Imagine waking up tomorrow and finding there was no more online poker. Imagine there were no more poker rooms. Imagine you couldn't even find a table to cover with a cloth and use to deal a game among your friends.

There are a lot of first world luxuries we take for granted these days, and among them is waking up every day knowing we have a place to play. We are the lucky ones.

Around the world, there are millions of children who have no place to play--not just poker, but anything at all. They don't have fields on which to play football. They don't have playgrounds. They have empty land and no idea what to do with it. The play in garbage dumps or busy streets.

That's where Right to Play comes in. The global charity builds new play spaces all over the planet so children can learn sports and games. It's not just a matter of physical education. It empowers and educates the children while giving them essential life skills needed to overcome the effects of disease, conflict, poverty, and create a sustained change in their communities. Each one of those play spaces can cost as much as €6,000 to build.

On April 10, you can support that effort, play against Team PokerStars Pros, and make a difference in the lives of children all over the world.

Sunday's tournament runs at 14:30 ET. The buy-in is a simple $2, half of which goes to the prize pool and half of which goes to Right to Play.

PokerStars supports Right to Play through its corporate giving program "Helping Hands." Over the past two years, PokerStars, its staff, and its players have helped fund the training of more than 6,000 volunteer coaches who will in turn support more than 400,000 children worldwide. Now, Helping Hands is aiming to help build play spaces around the globe.

Jake Cody and Fatima Moreira de Melo have been part of the Right to Play effort for the past two years and will be in the tournament on Sunday. They'll be joined by other members of Team PokerStars Pro and Team PokerStars Pro Online.

So, while you're sitting down for your Sunday tournaments this weekend, be sure to sign up for the Right to Play tournament. You can search for it by name in the PokerStars lobby or look for tournament #1524718479.

It's an easy mistake to make. Even as you read this you might be looking at pictures of Monaco, or the Salles des Etoiles where the EPT Main Event takes place, with its retractable roof and uninterrupted view of the Riviera, and be thinking: "nice, but surely not something I could ever do." 

Salles des Etoile in Monaco

You wouldn't be alone either. Over the years we've met a great many men and women who thought the same: it happens to other people, those with more time and money, and besides it's a game for young men with the brains of mathematicians- in short: not me. Funnily enough we meet these people in Monaco, just as they're about to sit down to play the EPT Grand Final Main Event. 

This week we heard from two more. 

Gun Täljö and Eva Jiretorn are two Swedish women packing sun block and card protectors ready to board flights to the Mediterranean coast in about three weeks from now. Both are recreational players, both work full time, both have those doubts and obligations that make trips like this seem impossible. And yet both are about to play the biggest tournament of their lives thanks to a few Euros in a PokerStars Spin & Go. 

Poker has never been more than recreation to Täljö, 56, who while working a job she loves as an economic administrator, has been playing poker for as long as she can remember. It's a great way to unwind away from work and win a few Euros, especially in quick tournaments with small fields, the games she prefers because, as she explained it, she lacks patience.  It makes her a perfect fit for Spin & Gos. 

Gun Täljö

And so last month Täljö logged on in the usual way, and feeling adventurous switched to €10 Spin & Go's from her usual €7 games. She described what happened next as "truly amazing". In the first Spin & Go she played that night she won €20. In the next a Monaco package worth €9,000. 

"EPT is something I never ever even imagined playing... and to win was truly a shock," she said, before confessing: "When I really try to qualify for something I normally never do but when I don't that's when I succeed."

Something similar happened to Eva Jiretorn.

By day she handles communications for one of Sweden's largest banks, at other times she's a recreational poker player both online or live, and has been for around five years now. She's even tried an EPT Ladies event before. But now she's on her way to her first EPT Main Event. 

Eve Jiretorn

"I felt a little bit bored since I only had one tournament going and it was very late at night," said Jiretorn. "Then I remembered that a friend of mine played just a few weeks ago and won a package to Monte Carlo. I thought to myself 'why not give it a shot?' I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the golden ticket, and then I won the Sit & Go too." 

The result for Jiretorn, just like Täljö, is a package worth €9,000 that includes luxury accommodation at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort, travel expenses and that Main Event seat - and all for a few Euros spent playing what she going to play anyway. The sunshine, the scenery, and the unforgettable experience we throw in for free.

