Philippines, Okada ManilaEVENT #42

2025.12.04 - 2025.12.08Add to Calendar

PokerStars Live

Blind level

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Entries

52/346

Total Chips

10,380,000

Average

199,615

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 4:58:20 PM

Flight C Wraps With Kamiya Leading The Way

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

Leo Kamiya - Chip Leader

After twelve hours and 17 levels of play, Flight C of the Manila Megastack 23 Main Event concluded with 346 entries in a single flight, and only 52 players survived to advance to Day 2. Topping the list was none other than Leo Kamiya with 440,000 chips. It is no surprise that Kamiya rose to the top, as he is one of the players to watch. This year, he won the APPT Open back to back, first at APPT Manila and then at the APPT Championship. Performing exceptionally well in a field of this size, Kamiya now enters Day 2 with a strong advantage to chase another major win.

Kamiya was already among the chip leaders after registration closed and added a big stack by eliminating local pro Terry Gonzaga, hitting a set of nines on the flop against Gonzaga’s top two pair. After his original table broke, he continued to accumulate chips at his new table, peaking at over 550,000 before losing some hands and ultimately bagging the top stack at 440,000.

Patrick Furlong

Hot on his heels was Patrick Furlong, who built most of his stack by eliminating local pro Moses Saquing. Saquing called Furlong’s three-bet shove of 119,000, but Furlong’s ace-king held against Saquing’s ace-jack. Furlong continued to grow his stack and bagged 407,000, slightly behind Kamiya.

Top 10 Chip Counts

Player	Chips
LK Leo KamiyaAustralia	440,000(73 BB)
PF Patrick FurlongIreland	407,000(68 BB)
AR Abhishek RameshIndia	383,000(64 BB)
HK Hyunmo KimSouth Korea	363,000(61 BB)
MS Mindaugas SimkusLithuania	363,000(61 BB)
BS Billy SorianoPhilippines	361,000(60 BB)
EG Edilberto GopezPhilippines	359,000(60 BB)
JS Jeongwon SeoSouth Korea	335,000(56 BB)
LJ Lukasz JankowskiPoland	306,000(51 BB)
JO Junele OswaPhilippines	306,000(51 BB)

Earlier in the afternoon, PokerStars LIVE Manila announced that the initial PHP 20 Million guaranteed prize pool had already been surpassed in just three levels. The field kept filling, and all remaining players will now share in the massive prize pool on Day 2.

Kiwanont Sukhum - Manila Megastack 22 Main Event Champion

The defending Manila Megastack champion, Kiwanont Sukhum, also returned. Sukhum won the Manila Megastack 22 Main Event last March 2025, topping a 652-entry field and earning PHP 3,410,000 (~USD 59,470) after denying William Ysmael a rare second Main Event crown. Sukhum, however, failed to bag Flight C and was seen playing Flight D.

Bubble

The bubble burst quickly and painfully as Anton Ivanov moved all in with ace-eight against Jinhyun Kim’s ace-king. Ivanov paired his eight on the flop, but a king on the river shattered his hopes. Ivanov became the lone bubble, and the remaining 52 players advanced into the money.

Tomorrow, the real battle begins as all remaining players are guaranteed a payout. By the end of Day 2, we will know who will be crowned the next Manila Megastack Main Event champion.

That wraps up Somuchpoker’s live coverage of Flight C. Stay tuned for live updates from Day 2 and the Final Day of the Main Event.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 3:51:52 PM

Cruel River Ends The Bubble Battle

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

After just three hands of hand-for-hand, the bubble burst in dramatic fashion.

Folded to the button, Anton Ivanov pushed his last 41,000 into the middle. On his left, Jinhyun Kim made the call.

Anton Ivanov: A♣ 8♠

Jinhyun Kim: A♦ K♠

Kim had Ivanov dominated, but the flop 8♥ 7♣ 5♠ brought sudden life as Ivanov paired his eight. The turn T♦ stayed clean, and Ivanov was already eyeing a double up.

Then the room erupted. The dealer peeled the river K♦ , and it was one of Kim’s three outs. Ivanov froze in disbelief before disappointment washed over him. He becomes today’s sole bubble, missing the money by a single card.

Congratulations to the 52 survivors of Flight C.

That wraps up Somuchpoker’s live coverage of the Main Event Flight C. Stay tuned for a full recap and highlights from today’s action.

Player	Chips
JK Jinhyun KimSouth Korea	250,000(42 BB)
AI Anton IvanovRussia	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 3:40:08 PM

Bubble Breathes Down Their Necks

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

In the very first hand after the break, short stack Daijiro Tomoto moved his chips forward but fell at the hands of Jui Tai. With Tomoto’s exit, the field has officially reached the bubble.

One more elimination and Flight C is in the money.

Player	Chips
JT Jui TaiTaiwan	206,000(34 BB)
DT Daijiro TomotoJapan	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 3:36:05 PM

Two Eliminations Away From The Finish Line

Break

Flight C is down to its final moments with only two more bust-outs needed before the bagging begins. A♠ the field tightens, these are the current front runners poised to advance with towering stacks:

Player	Chips
LK Leo KamiyaAustralia	546,000
PF Patrick FurlongIreland	416,000
JS Jeongwon SeoSouth Korea	345,000
MS Mindaugas SimkusLithuania	333,000
YF Yuya FukuiJapan	313,000
HK Hyunmo KimSouth Korea	307,000
BS Billy SorianoPhilippines	301,000
SK Somashekar Kurkhepally MahadevaIndia	290,000
MY Mc Yeldarb MantosPhilippines	279,000
KL Keith Lee (2)Singapore	275,000
JO Junele OswaPhilippines	270,000
DI Daishi IchimandaJapan	265,000

Level 17: 3,000 / 6,000 ante: 6,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 54/346

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 54/346

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 3:24:46 PM

Two Off The Money: Latest Casualties

Level 16: 2,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

With 54 players remaining and the bubble just two eliminations away, tension is tightening around every table. Here are the most recent players whose runs came to an end just short of the payouts:

Player	Chips
JN Jason Ng Tze WeiSingapore	busted
BY Benhur YbarsabalPhilippines	busted
MT Misako TakayamaJapan	busted
OT Oscar TompsettUnited Kingdom	busted
NU Nikita UstiuzhaninRussia	busted
MS Moses SaquingPhilippines	busted
AS Atsushi SatoJapan	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 3:14:13 PM

Straight Answer At The End

Level 16: 2,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

Hyunmo Kim

The flop T♣ 7♦ 9♣ and turn 6♥ were already on the felt with a pot of about 55,000 brewing. Yonghyun Lee led for 22,000, only to face a raise to 65,000 from hijack Hyunmo Kim. Lee tanked, weighed the spot, and eventually made the call.

On the river 2♦ , Lee checked again and Kim fired a second barrel worth 70,000. Lee went deep into the tank for nearly two minutes, even saying he had top set, but in the end he found the fold.

Later, Lee asked Kim if he really had the straight. Kim smiled and confirmed he did, adding a polite nod to go with the answer.

Player	Chips
HK Hyunmo KimSouth Korea	329,000(66 BB)
YL Yonghyun LeeSouth Korea	153,000(31 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 2:57:59 PM

Bubble Tension Reaches a Boil

Level 16: 2,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

The bubble is fast approaching, and the tension is thick across the room. Only 56 players remain, but just 52 will reach the money. Every decision now carries extra weight as players take their time, measuring each move with care.

With only four eliminations left before everyone locks up a cash and a seat into Day 2, the atmosphere has noticeably tightened. One mistimed shove or one unlucky river could be the difference between heartbreak and a return tomorrow at 12 p.m. local time.

