2017 PokerStars Festival Manila

Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info

2017 PokerStars Festival Manila

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aj
Prize
4,676,000 PHP
Event Info
Buy-in
55,000 PHP
Prize Pool
28,809,000 PHP
Entries
594
Level Info
Level
28
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000

Takayama and Halme Pick Off Falcon

Level 25 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

The first hand of the final table saw hometown hero Mike Takayama open the action from early position with a raise to 90,000 and Michael Falcon defended from the big blind to take play heads-up to a flop of {4-Hearts}{q-Clubs}{j-Hearts}.

Both players checked and the {4-Clubs} came in on the turn and Falcon, first to act, led out for 135,000 and Takayama slid out a quick call to bring in the {7-Diamonds} river.

Falcon fired once more, this time for 225,000 and Takayama instantly threw out a single yellow 5k chip to represent the call and Falcon folded immediately.

The next hand it was Antti Halme who opened the action from the button with a raise to 85,000 and Falcon running over from this other final table in the PokerStars Cup in time to make the call from the small blind.

The flop came down {7-Clubs}{5-Diamonds}{10-Hearts} and Falcon checked the action over to the Finn, who c-bet 80,000 and was quickly called.

The {5-Clubs} turn saw Falcon try and wrest the initiative in the hand and he now led out for 150,000 with Halme making a quick call and the {j-Spades} river completed the hand.

Falcon did not take long to lead out with another bet, making it 350,000 to go and Halme sat motionless in his chair with his jacket covering his mouth while he mulled over the decision. Should the Finn call and lose he would drop down to 1.2 million in chips.

Eventually, Halme slid out the call and Falcon turned over {q-Clubs}{9-Clubs} for a missed backdoor club draw, meaning Halme’s {k-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds} was enough to take the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Michael Falcon dk
Michael Falcon
5,025,000
-1,110,000
-1,110,000
Profile photo of Antti Halme fi
Antti Halme
2,600,000
605,000
605,000
Profile photo of Mike Takayama ph
Mike Takayama
1,100,000
495,000
495,000
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Mike TakayamaMichael FalconAntti Halme

Cards are Back in the Air

Level 25 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

The nine finalists have been introduced to the tournament room, and Michael Falcon played a few quick hands at the final table of the PokerStars Cup before returning to his seat in the Main Event.

The cards are officially back in the air with 55 minutes left for the current level.

Tags: Michael Falcon

Seat Draw of the Unofficial Final Table

Level 25 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
PokerStars Festival Manila Main Event Final Table
PokerStars Festival Manila Main Event Final Table

The final table group shots are currently being done, and the final table redraw can be found below. There are 55 minutes remaining in the current level and the action will resume after a 10-minute break.

SeatPlayerCountryChip CountBig Blinds
1Antti HalmeFinland1,995,00050
2Michael FalconDenmark6,135,000153
3Kenneth BuckAustralia495,00012
4Mike TakayamaPhilippines605,00015
5Hoa Thinh NguyenVietnam850,00021
6Sam RazaviUnited Kingdom1,265,00032
7Tien Than NguyenVietnam380,00010
8Jaehyun LimSouth Korea740,00019
9Uday BansalIndia5,315,000133
Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Michael Falcon dk
Michael Falcon
6,135,000
35,000
35,000
Profile photo of Uday Bansal in
Uday Bansal
5,315,000
115,000
115,000
Profile photo of Antti Halme fi
Antti Halme
1,995,000
-5,000
-5,000
Profile photo of Sam Razavi gb
Sam Razavi
1,265,000
-35,000
-35,000
Profile photo of Hoa Thinh Nguyen vn
Hoa Thinh Nguyen
850,000
-50,000
-50,000
Profile photo of Jaehyun Lim kr
Jaehyun Lim
740,000
140,000
140,000
Profile photo of Mike Takayama ph
Mike Takayama
605,000
-95,000
-95,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Kenneth Buck au
Kenneth Buck
495,000
40,000
40,000
Profile photo of Tien Than Nguyen vn
Tien Than Nguyen
380,000
-20,000
-20,000

Tags: Antti HalmeHoa Thinh NguyenJaehyun LimKenneth BuckMichael FalconMike TakayamaSam RazaviTien Than NguyenUday Bansal

Andre Peters Eliminated in 10th Place (PHP385,000)

Level 25 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
Andre Peters
Andre Peters

A brutal cooler of a hand saw the dealer take the deck straight out of the freezer and deal Germany’s Andre Peter’s an ice-cold hand. Pre-flop it was Michael ‘The Terminator’ Falcon the man wielding the pruning shears once more, popping the action up to 125,000 from the cutoff and the action folded around to Peters in the big blind.

The German player took his time over his decision but eventually pulled the trigger for another 790,000 more than Falcon’s initial raise, moving all-in for 915,000 in total.

Falcon asked for a count and decided to roll the dice, slapping down a tower of red 25k chips to represent the call and the cards were turned over.

