2023 Poker Dream Manila

Super High Roller
Day: 2
Event Info

2023 Poker Dream Manila

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a4
Prize
6,170,000 PHP
Event Info
Buy-in
500,000 PHP
Prize Pool
18,154,500 PHP
Entries
39
Level Info
Level
24
Blinds
100,000 / 250,000
Ante
250,000
Players Info - Day 2
Entries
27
Players Left
1

Chip and a Chair Comeback Victory for Takashi Ogura in 2023 Poker Dream Manila PHP500,000 Super High Roller

Level 24 : Blinds 100,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Takashi Ogura
Takashi Ogura

The 2023 Poker Dream Manila stop has crowned another champion in a high-stakes contest in the Grand Wing Casino of the Newport World Resorts Integrated Resort in Metro Manila. Out of a field of 39 entries in the PHP500,000 Super High Roller, Japan's Takashi Ogura defeated Gary Thompson in heads-up to claim the biggest portion of the PHP18,154,500 ($327,468) prize pool. He did so the hard way after the stack of Ogura was reduced to just half a big blind once the tournament reached the money stages with six players remaining.

Runner-up Thompson recorded his joint-best MTT score on the live poker circuit after a recent victory in the UK Poker Open 2023 £2,000 High Roller back on European soil for £59,530 a few weeks ago in March. His frequent visits to the Philippines have paid off once more as he claimed a consolation prize of PHP4,270,000 ($77,022).

Malaysia's Eng Soon Ewe aimed for a repeat victory in this event after he took down the 2022 Poker Dream Vietnam Super High Roller but finished in third place this time. His brother Eng Siang Ewe was the first player in the money, WSOP bracelet winner Danny Tang and cash game player Ajitpal Singh also received cash prizes as well.

Final Result 2023 Poker Dream Manila PHP500,000 Super High Roller

PlaceWinnerCountryPrize (in PHP)Prize (in USD)
1Takashi OguraJapan6,170,000$111,294
2Gary ThompsonIreland4,270,000$77,022
3Eng Soon EweMalaysia2,720,000$49,063
4Ajitpal SinghSingapore2,090,000$37,699
5Danny TangHong Kong1,634,000$29,474
6Eng Siang EweMalaysia1,270,000$22,908
  Prize Pool18,154,500$327,468
Final Six Players
Final Six Players

The final day saw 15 players out of 27 entries return to their seats of the grand ballroom but the late registration remained open for another three levels, after which the field size grew by nearly 50%. It didn't take long to reduce the field to the final two tables soon after the registration had closed and among those to come up empty during that frantic stage were Paul Fontan Castrillon, Kah Yew Teng, and Wei Hsiang Yeu.

Australia's William Jia went from chip leader on the live-streamed feature table to the rail and the player to claim all of his chips, William Teoh, suffered the same fate later on as well. Poker Dream founder Winfred Yu, Wai Kiat Lee, and Lester Edoc all came up short of the unofficial final table which then commenced with two bangs. Day 1 chip leader Sriharsha Doddapaneni bowed out in the very first hand before a three-way all-in delivered a one-outer for Ewe to burst the bubble just one hand later.

Ogura's hopes of a victory were reduced to all but zero when he jammed into the aces of Eng Siang Ewe but he pulled several rabbits out of the hat thereafter to survive the ensuing all-in showdowns. Instead, it was his former nemesis to become the first player in the money followed by Natural8 ambassador Danny Tang. Three-handed play followed after the departure of Ajitpal Singh, after which the action became more tense.

Stack sizes nearly evened out at one point before Ogura pulled way ahead of his two opponents. He then knocked out Ewe in third place and entered heads-up play with a commanding lead. Thompson came from behind to double once, but ultimately got grinded down again before losing with pocket nines to the suited ace of Ogura.

Gary Thompson
Gary Thompson

This concludes the PokerNews updates for this high-stakes contest and the live reporting team will be back on May 4, 2023, for the 2023 Poker Dream Manila Main Event.

