PokerStars LIVE Manila opened its doors on December 3, 2023 for the brand’s final event of the calendar season. Taking place at its hub in Okada Manila, Philippines is the 17th installment of the Manila Megastack featuring ₱22,800,000 (~$410,900) in guarantees. This is one of the brand’s most popular festivals, and for this edition, the number of events has been doubled to a whopping 40 tournaments.
For newcomers, one of the allures of this event is the unique PS hardware awarded to all the champions. Up for grabs are forty iconic PS Spade trophies which can be won for as little as ₱5,000 (~$90). These trophies are highly sought after and add an extra layer of excitement to the games.
For first-timers to Manila, the metropolis is buzzing with life. PS Live venue Okada Manila is located in this area. It is one of the most luxurious casino hotels with a variety of restaurants to satisfy one’s appetite. Located on the edge of the gorgeous Manila Bay, sunsets are simply spectacular. Players also have endless activities and entertainment running 24/7. Make sure to save time to explore outside of the poker halls.
PokerStars LIVE MANILA – Player Guide
Opening Day highlights
As expected, opening day saw the locals come out in full force, and were joined by sizable contingents hailing from South Korea, Japan, and Australia. More players are expected as the festival’s headliner, the ₱10 Million (~$180,200) guaranteed Main Event is due to hit the felt on December 7. The festival runs a total of ten days, concluding on December 12, 2023. Let’s have a look at the opening day highlights.
Two trophy events were on tap on opening day. The Early Bird Special was indeed special as it turned up 188 entries (135 unique) for a guarantee crushing prize pool of ₱1,203,576 (~$21,700). In addition to a healthy 1st place cash prize, PS Live will also value-add a Main Event ticket. In the afternoon was the Superstack event featuring ₱15,000 (~$270). This drew a lighter 68 entries (59 unique) for a prize pool of ₱883,476 (~$15,920). We will have those results for you once they complete.
Early Bird Special
Buy in: ₱7,500 (~$135)
Guarantee: ₱800,000 (~$14,420)
Entries: 188 (135 unique)
Prize pool: ₱1,203,576 (~$21,700)
*Value added Man Event seat
Superstack
Buy in: ₱15,000 (~$270)
Entries: 68 (59 unique)
Prize pool: ₱883,476 (~$15,920)
*Stick with us at Somuchpoker as we bring you festival updates throughout the series.
PokerStars LIVE: Manila Megastack 17 heads your way this December
Tricia David
Tricia David has long experience as a recreational poker player and has been covering poker events since 2010 for numerous outfits in Asia. She spent one year working part time with Poker Portal Asia then became editor and lead writer for all event coverage of the Philippine Poker Tour (PPT). Under the PPT, she overlooked content for their website, and produced live updates on all their events. In addition, she served as the live and online events website content writer for the Asian Poker Tour. Currently, she does live events reporting in Asia for online news site Somuchpoker and is also one of their news contributors.
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