Level 16: 2,000 / 5,000 ante: 5,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 58/346

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 2:37:48 PM

Keith Lee’s Trip Aces Tighten The Chase

Level 15: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Keith Lee

With about 105,000 already in the middle and the full board A♦ K♣ 6♦ A♠ 7♥ spread out, Younghyun Lee checked over to Keith Lee. Keith fired a 60,000 bet, putting the pressure squarely back on Younghyun.

After a minute in the tank, Younghyun slid in the call. Keith turned over A♣ Q♦ trips aces, leaving Younghyun with no choice but to muck.

Keith continues to stack chips at an impressive pace and now stands as a serious contender for the chip lead.

Player	Chips
KL Keith Lee (2)Singapore	358,000(90 BB)
YL Yonghyun LeeSouth Korea	208,000(52 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 2:27:24 PM

Furlong Crushes Saquing’s Tournament Life

Level 15: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Folded to the small blind, early chip leader Moses Saquing opened to 12,000. On his left, Patrick Furlong announced all in. Saquing tanked before calling for his tournament life, committing 119,000.

Moses Saquing: A♣ J♥

Patrick Furlong: A♥ K♠

Saquing saw the bad news when Furlong tabled his hand. He needed a jack to survive, but the runout T♣ 3♦ 3♣ 4♥ 7♣ brought nothing. Frustrated, Saquing left the table, ending his tournament.

Player	Chips
PF Patrick FurlongIreland	283,000(71 BB)
MS Moses SaquingPhilippines	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 2:27:24 PM

Furlong Crushes Saquing’s Tournament Life

Level 15: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Folded to the small blind, early chip leader Moses Saquing opened to 12,000. On his left, Patrick Furlong announced all in. Saquing tanked before calling for his tournament life, committing 119,000.

Moses Saquing: A♣ J♥

Patrick Furlong: A♥ K♠

Saquing saw the bad news when Furlong tabled his hand. He needed a jack to survive, but the runout T♣ 3♦ 3♣ 4♥ 7♣ brought nothing. Frustrated, Saquing left the table, ending his tournament.

Player	Chips
PF Patrick FurlongIreland	283,000(71 BB)
MS Moses SaquingPhilippines	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 2:24:24 PM

Furlong Crushes Saquing’s Tournament Life

Level 15: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Patrick Furlong

Folded to the small blind, early chip leader Moses Saquing opened to 12,000. On his left, Patrick Furlong announced all in. Saquing tanked before calling for his tournament life, committing 119,000.

Moses Saquing: A♣ J♥

Patrick Furlong: A♥ K♠

Saquing saw the bad news when Furlong tabled his hand. He needed a jack to survive, but the runout T♣ 3♦ 3♣ 4♥ 7♣ brought nothing. Frustrated, Saquing left the table, ending his tournament.

Player	Chips
PF Patrick FurlongIreland	283,000(71 BB)
MS Moses SaquingPhilippines	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 2:16:16 PM

Gopez Survives Ogura’s Set Attack

Level 15: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

Edilberto Gopez

Pre-flop action between Edilberto Gopez and Rikiya Ogura built a pot of around 50,000. On the flop 9♠ 8♣ 6♠ , Gopez check-raised to 26,000 after Ogura bet 13,000. Ogura responded by shoving all in for 61,500, and Gopez snap-called.

Rikiya Ogura: A♦ A♣

Edilberto Gopez: 8♥ 6♥

Gopez flopped two pair, giving him the lead for a moment, but Ogura still had outs. The turn A♠ hit Ogura’s set, putting Gopez drawing dead, though he still had chips left. The river J♠ was just a formality as Ogura secured a full double up, while Gopez survived to continue in the tournament.

Player	Chips
RO Rikiya OguraJapan	173,000(43 BB)
EG Edilberto GopezPhilippines	166,000(42 BB)

Level 15: 2,000 / 4,000 ante: 4,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 65/346

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 1:51:33 PM

Kamiya’s Set Sends Gonzaga Home

Level 14: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Terry Gonzaga

With around 44,000 in the middleQh J♣ 9♦ 4♦ , action heated up between Leo Kamiya and Terry Gonzaga. Kamiya led out for 20,000 and then snap-called Gonzaga’s all-in for roughly 70,000.

Terry Gonzaga: K♣ Q♦

Leo Kamiya: 9♠ 9♣

Gonzaga flopped top pair with a gutshot straight draw, but Kamiya hit a set on the flop, leaving Gonzaga with only one out. The river K♦ gave Gonzaga two pair, but it wasn’t enough to crack Kamiya’s set. Gonzaga was eliminated, and Kamiya scooped the pot.

Player	Chips
LK Leo KamiyaAustralia	396,000(132 BB)
TG Terry GonzagaPhilippines	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 1:44:38 PM

Advani Takes The Pot With Top Pair

Level 14: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Suya Lee

Under the gun, Sumit Advani opened to 6,000 and called the three-bet of Suya Lee from the cutoff. Both players checked the flop 9♦ 8♥ 7♣ and the turn J♠ , keeping the pot relatively quiet.

On the river 2♦ , Advani fired a 20,500 bet. Lee tanked for a moment before eventually calling.

Advani revealed K♦ J♦ a top pair, and after a quick double-check, Lee tossed his hand into the muck, awarding the pot to Advani.

Player	Chips
SA Sumit AdvaniIndia	216,000(72 BB)
SL Suya LeeSouth Korea	36,000(12 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 1:33:54 PM

Oswa Dominates Gada Pre-Flop

Level 14: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

Junele Oswa

It folded to the button where Tejas Gada, down to 54,000, shoved all in. The small blind tanked for a minute before folding, but big blind Junele Oswa snap-called.

Tejas Gada: A♠ Q♠

Junele Oswa: A♦ K♠

Gada ran into big slick and was dominated pre-flop. He needed a queen to stay alive but failed to hit on the runout 9♥ 5♣ 4♥ 6♠ 8♠ , sending him out of the tournament.

Player	Chips
JO Junele OswaPhilippines	121,000(40 BB)
TG Tejas GadaIndia	busted

Level 14: 1,500 / 3,000 ante: 3,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 73/346

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 73/346

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 1:10:15 PM

Advani Dominates In Three-Way Clash

Level 13: 1,000 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Sumit Advani

Under the gun, Suya Lee opened to 5,500. Cutoff Sumit Advani responded with a three-bet to 13,000, only for button Shao Chen Huang to fire a four-bet of 25,000. Big blind Hajime Murase, already crippled, shoved all in for 19,000. Lee folded, Advani re-shoved for 46,500, and Huang snap-called.

Hajime Murase: K♣ Q♦

Sumit Advani: A♠ A♥

Shao Chen Huang: J♦ J♥

Advani entered with the strongest hand pre-flop and stayed dominant through the runout T♣ 4♦ 3♦ T♥ 3♥ , eliminating Murase while scoring a double up through Huang.

Player	Chips
SA Sumit AdvaniIndia	121,000(48 BB)
SC Shao Chen HuangChina	94,000(38 BB)
SL Suya LeeSouth Korea	79,500(32 BB)
HM Hajime MuraseJapan	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 12:51:57 PM

Fedyk’s Flush Holds Against Murase

Level 13: 1,000 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Nazariy Fedyk

The board J♥ T♥ 4♥ K♠ A♦ was already up with a massive 75,000 pot in the middle as a battle of the blinds unfolded between small blind Nazariy Fedyk and big blind Hajime Murase. On the river, Fedyk shoved all in for 91,500. Murase thought it over, counting down the clock, and with just 10 seconds left, signaled a call with a single chip.

Nazariy Fedyk: K♥ 3♥

Hajime Murase: Q♥ J♦

Murase completed a straight on the river, but Fedyk’s flush was already in place. Fedyk scored a huge double up, while Murase was left severely crippled.