That's their story, and we'll look forward to hearing how it ends. For now, feel free to start your own story. Just remember it can happen, and you'll be in good company. 

A look at all the major stories from this past weekend on PokerStars.

Weekend highlights

* AlexanGeo wins the Sunday Million which again featured a big field
* Bjartefau takes down the Sunday Million
* London set to host new UKIPT season

Round up of latest results

Kristen Bihr put it best. She made the point that the effects of the enormous Tenth Anniversary Sunday Million two weeks ago are still being felt. Looking at the numbers this weekend she was absolutely right.

It's worth noting this for the future - that in the wake of a big anniversary tournament, the disturbance to what we consider routine takes some time to settle. Last weekend there were more than 7,000 players, and this week more than 6,000 - still some way above average.

And with big fields come big prize pools. In this case a first prize of $144,000, which went to Greek player AlexanGeo after a four-way deal.

As Bihr reported, it appeared at once stage that deal would collapse over the relatively modest sum of $2,000. Reason prevailed though, which you can read about in the report.

Elsewhere in the Sunday Warm-Up bjartefau captured the first prize of 77610, ahead of a final table that also featured Aaron "Aguskb" Gustavson, and Bruno "Bruno chato" Nunes. David Aydt has the full report, which you can read here.

Here are those results in full:

PokerStars Sunday Million results (4/3/16)
Entrants: 6,271
Prize pool: $1,254,200.00
Places paid: 900

1. AlexanGeo (Greece) $144,100.20*
2. Lekerov (Kazakhstan) $125,000.00*
3. neto gol (Brazil) $142,082.26*
4. HKongBanker (United Kingdom) $90,000.00*
5. gigibaston (Romania) $52,676.40
6. SPEWTARD (Peru) $40,134.40
7. placebo36251 (Canada) $27,592.40
8. GR8MIND (Canada) $15,050.40
9. Achilles591 (Luxembourg) $9,720.05
* reflects the results of a four-way deal that left $20,000 in play for the winner

PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up results(4/3/16)
Entrants: 2,456
Prize pool: $491,200.00
Places paid: 360

1. bjartefau (Norway) $77,610.00
2. imluckbox (Australia) $58,290.70
3. dennishtm (Austria) $41,752.00
4. Aaron "Aguskb" Gustavson (Mexico) $28,735.20
5. TMoney0209 (Canada) $21,858.40
6. Pa3yM (Russia) $16,946.40
7. Bruno "Bruno chato" Nunes (Brazil) $12,034.40
8. Spowi07 (Austria) $7,122.40
9. poosnack11 (Canada) $4,175.20

The weekend's top online tournament winners

Click here for the complete list of major results on PokerStars for the weekend of April 2 to 3, 2016.

From online to live

Our attention now turns to London where the United Kingdom and Ireland Poker Tour begins its sixth season tomorrow at the Hippodrome Casino.

There's not much to add to what we've already written about it, other than to say that our live coverage begins when play starts on Wednesday for the Main Event, continuing through the final day on Sunday. For details of the Tour itself, check out the UKIPT homepage.

That's everything for another weekend on PokerStars. As always send your questions and comments to us on Twitter: @PokerStarsBlog.

Could a $500,000 deal really fall apart over as little as $2,000? If you've followed the Sunday Majors at all over the years, you know the answer is a resounding "yes." When tonight's field was down to four players, chip leader neto gol cleverly used his position to squeeze a little extra cash out of his opponents during the deal negotiations. One, however, was unwilling to budge. Once HKongBanker and Lekerov offered enough extra incentive to neto gol to inch the deal closer, AlexanGeo decided he wasn't willing to sweeten the pot any further from his end. This move appeared to offend neto gol, who wondered why AlexanGeo thought he could remain exempt from his demands. It appeared that the 40 minutes of negotiations over the division of over half a million dollars in prize money would evaporate over $2,000, but neto gol finally relented. Neto gol got the largest share of the four-way deal, but busted in third place, leaving Lekerov heads-up with AlexanGeo. Although Lekerov had a huge chip advantage and AlexanGeo got his chips in with the worst of it, he hit the perfect river card to double up in a massive pot and completely turn the tables. Moments later, AlexanGeo closed out the upset win and defeated Lekerov to claim his first Sunday Million title.

