Main Event

Thata opens 5,000, big blind Eric Alcantara defends then bets 10,000 on the flop 5♦ 6♦ 6♠ . Thata calls. Same on the turn 5♠ , Alcantara bets 15,000 and this time wins it then and there.

Day 1D draws 134 entries, Abel Pelayo tops the 17 qualifiers

Date: May 4, 2024 Buy in: PH₱ 18,800 (~USD 327) Guarantee: PH₱ 5,000,000 (~USD 86,900) Day 1D: 134 entries ITM: 17 players

Preflop betting war opens with utg+1 raising 1,500, hijack calls, button George Calingasan three-bets 6,000, back to utg+1 with a four-bet jam of 34,300, hijack folds, Calingasan calls for his tournament life.

Utg+1 A♥ K♥ George Calingasan A♣ A♦

The board runs Q♠ 3♥ J♦ 9♣ 6♠ . Calingasan doubles up and chunks utg+1 to 4 bb.

The first deal of Day 1D has been tabled, 8 players at the start. That will pick up with registration running until the start of Level 9.

Facing a raise and a call, button Mac Mantos three-bets all in for 72,500, initial raiser utg calls for everything. Mantos ships it with Q♦ Q♥ over A♣ 2♦ on a board T♦ 6♥ K♥ 8♦ 6♣ .

From utg+1 Chris Boys opens 1,800 then calls utg+2 Jeff Sibal’s 3,100 re-raise. Sibal c-bets the flop 4♥ J♠ A♣ , Boys check-calls. On the turn 8♥ , Sibal fires 12,000 and wins the pot.

From cutoff, Leo Losentes calls a 1,500 raise from utg+2 and heads to the flop 2♦ 4♥ J♠ . Facing a c-bet of 3,000, Losentes raises 6,000, and is called. On the turn T♥ , utg+2 jams 15,500 and still doesn’t shake Losentes who calls with J♥ 8♥ top pair and draw ahead of A♣ T♠ . The river 9♣ secures the win for Losentes to boot one.

It’s bubble time with 18 players remaining.

On a board T♠ 5♥ J♦ 6♦ 4♦ , utg+2 raises 2500 preflop, bets every street 3,000, 2,500, and all in, button Ronie Arguelles calls it down and doubles up with A♦ 9♦ flush.

Just past the halfway mark of level 1 and already a casualty with Noel Llamedo taking the early fall. Hand opens with 1,800 by utg that find three callers to see the flop K♦ J♣ 8♠ . Action is checked to the button Llamedo who bets 3,500, two players fold, hijack Graham Colin calls. Firewors on the turn 7♣ with Colin shoving 24,000 and Lllamedo risking his tournament life.

Graham Colin A♠ K♣ Noel Llamedo A♦ 8♣

The river 2♦ finishes off Llamedo.

The field doubled during the previous level with 50 entries and climbing. Among the new arrivals are local hotshots Richard Marquez, Emmanuel Segismundo, Janix Ruiz Jason Ambata, Michael Bueza, and multi-decorated Vamerdino Magsakay.

Two players all in with Ace-King, Abel Pelayo covers both and sends the big slicks packing with Q♦ Q♣ on a board 4♣ 7♠ 4♠ 8♥ 4♥ .

Pax opens from utg and three callers join him to the flop 5♥ T♥ T♦ . Pax c-bets 5,000, utg+1 Juan Miguel Espino jams 24,000, two folds follow, Pax calls.

Pax J♠ J♣ overpair Juan Miguel Espino A♦ T♣ trips

The turn and river 3♣ 8♠ are no help to Pax to pay the double up.

Benjie Ebarle shoves 107,000, utg+2 calls, Ebarle goes on to double up with K♠ K♥ dominating J♦ J♣ throughout the eight-high board.

Benjie Ebarle all in on the bubble with A♠ 9♦ , big blind Kai Paulsen calls with Q♣ T♠ . The board J♠ 6♣ A♦ 7♥ 6♥ keeps Ebarle ahead to double up.

Utg Richard Tolentino opens 6,000 and two callers join to the flop 7♦ K♥ 3♥ . Small blind Dek Cruz shoves his last 10 bb, Tolentino calls as one folds. Cruz K♣ 9♥ , Tolentino J♥ J♠ , turn and river 8♣ 5♥ are good to Cruz to double through.