Player	Chips
NF Nazariy FedykUkraine	258,000(103 BB)
HM Hajime MuraseJapan	10,000(4 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 12:37:10 PM

Martinez Gets Frostbite

Level 13: 1,000 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

Ryan Martinez

Zi Shent Teo raised to 4,500 before folding to table newcomer Naoya Aoki's shove for 46,000.

In another hand at Table 30, Ryan Martinez got his short stack of around 27,000 in from the cutoff and was called by big blind Hadinoto Nyo:

Ryan Martinez: A♣ J♠

Hadinoto Nyo: 8♦ 8♠

The dealer spread a disastrous flop for Martinez with 8♥ 3♥ 9♠, giving Nyo a set of snowmen. Martinez was up and out of his seat by the time the 2♣ T♦ turn and river completed the board.

Player	Chips
HN Hadinoto NyoIndonesia	155,000(62 BB)
ZS Zi Sheng TeoSingapore	90,000(36 BB)
NA Naoya AokiJapan	51,500(21 BB)
RM Ryan MartinezUnited States of America	busted

Level 13: 1,000 / 2,500 ante: 2,500

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 83/346

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 12:22:34 PM

Ramesh Survives Lim’s Kings

Level 12: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Abhishek Ramesh

Fresh off his Super Stack win, Alexis Lim opened to 4,500 and then four-bet shoved for 34,500 after button Abhishek Ramesh three-bet to 16,500. Ramesh snap-called and turned over his hand.

Alexis Lim: K♦ K♠

Abhishek Ramesh: A♣ K♣

Both players held monsters, but Ramesh had just three outs to survive. The flop A♥ Q♦ 5♣ gave him one of those outs, leaving Lim with only a single chance. Neither the turn A♠ nor the river T♦ brought a king, and Lim was eliminated from the tournament.

Player	Chips
AR Abhishek RameshIndia	232,000(116 BB)
AL Alexis LimPhilippines	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 12:16:52 PM

Kings Keep Pineiro Alive

Level 12: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Joseph Pineiro

It folded to the button where Dauren Zhaparov made it 4,000. Big blind Joseph Pineiro instantly shoved for 32,000 and Zhaparov beat him into the pot with the call.

Joseph Pineiro: K♥ K♦

Dauren Zhaparov: A♦ Q♥

Pineiro only needed to dodge an ace and the board 4♦ 2♠ 8♠ 6♦ J♣ cooperated all the way through. He secured the double up while Zhaparov slipped to 15,000 and hit the rail on the very next hand.

Player	Chips
JP Joseph PineiroFrance	67,000(34 BB)
DZ Dauren ZhaparovKazakhstan	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 12:05:47 PM

Kajiwara Shoves Off Mahadeva

Level 12: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Hiroki Kajiwara

Somashekar Mahadeva opened to 4,000 from middle position and was called by cutoff Hiroki Kajiwara and big blind Oscar Tompsett.

Tompsett check-folded when Mahadeva continued for 6,500 on the 9♥ 4♥ 4♣ flop, with Kajiwara sticking around.

The dealer peeled off the 2♣ turn and Mahadeva fired 16,000. Kajiwara responded by shoving for 56,000, and after a brief think, Mahadeva decided against the call and sent his hand into the muck.

Player	Chips
SK Somashekar Kurkhepally MahadevaIndia	139,000(70 BB)
OT Oscar TompsettUnited Kingdom	112,000(56 BB)
HK Hiroki KajiwaraJapan	91,000(46 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 12:03:24 PM

Chip Leaders

Level 12: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

Lukasz Jankowski

Player	Chips
LJ Lukasz JankowskiPoland	263,000(132 BB)
KL Keith Lee (2)Singapore	252,000(126 BB)
YL Yonghyun LeeSouth Korea	243,000(122 BB)
PF Patrick FurlongIreland	223,000(112 BB)
LK Leo KamiyaAustralia	201,000(101 BB)
JS Jeongwon SeoSouth Korea	195,000(98 BB)
MS Mindaugas SimkusLithuania	193,000(97 BB)
DS Dmitrii Sukhorukov (2)Russia	182,000(91 BB)
EG Edilberto GopezPhilippines	182,000(91 BB)
CS Corine ShiSingapore	175,000(88 BB)
LI Lu I MinChina	161,000(81 BB)
BS Billy SorianoPhilippines	151,000(76 BB)

Level 12: 1,000 / 2,000 ante: 2,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 110/346

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 11:48:16 AM

Sevens From Heaven Give Zhaparov The Double

Level 11: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

Dauren Zhaparov

Small blind Dauren Zhaparov three-bet shoved his last 24,000 and initial raiser Tejas Gada made the call to put him at risk.

Dauren Zhaparov: 7♦ 7♠

Tejas Gada: A♥ T♠

Zhaparov smashed the flop 9♦ 7♥ 5♦ with a middle set, leaving Gada needing a runner-runner miracle. The turn 3♣ locked it up for Zhaparov and the river Q♥ was nothing more than paperwork as he scored a clean and timely double up.

Player	Chips
TG Tejas GadaIndia	71,000(47 BB)
DZ Dauren ZhaparovKazakhstan	51,000(34 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 11:36:28 AM

Wong Calls For His Tournament Life And Gets The Double

Level 11: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

Vincent Wong

Under the gun +1, Leo Kamiya opened to 3,000. Both blinds came along, and the three players saw the flop A♦ J♠ 3♠ . Kamiya continued for 3,500, and only small blind Vincent Wong check-called. The turn 7♦ brought another barrel of 12,000, and Wong again snapped it off.

On the river Q♥ , Wong checked a third time and Kamiya pushed a towering 100,000 into the middle. That shove put Wong all in for his last 33,500. Wong went deep into the tank before finding the call for his tournament life.

Vincent Wong: A♥ 6♥

Leo Kamiya: T♥ 9♣

Kamiya’s bluff was picked off and Wong secured a crucial double up with a sharp hero call. A nice boost for Wong, who earned his seat through a satellite earlier this afternoon.

Player	Chips
LK Leo KamiyaAustralia	112,500(75 BB)
VW Vincent WongSingapore	108,500(72 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 11:34:23 AM

Cruz Cruises with Pocket Tens

Level 11: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

Alexis Cruz

Hand 1

Felix Cervantes raised to 3,500 from early position, getting calls from cutoff Doyeong Dong and Corine Shi in the big blind.

The dealer fanned the 5♣ K♥ 9♠ flop and once action was on him Cervantes continued for 5,500, which was enough to take down the pot.

Hand 2

Dmitrii Sukhorukov raised to 3,000 from the button then folded when Shi three-bet to 10,000 from the small blind.

Hand 3

Alexis Cruz raised to 3,000 from under the gun and was called by big blind Cervantes.

Cervantes led for 6,000 on the T♣ T♥ 9♣ flop and Cruz stuck around with a call.

Action checked through the 9♦ turn to the 8♣ river, where Cervantes check-folded to Cruz’s 5,000 bet.

Hand 4

Sukhorukov raised to 3,000 from the hijack and was called by big blind Cruz.

Cruz check-called Sukhorukov’s 3,500 bet on the 7♦ 6♣ K♠ flop.

Both players checked the 8♠ Q♣ runout, with Cruz tabling pocket tens to take the pot.

Player	Chips
DD Doyeong DongSouth Korea	145,000(97 BB)
AC Alexis CruzPhilippines	140,000(93 BB)
DS Dmitrii Sukhorukov (2)Russia	125,000(83 BB)
CS Corine ShiSingapore	78,000(52 BB)
FC Felix CervantesPhilippines	49,000(33 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 11:15:21 AM

Registration Closed!

