Main Event

After a grueling 11 hours of Day 2 action, the Main Event games wrapped up with the final nine players set led by local runner Ronato Alcano. Alcano stacks a mighty 7,710,000, having delivered two eliminations right by the last half hour of the day. Coming in close second is South Korea’s Kim Bok with a slightly lesser yet equally impressive 7,350,000 chip count to start the final day festivities.

Each player returning to the felt is now guaranteed a minimum payout of PHP 321,944 and a fighting chance to claim the PHP 3,670,000 top prize! Action resumes at 16:00 where a new MSS champion will be crowned by the end of the night.

Cutoff Baek Youngseok shoved for 740,000 with A♣ 2♣ and was called by small blind Ronato Alcano with A♥ Q♥ . Dominated, the board 3♠ J♠ 4♣ K♠ 4♥ locked in the win for Alcano, leaving Baek to bubble the final table.

Facing a late position open from Alvir Inocentes, small blind Singh Vijay went all-in for 550,000 with A♦ 8♣ and ran into his opponent’s better A♣ 9♣ . Left in rough shape, Singh bid his Main Event dreams goodbye after the flop 7♦ 9♠ A♥ 4♦ Q♦ quickly gave Inocentes two pair.

Hijack Ronato Alcano opened to 250,000, called behind by David Howard to see flop Q♠ 4♣ 3♦ . Alcano fired a 300,000 bet, and another 400,000 on turn J♦ . Howard then shoved all-in for 2,230,000 total, called by Alcano with A♥ A♠ . Howard is in trouble with Q♥ T♥ and was left in pieces after the river J♥ sealed his fate.

Hijack Ronato Alcano opened to 250,000 and called off Kim Kihyung Bok’s 3,600,000 all-in. A great spot for Kim, the Korean runner cruised to a double up after a dry board 3♦ 6♣ 3♠ 8♣ 6♥ ran on the felt.

Cutoff Ron Ryan Mesina pushed all-in for 1,320,000 and was called by big blind Chogo Kento. Board ran 4♦ K♣ 7♠ 6♦ 9♠ , leaving Chogo’s ace high good for the taking.

A four way raised pot saw flop A♠ 5♠ 5♥ . Checked to Baek Youngseok, he bet 250,000, called by the small blind. Big blind David Howard raised all-in for 935,000 and saw Baek put in his stack with A♥ Q♠ , only to be crushed by Howard’s trips 2♠ 5♣ . The runout steered clear of any bad beats, earning Howard a full double up.

Utg Alvir Inocentes opened the action and saw big blind Chogo Kento come along on flop 7♦ T♣ 2♣ . Both players check it through, revealing turn 4♥ . Chogo led for 300,000, called by Inocentes. On river 4♦ , Chogo barreled another 400,000 and convinced Inocentes to throw in the towel.

Ronato Alcano defended his big blind vs button Baek Youngseok’s 250,000 open and headed to flop A♠ 5♠ 9♠ . Baek continued for 300,000, Alcano with a check fold.

Utg Chogo Kento opened to 250,000 and saw Anthony Gabitan come along from the big blind. Action was checked all the way down to the river 7♥ J♦ 4♠ 3♥ 3♠ where Chogo chucked out a 300,000 bet. Gabitan makes the call, only to muck after Chogo felted 9♥ 9♦ .

Button Alvir Inocentes shoved his 1,165,000 stack in with T♣ T♦ and was called by big blind Mariano Balfagon with 9♦ 9♥ . A great spot for Inocentes, the board 5♦ 8♦ 3♦ 9♣ 2♣ quickly earned him a nice double up to stay in the game.

Czar Ian Marcos defended his big blind vs cutoff Ronato Alcano’s 225,000 open and peeled flop Q♦ 7♠ 8♥ . Alcano continued for 300,000 and picked up the boost following a check fold from Marcos.

Utg Luqman Alghanim opened to 250,000 and called off for his entire 1,300,000 stack after hijack Baek Youngseok moved all-in. A crucial flip, the board 3♥ T♣ J♣ T♥ 5♠ missed to land Luqman a pair, sending him out of the Main Event arena.

