Manila Megastack 24 Charges Out of the Gate at Okada Manila

The Asian poker circuit is back in full swing at the beautiful  Okada Manila as the Manila Megastack 24 , held by PokerStars Live Manila, officially kicked off its ten-day run. The opening day got off to a fast start, all players chasing a share of the huge prize pools. With the cards in the air, the Manila Megastack 24 began with fast-paced action and a turnout that doubled its guarantee in the opening flighted event.

Magnus Martin Triumphs in the PLO Bomb Pot

The action heated up early with Event #2: PLO Bomb Pot , a format that guaranteed action from the first card dealt. The tournament drew a specialized field of Pot-Limit Omaha enthusiasts, ultimately creating a prize pool of PHP 153,648 (~$2,670). The “Bomb Pot” format kept the action moving, with chips constantly in play and the tension high. When the final table started, it really came down to picking the right spots and not being afraid to pull the trigger.

Final Table Results

It was the United Kingdom’s Magnus Martin who navigated through the field to claim the first-place prize of PHP 66,148 (~$1,150) and a valuable 224.59 SPI points. With nearly $100,000 in total live earnings, according to The Hendon Mob, Martin made his presence at the global festivals. His career-best live cash of $37,019 was achieved at the 44th World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas.

He outlasted a British final that featured fellow countrymen Mark Marriott and  Alfie Adam to complete an all-British podium. With the win, he claimed the first trophy of the Manila Megastack 24 and set the tone early for the international field.

Knockout – PHP 1K Bounty Crushes the Guarantee

One of the highlights during the opening day was Event #1: Knockout -PHP 1K Bounty, which boasted a PHP 1M Guarantee. The tournament proved to be an immediate magnet for the field, easily smashing its target as hundreds of players descended upon the ballroom for the Manila Megastack 24. With bounties in play, the action drew even more attention, keeping the field packed as players chased instant cash rewards along with their tournament stacks.

The participation numbers told the story of a festival on the rise as Day 1A saw an entry of 138 runners, while the heat surged further during Day 1B, which attracted an additional 214 entries. Combined, the event registered 352 total entries from 200 unique players, ballooning the total prize pool to a massive PHP 1,953,037.

Top Ten Chip Counts

American player Willie Lee finished the opening rounds as the overall chip leader with a stack of 491,000. He is followed by fellow American Michael Bagdasarov , who bagged 447,000. The top of the leaderboard also features several local Filipino players, including Royly Emir Oracion  with 377,000 and Joemark Vasay with 342,000. Other players from Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands also secured spots in the top ten heading into the next stage of the tournament.

As the dust settles on the opening day, the action at the festival shifts into a higher gear on Thursday, February 26th. The main focus is the Day 2 Final of Event #1: Knockout -PHP1K Bounty, where the 53 survivors return to the felt at 12:00 local time to chase the top prize of the PHP 1,953,037 prize pool. With American chip leader Lee and a stack of local Filipino favorites like Oracion still in the hunt, the battle for the first major trophy of the series will be fierce.

At the same time, the festival welcomes its next wave of players with Event #6: Kick-off Day 1A. This premier event features a PHP 3M guarantee and a PHP 16,500 buy-in, giving players a 30,000 starting stack to work with.

The Thursday schedule keeps the heat at the venue going with several other events throughout the afternoon and evening. At 17:00, Event #7: Knockout -PHP 2K Bounty begins, followed by Event #9: Hyper Turbo at 21:00 for those looking for fast-paced play. With the PHP 1M guarantee of the opening event already easily surpassed, the Manila Megastack 24 is just getting warmed up.