Level 11: 1,000 / 1,500 ante: 1,500

With the commencement of Level 11, registration for Flight C has officially closed. The flight has drawn an impressive 346 entries, pushing the Main Event total across the first three flights to 691. With the PHP 20,000,000 guarantee already well surpassed, the prize pool has climbed to PHP 27,185,220 and will grow further once Flight D gets underway shortly.

Flight C is expected to award 52 paid places, and with 130 players still in the field, the pressure is rising as everyone fights to earn a bag for tomorrow’s final day.

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 139/343

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 10:52:40 AM

Aces Hold As Francisco’s Kings Fall Again

Level 10: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Juden Francisco

A massive pre-flop clash created a pot of around 50,000 between early position Hadinoto Nyo and small blind Juden Francisco.

On the flop Q♣ J♠ T♥ , Francisco moved all in for 31,100, and after a short hesitation, Nyo made the call, building a pot of more than 110,000.

Juden Francisco: K♥ K♦

Hadinoto Nyo: A♣ A♦

It was a monster-versus-monster showdown, with Nyo still ahead holding the bullets, while Francisco had plenty of outs to flip the script. The turn 3♣ bricked, leaving only one card to save Francisco, but the river 2♣ also missed. Francisco was eliminated, shaking his head as he stood up, saying it was the fourth time today his kings had been cracked.

Player	Chips
HN Hadinoto NyoIndonesia	145,000(121 BB)
JF Juden FranciscoPhilippines	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 10:44:01 AM

Five Hands at Table 24

Level 10: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Hand 1

Billy Soriano opened to 3,000 from under the gun and found calls from Taiichiro Yoshikawa next to act and big blind Vincent Wong.

All three players checked their way through the J♦ T♣ 5♦ 2♥ board. On the J♠ river, Wong moved all in for roughly 20,000, which was enough to get both opponents to step aside.

Hand 2

Mayumi Saji raised to 3,000 from middle position but quickly folded when cutoff Sathya Barathan responded with a three-bet shove. Barathan showed the A♥ as he pulled in the pot.

Hand 3

Daishi Ichimanda raised to 3,000 from the cutoff and picked up the blinds without resistance.

Hand 4

Barathan raised to 2,700 from middle position and collected the blinds.

Hand 5

Barathan stayed active, making it 2,600 from early position, and big blind Lars Garneij called.

The dealer spread the 5♠ 4♥ J♥ flop. Garneij checked, Barathan continued for 3,500, and Garneij released his hand.

Player	Chips
TY Taiichiro YoshikawaJapan	130,000(108 BB)
BS Billy SorianoPhilippines	51,000(43 BB)
MS Mayumi SajiJapan	48,000(40 BB)
SB Sathya BarathanNew Zealand	45,000(38 BB)
DI Daishi IchimandaJapan	31,900(27 BB)
VW Vincent WongSingapore	29,000(24 BB)
LG Lars GarneijSweden	22,000(18 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 10:41:39 AM

Jankowski Forces Kamiya To Fold

Level 10: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Lukasz Jankowski

Facing a raise and several callers, button Leo Kamiya joined the action, and big blind Lukasz Jankowski responded by bumping it up to 15,000. Everyone folded except Kamiya, taking them heads up to the flop.

Both players checked the flop Q♠ 8♦ 7♠ and proceeded to the turn 2♥ , where Jankowski fired 20,000. Kamiya went into the tank but eventually released his hand, giving the pot to Jankowski.

Player	Chips
LK Leo KamiyaAustralia	176,000(147 BB)
LJ Lukasz JankowskiPoland	168,000(140 BB)

Level 10: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 152/333

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 10:20:57 AM

Furlong Boats Up For a Double Knockout

Level 9: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Patrick Furlong

A huge three-way all in erupted on the flop between the shortest stack, Joseph Pineiro, followed by Mc Yeldrab Mantos, and Patrick Furlong who covered both players.

Joseph Pineiro: A♣ T♦

Mc Yeldrab Mantos: Q♦ J♠

Patrick Furlong: 4♦ 4♣

Mantos spiked trips on the flop J♣ J♦ 4♠ , but Furlong had already locked up the hand with a monster full house, leaving Pineiro drawing dead on the spot. The turn 7♣ and river K♥ brought no help for Mantos, and Furlong scored a clean double knockout.

Player	Chips
PF Patrick FurlongIreland	167,000(139 BB)
JP Joseph PineiroFrance	busted
MY Mc Yeldarb MantosPhilippines	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 10:11:21 AM

Defending Champion Sukhum Returns to the Arena

Level 9: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Kiwanont Sukhum

The defending Manila Megastack champion has returned. Kiwanont Sukhum arrived at PokerStars LIVE Manila today and headed straight into the action of Flight C. Sukhum captured the Manila Megastack 22 Main Event title last March 2025, topping a 652-entry field and earning PHP 3,410,000 (~USD 59,470) after denying William Ysmael a rare second Megastack Main Event crown.

Now seated at Table 20, Seat 1, Sukhum is taking a calm and measured approach as he begins his campaign. He is undoubtedly one of the key contenders to watch as the chase for another title begins.

Player	Chips
KS Kiwanont SukhumThailand	30,000(25 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 10:08:36 AM

Ban Gets the Best of It Twice

Level 9: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Younghoon Ban

Yota Mitsui opened to 2,500 from under the gun and picked up four callers: Younghoon Ban two seats along, Edilberto Gopez Jr in the hijack, plus blinds Myungsoo Lee and Abhishek Ramesh.

Both blinds and Mitsui checked the K♣ 2♣ J♥ flop. Ban then fired a chunky 9,000, which was more than enough to push all four opponents out of the way.

In the following hand, Marcus Sim raised to 2,400 from under the gun and Ban called again from the next seat.

Sim continued for 2,000 on the 6♣ 5♣ Q♠ flop and Ban made the call.

The 7♠ turn brought another bet from Sim, this time 3,500, and Ban stuck with it once more.

The J♣ river saw Sim check. Ban seized the initiative and slid 5,000 into the pot. Sim took a moment, weighed it up, and eventually released his hand.

Player	Chips
EG Edilberto GopezPhilippines	160,000(133 BB)
AR Abhishek RameshIndia	130,000(108 BB)
ML Myungsoo LeeSouth Korea	55,000(46 BB)
YB Younghoon BanSouth Korea	49,000(41 BB)
MS Marcus SimSingapore	24,000(20 BB)
YM Yota MitsuiJapan	23,000(19 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 9:56:35 AM

Kamiya Sends Cen to the Rail

Level 9: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

Leo Kamiya

Under the gun, Leo Kamiya, the back-to-back APPT Open champion, opened to 2,600 and quickly snap-called when Zhuo Yue Cen three-bet shoved for 10,900.

Zhuo Yue Cen: A♥ 3♥

Leo Kamiya: Q♥ Q♣

Cen picked up extra outs on the flop 7♥ 7♣ 3♣ , giving him some hope, but the turn 7♠ took those outs right back, leaving him with just three chances to survive. The river 6♦ brought no ace, and Kamiya sealed the knockout, eliminating Cen from Flight C.

Player	Chips
LK Leo KamiyaAustralia	163,000(136 BB)
ZY Zhuo Yue CenSingapore	busted

Level 9: 600 / 1,200 ante: 1,200

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 173/325

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 9:38:35 AM

Oikawa Keeps It Simple

Level 8: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Shun Oikawa

Jesper Henrich opened to 2,400 from the button and Shun Oikawa defended his big blind.

Oikawa check-folded when Henrich continued for 2,100 on the A♦ T♦ 6♥ flop.

In the next hand, Moses Saquing raised to 2,000 from under the gun and picked up calls from small blind Oikawa and big blind Patrick Bathan.

Oikawa check-called Saquing’s 2,000 continuation-bet on the K♦ 7♣ 3♠ flop, while Bathan got out of the way.

