₱500,000 Super High Roller
Day 2 Completed
2020 PokerStars Red Dragon Manila
₱500,000 Super High Roller
Day: 2
Lester Edoc Wins the First-Ever PokerStars Red Dragon Super High Roller for ₱5,222,000 ($102,127)
Level 21
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
After a heads-up battle of 2.5 hours, 38-year-old Manila native Lester Edoc has won the inaugural PokerStars Red Dragon Manila ₱500,000 Super High Roller for ₱5,222,000 ($102,127) by defeating Florencio Campomanes in the dazzling Okada Manila. The tournament attracted 25 unique players during the first ten levels of Day 1 with 5 players reentering to create a total prize pool of ₱14,113,500 and five players cashing.
“This is one of the best final tables ever!” stated an elated Edoc immediately after taking down his second-largest career score and largest-ever career victory after having been playing professionally for twelve years. “I was short-stacked all the way, from nine players until we got to heads-up [chuckles] then became chip leader, then got down to eight big blinds, then came back to win…”
As a matter of fact, Edoc’s biggest cash took place here in the Okada Manila too when he finished as the runner-up during the 2019 APPT Manila five months ago when he couldn’t win his final all-in against Chaofei Wang. The cash he collected here today will take the Filipino player to over the $1,000,000-mark according to The Hendon Mob. “I think I had the luck this time,” a modest Edoc continued, “I’m very lucky this time but it was a great final table!”
Apart from Edoc and Campomanes, Nang Quang Nguyen, Lei Yu, and Yake Wu have also cashed in the Super High Roller.
PokerStars Red Dragon Manila a ₱500,000 Super High Roller Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (PHP) | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lester Edoc | Philippines | ₱5,222,000 | $102,127 |
| 2 | Florencio Campomanes | Philippines | ₱3,599,000 | $70,386 |
| 3 | Nang Quang Nguyen | Vietnam | ₱2,293,000 | $44,844 |
| 4 | Lei Yu | China | ₱1,658,000 | $32,426 |
| 5 | Yake Wu | China | ₱1,341,500 | $26,236 |
Start of the Day
Out of those 30 entries, eleven players returned to the felt at 1 p.m. local time and it would take less than 20 minutes before the final table was reached. Lei Yu managed to double up through Meng Li with the higher pocket pair with the latter busting in tenth place when he lost the remainder of his stack to Yu. But before Li left the field, Yufei Hui was eliminated by Nguyen when all his chips went over the line on the river with pocket kings. Nguyen held ten-nine suited and had turned a straight to send the second of a total of six Chinese players on Day 2 to the rail.
The Race to the Money
Minh Le managed to double up immediately when there were nine players but then fell to Campomanes when he had flopped a set of sixes but Campomanes had rivered a flush to take Le out. He then claimed another victim in Xiao Ling Li, the only woman to enter the Super High Roller. She managed to double up through Wu but then returned most of those chips back to him. She lost the remainder of her stack when she shoved with pocket jacks and was called by Campomanes who held tens who turned a set and improved to a full house.
Weihao Ma had been short for most of the later parts of Day 1 but doubled up several times to go to bed knowing he still had a shot for a share of the prize pool on the final day. He doubled up through Edoc for just over four big blinds but then lost them all to Wu in a three-way pot which also included Phachara Wongwichit. It was Wu’s turn to have pocket tens to eliminate Ma and leave Wongwichit behind with almost 18 big blinds.
Wongwichit bubbled the Super High Roller when he three-bet shoved his last chips in after Wu had raised and the latter called with ace-king. Wongwichit held pocket sixes and flopped a set but Wu hit a runner-runner straight to secure the min-cash for the rest of the field.
From Five Players to a Winner
Campomanes and Nguyen started at the top of the chip counts at the kick-off and held those throughout most of the day. It would take almost an hour before Wu left the stage when he pushed his stack over the line with jack-ten and Nguyen held tens. Wu picked up a gutshot on the flop but the straight never materialized as Wu was sent to the payout desk to collect a min-cash. Ten minutes later, the last Chinese player in the field was sent to the rail when he was put at risk by Edoc. Yu called with ace-deuce but he couldn’t beat Edoc’s queen-jack who turned a straight.
An hour-and-half later, Nguyen lost his whole stack to Edoc after having had bled chips for a while to make him the short stack. He got his last ten big blinds in with queen-seven and got looked up by Edoc who had found kings in the big blind. Edoc and Campomanes went into heads-up play with pretty even stacks with a difference of only four big blinds.
The chip lead went back and forth several times but after an hour, Campomanes doubled up with a flopped straight against Edoc’s two pair. He held to leave Edoc behind with almost nine big blinds. Edoc doubled up twice before the players decided to discuss a deal. They couldn’t agree on the numbers so heads-up play continued.