Tags: Ajitpal SinghDanny TangEng Siang EweEng Soon EweGary ThompsonTakashi Ogura

Gary Thompson Eliminated in 2nd Place (PHP4,270,000/$77,022)

Level 24 : Blinds 100,000/250,000, 250,000 ante
Gary Thompson
Gary Thompson

Down to around 4,800,000 on the button, Gary Thompson raised to 600,000 and called all-in when Takashi Ogura pushed all-in.

Gary Thompson: 99
Takashi Ogura: A4

The 1053 flop gave Ogura a gutshot on top of his overcard and back door clubs as well. One of those equity boosting cards came with the 10 turn and the 6 river indeed completed the flush for the Japanese. From being down to half a big blind with six players remaining, Ogura emerged as the champion while Thompson has to settle for second place.

A recap of today's action is to follow.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Takashi Ogura jp
Takashi Ogura
19,500,000
5,200,000
5,200,000
Profile photo of Gary Thompson ie
Gary Thompson
Busted

Tags: Gary ThompsonTakashi Ogura

Eng Soon Ewe Eliminated in 3rd Place (PHP2,720,000/$49,063)

Level 23 : Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Eng Soon Ewe
Eng Soon Ewe

Eng Soon Ewe pushed all-in from the button for 2,200,000 and Takashi Ogura called out of the small blind.

Eng Soon Ewe: J9
Takashi Ogura: KJ

The winner of this very event at the 2022 Poker Dream Vietnam festival was dominated and found no help on the Q425J runout, as Ewe was sent to the rail in third place.

There is now a break of around 15 minutes prior to the heads-up duel and Ogura has a large lead over Gary Thompson.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Takashi Ogura jp
Takashi Ogura
16,000,000
2,000,000
2,000,000
Profile photo of Eng Soon Ewe my
Eng Soon Ewe
Busted

Tags: Eng Soon EweTakashi OguraGary Thompson

Ajitpal Singh Eliminated in 4th Place (PHP2,090,000/$37,699)

Level 21 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Ajitpal Singh
Ajitpal Singh

Takashi Ogura raised to 350,000 on the button and Gary Thompson folded out of the small blind with the 98. Ajitpal Singh then jammed for 2,000,000 in the big blind and Ogura called.

Ajitpal Singh: QJ
Takashi Ogura: 22

The 875 flop and K turn checked nothing whatsoever. Singh had six outs at his disposal but missed them on the 3 river to become the fourth place finisher.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Takashi Ogura jp
Takashi Ogura
8,400,000
2,200,000
2,200,000
Profile photo of Ajitpal Singh sg
Ajitpal Singh
Busted

Tags: Gary ThompsonTakashi OguraAjitpal Singh

Thompson Picks Off Ogura's Bluff

Level 21 : Blinds 60,000/120,000, 120,000 ante
Gary Thompson
Gary Thompson

Takashi Ogura opened to 350,000 out of the small blind with the rather creative 53 and Gary Thompson came along from the big blind with the Q3. Neither player invested any chips on the Q97 flop before Ogura then bet the 2 turn for 430,000, picking up a call from Thompson.

The 10 river completed the board and Ogura fired a final bet worth 800,000. Thompson called with a dry smile on the face and took over the lead from his opponent.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Eng Soon Ewe my
Eng Soon Ewe
6,200,000
-300,000
-300,000
Profile photo of Gary Thompson ie
Gary Thompson
6,000,000
1,600,000
1,600,000
Profile photo of Takashi Ogura jp
Takashi Ogura
5,800,000
-1,600,000
-1,600,000
Profile photo of Ajitpal Singh sg
Ajitpal Singh
1,900,000

Ogura Closes the Gap to Ewe

Level 20 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Takashi Ogura
Takashi Ogura

Eng Soon Ewe made it 200,000 to go with the 1010 and Takashi Ogura flat-called from one seat over on the button with A8.

The J92 flop gave Ogura the nut flush draw and he faced a bet of 250,000 by Ewe, then improved to the nuts on the 6 turn.