Both players checked the 7♠ turn and went to the 3♣ river, where Oikawa led for 2,000. Saquing quickly let his hand go.

Player	Chips
MS Moses SaquingPhilippines	170,000(170 BB)
JH Jesper HenrichGermany	49,000(49 BB)
SO Shun OikawaJapan	42,000(42 BB)
PB Patrick BathanPhilippines	27,000(27 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 9:33:16 AM

Takayama Survives The Battle Of The Women

Level 8: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Misako Takayama

In a field largely dominated by men, Table 37 featured a rare showdown between two women. Misako Takayama, down to just 11,300, open-shoved from middle position. Cutoff Corine Shi made the flat call and the two went to a showdown.

Misako Takayama: A♥ 2♥

Corine Shi: K♥ Q♥

Shi took the lead after pairing her queen on the flop Q♣ 9♥ 6♦ , leaving Takayama with only three outs. But the turn A♣ delivered exactly what Takayama needed, and the river A♦ upgraded her to trips. In a dramatic reversal, Takayama secured a much-needed double up.

Player	Chips
CS Corine ShiSingapore	48,200(48 BB)
MT Misako TakayamaJapan	25,100(25 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 9:32:12 AM

Bullets Hold Against Cerbito's Draw

Level 8: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Rikiya Ogura

Rikiya Ogura opened to 2,300 from middle position and big blind Marvin Cerbito came along.

Cerbito check-shoved for 25,000 over Ogura’s 3,300 continuation-bet on the Q♦ 4♠ 8♦ flop, and Ogura made a quick call:

Marvin Cerbito: 5♦ 4♦

Rikiya Ogura: A♠ A♥

Cerbito was behind but had plenty of outs, with any diamond giving him the best of it.

The 8♥ turn and J♣ river brought no help, though, and Cerbito was sent out of the tournament.

Player	Chips
RO Rikiya OguraJapan	71,000(71 BB)
MC Marvin CerbitoPhilippines	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 9:21:00 AM

Chip Leaders

Level 8: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

Player	Chips
EG Edilberto GopezPhilippines	183,000(183 BB)
AR Abhishek RameshIndia	178,000(178 BB)
MS Moses SaquingPhilippines	171,000(171 BB)
SK Somashekar Kurkhepally MahadevaIndia	171,000(171 BB)
JA Janno AlvarezPhilippines	109,000(109 BB)
EA Edgar AsehanPhilippines	108,000(108 BB)
JL Jimin LimSouth Korea	99,000(99 BB)
AC Alexis CruzPhilippines	98,000(98 BB)
RM Ryan MartinezUnited States of America	96,000(96 BB)
YY Yamanaka YuichiroJapan	95,000(95 BB)

Level 8: 500 / 1,000 ante: 1,000

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 196/303

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 196/303

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 8:45:52 AM

Yugendra Quads Crushes Aso

Level 7: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Paul Yugendra

When I arrived at Table 40, the flop 9♦ 8♥ 6♠ and turn A♣ were already on the board, with a pot of around 16,000. Hijack Paul Yugendra led out with an 8,000 bet, only for Seitaro Aso on his left to shove all in. Yugendra quickly committed his remaining 18,300 chips.

Paul Yugendra: 6♥ 6♦

Seitaro Aso: A♥ T♣

Aso hit top pair on the turn, but Yugendra had already flopped a set. On the river 6♣ , Aso was left with just a gutshot, hoping for a seven, but instead, Yugendra improved to quads, sending Aso home in crushing fashion.

Player	Chips
PY Paul YugendraMalaysia	52,600(66 BB)
SA Seitaro AsoJapan	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 8:37:17 AM

No Love for Akiba's Fours

Level 7: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Kim Enriquez

Jason Wei opened to 1,600 from under the gun and received calls from James Dela Cruz in middle position and big blind Kim Enriquez.

Wei continued for 2,800 on the J♣ A♠ 4♦ flop, which was enough to push out both Dela Cruz and Enriquez.

In the next hand, cutoff Van Tran Thanh raised to 2,100 but quickly folded when small blind Enriquez fired back with a three-bet to 10,000.

The third hand brought the most action at Table 51. Shuichi Akiba open-shoved from middle position for 8,600, leaving a lone 100-chip behind. Button Enriquez three-bet to 25,000, and once it folded around, Akiba slid the final chip in:

Shuichi Akiba: 4♠ 4♦

Kim Enriquez: Q♠ Q♥

Akiba was already out of his seat by the time the A♥ Q♦ 8♥ flop hit, giving Enriquez second set and all but sealing his fate. The T♦ J♥ turn and river completed the board and Akiba headed to the rail.

Player	Chips
KE Kim EnriquezPhilippines	42,000(53 BB)
TV Thanh Van TranViet Nam	41,000(51 BB)
JD James Dela CruzPhilippines	40,000(50 BB)
JN Jason Ng Tze WeiSingapore	39,000(49 BB)
SA Shuichi AkibaJapan	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 8:29:14 AM

Drago’s Set Holds Against Purohit

Level 7: 400 / 800 ante: 800

Leonardo Drago

Middle position Leonardo Drago opened to 1,600 and found a caller from the cutoff. On the button, Anant Purohit three-bet to 5,600. Action returned to Drago, who shoved all in for 33,300. The cutoff folded, and Purohit snap-called.

Leonardo Drago: T♠ T♦

Anant Purohit: A♦ K♦

Purohit looked to take down Drago after the window card K♠ was revealed, drawing reactions from the table. The flop K♠ T♣ 9♠ hit Drago perfectly, giving him a set, while the turn J♥ offered additional outs for Purohit. The river 4♣ , however, missed the queen, giving Drago a double up and sending the table into laughter at the dramatic hand.

Player	Chips
LD Leonardo DragoItaly	70,200(88 BB)
AP Anant PurohitIndia	41,600(52 BB)

Level 7: 400 / 800 ante: 800

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 199/284

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 8:12:18 AM

Fukui in the Lucky River Club

Level 6: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Yuya Fukui

Yuya Fukui got his 7,500-chip short stack from under the gun in against big blind Barrientos Lino, and they tabled their hands:

Yuya Fukui: A♣ J♣

Barrientos Lino: Q♣ Q♥

Lino was ahead but Fukui had live cards, picking up a straight and flush draw by the time the K♣ T♥ 8♣ flop had rolled off. The 6♦ bricked the turn but the flush came in with the arrival of the 4♣ river, securing the double and keeping Fukui's tournament hopes alive.

Player	Chips
BL Barrientos LinoPeru	55,000(92 BB)
YF Yuya FukuiJapan	15,000(25 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 8:12:14 AM

Sato Finds The Outs To Eliminate Rivera

Level 6: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Atsushi Sato

With about 15,000 in the middle A♦ 4♥ 4♠ A♣ , Jesse Rivera shoved for 6,600, and Atsushi Sato snap-called.

Jesse Rivera: 4♦ 2♦

Atsushi Sato: A♥ 8♥

Rivera flopped trips, looking strong, but Sato hit one of his two outs on the turn, leaving Rivera with just a single chance to survive. The river 9♥ bricked, and Rivera was sent home, his run in Flight C ending there.

Player	Chips
AS Atsushi SatoJapan	89,600(149 BB)
JR Jesse RiveraUnited States of America	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 8:03:58 AM

Wong Doubles Up Early Against Ong

Level 6: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Vincent Wong

Under the gun, Justin Ong limped, and small blind Vincent Wong, freshly seated after winning his spot in a PHP 5,300 mega satellite, defended along with the big blind. The flop T♥ 8♦ 5♣ came three ways, and Ong led out for 1,000. Wong check-raised to 3,000, Ong called, and the big blind folded. On the turn 3♦ , Wong bet 5,000, with Ong calling once more.

