Main Event
Day 2 Completed
Main Event
Day 2 Completed
The inaugural 2026 SiGMA Poker Tour (SPT) Manila Main Event is one step closer to crowning a champion in the flagship tournament of the series at the luxurious five-star City of Dreams Manila hotel and entertainment complex. Out of a field of 362 entries for the PHP 40,000 (≈$650) buy-in, only nine players remain in contention for the biggest slice of the PHP 15 million (≈$242,755) guaranteed prize pool.
So far, the festival has attracted players from 44 different countries and six of them will be represented on the nine-handed final table, which is set to conclude as of 1 p.m. local time on Thursday, June 4, 2026. An entrepreneur back home in Hong Kong, poker enthusiast Tsun Yin Wong essentially jumped out of the plane at the nearby Ninoy Aquino International airport and went straight to the venue to play some cards. Wong participated in the Cubeia Freeroll and was hooked right away, then won his entry for the crown jewel of the series in a satellite, which he not only converted into a deep run but also the top spot for the grand finale with a stack of 2,695,000.
Second in chips is Day 1e chip leader Hyunsik Nam with 2,205,000 while one of three locals hoping to keep the trophy on home soil is in third place in Ronn Mesina (1,715,000). Arguably the most experienced finalist is Irish poker pro Patrick Clarke, who won the Irish Open Main Event back in 2014 and reached two EPT Main Event final tables. Clarke has more than $1.9 million in cashes to his name and has the fourth biggest stack of 1,410,000, he also currently resides in Manila.
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Qi Xia | China | 825,000 | 28 |
| 2 | Patrick Clarke | Ireland | 1,410,000 | 47 |
| 3 | Tsun Yin Wong | Hong Kong | 2,695,000 | 90 |
| 4 | Gursimran Brar | India | 1,315,000 | 44 |
| 5 | Alexis Lim | Philippines | 1,260,000 | 42 |
| 6 | Hyunsik Nam | South Korea | 2,205,000 | 74 |
| 7 | Ronn Mesina | Philippines | 1,715,000 | 57 |
| 8 | Seung Hyun Han | South Korea | 1,180,000 | 39 |
| 9 | Ivan Dela Cruz | Philippines | 1,245,000 | 42 |
Gursimran Brar visited the capital of the Philippines for the SiGMA conference but loves to jump into the live poker action as well, not getting much sleep the last few sleep due to the networking opportunities at City of Dreams. He returned as the chip leader among 47 Day 1 survivors with a gargantuan stack of nearly 500 big blinds after the roll back and never really lost his mojo en route to the final table with 1,315,000 in chips. Likewise, Day 1e chip leader Nam stayed near the top of the leaderboard all day long.
The final day is scheduled to recommence with 13 minutes remaining at blinds of 15,000-30,000 and a big blind ante of 30,000. For the final conclusion, the level duration will increase to 60 minutes each and the average is still quite deep with more than 40 big blinds.
Among the notables to reach the penultimate tournament day but fall short of reaching the final table were such familiar names as PHP 15,000 SiGMA Bounty Event winner Christian Cloutier, John Tech, Alex Chong, Terry Gonzaga, Joshua Figuerres, and Paul Tirnovean. The SiGMA Asia ambassador Benjamin Ebarle was grinding a short stack for many hours during the late stages and reached the final two tables before his flopped nut flush draw in a five-way pot failed to get there. Soon after, Henrik Tollefsen with more than $1.5 million in cashes to his name lost almost all of his chips in a flip and had to settle for 13th place.
The tension on the final table bubble ultimately culminated in a clash between Wong and former run-away chip leader Marlon Laxamana. In a three-bet pot, Wong flopped a set of jacks and Laxamana couldn't get away from top pair and top kicker holding ace-queen to become the final casualty of the night.
