Warm-up (5,000 PHP)

The action begins from the +1 position with a raise to 32,000 and a call from the HJ. The Philippines’ Irineo Javalera 3-bets it to 70,000 then Masafumi Kimura of Japan 4-bet shoves and forces the initial participants to fold, except for the Filipino who puts in his remaining 78,000.

Kimura flips over A♥ K♥ while Javalera is slightly ahead with 6♠ 6♣ .

The first three community card stayed safe for Javalera: 4♠ 3♣ T♣ but the turn card produces the K♠ . The 4♠ arrives on the river to rail Javalera in 30th place and bring Kimura’s stack within range of the chip leaders.

Edwin de la Cruz of the Philippines (known in the local poker scene as “Hit D’Heat”) has it folded to him on the D and open shoves his last 177,000 only to be called in the BB by Masafumi Kimura of Japan.

De la Cruz tables A♥ J♦ while Kimura is in a coin-flip with T♠ T♥ .

The flop comes 4♥ K♣ 3♠ but the turn brings in the T♦ to reduce the Filipino to just four outs (from initially six). The K♥ on the river sends de la Cruz packing.

Kimura is now among the big stacks.