On the river 3♣ , Wong shoved his remaining 16,700 chips. Ong tanked for two minutes, debating whether Wong was bluffing, before eventually calling.

Vincent Wong: K♠ T♦

Justin Ong: A♦ 5♦

Wong’s ten paired on the board for top pair, besting Ong’s middle pair. The satellite winner started his Flight C run with an early double up.

Player	Chips
VW Vincent WongSingapore	51,800(86 BB)
JO Justin OngPhilippines	24,100(40 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 7:52:54 AM

Lim Shows His Ten

Level 6: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Soo Ghee Lim

Soo Ghee Lim raised to 1,200 from the hijack and Ajay Abrol called from the big blind.

Abrol quickly check-called when Lim fired 1,500 on the Q♣ 9♣ T♥ flop.

Both checked the 3♦ turn, taking them to the T♣ river, where Abrol led for 1,500 and was called.

"Nine," Abrol stated, showing 9♥ 7♦. Lim tabled J♠ T♠ for rivered trips.

Player	Chips
AA Ajay AbrolIndia	60,000(100 BB)
SG Soo Ghee LimSingapore	12,000(20 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 7:49:42 AM

Alvarez Cracks Govindan’s Sevens

Level 6: 300 / 600 ante: 600

Janno Alvarez

Under the gun +1, Rajasekar Govindan shoved for 7,600, only for cutoff Janno Alvarez to re-shove, sending both players to a showdown.

Rajasekar Govindan: 7♠ 7♦

Janno Alvarez: A♣ J♦

Alvarez connected on the flop A♦ 9♣ 4♣ with a top pair, leaving Govindan with just two outs. Neither the turn 3♦ nor the river 3♣ brought the lucky seven, and Alvarez eliminated Govindan from the tournament.

Player	Chips
JA Janno AlvarezPhilippines	24,500(41 BB)
RG Rajasekar GovindanUnited States of America	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 7:45:03 AM

Two Barrels is Enough for Cousins

Level 6: 300 / 600 ante: 600

John Cousins

John Cousins opened to 1,500 from the hijack and was called by Zi Sheng Teo.

Teo check-called Cousins' 1,000 bet on the Q♥ 6♦ 5♠ flop.

Teo checked a second time on the 9♠ turn, but decided not to hang around when Cousins fired again for 2,500.

Player	Chips
JC John CousinsCanada	27,000(45 BB)
ZS Zi Sheng TeoSingapore	7,000(12 BB)

Level 6: 300 / 600 ante: 600

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 213/259

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 7:21:08 AM

Simkus Hits The Set And Steals a Massive Pot

Level 5: 200 / 500 ante: 500

Mindaugas Simkus

Four ways to the flop 7♣ 5♠ 4♦ , building a pot of 21,500, with big blind Yong Kwee Chua and under the gun +1 checking. Hijack Ryo Kuroishi then raised to 11,000. Cutoff Mindaugas Simkus flat-called, and the big blind shoved for 24,300. Under the gun +1 folded, Kuroishi re-shoved, and Simkus snap-called all in for 30,900, creating a huge three-way clash with a pot exceeding 100,000.

Yong Kwee Chua: A♥ A♦

Mindaugas Simkus: 7♥ 7♠

Ryo Kuroishi: J♠ J♥

Simkus, holding the weakest hand pre-flop, hit a monster set of sevens on the flop, leaving Chua and Kuroishi with just two outs. Simkus’ set held through the runout 8♥ T♦ , giving him a massive chip lead while Chua was eliminated and Kuroishi left with only 4,500.

Player	Chips
MS Mindaugas SimkusLithuania	107,600(215 BB)
RK Ryo KuroishiJapan	4,500(9 BB)
YK Yong Kwee ChuaSingapore	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 7:08:20 AM

Two Pair Bust-Up in Table 17 Action

Level 5: 200 / 500 ante: 500

Soon Qiew Teh

Hand 1

Jester Intia raised to 1,100 from middle position and was called by cutoff Soon Qiew Teh.

Both checked the K♦ A♥ 4♠ to see the K♥ land on the turn, where Intia led out for 1,300 and Teh quickly called.

Both checked the Q♣ river, with Teh already shaking his head, somewhat acknowledging his fate in this hand. Intia tabled A♣ Q♥ for the pot.

Hand 2

Keita Kitamura raised to 1,200 from the button and was called only by small blind Monziar Villariaza.

Both checked through the A♠ 9♥ J♥ 6♠ flop and turn before the K♦ landed on the river. Villariaza checked, then folded when Kitamura bet 1,600 into the middle.

Hand 3

Teh opened to 1,000 from middle position and big blind Kim Enriquez called.

Enriquez check-called Teh's 1,500 bet on the T♣ 9♠ 2♦ flop.

Enriquez checked again on the K♠ turn, then Teh bet 2,500. Enriquez raised to 10,000, prompting Teh to shove his remaining ~12,000 in chips, and Enriquez called quickly. Teh tabled K♦ T♥ to Enriquez’s K♥ 9♥, both holding two pair, but Teh just pipped him. He needed a nine on the river to avoid losing a big chunk of his stack, but the J♥ completed the board and secured the double for Teh.

Player	Chips
SQ Soon Qiew TehSingapore	36,000(72 BB)
MV Monziar VillariazaPhilippines	33,000(66 BB)
JI Jester IntiaPhilippines	31,000(62 BB)
KK Keita KitamuraJapan	25,000(50 BB)
KE Kim EnriquezPhilippines	12,000(24 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 7:06:09 AM

Chop Pot Drama Between Matsushita and Luik

Level 5: 200 / 500 ante: 500

Under the gun, Masafumi Matsushita opened to 1,000. Small blind Siim Luik and big blind Seung Hyun Han both defended their blinds.

The flop J♠ T♠ 7♥ saw all three players check, taking the action to the turn 8♦ . Luik checked, Han led out with a 1,500 bet, and Matsushita raised to 4,000. Luik, in the middle of the action, just flat-called, while Han eventually folded.

On the river 6♣ , Luik fired a massive overbet of 25,000, only for Matsushita to snap-call.

Luik revealed 9♦ 6♥ a straight, but Matsushita had the same straight A♣ 9♠ , splitting the pot. Only Han walked away with a loss from this hand.

Player	Chips
SL Siim LuikEstonia	58,100(116 BB)
SH Seung Hyun HanSouth Korea	39,600(79 BB)
MM Masafumi MatsushitaJapan	16,800(34 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 6:55:41 AM

Guarantee Smashed!

Level 5: 200 / 500 ante: 500

Ronald Gorgiona

The commencement of Level 5 sees play reach the halfway point to the close of registration for Flight C. The generous PHP 20,000,000 (~USD 340,000) guarantee has now officially been surpassed and currently sits at PHP 22,117,445 (~USD 375,095), with plenty of time for it to grow even further.

Flight A Entries: 165
Flight B Entries: 180
Flight C Entries: 216 (and counting)

This brings the current total entries for the Main Event to 561, with Flight C still underway and Flight D's turbo event scheduled later in the day.

Level 5: 200 / 500 ante: 500

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 194/223

Break

10 minutes

Remaining Players: 183/207

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 6:31:47 AM

Kamiya Doubles Up Against Early Leader

Level 4: 200 / 400 ante: 400

When I arrived at Table 22, the board 4♠ 5♣ 3♦ 7♦ Q♦ was already up with a massive pot of around 30,400 in the middle. Leo Kamiya’s hand J♠ 6♠ had already been revealed, showing a straight on the turn, while Daire Burke was holding A♥ 3♥ just a bottom pair.

Kamiya’s hand held strong, earning him a big boost and a double up at the expense of the early chip leader, Burke.