Utg Ronato Alcano opened and called a three bet to 555,000 from cutoff Czar Ian Marcos to see flop 8♠ 4♥ 2♠ . Marcos continued for 575,000, check called by Alcano. Turn 9♦ and river 2♥ were checked through, revealing Alcano’s A♣ 8♣ , good against Marcos’ A♥ K♦ .

Button Czar Ian Marcos opened to 175,000, called by the small blind. Big blind Baek Youngseok squeezed all-in for 1,200,000 and picked up the dead money after both opponents folded.

Small blind Baek Youngseok put in a raise to 160,000, called behind by Lee Woosang. On flop 3♠ K♣ 3♣ , Baek continued for 175,000, called once more by his opponent. Turn came 9♦ and Baek was quick to give it up after Lee fired a 500,000 bet.

Button You Yusyun went with A♥ 4♠ for his last 1,200,000 and was called by big blind Lee Woosang with A♠ J♥ . Dominated, the board 7♣ 9♣ Q♣ 2♣ T♦ failed to save You, knocking him out entirely.

Facing an utg open, cutoff Patrick Wahlquist moved all-in with K♣ A♠ and was called behind by small blind Kento Chogo with Q♥ Q♣ . A classic NLH flip, the runout 3♠ 2♥ 2♦ 9♥ 6♥ this time, ran in favor of the pocket pair to send Wahlquist out of the Main Event running.

Folded to small blind Boon Seng, he shoved his remaining 440,000 in with J♦ 7♥ and was called behind by Lee Woosang with J♥ T♥ . Dominated, Boon exited in quick fashion after the board rolled K♦ K♥ T♣ 2♥ A♣ .

A three way raised pot headed to flop 8♣ Q♥ 5♦ . Big blind Ignacio San Gabriel led out for 500,000 and called small blind Ronato Alcano’s check raise for 1,000,000 more. On turn 6♥ , Alcano bet all-in Ignacio with a call for his 2,000,000 behind. Alcano reveals Q♦ 8♦ for two pair to leave Ignacio’s Q♣ J♠ drawing slim. The river 8♥ sealed the win for Alcano, knocking out his opponent entirely.

Utg Won Grael opened to 120,000, joined by Ignacio San Gabriel behind along with big blind Singh Vijay. On flop 4♥ 4♦ 7♥ , Singh led for 500,000 followed by a call from Won for a lesser 250,000. Ignacio clicked back to 1,000,0000 and Singh put in the call for a side pot. Turn A♣ saw Singh bet 1,000,000, called by Ignacio for his remaining 700,000. Singh shows K♣ K♦ , no good against Ignacio’s A♥ K♠ . Ignacio rakes in both the main and side pot, eliminating Won in the process.

Button Raymond McGlinchey went with A♦ 9♥ for his remaining 500,000 and was called by big blind Lee Woosang with 9♠ 9♣ . In rough shape, McGlinchey was eliminated after no aces showed up on board Q♠ 3♥ 7♠ 7♥ K♣ .

Button David Howard moved all-in and saw small blind Kang Yunku call off his remaining 650,000 stack. In for a flip, the board 7♠ J♦ 4♣ 2♦ 9♦ missed to pair up Kang’s overcards for his elimination.

Hijack Raymundo Gomez defended his open against small blind Lee Woosang’s min three bet to 240,000 and saw flop Q♠ Q♥ A♦ . Lee check called 150,000 from Gomez, revealing turn 3♦ . Lee this time, bet 300,000 and called Gomez’ shove for 460,000 more. Gomez shows 7♦ 6♦ and is crushed against Lee’s monster K♦ Q♦ . Drawing dead, Gomez headed for the rails not long after the river 9♦ completed the board.

On a board of T♥ J♥ Q♣ 7♠ 6♦ , Czardy Rivera's Q♦ J♣ two pair falls to Ronato Alcano's 8♠ 9♣ straight.

Iwabe Rikuya three-bets 200,000 and initial raiser Ronato Alcano calls. When the board completes 8♦ Q♣ 5♣ 4♥ 4♣ , Iwabe bets every street 150,000, 625,000, all in for 1,035,000, Alcano calls it down and rails Iwabe.

