez check-called. On the river 5♠ , Marquez took a stab for 30,000, Vainio called, Marquez had ace high A♣ T♦ . Vainio shipped with K♠ 9♠ .