Two weeks later, the effects of the massive 10th anniversary Million are still being felt. Although down from last week's 7,000+ players, the Million drew a robust crowd of 6,271, bringing the total prize pool up to $1,254,200.00. 900 players earned a share of it with $190,767.96 up top.

The blinds were up to 150,000/300,000 with ten players remaining. With the action folded to him in the small blind, chip leader neto gol made it 750,000 to go and ShaiStar moved all-in for 5.23 million from the big blind. Neto gol called, his [9c][9s] crushing ShaiStar's [2c][2d]. The nines held up on the [Ks][7c][7s][6h][Qd] board and neto gol advanced to the final table, ending ShaiStar's run in tenth place.

Final table chip counts

Seat 1: AlexanGeo (10,626,949 in chips)
Seat 2: SPEWTARD (6,109,022 in chips)
Seat 3: neto gol (23,572,413 in chips)
Seat 4: placebo36251 (2,597,056 in chips)
Seat 5: gigibaston (3,614,760 in chips)
Seat 6: HKongBanker (2,326,872 in chips)
Seat 7: Achilles591 (4,856,102 in chips)
Seat 8: Lekerov (4,920,288 in chips)
Seat 9: GR8MIND (4,086,538 in chips)

Once again, the Million produced a distinguished final table. Tonight's final nine included a SCOOP champion, a Super Tuesday winner, and two players who have previously final tabled the Million. Gigibaston was runner-up back in October 2012 and Achilles591 finished ninth in January 2013.

Lekerov got off to an excellent start at the final table when he doubled through neto gol. Lekerov's [Ac][Jc] flopped aces and jacks against neto gol's pocket sevens and he moved up to 9.5 million in chips. Two hands later, HKongBanker also doubled, his [As][Kd] flopping a king and rivering an ace against Achilles591's pocket jacks. Achilles591 was left with 3 million in chips and a few hands later, three-bet shoved for 2.36 million with [Ks][Qc]. Unfortunately for him, neto gol called with [Ac][Qs] and turned an ace to eliminate Achilles591 in ninth place.

Moments later, Lekerov opened for a min-raise to 800,000 with [Kd][Jc] and GR8MIND moved in on the button for 1.9 million with [Kh][8h]. Lekerov called and flopped a jack on the [Jd][Tc][6c][2d][9c] board, ending GR8MIND's run in eighth place. Four hands later, AlexanGeo opened for 800,000 with pocket threes and placebo36251 called all-in for 777,056 with [Qs][8s]. Although the [Qc][7h][2s] flop favored placebo36251, AlexanGeo spiked the [3d] on the turn to make a set. The [Kd] peeled off on the river and AlexanGeo raked in the pot, while placebo36251 hit the rail in seventh place.

With the blinds up to 250,000/500,000, SPEWTARD three-bet shoved for 9.46 million with [Kc][Js] and initial min-raiser Lekerov called with [Ac][Qc]. Although SPEWTARD picked up a flush draw on the turn, Lekerov made aces up on the [Ad][8c][4c][7c][Qh] board and sent SPEWTARD packing in sixth place. With that pot, Lekerov took the chip lead with 21 million, neto gol hot on his heels with 18.1 million.

However, on the next deal, AlexanGeo opened for 1,000,000 on the button and gigibaston three-bet to 3.25 million from the big blind. AlexanGeo popped it to 6,952,500, gigibaston shoved and AlexanGeo called. AlexanGeo's [Ah][Td] held up against gigibaston's [Ad][9d] on the [Ks][6c][6h][3h][Th] board and gigibaston's run at the title came to a close in fifth place.

