The PokerStars Live Manila Anniversary Special Main Event has begun. We will have random live updates for you on the action at the felt. Players will begin with a 15,000 stack, 15-minute levels, and late registration will be open until the end of level 12. They will play until below 15% of the field.

2:30AM: Day 1a ends with Hassan railing Gonzaga

Day 1a ended with Carlo Aziz Hassan eliminating Adora Gonzaga with his pocket eights hitting a set on the board against Gonzaga's pocket kings.

2:15AM: Quijano eliminates Huerto; Pajarillo doubles up

After watching Joven Huerto shove several times, Anaclteo Quijano finally called and it was a showdown with Huerto holding [ah][qh] against Quijano's [kc][tc]. The board ran a beauty for Quijano [8c][5c][4c][6h][2d] giving him the flush and Huerto the boot.

Edel Pajarillo doubled up in a hand against Elmo Celi. It began with Celi limping in, raised to16k by Quijano, then a shove of 37k by Pajarillo on the big blind. Celi shoved right behind him forcing Quijano to fold and give up his raise. Pajarillo had [qh][qd] and Celi had [7c][7d]. The flop ran a dramatic [ks][7h][th] giving Celi the lead with a set, however, with the turn of [9h] and river of [jc], Pajarillo connected with a straight and doubled up.

2:00AM: Pajarillo doubles up; Sharda out

Edel Pajarillo was all in and Joven Huerto called. Pajarillo had ace-king offsuit and Huerto had ace-six clubs. Pajarillo doubled up with the board running [3d][ah][4h][jc][jd].

Munesh Sharda was all in on board of [3c][5c][js] and was called by Michael Melendres. Sharda had [qd][jd] top pair but was behind Melendres's [kh][jc]. The turn of [5h] and river of [th] did not improve Sharda's hand and he was eliminated.

1:45AM: Buck tanks Sia; Celi up to 90k, eliminates Bangui; Lee doubles up

With only 12 remaining, it is short handed on both tables. We play down to 8 players. Action folded to Joseph Sia on the button who raised to 8k. Kenneth Buck on the small blind three-bet to 22k. Sia tanked but eventually folded. Buck showed his [as][qs].

Elmo Celi was once ailing with 12k, now he is up to over 90k after eliminating Carlos Bangui. Celi was all in with ace-queen against Bangui's pocket queens. The flop was kind to Celi giving him an ace that held on to the end.

After a multiple preflop raise war, Juyoung Lee was all in and was called by Michael Melendres. Lee had [4c][4s] against Melendres's[as][qd]. The board ran [ac][7d][qc][2c][5c] giving Lee a flush over top two pairs.

1:30AM: Celi seesaws, young Quijano doubles up

Elmo Celi got his short stack in the middle (around 18k) and was called by Anacleto Quijano. Celi had pocket threes against king-queen. The board bricked and Celi earned a double up. On the next hand however, he was all in again and faced off against the younger Quijano, Anthony. Young Quijano had pocket aces and doubled up against Celi's ace-jack. Next hand saw Celi double up his ailing stack when his ace-six offsuit hit an ace on the turn, besting Edel Pajarillo's pocket jacks.

1:15AM: Huerto and Buck shove

With the blinds having just increased to 1500-3000, Joven Huerto raised to 8k and was called by big blind player Anacleto Qujano. At the flop of [6s][ts][9h], Quijano checked, Huerto shoved, and that was it. Huerto won the pot and showed his pocket aces.

On the other table, Kenneth Buck raised to 15k from utg and was called by Juyoung Lee on the small blind. The flop ran [4h][6c][6h], Lee checked, Buck shoved, and Lee folded. Buck showed his pocket jacks.

1:00AM: Karim out Huerto triples up

Three-way all ins are quite popular at this hour. Joven Huerto was all in, Rebei Karim was all in, and so was Noam Fater. Huerto had [ad][qc], Karim had [ah][th], and Fater had [qh][qs]. The board ran [jc][5c][3s][6c][4c] and Huerto landed a flush for a triple up while Karim was eliminated.

12:45PM: Lee doubles up Melendres

Juyoung Lee was once holding a hefty stack but has just lost another pot when his ace-queen doubled up Michael Melendres with ace-king. He now has around 70k, still above average stack.

12:30PM: Another three-way has Baudin triple up

Catching the action only at the shipping with several spectators crowding the table, Baudin was all in with [4d][5d] against [kh][8h] and [qd][jd]. He tripled up when the board ran [ac][th][5h][6c][7s].

12:15PM: Three-way all in sees Edoc out and Lee over 150k

Crazy three-way action saw button player Rebei Karim raise to 4600, was called by small blind player Juyoung Lee, then a shove by Lester Edoc on the big blind. Karim quickly followed suit and so did Lee. Edoc had [jd][tc], Lee had [ad][qh], and Karim had [jc][js]. Board ran [qc][9s][3c][6s][ac]. Edoc was out and Lee was awarded a pot well over 150k.

12:00PM: Bangui avoids the rail

A bit of controversy at the felt with Noam Fater and Carlo Aziz Hassan calling the tournament directors for a decision on whether or not utg player Carlos Bangui's raise was a string bet. Action was on Hassan on the big blind with one mid position player already having called the raise. Despite Hassan's claim, action continued and Hassan folded. Next to act was Anacleto Quijano who called the 2800 raise. The flop landed [9d][8h][2d], Quijano checked, Bangui shoved and was called by the mp player. Quijano folded. Bangui had [as][9s] for top pair and his opponent had [jc][tc]. The turn of [jh] bumped off Bangui from the lead but with the river of [9c], he reclaimed it, and luckily avoided the rail.

