Pics From the PokerStars Festival Manila Main Event Final Table
2017 PokerStars Festival Manila
Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2017 PokerStars Festival Manila
Buy-in
55,000 PHP
Prize Pool
28,809,000 PHP
Entries
594
Level
28
Blinds
40,000 / 80,000
Ante
10,000
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 |
|---|---|---|
|
2,000,000
500,000
|
500,000 |
|
1,300,000
-375,000
|
-375,000 |
|
700,000
-45,000
|
-45,000 |
|
||
|
600,000
-200,000
|
-200,000 |
|
400,000
-330,000
|
-330,000 |
Andre Peters Eliminated in 10th Place (PHP385,000)
Level 25
: 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
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: 
Michael Falcon: 
Peters looked to be in great shape for a double up with the dominating hand and maintained his lead on the 
flop. Both players were on their feet and the 
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 
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 |
|---|---|---|
|
6,100,000
1,450,000
|
1,450,000 |
|
Busted |
Seat Draw of the Unofficial Final Table
Level 25
: 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
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.
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antti Halme | Finland | 1,995,000 | 50 |
| 2 | Michael Falcon | Denmark | 6,135,000 | 153 |
| 3 | Kenneth Buck | Australia | 495,000 | 12 |
| 4 | Mike Takayama | Philippines | 605,000 | 15 |
| 5 | Hoa Thinh Nguyen | Vietnam | 850,000 | 21 |
| 6 | Sam Razavi | United Kingdom | 1,265,000 | 32 |
| 7 | Tien Than Nguyen | Vietnam | 380,000 | 10 |
| 8 | Jaehyun Lim | South Korea | 740,000 | 19 |
| 9 | Uday Bansal | India | 5,315,000 | 133 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,135,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
|
5,315,000
115,000
|
115,000 |
|
|
1,995,000
-5,000
|
-5,000 |
|
|
1,265,000
-35,000
|
-35,000 |
|
850,000
-50,000
|
-50,000 |
|
|
740,000
140,000
|
140,000 |
|
|
605,000
-95,000
|
-95,000 |
|
|
||
|
495,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
|
380,000
-20,000
|
-20,000 |
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.
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 
.
Both players checked and the 
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 
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 
and Falcon checked the action over to the Finn, who c-bet 80,000 and was quickly called.
The 
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 
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 
for a missed backdoor club draw, meaning Halme’s 
was enough to take the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,025,000
-1,110,000
|
-1,110,000 |
|
|
2,600,000
605,000
|
605,000 |
|
|
1,100,000
495,000
|
495,000 |
|
|
||
Lim Shoves the Flop
Level 25
: 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
Tien Than Nguyen raised to 85,000 and showed 
when all opponents had folded. The next hand, Nguyen raised to 85,000 again and flashed the after Sam Razavi folded jack-four off suit.
Fast forward one hand, Antti Halme made it 85,000 to go from early position and Michael Falcon called from one seat over. Jaehyun Lim defended his big blind and checked the flop of 
. Halme bet 100,000 and Falcon called before Lim was sent into the think tank. After giving it some thought for two minutes, the Korean check-raised all in for 615,000 and both opponents folded.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
4,900,000
-125,000
|
-125,000 |
|
|
2,450,000
-150,000
|
-150,000 |
|
|
1,050,000
310,000
|
310,000 |
|
|
550,000
170,000
|
170,000 |
Bansal Takes From Tien Than Nguyen; Falcon Takes From Bansal
Level 25
: 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
The shorter stacked of the final tables two Vietnamese players, Tien Than Nguyen opened the action with a raise to 90,000 from the button and Uday Bansal defended from the big blind to take play heads-up to a flop of 
with both players checking the action.
The 
turn saw Bansal lead out for 100,000 and Nguyen made a quick call and the river completed the hand and the betting.
Bansal rolled over 
for a turned two pairs and Nguyen disgustedly flicked his cards into the muck and is now getting dangerously short.
Falcon won the next hand against Bansal after raising the action early to 95,000 from under-the-gun with the Indian player defending from the small blind.
It was all check on the 
flop, Bansal led out for 115,000 on the 
turn and Falcon called to bring both players to the river.
A cagey Bansal checked the action over to the Dane, folding out when Falcon fired for 250,000. Falcon took the next hand after that as well after a button raise to 90,000 from Bansal and a Halme call in the small blind with the Dane squeezing to 250,000 from the big blind to take it down pre-flop.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,300,000
400,000
|
400,000 |
|
|
5,140,000
-175,000
|
-175,000 |
|
|
400,000
-150,000
|
-150,000 |
Razavi Chips up Against Falcon
Level 25
: 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
Sam Razavi raised to 80,000 and Michael Falcon defended from the small blind, then check-called a bet of 65,000 on the 
flop. The turn brought no betting action and Falcon took the lead with a bet of 200,000 on the river.
Razavi quickly tossed in a single chip for the call and Falcon shook his head, then announced queen-high. Razavi turned over 
and that won the pot as Falcon mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,000,000
-300,000
|
-300,000 |
|
|
1,600,000
335,000
|
335,000 |
Bansal Takes From Halme
Level 25
: 20,000/40,000, 5,000 ante
Hoa Thinh Nguyen raised to 95,000 and Jaehyun Lim called, as did Uday Bansal in the hijack. The flop fell 
and the action checked to big stack Bansal, who bet 125,000 to claim the pot.
One hand later, Bansal made it 90,000 to go and Antti Halme three-bet to 260,000 from the hijack. Once the action was back on Bansal, he called and the flop fell 
. Bansal was first to act and bet 225,000, which Halme called. A fourth spade on the 
turn and Bansal's second bet of 325,000 did the trick to force a fold.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
5,950,000
810,000
|
810,000 |
|
|
1,800,000
-650,000
|
-650,000 |
|
|
1,000,000
-50,000
|
-50,000 |
|
|
600,000
-250,000
|
-250,000 |