Warm-up (5,000 PHP)

After the first five hands of the final table carried no significant action, the sixth hand opens from the +2 position as the Philippines’ Michael Manlapaz limps in and gets raised from the LJ to 135,000 by fellow Filipino Marciel Gerbito. At the CO, Kim Hyoungchul puts his remaining 95,000 in the pot as Manlapaz decides to call Gerbito’s raise.

The flop comes Q♥ Q♠ 6♠ as Manlapaz bets 100,000. Gerbito folds.

Kim flips over J♥ J♦ while Manlapaz shows Q♦ 8♦ for trip queens on the flop and the lead. The turn is the A♦ and the river is the 4♦ as Kim becomes the first casualty of the Final Table.

Manlapaz is now the overall chip leader.

The action is folded to the HJ where Korea’s Kim Hyoungchul raises to 115,000 as it folds to the BB where Filipino Tony Abesamis elects to make the jump with his remaining 110,000.

Much to Abesamis’ chagrin, Kim unveils A♠ A♣ against his 8♣ 6♠ .

The runout held no landmines: 2♠ T♥ K♦ 6♥ J♣ as Abesamis finishes in 15th place.

Chip leader Patrick Noonan of Ireland opens from UTG for 65,000 and is greeted with a 3-bet shove from the +2 position by Korea’s Kim Jongsu to 295,000. It gets folded to the BB where another Korean in Kim Hyoungchul makes the call. Noonan gets out of the way.

Jongsu turns over A♦ K♦ while Hyoungchul shows Q♥ Q♠ .

The flop becomes an instant concern for Hyoungchul: 2♦ K♣ 4♦ and for good measure the 6♦ renders Jongsu drawing dead as Hyoungchul hits the nut flush. The 6♣ on the river ensures that Jongsu trudges on but Hyoungchul now has one of the shortest stacks left.

Korea’s Kim Hyoungchul raises it to 27,000 from the +1 position and it gets folded to the BB of Filipino Raymundo Gomez who opts to defend.

The flop is K♠ J♣ 5♥ as both players check. The turn is the K♣ as Gomez takes the betting lead for 38,000. Kim calls. The river is the 3♥ and this time, Gomez fires 60,000. Kim folds.

Korea’s Kim Hyoungchul opens it up from the +1 position for 50,000 and gets re-raised b y Yossef Cohen of Israel from the HJ to out the Korean all-in. Kim calls.

Cohen shows A♥ T♥ while Kim tables J♠ J♣ .

It was enough for Kim as the runout produced no surprises: K♥ 5♠ 9♠ 7♣ 2♥ .

Kim stays afloat while Cohen gets dented.