Andre Peters: {q-Diamonds}{q-Clubs}
Michael Falcon: {6-Clubs}{6-Hearts}

Peters looked to be in great shape for a double up with the dominating hand and maintained his lead on the {10-Hearts}{a-Spades}{9-Diamonds} flop. Both players were on their feet and the {2-Clubs} turn changed nothing. The tension was palpable and while he held the lead Peters did not look comfortable, and paced agitatedly with his hands atop his head.

The dealer burned and turned and the river was the shiny black {6-Spades} to give Falcon a set of sixes and crush Peters dreams of a final table appearance in one of the cruellest ways imaginable. The German player looked visibly crushed when Falcon came over to shake his hand and departed in 10th place for the equivalent of $7,640 while Falcon regained the chip lead and stacked up to 6.1 million.

Play is currently paused for a re-draw.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Michael Falcon dk
Michael Falcon
6,100,000
1,450,000
1,450,000
Profile photo of Andre Peters de
Andre Peters
Busted

Tags: Andre PetersMichael Falcon

Halme Dominates Second Table

Level 25 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

Despite folding to one shove, Antti Halme was the player that profited the most from the departute of Michael Falcon, while Sam Razavi hasn't played a hand since to drop down a bit in chips. The situation for the other three short stacks, however, is getting quite scary and it remains to be seen who blinks first.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Antti Halme fi
Antti Halme
2,000,000
500,000
500,000
Profile photo of Sam Razavi gb
Sam Razavi
1,300,000
-375,000
-375,000
Profile photo of Mike Takayama ph
Mike Takayama
700,000
-45,000
-45,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Jaehyun Lim kr
Jaehyun Lim
600,000
-200,000
-200,000
Profile photo of Tien Than Nguyen vn
Tien Than Nguyen
400,000
-330,000
-330,000

Tags: Antti HalmeMichael FalconSam Razavi

Nguyen Doubles Through Bansal

Level 25 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

In a battle of the blinds, Hoa Thinh Nguyen was the player at risk out of the big blind for his last 425,000 and Uday Bansal had him well covered in a coin flip.

Hoa Thinh Nguyen: {A-Diamonds}{3-Hearts}
Uday Bansal: {2-Hearts}{2-Diamonds}

The {A-Clubs}{J-Clubs}{8-Spades}{5-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds} provided the necessary help for the player from Vietnam while Bansal dropped some chips of his big stack.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Uday Bansal in
Uday Bansal
5,200,000
-350,000
-350,000
Profile photo of Hoa Thinh Nguyen vn
Hoa Thinh Nguyen
900,000
285,000
285,000

Tags: Hoa Thinh NguyenUday Bansal

Bansal and Falcon Tangle; Bansal Extends Lead

Level 25 : 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante

Michael Falcon opened the action with a raise to 75,000 from the cutoff and Usay Bansal made the call from the button with big blind Andre Peters choosing to come along for the ride from the big blind.

All three players checked the {k-Spades}{3-Hearts}{3-Clubs} flop and the {5-Hearts} came in on the turn. After Peters checked for the second time Falcon took a stab at the pot for 125,000 with Bansal the only caller.

The {5-Diamonds} river double paired the board and saw Falcon fire again, this time for 350,000 and Bansal made a quick call. The Dane turned over {a-Clubs}{6-Diamonds} and seemed surprised not to get a chop when Bansal rolled over {a-Hearts}{k-Diamonds} to take the pot down with a higher two pair.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Uday Bansal in
Uday Bansal
5,550,000
150,000
150,000
Profile photo of Michael Falcon dk
Michael Falcon
4,650,000
-200,000
-200,000

Tags: Michael FalconAndre PetersUday Bansal

Level: 25

Blinds: 20,000/40,000

Ante: 5,000

Big Stack Poker by Bansal

Level 24 : 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante

Hoa Thinh Nguyen raised to 70,000 first to act and faced a three-bet to 170,000 by Uday Bansal in the big blind, which Nguyen called. On a flop of {7-Clubs}{7-Spades}{2-Spades}, Bansal continued for 225,000 and Nguyen min-raised it up to 550,000.

Bansal moved all in after just brief consideration and Nguyen was sent into the think tank. Michael Falcon, who was playing a few hands over in the PokerStars Cup while this was going on, came back to check the action and eventually called the clock on Nguyen. The player from Vietnam was given another one minute of grace period before the clock went into effect, and Bansal also pledged that his opponent didn't have enough time just yet.

Eventually the one minute clock ticked in and Nguyen folded with less than eight seconds to go, dropping to just 20 big blinds.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Uday Bansal in
Uday Bansal
5,400,000
500,000
500,000
Profile photo of Hoa Thinh Nguyen vn
Hoa Thinh Nguyen
615,000
-910,000
-910,000

Tags: Uday BansalHoa Thinh Nguyen