Ewe now bet another 600,000 and Ogura flat-called once more with the dead lock on the hand. The 3 on the river was checked by Ewe and Ogura bet 1,400,000 to get paid off by Ewe, essentially evening out the stack sizes atop the leaderboard.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Eng Soon Ewe my
Eng Soon Ewe
6,600,000
-2,500,000
-2,500,000
Profile photo of Takashi Ogura jp
Takashi Ogura
6,500,000
2,600,000
2,600,000

Tags: Eng Soon EweTakashi Ogura

Danny Tang Eliminated in 5th Place (PHP1,634,000/$29,474)

Level 20 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Danny Tang
Danny Tang

After the blinds had moved up, Ajitpal Singh jammed out of the small blind and Danny Tang called all-in from the big blind for the 12 blinds he had behind.

Danny Tang: A3
Ajitpal Singh: A10

While Tang picked up some further equity until the J924 turn, the kicker of Singh played when the 8 river ended Tang's run in fifth place.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ajitpal Singh sg
Ajitpal Singh
3,500,000
1,200,000
1,200,000
Profile photo of Danny Tang hk
Danny Tang
Busted

Tags: Ajitpal SinghDanny Tang

Eng Siang Ewe Eliminated in 6th Place (PHP1,270,000/$22,908)

Level 19 : Blinds 40,000/80,000, 80,000 ante
Eng Siang Ewe
Eng Siang Ewe

For the second hand in a row, Gary Thompson opened the action with a preflop raise, this time from under the gun. It folded to Eng Siang Ewe in the big blind, who pulled the trigger with a shove for 1.1 million. Thompson called and they were off to the races.

Eng Siang Ewe: 99
Gary Thompson: AK

The 87675 board eventually improved Thompson to the nut flush to dispatch one of the Ewe brothers on this final table.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Gary Thompson ie
Gary Thompson
3,000,000
1,000,000
1,000,000
Profile photo of Eng Siang Ewe my
Eng Siang Ewe
Busted

Tags: Eng Siang EweGary Thompson

Ogura Jams at the Wrong Time

Level 18 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Eng Siang Ewe
Eng Siang Ewe

Eng Soon Ewe raised the A6 and then saw Takashi Ogura jam out of the small blind into the big blind of Eng Siang Ewe, who happily called with the best of it. The big stack folded and the cards were revealed.

Eng Siang Ewe: AA
Takashi Ogura: J9

Ewe would have knocked out his brother, who doubled thanks to a Q10663 board. Ogura saw his stack reduced to fumes, and has a mountain to climb.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Eng Soon Ewe my
Eng Soon Ewe
9,900,000
400,000
400,000
Profile photo of Eng Siang Ewe my
Eng Siang Ewe
2,000,000
1,010,000
1,010,000
Profile photo of Takashi Ogura jp
Takashi Ogura
30,000
-1,230,000
-1,230,000

Tags: Eng Siang EweEng Soon EweTakashi Ogura

Ewe Busts Loon and Chen to Burst Bubble in Spectacular Fashion

Level 18 : Blinds 30,000/60,000, 60,000 ante
Lun Loon
Lun Loon

Lun Loon jammed from under the gun for 950,000 and Fei Chen just flat-called. Chip leader Eng Soon Ewe then pushed all-in out of the big blind and Chen snap-called as the players at the table gasped "woooowww's".

Lun Loon: AK
Fei Chen: AA
Eng Soon Ewe: KK

The K87 flop brought an uproar from the live stream table and several players took out their smart phones to record the rest of the showdown. No case ace came for Chen on the J turn and 2 river, as the bubble burst to send the final six players in yet another short break to take a group picture.

Fei Chen
Fei Chen
Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Eng Soon Ewe my
Eng Soon Ewe
9,500,000
3,470,000
3,470,000
Profile photo of Lun Loon my
Lun Loon
Busted
Profile photo of Fei Chen cn
Fei Chen
Busted

Tags: Eng Soon EweFei ChenLun Loon