At this point, the final four agreed to pause the action and discuss a potential deal. Here's how they stacked up:

neto gol 22,611,595
Lekerov 17,845,331
AlexanGeo 16,082,525
HKongBanker 6,170,549

When presented with chip chop and ICM numbers, AlexanGeo, HKongBanker and Lekerov were quick to agree to the ICM deal. However, neto gol wanted more. He asked for $3,300 from each player added to his $135k ICM share (which would bring it up to about $2k over chip chop). HKongBanker offered $3,000, and Lekerov was willing to reduce his share from $127,524 to an even $125k. AlexanGeo, however, felt that an extra $5,700 was plenty for neto gol and wasn't willing to donate to the cause. HKongBanker, the short stack and perhaps the most motivated to close the deal, upped his contribution to $4,400, but Lekerov held fast to his $2,752 contribution.

Neto gol seemed satisfied with these numbers and the final table host recalculated the shares. However, when the numbers were presented again, neto gol didn't snap-agree like his three opponents. Instead, he wanted an explanation from AlexanGeo as to why he was too good to give up any money.

neto gol: hmmm
neto gol: hmmmm
HKongBanker: cmon neto, lets be friends
neto gol: i dont understand
neto gol: why alexan is thinking hes the best here
neto gol: and cant give me my k
AlexanGeo: hahahaha
HKongBanker: you got your 7k
neto gol: 2
neto gol: thats not the question

Neto gol stated that if the situation were reversed, he would have given up $2,000 to AlexanGeo. As neto gol claimed "It's not an ego thing," HKongBanker grew worried the deal would blow up... they had been stopped down for 40 minutes for negotiations at this point.

HKongBanker: it's a huge sum of money, please don't do this over 2k

Just as things were looking grim, neto gol said he was kidding and agreed to the terms.

neto gol: OK AGREE I WAS JUST KIDING

Cards went back in the air and it wasn't long before HKongBanker committed the rest of his chips pre-flop. He opened for 1.2 million from the small blind with [Ah][7s], Lekerov shoved for 23 million from the big blind with [9c][9s] and HKongBanker called. Although HKongBanker flopped a seven, he did not improve any further on the [Ts][7d][4c][Th][4d] board and went out in fourth place, while Lekerov moved into the chip lead with 30.8 million.

Then, in the largest pot of the tournament thus far, Lekerov opened for a min-raise to 1,000,000 and neto gol called from the big blind. Neto gol checked the [Ts][7s][7h] flop, Lekerov bet 888,000 and neto gol raised to 2,607,840. Lekerov three-bet to 5 million, neto gol four-bet, Lekerov shoved and neto gol called, his flopped trips with [7d][8h] up against Lekerov's nut flush draw with [As][Ks]. The [Qh] turn was good for neto gol, but the [4s] river was a disaster, making Lekerov an ace-high flush. Neto gol hit the rail in third place as Lekerov raked in the 34.7 million pot.

Heads-up chip counts

Seat 1: AlexanGeo (18,282,525 in chips)
Seat 8: Lekerov (44,427,475 in chips)

Lekerov had nearly a 2.5 to 1 chip lead going into heads-up play and took half of AlexanGeo's stack straight away. On a [Th][6d][2d] flop, AlexanGeo check-called 932,400, then led out for 1,929,312 when the [Qs] turned. Lekerov called and the [Kc] hit the river. AlexanGeo fired another 3,627,106 and Lekerov raised to 17.26 million. It was too rich for AlexanGeo and he gave up his hand, leaving himself with 7.6 million behind. However, AlexanGeo doubled a few hands later when his [3h][3d] flopped a set against Lekerov's [Kc][Qc]. Back up to 23 million in chips, AlexanGeo picked up [Kd][9h] and three-bet Lekerov's 1.2 million min-raise to 3,000,000. Lekerov four-bet to 6 million, AlexanGeo shoved and Lekerov called, revealing [Ah][Qd]. It looked like it could be the end for AlexanGeo when the flop came down [7h][5c][5s] and the [4c] turned, but amazingly, the [9c] rivered, making AlexanGeo a winning pair of nines. He took down the massive 46.8 million pot, leaving Lekerov on 15.9 million.

With the blinds up to 300,000/600,000 and 11.5 million behind, Lekerov picked up [Ac][Ks] and opened for 1.2 million. AlexanGeo shoved from the big blind and Lekerov called.