Player	Chips
LK Leo KamiyaAustralia	68,000(170 BB)
DB Daire BurkeIreland	57,600(144 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 6:24:46 AM

Ins and Outs

Level 4: 200 / 400 ante: 400

Player	Chips
YF Yuya FukuiJapan	30,000(75 BB)
YO Yusuke OkadaJapan	30,000(75 BB)
EM Eoghan MacgabhannIreland	30,000(75 BB)
BL Barrientos LinoPeru	30,000(75 BB)
JO Justin OngPhilippines	busted
TT Tsuyoshi TodaJapan	busted
EG Edilberto GopezPhilippines	busted

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 6:16:44 AM

Ybarsabal Shoves Off Hashim

Level 4: 200 / 400 ante: 400

Benhur Ybarsabal

Hyun Mo Kim opened to 800 in the small blind and was called by Mohamed Hashim in the big.

Kim and Hashim both checked the 7♣ 4♠ 8♥ flop, taking them to the 6♦ turn where Kim check-called Hashim's 1,200 bet.

The A♦ landed on the river and Kim led out for 2,500. Hashim didn’t take long to send his cards back to the dealer.

In the next hand, Changoo Koh raised to 800 from under the gun and received a call from small blind Hashim and Benhur Ybarsabal in the big.

Hashim check-called and Ybarsabal folded when Koh continued for 1,000 on the 4♦ 2♥ Q♠ flop.

Hashim check-called once more when Ybarsabal bet 2,000 on the 7♣ turn.

The K♥ completed the board and Hashim checked a third time. Ybarsabal then brazenly shoved his stack of roughly 22,000 across the line, and Hashim instantly laid his hand down.

Player	Chips
HK Hyunmo KimSouth Korea	55,000(138 BB)
BY Benhur YbarsabalPhilippines	36,000(90 BB)
MI Mohamed Illyas HashimSingapore	32,000(80 BB)
CK Changsoo KohSouth Korea	28,000(70 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 6:15:24 AM

Furlong Doubles Through Howard

Level 4: 200 / 400 ante: 400

Patrick Furlong

Action between middle position Patrick Furlong and button David Howard had built a pot of around 6,000 when the flop J♦ 3♥ 2♠ came down. The dealer then revealed the turn Q♣ , and Furlong led out with a 4,000 bet. Howard tanked for a moment before announcing all in. Furlong quickly snap-called for a total of 18,100 and turned over his hand.

Patrick Furlong: A♥ A♣

David Howard: A♦ Q♥

Howard complimented Furlong with a “nice hand,” and Furlong replied, “you still have outs.” Howard did have two outs, but the river missed, giving Furlong a double up with aces and leaving Howard in a tough spot.

Player	Chips
PF Patrick FurlongIreland	42,200(106 BB)
DH David HowardUnited Kingdom	8,800(22 BB)

Level 4: 200 / 400 ante: 400

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 152/166

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 6:00:26 AM

Kamiya Returns To Chase Another Title

Level 3: 100 / 300 ante: 300

Leo Kamiya

Leo Kamiya, an Australian poker pro based in Sydney, has built a strong reputation across the Asia-Pacific circuit with total live earnings of around US$ 585,000. In 2025, he pulled off a rare double by winning the APPT Open title twice in the same year, highlighting his skill and consistency.

His Manila victories added PHP 2,871,000 (~US$ 50,000) to his resume, alongside deep runs in APPT High Rollers and major side events. Now, Kamiya is back in action at PokerStars LIVE Manila, taking his seat in Flight C of the Manila Megastack 23 Main Event.

Player	Chips
LK Leo KamiyaAustralia	30,000(100 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 5:53:07 AM

Burke Draws The Line

Level 3: 100 / 300 ante: 300

Daire Burke

Facing a raise from middle position, hijack Daire Burke three-bet to 2,500. On his left, Tomotaro Horikoshi responded with a four-bet to 6,300. The initial raiser folded and Burke five-bet shoved. Horikoshi gathered his chips, glanced back at his cards, looked up for a brief five-second pause, then committed his remaining 21,500.

Tomotaro Horikoshi: A♥ K♦

Daire Burke: K♣ K♠

Horikoshi needed one of three aces to survive, but the board 9♣ 5♠ 4♥ 5♦ 6♥ offered no help. Burke’s kings held strong, sending Horikoshi to the rail.

Player	Chips
DB Daire BurkeIreland	61,200(204 BB)
TH Tomotaro HorikoshiJapan	busted

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 5:38:19 AM

Champion Returns To The Stage

Level 3: 100 / 300 ante: 300

Masafumi Matsushita

Past Manila Megastack champion Masafumi Matsushita was spotted in action here in Flight C. Matsushita captured the Manila Megastack 17 title last December 2023 after a heads-up deal with Wu Shenghao, earning PHP 3,941,000 (~US$ 71,170), which remains his biggest payout to date. Now he is back once again, looking to add another trophy to his collection.

Player	Chips
MM Masafumi MatsushitaJapan	30,000(100 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 5:37:29 AM

Three Hands at Table 31

Level 3: 100 / 300 ante: 300

Hand 1

Sagar Chawla opened to 600 from under the gun and received a call from big blind Soonhyun Ban.

Ban fired 2,000 on the 6♠ 9♣ 2♣ flop and Chawla made the call. Action repeated on the Q♣ turn.

The 7♦ river completed the board and Ban upped it to 10,000; Chawla could not find a third call.

Hand 2

Younghoon Ban raised to 600 and found three calls: hijack Takashima Satoya, button Masafumi Kimura and big blind Chawla.

All four players checked through the 8♣ K♠ 5♠ flop to see the K♥ land on the turn, where Ban fired 1,500 and only Satoya made the call.

Ban check-folded on the J♦ river when Satoya stuck 8,800 into the pot.

Hand 3

Myungsoo Lee opened to 800 from the hijack and received a call from button Soonhyun Ban. Chawla then three-bet to 3,000 from the small blind and only Ban stuck around.

Chawla led for 2,500 on the A♥ Q♠ 5♣ flop and Ban made the call.

Both opted to check through the K♥ 4♦ runout. Chawla showed T♥ T♦, but Ban’s K♠ J♦ had improved and he took it down.

Player	Chips
BS Ban SoonhyunSouth Korea	41,000(137 BB)
YB Younghoon BanSouth Korea	34,000(113 BB)
SC Sagar ChawlaIndia	33,000(110 BB)
ST Satoya TakashimaJapan	28,000(93 BB)
ML Myungsoo LeeSouth Korea	27,000(90 BB)
MK Masafumi KimuraJapan	24,000(80 BB)

Level 3: 100 / 300 ante: 300

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 97/101

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 5:17:43 AM

A Surge Before Sunset

Level 2: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Flight C has picked up serious momentum as entries have surged to more than 100 in just two levels. The PHP 20 million guarantee looks set to be surpassed in no time, and there's still plenty of time left for players to jump into the action.

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 5:13:27 AM

Lightning Strikes Twice For Han

Level 2: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Seung Hyun Han

Hijack Siim Luik came in with a big raise to 1,000. On his left, Seung Hyun Han responded with a three-bet to 3,000. Action folded back to Luik who instantly shoved his entire stack. Han stared at his cards, unsure at first, then eventually pushed in his last 18,100 for the call.

Seung Hyun Han: J♠ J♣

Siim Luik: A♥ A♦

Han saw the bad news as Luik tabled aces, leaving him with only two outs. The flop K♠ J♦ 6♣ came down and stunned the table as one of those outs arrived to vault Han into the lead, leaving Luik in disbelief. The turn T♠ added a gut shot for Luik, but the river T♥ bricked out. Han cracked Luik’s aces and scored a full double up.