Chung Ju Won three-bets all in with 8♣ 8♦ and dodges overcards A♦ Q♠ on a board 8♥ 3♦ 4♣ 5♣ J♣ .

Ron Ryan Mesina A♥ T♣ opens then calls Raymond McGlinchey's 5 bb shove with A♣ Q♦ . Both players miss the board.

Down to 9 bb David Howard shoves from cutoff with 6♣ 7♣ and survives the race against the caller's 8♥ 8♦ on a board 7♣ Q♠ 7♥ 9♣ K♦ .

Kang Yunku is all in holding A♠ A♥ and is at risk against Patrick Wahlquist's Q♥ Q♦ when the flop runs Q♣ K♦ 9♦ . No change on the turn 6♥ but on the river A♣ ,Kang lands the two-outer to survive and soar as Wahlquist plunges to 3 bb.

Utg Bang Jongmoon opens 100,000 and next to act Lee Woosang calls, both see a flop T c 8♣ J♥ . Bang checks, Lee bets 75,000, Bang calls. The turn 3♥ and river K♣ , Bang bets 100,000 and 400,000. Lee shoves on top for 1,300,000, Bang folds.

Utg+2 Lee Woosang opens 100,000 and big blind Han Seun Hyuk calls, both head to the flop 5♦ Q♣ 8♦ . Lee c-bets 40,000 and gets called. Both players pass on the turn 4♣ , then Han jams (120,000) on the river 4♠ . Lee tank-calls.

Hijack Czar Ian Marcos opens 100,000 and button Raymond McGlinchey. On the flop and turn A♣ A♦ 6♦ 5♣. McGlinchey leads out 125,000 and 200,00, Marcos check-calls then both check the river K♠ . Marcos shows A♠ 6♣ and wins it when McGlinchey folds.

Button Kentaro Sakata opens 90,000 and small blind You Yusyun calls. On the flop 5♣ 2♥ 3♠ , Yusyun leads out 100,000, Sakata jams (330,000), Yusyun calls.

Bang Jongmoon calls a min-raise and a 50,000 bet on the flop A♣ 2♣ 7♣ . Both check the turn 3♥ then Bang bets 125,000 on the river 6♠ and wins without a fight.

Daniel Stances raises 50,000 from the button and gets called. On the flop J♥ 5♥ 9♠ , Stancer bets 55,000 then wins the pot on the 155,000 turn 2♥ bet.

Czardy Rivera opens 50,000 and is joined to the flop A♦ 4♣ K♥ by two callers. Rivera c-bets 90,000 and wins the pot without further challenge.

Utg Richard Tolentino opens and button Iwab Rikuya calls. When the board runs out 9♣ 4♠ 7♠ 8♦ A♥ , Tolentino fires on every street - 50,000, 75,000, 100,000 - Tolentino shows J♣ 5♣ bluff, Iwabe collects with T♦ T♠ .

Following a raise, button Mark Dela Cruz and big blind Alvir Inocentes call to see the flop 3♣ 4♥ 3♦ . Dela Cruz bets 75,000, Inocentes check-raises all in (250,000), this induces a fold while Dela Cruz calls (240,000) for his tournament life.

Mark Dela Cruz 9♥ 9♦

Alvir Inocentes 5♠ 4♠

The turn 4♦ improves Inocentes to a full house, and with the river 8♦ , Dela Cruz is eliminated.

Joshua Figuerres jams his last 7 bb with A♥ 9♦ and improves to a straight on board 6♥ 7♣ 6♣ 8♣ T s to double up through Jaeki Choi's K♦ K♠ .

John Carlo Sayo opens 40,000 and finds three callers to the flop J♥ 6♠ 8♦ . Action checks to the button Ronato Alcano who bets 75,000, no callers.

Three players in on a raised pot preflop proceed to check to the turn board 3♦ 4♥ 3♦ 8♣ . Initial raiser Alvir Inocentes bets 25,000 and both opponents call. On the river T♠ , Inocentes sends out another 55,000, Wang Kuan Wei raises 150,000, button folds, Inocentes calls then mucks.