Lekerov [Ac][Ks]
AlexanGeo [4d][4s]

AlexanGeo had the poker gods on his side again as the board rolled out [8s][6c][5c][Qs][7d]. His pair of fours improved to an eight-high straight and AlexanGeo locked up his first Sunday Million title.

Congratulations to AlexanGeo on joining the ranks of Sunday Million champions! He banked $144,100.20 for the win, while runner-up Lekerov earned $125,000.00.

PokerStars Sunday Million results (4/3/16)
Entrants: 6,271
Prize pool: $1,254,200.00
Places paid: 900

1. AlexanGeo (Greece) $144,100.20*
2. Lekerov (Kazakhstan) $125,000.00*
3. neto gol (Brazil) $142,082.26*
4. HKongBanker (United Kingdom) $90,000.00*
5. gigibaston (Romania) $52,676.40
6. SPEWTARD (Peru) $40,134.40
7. placebo36251 (Canada) $27,592.40
8. GR8MIND (Canada) $15,050.40
9. Achilles591 (Luxembourg) $9,720.05

*= reflects the results of a four-way deal that left $20,000 in play for the winner

Live victories and Major online victories: the final table players of the $425,000 guarantee Sunday Warm-Up had both and were looking to claim another. However, bjartefau would quietly stay in charge and after a chop attempt went for naught, bjartefau would take away the full $77,610.00 as this week's winner.

Read on below for the final table action.

Guntis "poker@luffyD" Aleskins, runner-up in 2014 World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP) Event #2 and the Sunday Million back in 2013, would not get that long deserving Major title after finishing in 14th place ($2,505.12) here.

Imluckbox proved to own the logon name towards the latter part of the eighth hour, after being all-in with big slick [Ks][Ah] against LeoAlcantara's aces [Ac][Ad]. A turned straight [Th] [Qd] [3c] [Js] [3s] would right the ship all the way to nearly taking the chip lead by the end of the hour. Imluckbox got close here finishing in 11th place in February , but looking to take a big chip stack into the final table instead of another near-miss.

The ten players remaining at the eighth hourly break would come back to hand-for-hand play and determine who would get a shot at $77K and a consolation prize of $3,192.80. imluckbox continued the upwards streak 20 minutes into hand-for-hand play with the blinds up to 50K/100K ante 10K imluckbox would raise to 262,500 as LeoAlcantara was now the player in trouble shoving all-in for 1.57 million. imluckbox made the call with [Kd][Qc] as LeoAlcantara turned up [Ad][Th]. The king would wait until the turn to appear [7c] [7h] [Jh] [Ks] [Ts] as the final table started up below:

Seat 1: Bruno chato (1321468 in chips)
Seat 2: bjartefau (1859139 in chips)
Seat 3: Aguskb (3875410 in chips)
Seat 4: Pa3yM (1507930 in chips)
Seat 5: imluckbox (5344511 in chips)
Seat 6: poosnack11 (2417989 in chips)
Seat 7: Spowi07 (2160709 in chips)
Seat 8: dennishtm (3649927 in chips)
Seat 9: TMoney0209 (2422917 in chips)

While hand-for-hand play lingered on for 20 minutes, eliminating the first player at the final table would only take three hands. Shortly after the blinds moved up to 65K/130K ante 13K poosnack11 would open for a min-raise UTG as dennishtm shoved for 3.6 million two chairs over. Poosnack11, fresh off a Sunday 2nd Chance victory last month, would make the call all-in with queens [Qd][Qh]. Dennisthm's [Ks][Ad] was up for the challenge flopping an ace [Ac] [2d] [7d] [3c] [Js] knocking out poosnack11 in ninth place ($4,175.20).

There would be no flipping for dennishtm's next challenge. With the blinds moving up 80K/160K ante 16K Spowi07 tried to squeeze the chip leader for the blinds with a 1.91 million chip shove holding [Kc][7h]. But, dennishtm was ready to rock with a better kicker [7d][Ah] and the diamond [8d] [6d] [9d] [Jd] [8s], along with four on the board, helped end Spowi07's night in eighth place ($7,122.40).

