PokerStars LIVE Manila Super Series 22 Main Event Kicks Off And Early Highlights

Second Series Win For Masafumi Kimura At The Warm Up

“I'm feeling really happy right now. Winning two trophies in three days is amazing, and it's extra special because I also won two trophies at the last Manila Megastack. But I really want to win a PokerStars Main Event like the Manila Super Series, Megastack, or even APPT.”

It all came down to consistency and one of the sickest reads and calls in the festival thus far, but despite ending the proceedings in a 3-way ICM chop, Japan’s Masafumi Kimura continued his blistering here as he copped the (Event #3) Warm-Up event of the Manila Super Series 22 at Pokerstars Live here in Okada Manila, besting a field of 402 entries for PhP209,800 (~US$3,760).

Read up on the action via the Live Updates.

Huang Ting Yen Gets Third Career Title in Turbo

Chalk up the first victory for the Taiwanese in these proceedings as Huang Ting Yen ended up as the last man standing in a field of 146 entries to triumph in the Turbo event for PhP177,000 (~US$3,175).

Huang had the shortest stack entering the Final Table but that did not deter him from outlasting India’s Arjun Dhingra in a Heads Up battle that lasted only nine hands.

It’s Huang’s third career title in a Pokerstars Live event in Manila and the Philippine resident also picked up his second biggest payday of his young poker career as well as an automatic seat in the Manila Super Series Main Event by virtue of his victory.

Read up on the action via the Live Updates.

Early Bird Ends in 5-way ICM Chop, Minsung Claims Championship

After a field of 300 entries pushed the original GTD Prize Pool of the (Event #1) Early Bird tournament from PhP300,000 (~US$5,375) to PhP896,280 (~US$16,055), the end came when five players remained and decided to settle for an ICM Chop and played for the trophy.

Korean veteran Kim Minsung, eventually emerged victorious.

Minsung received PhP122,200 (~US$2,190) while second place went to Vivencio Nachor Jr. from the Philippines for PhP123,700 (~US$2,215) while another Filipino in Raul Ahmed got third place for PhP100,000 (~US$1,790).

“Spike” takes down Megastack

Korea’s Ahn Jaehyoun (known in the poker circle as “Spike”) outlasted Edilberto “Duroy” Gopez of the Philippines to win (Event #7) the Megastack, besting a field of 277 entries en route to the title and the PhP165,065 (~US$2,960) top prize.

Along with the trophy, Ahn also earns a seat to the Manila Super Series 22 Main Event.

Gopez settles for the runner-up purse of PhP103,500 (~US$1,855) while third went to another Korean in Jo Handong for PhP74,000 (~US$1,325). Kim Andrei of Russia, who was the massive chip leader heading into the final table, finished fourth for PhP57,000 (~US$1,020).

Superstack Nearly Doubles Guarantee, Markus Wolter Prevails

From the original guarantee of PhP780,000 (~US$13,980), the (Event #12) Superstack finished with a total prize pool of PhP1,459,656 (~US$26,165) as 171 entries were logged with 23 places paid.

In the end, Germany’s Markus Wolter nested the field and took down the top prize of PhP324.656 (~US$5,820), outlasting Kevin Mateo of the Philippines in their Heads Up duel. Mateo actually had a more than 2-1 chip lead until the German swung for the fences with K♥ Q♥ for his last 2,200,000 and got called by Mateo with A♦ 2♠ . The subsequent runout had Wolter obtaining trips: Q♦ J♦ T♣ Q♠ 7♣ to switch the advantage.

The end came when Mateo was once again ahead preflop with K♥ 8♥ against Wolter’s K♦ 6♣ but the river favored the German ( Q♦ 3♣ 7♠ 5♥ 6♥ ) for the title.

Mateo collected PhP202,000 (~US$3,620) while third place went to Japan’s Tetsuya Ogura for PhP144,000 (~US$2,580).

The Final Table members also get APPT Super Qualifier packages worth PhP9,000 (~US$160).

Pamplona Triumphs in Superstack Hyper Turbo

Entering the wee hours of the morning, Jeffrey Pamplona emerged victorious in an all-Filipino showdown in (Event #23) the Superstack Hyper Turbo for PhP122,980 (~US$2,205).

The nightcap event that drew a staggering 110 entries had the prize pool shoot up to PhP469,480 (~US$8,425) ended past 2:00AM (UCT+8) and paid out 15 places.

Michael Cheng settled for the runner-up prize of PhP79,000 (~US$1,415) while Australia’s Gregg Guyder got third for PhP56,500 (~US$1,015).

It was the Philippines’ third trophy in these proceedings following victories from Maxwell Rosete in (Event #11) the Hyper Turbo and Hernan Villa in (Event #16) the Deepstack.