Player	Chips
SH Seung Hyun HanSouth Korea	36,700(184 BB)
SL Siim LuikEstonia	14,200(71 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 5:02:43 AM

Ban Puts On The Brakes

Level 2: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Younghoon Ban

Hijack Younghoon Ban opened to 500 and small blind Takashima Satoya made the call. In the big blind, Masafumi Kimura reached for more chips and raised to 2,000. Both Ban and Satoya called to take it three ways to the flop A♥ 9♣ 5♦ .

Kimura continued for 1500 and neither opponent budged, with both Ban and Satoya adding chips to the pot.

They went three ways to the turn Q♥ where Satoya checked. Kimura slowed down and checked behind. Ban thought it over, then slid a single 5000-chip into the middle. Satoya released his cards and Kimura followed soon after, his early aggression brought to a halt by Ban’s well timed pressure.

Player	Chips
MK Masafumi KimuraJapan	37,200(186 BB)
YB Younghoon BanSouth Korea	35,700(179 BB)
ST Satoya TakashimaJapan	27,400(137 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 5:01:47 AM

Mishra Folds the Flushy Board

Level 2: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Siddharth Mishra

Siddharth Mishra raised to 600 from middle position, then called button Moses Saquing's 2,000 three-bet, as did big blind Edilberto Gopez.

Mishra check-raised Saquing's 2,000 continuation-bet up to 6,000, with Gopez getting out of the way.

Mishra continued for 4,000 on the 7♥ turn, then opted to check on the 8♥ river. Saquing took the lead, firing 12,000 into the middle. Mishra thought for a few moments before deciding to lay his hand down.

Player	Chips
MS Moses SaquingPhilippines	35,000(175 BB)
EG Edilberto GopezPhilippines	28,000(140 BB)
SM Siddharth MishraIndia	25,000(125 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 4:55:16 AM

You Miss 100% of the Shota You Don't Take

Level 2: 100 / 200 ante: 200

Aj Cris Acdal

Shota Kishioka raised to 500 from middle position and received calls from Aj Cris Acdal on the button and big blind Doyeong Dong.

Dong check-folded to Shota's 600 continuation-bet on the 9♦ J♠ Q♦ flop, with Acdal putting in the call.

Both opted to check the remainder of the 6♥ 4♠ runout, where Shota tabled K♦ 8♦, but Acdal scooped the modest pot with K♥ 9♥ for a pair.

Player	Chips
SK Shota KishiokaJapan	30,000(150 BB)
DD Doyeong DongSouth Korea	28,000(140 BB)
AC Aj Cris AcdalPhilippines	27,000(135 BB)

Level 2: 100 / 200 ante: 200

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 65/65

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 4:37:58 AM

Chawla Fires Back And Takes It Down

Level 1: 100 / 100 ante: 100

Sagar Chawla

Masafumi Kimura had just dragged in a sizeable pot before he came in with an open to 300. On the button, Sagar Chawla responded with a three bet to 900. Small blind Younghoon Ban then stepped in with a cold four bet to 3500.

Kimura quickly released his hand, leaving Chawla to size up the pressure. He calmly reached for chips and put in a confident five bet to 15000. Ban went deep into the tank for a full two minutes before finally surrendering his hand, sending the pot to Chawla.

Player	Chips
MK Masafumi KimuraJapan	45,600(456 BB)
SC Sagar ChawlaIndia	39,800(398 BB)
YB Younghoon BanSouth Korea	26,700(267 BB)

Callum JuryCallum Jury

12/6/2025, 4:20:38 AM

Teoh Not Wasting Time

Level 1: 100 / 100 ante: 100

Nicholas Teoh

Kawai Katsuhito opened to 400 from middle position, receiving a call from David Howard on the button. Both players then called big blind Nicholas Teoh’s 1,000 three-bet, sending them three-ways to the flop.

The dealer fanned 5♣ Q♠ 3♦ and Teoh wasted no time getting chips into the middle. He fired 1,300, which both opponents called.

The A♣ turn landed, and Teoh fired once again, this time for 3,500. Only Katsuhito stuck around.

Action went check–check on the J♠ river; Teoh tabled A♦ K♥ for turned top pair. Katsuhito’s hand went into the muck.

Player	Chips
NT Nicholas TeohSingapore	37,000(370 BB)
DH David HowardUnited Kingdom	27,000(270 BB)
KK Kawai KatsuhitoJapan	23,000(230 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 4:19:57 AM

Early Bird Players

Level 1: 100 / 100 ante: 100

Player	Chips
RH Ron HoffmanIsrael	30,000(300 BB)
DH David HowardUnited Kingdom	30,000(300 BB)
RH Ryoh HiraoJapan	30,000(300 BB)
NT Nicholas TeohSingapore	30,000(300 BB)
RP Ryan PlatonPhilippines	30,000(300 BB)
CK Changsoo KohSouth Korea	30,000(300 BB)
SS Shunsuke SasakiJapan	30,000(300 BB)
NU Nikita UstiuzhaninRussia	30,000(300 BB)
FC Felix CervantesPhilippines	30,000(300 BB)
JL Jimin LimSouth Korea	30,000(300 BB)
SK Seiya KawadaJapan	30,000(300 BB)
DG Daniel GagneCanada	30,000(300 BB)
TG Tejas GadaIndia	30,000(300 BB)
HK Hyunmo KimSouth Korea	30,000(300 BB)
YN Yushi NakamuraJapan	30,000(300 BB)
SA Steve Arnold (2)United States of America	30,000(300 BB)
JO Junele OswaPhilippines	30,000(300 BB)
JC Jeffrey CalmaPhilippines	30,000(300 BB)
JR Jesse RiveraUnited States of America	30,000(300 BB)
RM Ryan MartinezUnited States of America	30,000(300 BB)
AA Ajay AbrolIndia	30,000(300 BB)
MB Mikael BlomvallSweden	30,000(300 BB)
JM Jun MineuraJapan	30,000(300 BB)
JC John CousinsCanada	30,000(300 BB)

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 4:10:09 AM

Shuffle Up And Deal!

Level 1: 100 / 100 ante: 100

Flight C of the Manila Megastack 23 Main Event begins with the clock striking zero as 24 players are already in their seats, cards peeling and chips shuffling as the day’s action officially gets underway.

Level 1: 100 / 100 ante: 100

40 minutes

Remaining Players: 24/24

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 4:00:57 AM

Today's Schedule

Level 1: 100 / 100 ante: 100

Derick ElominaDerick Elomina

12/6/2025, 12:02:41 AM

Last Call For Glory At The Manila Megastack Main Event

Manila Megastack Main Event is back at PokerStars LIVE Manila inside the luxurious Okada Manila, and today marks the final chance to qualify for Day 2. The event features a massive PHP 20,000,000 (~US$ 340,000) guaranteed prize pool for a buy-in of only PHP 45,000 (~US$ 760).

Flight C kicks off today at 12 p.m. local time with a 30,000 starting stack and 40-minute levels. Registration will remain open until the end of Level 10 at approximately 7:20 p.m.

Across the last two days of action, Flight A drew 165 entries with 25 players advancing to Day 2, led by Oleg Mordassov with 442,000. Flight B attracted 180 entries and saw 27 players move forward, with Seunghee Park topping both the flight and the overall leaderboard with 611,000. The combined average stack currently sits at around 200,000, or roughly 40 big blinds.

For those who cannot join the afternoon session, a final turbo flight, Flight D, will start at 8 p.m. local time with the same 30,000 starting stack but faster 20 minute levels. Today truly is the last chance to secure a seat for Day 2.

All survivors will return tomorrow, December 7 at 12 p.m., looking to claim the biggest share of the massive prize pool, win the coveted Spadie, and etch their name into the Manila Megastack legend.

Stay tuned as Somuchpoker is on the floor to bring you live updates throughout the day.