Uday Bansal Wins PokerStars Festival Manila For $92,793

(Photo: Pokerstars.com)

Just a few days after Sam Grafton took down the Bucharest leg of the PokerStars Festival series, it was the turn of Philippine’s capital Manila to host a far eastern stop on the new tour – and this time it was Indian Uday Bansal who emerged victorious in the Main Event, scooping the title and $92,793!

Bansal’s win launched him up to number 24 in the all-time Indian live tournament money-winner’s list and dwarfed his previous best cash for 2nd spot in the 2015 India Poker Championships Main Event, which had brought him $15,942 and poker recognition in his homeland.

His route to the Manila title, however, was not an easy one – 593 other hopefuls lining up in the $1100 buy-in event, and again breaking numbers records as Bucharest did the previous week, the 20million Philippine peso prize-fund guarantee being smashed, resulting in $571,420 up for grabs.

It was a distinctly international affair when play came down to the final table of nine, players from as far afield as Vietnam, South Korea, Australia, UK, Finland and Denmark – as well as India Bansal and local favourite, Mike Takayama.

When the Vietnamese pair bust out early, it increased the chances that either Razavi or Takayama could improve on their performances from last year – both men doing back-to-back final table runs – but neither could quite last the distance here in Manila.

First Razavi ran his big blind jam with an offsuit ace-eight into Finland’s Antii Halme and  his Q♠ Q♥ to finish in 6th spot, and then Takayama did almost exactly the same, his same Ace-eight falling foul of Halme’s pocket jacks this time!

Down to just three, each guaranteed an excellent payday, it was Denmark’s Michael Falcon who would depart next, the PokerStars blog describing it thus… ‘

‘Michael Falcon had been near the top of the chip counts for nearly two days straight and was absent during final table player introductions because he was simultaneously playing the final table of the PokerStars Cup at a neighbouring table.

His sick run came to an end in the Main Event when he moved all in with 7♠3♦ on a 9♣4♥5♣ flop but was picked off by Bansal with Q♠9♦. The J♦ turn and 8♦ river rolled off and Falcon couldn't best a third place finish.’

Bansal and Halme, then, would battle it out for the winner’s spot on the podium, and it was a tough hour-long fight which saw Bansal gradually pull away from his Finnish opponent. When the final hand arrived, he had a 10:1 chip lead – and the Finn was rather unlucky to make his last stand with A♣T♠ only to find Bansal with A♥J♠ and when the turn fell the J♦, Bansal had crossed the finishing line.

Interestingly, Bansal’s two big wins have made him a rupee millionaire and a peso millionaire! What next for the Indian poker wonder?

PokerStars Festival Manila Main Event Final Results