Five hands later dennishtm kept up the aggression with a raise to 347,200 as Bruno chato shoved for 1.5 million. Imluckbox did not want to give away the big blind and re-shoved for 5.29 million holding pocket tens [Th][Ts]. Dennishtm would concede the floor and folded as Bruno chato turned up [Tc][As]. Bruno "Bruno chato" Nunes was looking for his second Major victory this year after taking down the 2016 Turbo Championship of Online Poker (TCOOP) Event #7 for $49K. The second win would need to wait another day as Nunes' [Tc][As] failed to find an ace on the [7c] [6s] [2h] [3s] [Ks] board to take $12,034.40 in seventh place.

On the next hand dennishtm was at it again looking for a third elimination three-betting Pa3yM all-in. Pa3yM was up for a fight calling all-in for 2.18 million with [Ad][9c] and towering over dennishtm's [8s][Ah]. But, another four-flush for dennishtm [Th] [3s] [2h] [5h] [6h] would send Pa3yM to the sidelines in sixth place ($16,946.40).

Bang. Bang. Bang. A poker tournament reporter's dream as frighteningly quick exits would leave us with four players still in the 80K/160K ante 16K blind level. The PokerStars Host did not even have the chance to say good luck to Nunes yet and a second player would be asked to leave. This time it was TMoney0209, who has WCOOP and TCOOP final tables including one this year in TCOOP's Event #47 earning $66K for sixth place. But, those cashes could not get queens [Qd][Qh] to hold against bjartefau's [Ad][Kc] on the [2s] [Ah] [7s] [7c] [3h] board earning another big cash of $21,858.40 in fifth place.

Why stop at three straight? Not sure if I have seen this outside of a TCOOP tournament but on the fourth consecutive hand another player with impressive online and live wins would be asked to come back at another time. Aaron "Aguskb" Gustavson won the European Poker Tour London Main Event in season six and the Sunday Warm-Up. Unfortunately, Aaron's return to the Sunday Warm-Up final table would not end in victory after shoving 2.73 million over a raise and a call with big slick [Kc][Ac]. It looked good for Gustavson after bjartefau called with [Ad][Tc] but a ten on the flop [4s] [Qh] [Ts] [3s] [5c] would end his run at a second Warm-Up title in fourth place ($28,735.20).

After that furious run the players would try to settle down with some chop talks. After looking at the chip and ICM chops the threesome decided they were better off playing it out for the $77K still sitting up top.

About ten minutes later with the blinds up to 100K/200K ante 20K with bjartefau holding over half the chips in play imluckbox and dennsihtm would flip their near identical stacks to see who would play heads-up for the title. Dennishtm's [As][9s] would not catch up to imluckbox's pocket sevens [7c][7d] on the all-low [8c] [6d] [2s] [2h] [2d] board as dennishtm was left with less than a small blind. Those chips would go to imluckbox on the next hand as dennishtm pick up $41,752.00 in third place.

Bjartefau would start with a 14.1 million to imluckbox's 10.4 million and with a low blinds, could have been a long, drawn-out battle for the Sunday Warm-Up title. But, bjartefau threatened to end it quickly after notching two big pots in the first three hand taking a 17.9 million to 6.6 million lead.

Ten minutes later after hanging around and scoring a double-up, imluckbox would briefly take the chip lead.

For one hand.

Another ten minutes later with the blinds up to 150K/300K ante 30K and bjartefau holding a 17 million to 7.5 million chip lead imluckbox would shove over a min-raise with [Ah][9d] as bjartefau snap-called with pocket jacks [Jh][Jc]. A lack of an ace on the [3c] [Kh] [7s] [5h] [8s] board shipped $77,610.00 and the weekly Sunday Warm-Up title to bjartefau!

PokerStars Sunday Warm-Up results (04-03-2016)

Entrants: 2,456
Prize pool: $491,200.00
Places paid: 360

1. bjartefau (Norway) $77,610.00
2. imluckbox (Australia) $58,290.70
3. dennishtm (Austria) $41,752.00
4. Aaron "Aguskb" Gustavson (Mexico) $28,735.20
5. TMoney0209 (Canada) $21,858.40
6. Pa3yM (Russia) $16,946.40
7. Bruno "Bruno chato" Nunes (Brazil) $12,034.40
8. Spowi07 (Austria) $7,122.40
9. poosnack11 (Canada) $4,175.20

Want to gear up for the Sunday Majors or the upcoming Spring Championship of Online Poker? Click here to a get PokerStars account.