59 players remaining. Still a long way to go with ITM at 17 players.

Raymond Gomez opens 2,000, button calls, small blind Alexis Cruz three-bets 8,500, Gomez four-bets jams 24,000, button folds, Cruz calls.

Raymond Gomez 6♥ 6♦ Alexis Cruz A♥ T♦

The board A♠ 8♠ 8♦ 3♠ 4♥ sends Cruz on top to rail Gomez.

Alexis Lim jams preflop with J♣ T♣ , Benhur challenges with 7♦ 7♣ . The flop J♥ K♠ 6♠ improves Lim but the turn 7♠ sends him back down then out on the river 3♦ .

28 players remaining. Getting close to end of day with ITM at 17 players.

106 entries at the start of the new level. Only two levels left to join in. Registration closes at the start of Level 9.

Juan Miguel Espino calls a three-bets shove then proceeds to rail one with 8♠ 8♦ higher flush over J♥ T♣ on a board A♦ 9♦ 5♦ Q♦ 4♦ .

Dek Cruz open shoves 32,000, Richard Tolentino three-bets all in 40,500, Kai Paulsen four-bets all in with the biggest stack.

Dek Cruz K♥ T♠ Richard Tolentino A♠ J♥ Kai Paulsen J♦ J♣

The board runs 6♥ 8♣ A♥ 7♣ Q♠ . Tolentino doubles up and more as Cruz goes bust.

Level 1000-1500 ante 1500

Day 1D registration closes at 134 entries with 76 players remaining. Next stage of the race is to reach ITM of 17 players.

Utg Graham Colin opens and is called by big blind Richard Tolentino. Colin c-bets the flop T♥ J♣ Q♣ , and is called again. However, on the turn 9♥ , Colin’s 2,300 bet sees a check-raise of 6,000, Colin folds.

Alexis Cruz open jams 69,000, big blind Kai Paulsen calls with less. At the showdown, Paulsen is dominated with K♦ 9♦ behind Cruz’s A♦ T♦ . Board runs out 9♥ 2♦ 7♦ J♦ T♥ , Paulsen falls to the nut flush.

Cutoff Thata C opens 1,200 and is called by the blinds to the flop 3♣ 9♣ 4♠ . Big blind leads out 1,700, Thata C raises 3,500, small blind calls, big blind three-bet shoves 28,300, again Thata calls as small blind folds.

Thata C J♠ J♦ Big blind A♣ Q♣

The turn and river 3♦ 3♠ are no help to the big cards to send all the chips to Thata C.

Cutoff opens 700, button Noel Llamedo jams 19,400, cutoff risks its remaining 5,900 and shows A♠ 2♠ Llamedo is ahead with A♦ J♥ and stays that way throughout the board 6♣ Q♦ 6♥ 7♣ 9♣ .

This flight is officially the largest so far with 90 entries and registration still open until the start of Level 9.

CASH GAME ALERT!

For those that have advanced, take advantage of the daily cash games. Stakes available are: 25-50 and 50-100. For VIP grinders, 500-1,000, 1,000-1000, and 1,000-1,000-2,000.

From utg Graham Colin opens 700, two spots over a player three-bets 2,000, hijack and Colin call. At the flop Q♠ 5♠ 6♣ , action is checked to hijack who lays out 2,800, Colin raises 10,000, no takers.

Four players in on a raised pot then check the flop T♠ 3♠ 9♠ . Small blind bets 3,200 on the turn 6♦ , only utg+2 Raivin Enriquez calls. On the river 2♥ small blind bets 5,500, Enriquez raises 12,200, small blind calls. Enriquez shows A♠ 7♠ flush.

Blinds up, 24 players remaining. Getting close to end of day with ITM at 17 players.

Small blind jams A♦ 5♣ , short stacked Joven Huerto A♥ K♥ calls then doubles through on a board K♣ Q♣ 9♠ 5♦ 3♦ .

Three players in on a raised pot see a flop 9♣ A♥ T♥ . Hijack June Barte bets 3,500 finds one caller to the turn 7♦ . Barte sends out 7,000, this time wins it without further challenge.

