Short Deck SHR

Paul Phua limps, Winfred Yu raises to 700,000, Phua shoves, Yu folds.

After paying out big to Winfred Yu, Paul Phua attempts to recover the chips, and wins several pots, only to slip back down again. He limps, Yu checks, flop is 7♣ 8♠ 9♥ . Phua bets 200,000, Yu calls. On the turn 7♥ , Phua check-calls 550,000. No bets land on the river T♦ . Phua has A♦ 9♣ two pair, Yu wins the pot with 9♦ 8♦ higher two pair.

One hand was all it took to reverse the counts. Winfred Yu limps, Paul Phua raises to 560,000, Yu shoves, Phua calls to put Yu at risk of elimination.

Yu A♣ K♦ Phua A♦ Q♠

The board comes J♦ 7♣ 7♥ A♥ T♣ , the King kicker plays for a huge double up to Yu.

Winfred Yu raises to 560,000, Paul Phua shoves, Yu folds.

Paul Phua calls, Winfred Yu checks. The board runs A♣ 8♥ 6♣ J♥ K♠ , and Phua bets the entire way - 150,000, 450,000, and 500,000. Yu folds on the river bet.

Several hands into the heads up round and Winfred Yu has finally picked up a decent pot. He raises to 320,000, Phua calls from the button. On the flop Q♦ K♠ 9♣ , he fires another 500,000 and is called. Both players check the turn A♦ but on the river 6♠ , Yu jams, Phua folds.

Chan Ming Kong pushes with A♥ T♦ , button Paul Phua engages with A♠ J♠ . The board comes 7♦ J♥ K♦ T♠ 7♣ . Kong is eliminated.

First to act Chan Ming Kong calls, button Paul Phua checks. Kong bets the flop 200,000 and turn 400,000 K♣ J♣ 9♣ 6♦ , on the river J♦ both check. Kong has T♣ 9♠ , Phua has better K♥ 8♣

Danny Tang pushes with Q♦ Q♥ then falls to Paul Phua’s A♦ A♣ . He takes 4th place and earns PHP6,330,000 (~US$ 114,000.

Cutoff Paul Phua limps, button Chan Ming Kong checks. At the flop K♠ T♦ 7♦ , Phua bets 100,000, Kong calls. On the turn 9♣ another 300,000 check-called by Kong. On the river K♥ , Phua slows to a check, Kong bangs out 500,000, Phua folds.

Three limpers, button checks, flop comes J♥ 9♥ J♦ . Paul Phua bets 500,000, no takers.

First to act Paul Phua calls, hijack calls, cutoff Winfred Yu raises to 300,000, only Phua continues. Both players check the flop 9♣ 6♣ J♠ but on the 8♥ turn, Phua bets 470,000, enough for Yu to fold.

Three players limp, button Danny Tang checks, the flop comes 7♣ 9♣ A♥ . From cutoff, Winfred Yu bets 130,000, Tang calls, utg Paul Phua check-calls, utg+1 folds. On the turn Q♣ , Phua leads out 50,000, Yu and Tang fold.

On a flop A♥ Q♥ 8♣ , Winfred Yu bets 250,000, Paul Phua shoves, button player folds. Yu calls and shows A♦ J♠ top pair, Phua has 8♥ 8♠ set. The turn 9♥ and river J♥ are good for a double up to Phua.

Having just lost a hand, Danny Tang raises to 130,000, Paul Phua calls, the flop is 8♦ A♥ Q♦ . Tang c-bets 120,000, quick fold from Phua.

The PH₱ 55,000,000 (~US$ 1M) guaranteed was under the spotlight on Day 5 especially with everyone wondering who was going to cough up the staggering PH₱ 1,380,000 (~US$ 25,300) buy in. This was to be the first of its kind in the Philippines since Triton several years back. 

When the players streamed in, among them were Super High Roller gurus and enthusiasts such as triple crown Triton champion Wai Kin Yong, Triton founder Richard Yong, WSOP Online champion Paul Teoh, pros Nobuaki Sasaki and Wai Kiat Lee. At the close of registration, there were 41 entries, and by the end of Day 1 scheduled play, six remained led by Poker Dream founder Winfred Yu. 

Read up on the Day 1 action via the SMP Live Updates.

First to act calls, Paul Phua calls, Wei Kwan Yang raises to 32,000, first to act and Paul Phua both call. At the flop K♦ T♠ 6♠ , action is checked to Yang who shoves. Only Phua calls

Yang K♠ Q♠ Phua K♣ T♣

With the turn 7♣ and river 8♦ , Phua ships it and Yang is eliminated.

First to act Ling Loon raises all in, next to him Paul Phua joins the jam, then Wei Hsian Yeu follows for a three-way.

Loon A♠ Q♣ Phua T♦ 8♦ Yeu A♥ Q♦

The board runs A♦ 6♣ 9♦ 6♥ 7♣ for a straight to Phua to triple up.

Chips in play: 12,300,000 Average stack: 2,050,000 Opening blinds: 20,000-40,000

Winfred Yu and Paul Phua stare down a board K♥ 6♦ T♦ with 220,000 in the middle, Yu check-calls Phua’s 200,000 bet. On the tunr 9♠ both check it. Then with the river 8♣ , Yu leads out 300,000, Phua callls. Yu opens Q♦ J♥ straight to win it.

Danny Tang is all in with A♣ 7♥ , button player Paul Phua calls with A♦ 9♥ . The board runs 6♥ 6♣ J♣ 7♦ 8♣ for two pair to Tang.