Mariano Balfagon raises preflop then jams on the flop 9♣ 7♦ 2♠ . Moon Kyung Ho calls with less and is ahead Q♦ 9♦ to Balfagon's A♦ 6♠ . The turn K♠ changes nothing but the river A♠ improves Balfagon to rail Moon.

Utg Moon Kyung Ho raises 35000 and goes to the flop K♣ 9♥ 4♥ with caller Aihara Takayuki. Moon c-bets 25,000, Aihara calls again however over on the turn Q♥ , after Moon bets 118,000, Aihara raises all in and Moon can't resist and calls.

Iwabe Rikuya four-bets all in holding J♦ J♥ and gets lucky on John Carlo Sayo's A♠ A♥ with a jack on the turn. Board was 6♦ Q♣ Q♦ J♣ 2♠ .

Karen Talamayan has just been sent down from her high tower by Wang Kuan Wei. Hand opens with Wang raising 25,000 from utg that's called by Talamayan on utg+2. Talamayan bets 25,000 on the flop 3♥ 9♦ 2♦ , and is called. She fires another 50,000 on the turn 3♣ then calls Wang's 100,000 check-raise. Wang goes all in on the river 3♠ for 160,000, Talamayan calls .

From cutoff, Ronato Alcano three-bets 36,000 and initial raiser Kang Yunku calls it. Alacano fires another 25,000 on the flop 9♦ 9♥ 7♥ and Kang sticks with him. Both players opt to check down the turn Q♣ and river A♥ . Kang 's Q♦ J♦ bests Alcano's 3♠ 3♣ to claim the pot.

Won Grael calls a player's shove and goes on to ship it with K♣ K♠ staying ahead of A♣ Q♥ on a jack-high board.

Karen Talamayan fattens up her stack once again by railing Kim Min Hwa who three-bet shoved and Talamayan called. Talamayan paired up.

Three players in on a raised pot then check to the turn K♠ 2♥ 2♠ 8♥ . Utg+2 Vijay Singh bets 50,000, hijack calls, utg folds. On the river J♦ Singh bangs out 100,000, and wins the pot.

Utg Jeremy Catalig min-raises and two spots over Iwabe Rikuya calls. Same action on the flop K♦ 5♦ 6♣ , Catalig bets 20,000 and Iwabe calls again. Both players check the turn 6♠ , then Iwabe bets 105,000 on the river 7♣ . Catalig calls then mucks to Iwabe's K♠ 8♠ two pair.

Raymundo Gomez three-bets from the button then calls the four-bet jam to place himself at risk. Gomez opens Q♥ Q♦ and is flipping against A♦ K♣ . The board runs jack-high for a double up.

Action folds around to the small blind Bell John Perez who raises 25,000, big blind Kang Yunku calls. When the board completes 5♦ A♣ J♥ 5♥ A♥ , Perez bets the flop and turn - 16,000, 50,000 - Kang calls, then both check the river. Perez has K♦ 9♦ semi-bluff, Kang with J♠ 3♠ two pair for the win.

Karen Talamayan opens from utg+2 then calls cutoff Ryoji Hatanaka's 35,000 re-raise. Hatanaka c-bets the flop J♦ 2♣ 8♥ and Talamayan check-calls. Same action on the turn A♦ with a 110,000 bet check-called by Talamayan. The river T♥ , Talamayan leads out 300,000 which covers Hatanaka's stack and is called.

Benjamin Ebarle sends out a 17,000 button raise and big blind Benjamin Mangaliman calls. At the flop 9♣ 3♣ 6♥ , Mangaliman leads out 25,000 and wins the pot then and there.

Facing a raise and a call, Yong Jin Hwang shoves and initial raiser Evan William Scot calls.

Richard Tolentino opens and heads to the flop 9♦ 5♦ 3♥ with two callers. Following two checks, button David Howard bets 22,000, Tolentino check-raises 65,000, one player folds, Howard shoves (240,000), Tolentino calls.

Howard 3♠ 3♣ is ahead with a set, Tolentino A♦ 7♦ looking for that flush. The turn 9♥ gives Howard the full house, Tolentino is drawing dead.