Utg+2 Benhur opens 10,000, cutoff Richard Tolentino three-bets 25,000, Benhur calls then bets 20,000 on the flop J♦ 3♥ 7♦ . Tolentino answers with a shove of 126,000, Benhur calls and reveals 3♣ 3♦ set, Tolentino K♥ K♦ . The turn 3♠ secures the win for Benhur as Tolentino packs up.

Blinds up, 122 entries, this is the last level to join today’s flight. 40 minutes left!

Edilberto Gopez Jr. opens then calls a three-bet shove. Cards flip open Gopez A♠ T♥ up against Q♠ Q♥ . Gopez runs dry until the river ace 7♥ 4♦ 9♦ 6♣ A♣ to ship it and send one packing.

43 players remaining. Still a long way to go with ITM at 17 players.

From small blind, Raphael Bulaong three-bets from 2,000 to make it 9,000. Initial raiser from hijack calls and both head to the flop Q♠ 3♠ J♠ . Bulaong quickly shoves (16,900), hijack calls and shows A♣ Q♥ which is behind Bulaong’s K♥ K♣ overpair. The turn and river 8♣ 2♥ stay low, Bulaong ships a double.

Utg Alexis Cruz open shoves 26,000 and hijack Thatha C calls. Cruz is ahead Q♣ Q♥ and stays ahead of A♠ T♥ on a board 4♥ 9♥ 4♦ 4♠ 9♠ .

Blinds are up, 10 entries so far. Plenty of time to join the hunt with registration closing at the start of Level 9.

Noel Llamedo open 600 from hijack and gets called by button Amir Abbas. Llamedo proceeds to bet every street 1,500, 4,000, 8,000 on board 7♣ T♠ 3♣ A♦ A♠ , Abbas calls then raises all in on the river. Llamedo folds.

Utg opens 2,000 and finds two callers to the flop Q♥ 2♠ 7♣ . Utg c-bets 1,500 and the two callers stick around. The turn 5♥ sees two checks, hijack bets 5,000, big blind Huerto check-raises all in for 26,900, utg calls all in for 15,000, hijack folds.

Joven Huerto 5♣ 2♣ two pair Utg Q♦ 9♦ top pair

The river T♠ doesn’t help utg, Huerto ships it and boots one.

Jeorge Lagatuz raises, button three-bets 80,000, Lagatuz four-bets all in for 105,000 and wins it with no further challenge.

Hijack Jeorge Lagatuz opens 17,000, big blind calls, Lagatuz c-bets 15,000 on the flop 4♣ 9♦ Q♣ and claims the pot.

Justin Belaniso rails one with A♥ Q♥ dominating A♦ 7♦ throughout the jack-high board.

Joven Huerto rails a short stack with K♣ K♥ improving to a flush on board J♣ Q♦ Q♣ 4♣ 7♣ to beat A♥ Q♠ trips.

Tony Abesamis shoves his last 5 bb with 3♥ 3♦ and gets lucky on the board 3♠ 7♥ J♦ K♥ A♣ to survive against T♣ T♠ .

Utg+2 Jharome Pena opens 1,200, big blind three-bets all in for 5,800, Pena calls and it’s a flip. Pena 2♦ 2♥ , big blind A♦ 9♦ , board runs Q♥ 6♦ 3♣ Q♦ J♠ .

Raivin Enriquez all in for 56,000 with A♦ 5♥ then doubles up through caller Benhur’s Q♥ J♦ on board 2♦ 6♦ 9♠ A♠ 4♦ .

Juan Miguel Espino all in for 92,000 with A♠ J♣ and is saved on a board 5♣ J♥ 6♣ 5♠ 8♦ to survive caller’s A♥ Q♥ .

Facing a raise and a call, button Kai Paulsen three-bets 19,000 and is called by initial raiser utg. On the flop 5♦ A♥ 9♦ , Paulsen c-bets 10,500 and claims the pot.

Juan Miguel Espino opens then calls a re-raise of 4,000 by cutoff. At the flop 9♣ T♠ 2♥ , Espino check-calls 3,000. Both check the turn A♠ , then Espion bets 6,000 on the river K♠ . Cutoff calls, Espino shows the top pair {a} 8♠ and wins the pot.