11:45PM: Double Whammy for Mente: Loses to Quijano then falls to Karim

Joven Mente lost two hands back-to-back and was ousted from the field. In the first hand he raised to 2k preflop only to face an all in by Anthony Quijano for another 9800 to call. Mente obliged and it was Mente with [kd][qc] against Quijano's [ah][kc]. The board bricked ran low and Quijano doubled up.

Next hand had Rebei Karim all in and Mente doing the same. Karim had pocket eights and Mente had king-queen again. Karim landed a full house and Mente was eliminated.

11:30PM: Tech out again, Tate hits a flush

With a raised pot preflop before them, Ronnie Tate bet 7k onto a board with his ace-ten and then called John Tech's shove of around 15k. Tate had top pair with his ten while Tech had a set of eights. Though Tech was ahead, there were two diamonds on the board with Tate holding the ace of diamonds. In a runner-runner moment, two more diamonds graced the felt and Tech was eliminated by Tate's nut flush.

11:15PM: Celi is Back in the Game After Chunked by Ty

Elmo Celi, Del Ty, and another player called short stacked player Ferlyn Cabaling's all in to see a flop run [9d][3s][9h]. Action was quick with Celi all in, Ty calling, and the other player getting out of the way. Ty had [jh][9h], Celi had [9c][5c], and Cabaling had [qd][th]. The turn of [8h] and river of [qs] kept Ty ahead and he scooped up all of Cabaling's chips plus a double up from Celi.

With a short stack left, Celi was all in right after and was protected by Ty with an all in as well. Celi won the hand with a straight with his three-four off suit. Immediately after, he was all in again with Ty all in with and called by Joseph Sia. Celi had pocket kings, Ty had ace-queen, and Sia had ace-king. The board ran [js][5h][8h][5d][jh], and Celi tripled up while Ty and Sia split the side pot.

11:00PM: Kalaquian folds to Karim; Break Time

Just before the first 10-minute break, Elmer Kalaquian and Rebei Karim were in a heated moment for a pot. With 13.5k in the middle, Karim bet 6500 onto a board of [7s][3c][4h][th][5s]. This sent Kalaquian tanking until he opted to fold.

We are on a break with 55 entries recorded.

10:45PM: Bangui rails Samarita

In a battle of the blinds, Dan Samaritano limped in to Carlos Bangui's big blind only to face an additional 2k raise. Samaritano called and the flop ran [7h][4d][qh]. Samaritano was quickly all in and right there with him was Bangui. Samaritano had queen-five for top pair but was way behind Bangui's ace-queen higher kicker. The turn and river were no help to Samaritano and he fled the scene.

10:30:PM: Trip Ducks for Huerto

Joven Huerto earned a happy double up against Rebei Karim who shoved his big stack on a board of [5d][2c][9d][2h][qc]. Huerto snap-called for all his chips and doubled up with his [2s][6h] trips against Karim's [6d][3d] bluff.

10:15PM: Young Quijano doubles up through Trajano

With five players in a limped pot, the dealer laid the flop of [7c][as][kd]. Small blind player Anthony Quijano bet 400, was called by a mid position player, then raised to 2100 by Tin Fu Trajano. Quijano shoved on top of the raise and Trajano called after the mp player folded. Quijano had [kh][7s] for two pair while Trajano had [ah][qc]. The turn of [3c] and river of [2h] kept Quijano on top and he doubled up.

10:00PM: Tate stacking up

On an outer table, Ronnie Tate has already amassed himself a double up. We were unable to catch the hand but we did witness him win a small pot several hands after. From the big blind, Tate checked with two limpers in the hand. At the flop of [jh][ah][8h], everyone checked to the turn of [5c]. Tate bet 750, which was slightly under a pot bet, and won the hand without a challenge.

9:45PM: Lots of Hearts for Andrews

Scott Andrews entered a raised pot preflop with four others vying for the scoop. At the flop of [ad][2h][3h], everyone checked to Dan Samarita who bet 650. He was called by two players, Lester Edoc and Andrews. The turn of [5h] saw the same check action to Samarita who bet 1700. Again he was check-called by both Edoc and Andrews. On the river of [tc], everyone checked and Andrews won the nice pile in the middle with his [kh][th] flush.

9:30PM: Quijano and Fater shove

Anacleto Quijano took down a pot when he shoved on a board of [ah][qh][5d][9s]. His sole opponent, Noam Fater folded. On the next hand, Fater mimicked Quijano's shove on a board of [4s][4c][5s][tc] and got both of his challengers for the pot to fold.

9:15PM: Tech eliminated by Karim

Frenchman Rebei Karim eliminated Filipino poker pro John Tech in just the second level of the Main Event. In a heavy heated raise re-raise action preflop, Tech called Karim's shove with pocket tens against Karim's pocket aces. The board was extra kind to Karim who landed quads while Tech was sent to the rail.

9:00PM: Notables at the Felt

There are 32 players at the felt, spread on four tables. As advertised, this is a 6-table max day 1a. This was decided in order to accommodate for the numerous cash games ongoing on the floor. Some notables already at the felt are Filipino players John Tech, Lester Edoc, Joven Huerto, and Manila Megastack 4 runner-up, Anacleto Quijano.

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