All remaining nine players have already locked up PHP 304,200 ($4,931) for their efforts but the winner can look forward to the SPT Main Event trophy and top prize worth PHP 3,041,700 ($49,306). On the final day of the series here in Manila, the first-ever The Hendon Mob Championship on Asian soil will also play down to a winner in the PHP 12,000 (≈$194) tournament with 30 survivors battling for a slice of the PHP 3 million (≈$48,551) guarantee.
| Place | Prize (in PHP) | Prize (in USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3,041,700 | $49,306 |
| 2 | 2,130,000 | $34,527 |
| 3 | 1,369,300 | $22,196 |
| 4 | 899,800 | $14,586 |
| 5 | 692,600 | $11,227 |
| 6 | 573,000 | $9,288 |
| 7 | 480,200 | $7,784 |
| 8 | 392,600 | $6,364 |
| 9 | 304,200 | $4,931 |
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The PokerNews live reporting team will once again be on the floor to provide all of the action until a winner has been crowned so stay tuned for what shapes up to be a thrilling end to the live poker action in Manila.
One of the biggest pots of the tournament thus far has unfolded and decided over the final outcome for the night. Marlon Laxamana raised to 65,000 and called a three-bet by Tsun Yin Wong after which both players then opted to check the Q♦J♠4♥ flop.
After the 5♠ turn which brought a flush draw, Wong check-raised to 500,000 and was called by Laxamana with both players essentially committing half of their remaining stacks.
That led them to the 7♣ on the river on which Wong pushed all-in and Laxamana instantly called. The massive pot likely decided over the chip lead for the final table but they had to wait for the other table to finish before the showdown.
Once they were given the okay, the cards were flipped over.
"I think set over set," Hyunsik Nam had predicted during the waiting time. Only one player had a set, though, and that was Wong with the J♦J♣. Laxamana showed his A♥Q♠ for the top pair and top kicker with both stacks to be counted. Wong's 575,000 covered by a single big blind and that let the final table bubble burst.
The remaining nine players will now take some pictures, bag up their chips and return at 1 p.m. local time for the grand finale.
A recap of today's action is to follow.
Following a button raise by Seung Hyun Han, Marlon Laxamana three-bet to 200,000 and Han called to see the J♦7♠5♦ on the flop. Laxamana made it 110,000 to go and faced the near-instant shove by Han for which he asked a count upon.
The all-in was for another 505,000 on top and that proved to be too much for Laxamana, who used one time bank to fold.
Ivan Dela Cruz opened to 60,000 and Gursimran Brar called in the small blind, as did Patrick Clarke in the big blind. Brar led the 9♥4♣2♠ flop for 30,000 and Clarke called, as did Dela Cruz.
The 4♠ turn saw Brar bet another 180,000 and Clarke called, whereas Dela Cruz folded. "Deuces again?" Brar suspected.
On the 10♠ river, Brar checked and then folded when Clarke pushed all-in to expose his 8♥8♣ in disgust.
Clarke also got away with another preflop three-bet against Brar after to leap back into seven figures.
Marlon Laxamana raised to 65,000 on the button and chip leader Hyunsik Nam three-bet to 205,000 in the big blind. The initial raiser used one time bank and then four-bet to 480,000, which got rid of Nam.
Over on the other table, Patrick Clarke was all-in short via open-shove for 580,000. Alexis Lim had previously taken a chunk out of his stack, asked for a count and folded.
Soon after seeing his stack reduced to a mere 11 big blinds, AJ Acdal got it in preflop and was looked up by fellow countryman Ronn Mesina.
AJ Acdal: A♥9♠
Ronn Mesina: 6♣6♠
The J♣10♠4♦7♥6♥ runout kept Mesina's pair ahead all the way and that spelled the end for Acdal. With ten players remaining, the field will now be balanced prior to hand-for-hand play on the final table bubble.
AJ Acdal raised to 60,000 and Hyunsik Nam called out of the small blind to see a flop of 7♥6♠4♦, on which both players checked. Nam bet the 8♠ turn for 75,000 to pick up a call by Acdal and then made it another 250,000 to go on the 9♣ river.
Acdal was curious enough to see and was shown the 10♦8♦ for the ten-high straight by Nam, who has become the run-away chip leader near the final table bubble.
Qi Xia opened to 60,000 and then called a three-bet to 150,000 by Marlon Laxamana. Both players checked the A♠Q♣J♦ flop to the J♠ turn on which Xia bet 125,000 and Laxamana called.
Xia also bet the 4♦ river for 300,000 and Laxamana folded his cards, near bending them to expose to Ivan Dela Cruz. Xia flashed his J♣9♣ for trips before collecting the pot and Dela Cruz chimed in "he had pocket kings, you got him on the turn".