Melvin Yares T♠ T♥ three-bets all in and is flipping with Mike Takayama Q♣ J♣ . The board 2♣ T♣ A♦ 6♠ 3♠ brings a scare then completes to a double up for Yares.

Utg Leonardo Aban raises 10,000, two spots over utg+2 jams, cutoff three-bets to 25,000, Aban goes all in for 33,000, utg+2 jams over the top for 174,000, cutoff opts to fold to end the preflop battle.

At the showdown, Aban is flipping with 3♣ {3h over A♠ K♥ . Big slick misses the board Q♥ {q} 5♥ T♠ 7♥ for Aban to survive.

Cutoff opens, button calls, small blind three-bets all in for 54,500, big blind Kai Paulsen four-bets all in for 90,000, two plays fold, small blind K♥ Q♠ calls then busts to Paulsen’s A♣ K♦ on board 6♦ 6♠ A♠ Q♣ J♣ .

Utg+2 Eric Alcantara opesn 1,800 and finds two callers to the flop A♠ 2♥ Q♥ . Alcantara c-bets a large 16,000, cutoff Jester Intia shoves for 31,900, Rusty Co follows suit with 17,900, Alcantara gives up his big bet.

Jester Intia T♥ 8♥ Rusty Co K♥ {jh{

The turn and river 2♦ T♣ further improves Rusty to a straight to triple up.

Facing a raise with two callers, small blind Leo Losentes three-bets 5,500, no takers.

Facing a raise by cutoff, small blind Bogart three-bets 2,200 then calls a four-bet of 22,000. Bogart is behind 8♣ 8♠ to cutoff]s Q♥ Q♠ , the board runs clean until the river {4s] 2♦ T♦ A♠ 8♦ .

Late position Leonard Aban opens 1,400 then calls a three-bet of 9,9,00 by the small blind. At the flop K♥ 5♣ 7♠ , Aban calls a 4,500 c-bet to bring the turn 3♣ . Small blind slows the aggression and checks, Aban sends out 8,000 and wins it without a fight.

After busting, Noel Llamedo quickly jumps back in and gets his chips in action for a splashy pot. Llamedo opens 500 from utg, three callers join to the flop 9♠ A♣ 4♠ . Llamedo bets 1,000, no takers.

From small blind, Benhur calls a three-bet and heads to the flop {8c J♠ 6♥ with two players. All check for a free turn 3♦ . Benhur leads out 5,000, utg calls, button folds. On the river T♣ , Benhur fires 10,000 and claims the pot uncontested. Benhur gets nods when he shows K♦ K♣ .

Utg opens, button calls, small blind calls, big blind Eric Alcantara three-bets 72,000, no callers.

Field has grown to 25 entries. Among the new arrivals were Joven Huerto, Jester Intia, John Jay Magadan, Lemmor Patulot, Federick Cruz, Leonel Losentes, Christian Lavares, and Ryan Liboon. Plenty of time to join the hunt with registration closing at the start of Level 9.

Jester Intia open shoves 7 bb with K♥ 7♥ then survives the race against caller T♣ T♠ on board K♠ A♦ 9♦ 9♠ 5♥ .

Jeorge Lagatuz all in with A♦ K♠ and doubles through against caller ace-queen.

Alexis Cruz calls a short stack shove and ships it with A♦ J♠ over A♠ 7♦ on an overkill board J♣ J♦ T♠ 2♠ 9♦ .

Under the gun Raymond Gomez raises 1,500, small blind Graham Colin calls, both proceed to check the flop 7♠ 2♠ K♦ . Heavy bets on the turn Q♦ , Colin bets 1,600, Gomez raises 6,000, Colin three-bets 30,000, Gomez calls with less than half of that bet.

Raymond Gomez K♠ J♠ top pair Graham Colin Q♠ 6♠ second pair and draw

The river Q♥ improves Colin to trips to dust Gomez.

Juan Miguel Espino opens then calls Jeorge Lagatuz’s shove and is ahead K♥ K♠ over T♥ T♠ . However with the board running 2♦ 9♥ 2♠ 8♦ T♣ , Espino’s cowboys are cracked as Lagatuz is saved from elimination.