It was a wild five days at PokerStars Live Manila with the P1M Guarantee Main Event charging in like a tornado. This was the first time an event of its kind was introduced in the country. Players could choose between three different qualifying tournaments with each one representing a different structure and a different buy-in. There were a total of four day one flights with two heats per flight. With blinds escalating every 15 minutes, it was nothing but action all around the room. At the end of all the flights, the event saw a total of 885 entries, which resulted in an overlay, and only 51 qualifying into the final day.

Fighting his way through the madness of the final day was Filipino player Michael De Leon. De Leon began the day in the middle of the pack and landed some big pots, one especially when he railed Norway's Tommy Stroem with his [3h][9h] against Stroem's [ah][qs]. Both players connected on the board however De Leon further improved when his other card also found a pair.

Upon entering the final table, De Leon was second-in-chips to Filipino player Jay Lapidan but only by a single 5k chip. Kicking back cool at the table, players were clearly unaware of the silent storm about to make landfall at the table. And then it happened. The aggressive playing Conrado Pumicpic was first to feel the blow when De Leon killed his flame in 9th place.

Having reached the 1M chip mark, he watched again in silence as Vivencho Nachor tried to seize control after eliminating Zhinning Chen in 8th place. The other big stack, Lapidan joined the fun and railed Darwin Santelices in 7th place. But Nachor wasn't done. He tested the table with numerous raises and won many pots until he ended Sam Peralta's day in 6th place. Then the storm that was De Leon made his move again.

He eliminated Lapidan in 5th place with his [9c][9s] standing strong against [kd][td]. Minutes after, it was Nachor's time to feel the winds pin him down. Nachor moved all in with [jc][9d] and was unable to get past De Leon's [qc][jh]. He finished in 4th place.

At three-handed, De Leon was impenetrable with over half the chips in play in his section. And it just kept growing. The two short stacks finally had to get something going and they battled against each other while De Leon sat in wait for the next opportunity to lay his siege. He didn't have to wait long as Julius Lagman crippled down Antonio Ona, and De Leon finishing Ona off in 3rd place.

The heads up round began with De Leon ahead in chips, just past a 2:1 advantage. He had to be careful against Lagman for two reasons. Lagman came into the final day as the overall chip leader and most especially that one double up would instantly flip the chip lead. After eight hands of no flop, Lagman called De Leon's all in on the ninth hand. De Leon had [kd][4c] and Lagman with [kc][3c]. When the flop ran [7d][4s][jh] De Leon was on his way to the title, and with the turn of [9c] and river of [qh], De Leon exclaimed a breath of victory, earning himself the P140,000 first place purse and the prestigious Main Event trophy.

For a detailed read on the action at the final day and the final table, just click the link Final Day Action.

Final Table Payouts
1st Michael De Leon - Philippines - P140,000 (deal made)
2nd Julius Lagman - Philippines - P130,000 (deal made)
3rd Antonio Ona - Philippines - P115,000 (deal made)
4th Vivencho Nachor - Philippines - P55,800
5th Jay Lapidan - Philippines - P40,600
6th Sam Peralta - Philippines - P32,100
7th Darwin Santelices - Philippines - P25,400
8th Zhinning Chen - China - P21,100
9th Conrado Pumicpic - Philippines - P16,900

Here we go! The PokerStars Live Manila P1M Guarantee gets underway with 51 players returning for their final battle. The eventual winner will take home P190,000 in cold hard cash and the victory trophy. Coming in with the largest stack is Julius Lagman with 262,500 chips and bringing up the rear is John King with 25,000 chips. We will post random updates throughout the day and a blow-by-blow reporting of the final table.

1:30PM: Eliminations galore

After one hour of final day action, 13 players have already fallen to the wayside. First to get the domino boot rolling was Kevin Paul dela Cruz followed by Christian Ortanez, Nominel Maturan, Joe De Guzman, Anacleto Quijano, Cristopher Runas, and surprisingly, one of the big stacks of the day, Christopher Mateo.