Edoc lost his hard-earned chips again to get down to another nine big blinds before doubling up once more on the turn with a gutshot. This signaled the start of Edoc’s rise to the top as he then won a big pot when he flopped top pair, turned two pair, and rivered a full house. In the final hand of the night, Campomanes shoved 15 big blinds in with jack-ten suited and Edoc called with ace-five. No help came on the board as Edoc celebrated and his rail cheered loudly. Campomanes and Edoc congratulated each other on their results, hugged, and chatted a bit more before the latter was pulled away for all the things that come with becoming the first-ever Super High Roller champion at Red Dragon Manila.
This concludes the Super High Roller coverage for the PokerNews live reporting team at Red Dragon Manila but stick around as Day 1a of the Main Event with a guaranteed prize pool of ₱50,000,000 starts at 1 p.m. local time on Monday, January 5 and you can follow all the action right here.
Florencio Campomanes Eliminated in 2nd Place (₱3,599,000 / $70,386)
Level 21
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Lester Edoc shoved from the button and Florencio Campomanes called for his last 1,540,000.
Florencio Campomanes: 
Lester Edoc: 
The flop came 
to keep Edoc ahead.
The turn was the 
to not change things, Campomanes needed a jack or ten to stay alive but the river completed the board with the 
for Edoc to make two pair and claim the first-place prize of ₱5,222,000 ($102,127) and dragon trophy while Campomanes was sent to the payout desk to collect ₱3,599,000 ($70,386) for finishing as the runner-up.
The recap of today's action is to follow.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
7,500,000 | 1,590,000 |
|
Busted |
Campomanes Gets Shorter and Shorter
Level 21
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Lester Edoc has been grinding down Florencio Campomanes and hasn't let up. Edoc called on the button and Campomanes opted to check.
The flop came 
, Campomanes check-called the 150,000 bet of Edoc.
The turn brought them the 
and Campomanes checked again. This time, Edoc bet for over 300,000 and that was enough for Campomanes to fold.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,910,000 | 1,000,000 |
|
|
1,590,000 | -1,000,000 |
Edoc Scores Huge Pot
Level 21
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
After having added some more chips to his stacks after his last double-up, Lester Edoc called on the button and Florencio Campomanes opted to check.
The flop came 
, Campomanes check-called the 125,000 bet of Edoc.
The turn was the 
and Campomanes checked again. Edoc now fired 375,000 over the line which Campomanes called.
The river completed the board for Campomanes to check for the last time. Edoc barreled a continuation-bet of 1,200,000 over the line. Campomanes took his time, used a time bank, and then made the call but mucked when Edoc tabled 
for the full house.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,910,000 | 2,850,000 |
|
|
2,590,000 | -2,850,000 |
Edoc Finds Another Miracle
Level 21
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Lester Edoc shoved from the button for 980,000 and was called by Florencio Campomanes who flipped over his cards and went to a wall to turn to, not wanting to see the runout of the board.
Lester Edoc: 
Florencio Campomanes: 
The flop came 
for Campomanes to hit a pair of eights but for Edoc to pick up the gutshot to a straight.
The turn was the 
to give Edoc the straight indeed and leave Campomanes drawing dead as he secured the double-up.
The dealer dealt the 
on the river to complete the board as Campomanes sat back down to pay Edoc the double-up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,440,000 | -1,185,000 |
|
|
2,060,000 | 1,185,000 |
Half Stack Left for Edoc
Level 21
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
The board read 
when Florencio Campomanes had checked and Lester Edoc had bet on the button. Campomanes responded with a raise to 575,000 which Edoc called.
The river completed the board with the 
and Campomanes shoved for Edoc to fold to.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,625,000 | 725,000 |
|
|
875,000 | -725,000 |
Edoc Claims Some Chips Back
Level 21
: 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Lester Edoc called on the button and Florencio Campomanes opted to check.
They both checked through the 
flop to the on the turn. Campomanes check-called the 125,000 bet of Edoc.
The river completed the board with the 
and Campomanes checked for the last time. Edoc bet 200,000 and Campomanes quickly called. Edoc tabled for two pair which was enough for Campomanes to muck his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,900,000 | 250,000 |
|
|
1,600,000 | -250,000 |
Level: 21
Blinds: 50,000/100,000
Ante: 100,000
Edoc Working on a Comeback
Level 20
: 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Lester Edoc called on the button and Florencio Campomanes opted to check.
They both checked through the 
flop to the 
on the turn. Campomanes check-called the 100,000 bet of Edoc.
The river completed the board with the 
, Campomanes checked for the last time and Edoc bet 350,000. Campomanes called but mucked when Edoc tabled 
for the flopped trip fives.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,650,000 | -610,000 |
|
|
1,850,000 | 610,000 |