Small blind opens, big blind Marvin Dela Cruz three-bets all in his last 6 bb and is called. Small blind opens A♦ A♥ , Dela Cruz at risk with 5♠ 5♦ then lucks out on board Q♦ 3♣ 5♥ 7♥ 9♦ .

From hijack, Edilberto Gopez three-bets 9,000, initial raiser Justin Belaniso calls, Gopez continues with a 10,000 bet on the flop T♣ 6♦ 9♥ , Belaniso folds.

65 players remaining. Still a long way to go with ITM at 17 players.

Utg+1 Justin Belanio opens 15,500 and Edilberto Gopez calls. Belaniso continues on the flop {kc| 2♣ A♠ with 15,000 bet. Gopez answers with a shove of 32,000, Belaniso folds and loses another pot to Gopez.

Raivin Enriquez opens 7,000 from the button then calls a three-bet shove of 47,000. Enriquez ships it with A♣ J♣ straight over J♥ 7♣ on a board 4♣ Q♦ T♥ 2♠ K♥ .

A.K. add 5 bb to his stack by cleaning out a short stack with A♥ 8♥ over J♥ 9♦ on a board 8♣ 7♦ 7♥ 6♣ 4♦ .

Hijack Graham Colin opens 600, cutoff three-bets 2,300, big blind and Colin call. At the flop 2♥ K♠ 9♥ , it is checked to cutoff who c-bets 3,000, big blind folds, Colin check-raises 10,000 and wins the pot.

Big blind jams A♥ 4♠ into initial raiser Edilberto Gopez’s Q♣ Q♦ then falls with Gopez continuing to improve to quads.

Blinds up, 23 players remaining. Getting close to end of day with ITM at 17 players.

Raivin Enriquez calls an 8 bb shove and dominates throughout with A♣ K♦ over A♥ T♣ on a jack-high board.

Joven Huerto open shoves 13,200 with A♠ K♣ , Graham Colin calls with T♣ T♠ . Huerto connects on the river 9♦ 3♦ 7♦ 4♥ K♠ to survive.

All in preflop, Jeff Sibal cleans one out with K♣ K♦ set over A♦ J♦ top pair on board A♣ 9♦ 4♠ K♥ 6♠ .

Utg+1 opens 2,700, hijack Mike Takayama three-bets 8,000, Melvin Yares four-bet shoves 47,800, no callers.

Benjamin Ebarle three-bets all in for 10,800 and is called. Ebarle has A♣ 7♣ , caller K♣ T♣ , board comes A♠ J♦ K♠ 2♠ 7♦ .

Small blind Michel Anchez opens 16,000, big blind calls, then heavy bets follow on the flop Q♥ 9♥ 8♦ . Anchez bets 30,000, big blind raises 60,000, Anchez three-bets all in, big blind calls with less.

Michel Anchez K♥ 3♥ Big blind 8♥ 9♦

The turn and river K♣ T♥ , Anchez lands the flush to bust two pair.

Three players limp in, small blind Michel Anchez bets 13,000 on the flop A♥ 6♥ 7♣ . Big blind folds, cutoff calls. On the turn J♥ and river Q♦ , Anchez opens A♠ 9♠ . Cutoff mucks.

The field continues to rise with 77 entries so far. With registration closing at the start of Level 9, today’s flight is headed to be the largest. Among the latest arrivals are local stars Florencio Campomanes, Jonald Garcia, Gandy Valle, and Edilberto Gopez Jr.

Eric Alcantara open 19,000, big blind Jonald Garcia defends, Alcantara c-bets 20,000 on the flop T♠ 5♠ 5♥ . Garcia check-calls. On the turn 7♣ , Garcia leads out 44,000, Alcantara gives up his stake on the pot.

Cutoff player looks down at A♦ A♠ and is called by the blinds to the flop 4♥ K♦ T♠ . Blinds check to cutoff who c-bets 800, small blind Noel Llamedo calls, big blind folds. No bets land on the turn T♣ , Llamedo leads out 1,200 on the river 9♠ . Cutoff calls and shows then mucks to Llamedo’s winning T♥ 8♣ trips.