Czar Ian Marcos Clinches Manila Super Series 22 Main Event; Festival Wraps Up

Czar Ian Marcos Clinches MSS 22 Main Event

"I’m thankful and very happy because this is my first time winning a Main Event!"

Big win for Filipino player Czar Ian Marcos as he reined in the Manila Super Series 22 Main Event title. After an ICM deal at heads up with Dutch player Germ De Haas, that practically chopped the remaining pot in evenly, the duel continued for the coveted PokerStars spade and the APPT Manila Main Event Package valued at PhP 125,000.

Starting deep and fairly even in chips, it was a hard-fought showdown to the finish. Marcos opened with a slight disadvantage then quickly built up to take the lead. De Haas showed resilience, dropping then clawing his way back multiple times to keep the match close. In the end, it took a cooler to wrap it up. De Haas fell with A♠ K♥ that failed to improve against Marcos's J♠ J♥ .

Read up on the action via the Live Updates.

Asehan Outlasts 81 Entries to Win Super Series High-Roller

It may have taken two days, but victory is always sweet especially when attained on home soil as the Philippines’ Edgar Asehan is the champion of (Event #42) the Super Series High-Roller.

Asehan is proclaimed the titlist and also earned the winner’s prize money of PhP696,955 (~US$12,405).

Second place went to another local in Carlo Calingasan for PhP450,000 (~US$8,010) while Masafumi Matsushita of Japan bagged third for PhP312,000 (~US$5,710).

Costiniano Bests 414, Wins Mystery Bounty

With the original GTD prize pool more than doubled, the Philippines’ John Niko Costiniano takes the crown in (Event #32) the Mystery Bounty.

Costiniano also pockets the top purse of PhP584,000 (~US$10,395) in the victory that saw the original PhP2,000,000 (~US$35,590) obliterated as the final payouts came from PhP4,265,380 (~US$75,910). The Filipino also amassed PhP76,000 (~US$1,350) in bounties alone.

Second place went to Leon Steward of the United States for PhP360,000 (~US$6,405) while Shigenori Komatsu of Japan finished in third for PhP264,000 (~US$4,700).

Filipino Jeffrey Ponce collected the most bounties for a staggering PhP315,000 (~US$5,605), wildly eclipsing his prize money as the tournament’s eighth placer for PhP76,000 (~US$1,350).

With the victory, Costinano also picks up an APPT Manila Main Event seat while the other Final Table participants get APPT Super Qualifier packages worth PhP9,000 (~US$160).

Super Series Turbo Sees Jain Emerge Victorious

After the field of 199 bumped the original GTD prize pool of PhP500,000 (~US$8,980) to PhP1,104,132 (~US$19,830), the finale had Kunal Jain of Hong Kong winning (Event #26) the Super Series Turbo.

Jain went on to defeat Jessie Trance of the Philippines in their Heads-Up duel for PhP230,000 (~US$4,130) while Trance got PhP143,000 (~US$2,570). Both also won Manila Super Series 22 Main Event seats by making it to the finale duel. Day 2’s overall chip leader Mohammad Harun finished in third place for PhP102,500 (~US$1,840).

The Philippines Wins Second Title as Hernan Villa Triumphs in Deepstack

Just two days after Maxwell Rosete took down the (Event #11) Hyper Turbo, the Philippines claims its second trophy in these proceedings as Hernan Villa bested a field of 165 entries to snare the title in (Event #16) the Deepstack as the original guaranteed prize pool was once again almost doubled.

Villa received the top purse of PhP310,940 (~US$5,575) as the initial PhP780,000 (~US$13,980) GTD prize pool rose to PhP1,408,440 (~US$25,245) and was even responsible for the last three bust outs en route to the win.

The final hand saw Villa’s J♠ 8♣ hit two pairs on the turn and shoved the river and was called by Japan’s Shun Oikawa who had a pair of tens. Oikawa earned PhP194,000 (~US$3,475) for placing second. Another Filipino in Lenart Ecarna got PhP138,000 (~US$2,475) for his third place finish.

All Final Table participants also got APPT Super Qualifier seats worth PhP9,000 (~US$160).

Harun Takes Down Survivor Knockout [20k Bounty]

After 204 entries more than doubled the original GTD prize pool, it came down to a deal that had Brunei’s Mohammad Harun winning the same PhP146,250 (~US$2,625) as runner-up Jose Cheung of the Philippines but taking down the trophy in (Event #20) the Survival Knockout [20k Bounty].

After the deal to evenly split the remaining prize money was reached, the two still battled and the final hand had Harum prevailing with A♠ 9♠ over Cheung’s Q♥ 9♣ on a board of 7♥ 7♣ 2♠ 2♥ 9♥ with the Bruneian’s kicker being the catalyst in the win.

Third place went to Japan’s Saito Takahashi for PhP85,000 (~US$1,525).

Harun had five bounties amounting to PhP100,000 (~US$1,795) while Cheung actual finished one better with six bounties. The Philippines Jonathan Duque collected the most with eight for PhP160,000 (~US$2,870), eclipsing his sixth-place prize money of PhP40,000 (~US$715).

The original GTD prize pool of PhP780,000 (~US$13,995) was obliterated as the final payouts went up to PhP1,741,344 (~US$31,240).

An Sangjin Triumphs in Double Stack

After 187 entries more than doubled the initial guaranteed prize pool, it came to a deal to determine the titlist of (Event #24) the Double Stack as Korea’s An Sangjin emerges victorious.

In what looked to be a runaway win for Daijiro Tomoto of Japan who brought a 4-1 chip lead to Heads Up, An all but evened the stack count when he snap called his opponent’s 4-bet shove for his last 1,255,000 with A♥ K♥ . Tomoto showed A♣ 4♦ . The runout went T♥ 8♦ K♦ K♣ J♠ for trips the Korean didn’t need for the decisive double up. With stack sizes close to even, a deal was reached to award An with the trophy but get the runner-up purse of PhP211,000 (~US$3,780) while Tomoto gets the champion’s prize of PhP340,232 (~US$6,090). Parikshit Jain of India finished in third for PhP151,000 (~US$2,705).

“I feel so good that i won this event,” An told SMP. “I (had) a great run in the early levels and I'm happy that i finally won a trophy.”

The key for An was when he doubled up to enable the ICM deal to be made.

“I really (didn’t) have any strategy, if I have a good hands I will play it really good and luckily I had an AK where I doubled up and probably even the chips and after few hands we decided to do an ICM Deal,” he explained.

When the moment arrived to make the deal, An confesses the language barrier became a hinderance.

“To be honest we (didn’t) understand each other (initially),” he said. “But after a few minutes when I pointed out to him the prize pool for first place and said I take the trophy he take the first-place money he agreed so fast. We're also tired so I guess we didn’t have to talk about it for so long.”

China’s Fu Zhenbo Wins Mini Main Event

With the original GTD prize pool of PhP1,000,000 (~US$17,795) ballooning to a whopping PhP2,582,140 (~US$45,950) because of the influx of 242 entries, the (Event #45) was a rousing success as Fu Zhenbo of China emerged as the last man standing.

Fu takes home the trophy and the even PhP500,000 (~US$8,890) top prize as well as an APPT Manila Main Event package worth PhP125,000 (~US$2,225).

Second place went to Japan’s Daijiro Tomoto for PhP335,000 (~US$5,960) while Samson Hiu of Singapore got third for PhP240,000 (~US$4,270). 36 places got paid.