John Clyde Tan Bags Lead At MSE Main Event Day 1B; Ladies Come Out Strong, Fernandez Reigns

Another bustling day at the 2026 Metro Summer Event with Day 1B of the Main Event bringing plenty of firepower to the tables of the Metro Card Club.

Out of the 117 that registered and re-entered were local heroes such as Mike Takayama, Vamerdino Magsakay, Edgar Asehan, recently minted Philip Baider (MSE 100K Special champion), and Lester Edoc – fresh from a victory in Taiwan. Unfortunately for all of them, their runs were cut short before bagging time, forcing them to reload in the upcoming flights.

Photo: John Clyde Tan

On the bright side, John Clyde Tan closed the day with the largest stack of 438,000 (73 bb). This earned him second rank in the current Day 2 lineup, just below Day 1A leader, Hanchul Choi, who bagged 500,000 (83 bb).

For those that have yet to secure a spot at ITM, there are still three entry flights remaining for a chance at the MSE Main Event title and the largest cut of the ₱6 Million Guarantee.

MSE MAIN EVENT DAY 1B SURVIVORS – 17 PLAYERS

[Day 1B bagging time: 3K-6K ante 6K]

[Day 1A bagging time: 3K-6K ante 6K]

The 2026 MSE Main Event has now drawn 290 entries with 45 players through to Day 2. They now have a two-day break before returning on April 19 for Day 2, where the money is locked in and the chase for the title continues. They await the results of the remaining three flights still to come.

MAIN EVENT STRUCTURE

For those yet to secure a seat in the money round, Day 1C is up next, taking place on Friday, April 17, 2026. Cards start flying at 2pm. Buy-in is ₱11,000. Starting stack is a very deep 25,000, which is 250 times the opening blinds of 100-100. All the info is just below.

Jeserie Fernandez Reigns At Ladies Showdown

Photo: Jeserie Fernandez

The Main Event wasn’t the only attraction lighting up the room, as the Ladies Showdown also pulled in a smashing turnout of 100 entries. With the first entry offered free, the rebuys, re-entries, and add-ons drove the prize pool beyond its ₱50K guarantee, swelling it to a richer ₱63,920.

Photo: 2026 MSE Ladies Showdown Final Table

Hilario Lagnada Wins Power Button

Also running alongside the Main Event and the Ladies Showdown was the Power Button, one of the funnest and competitive side events on the roster. Every time you win a hand, you earn the button position.

The event drew 79 to action at ₱4,000 each for a prize pool of ₱271,049. The final 11 players divvied it up with Hilario Lagnada claiming the largest cut on an ICM deal with Bertrand Ortiz. For his win, Lagnada pocketed a cool ₱73,154 and for runner-up, Ortiz, he also walked away with a sizable ₱58,395.

UPCOMING SIDE EVENTS

• NLH After Dark Turbo – April 17 @9PM
• Deep Stack 200K GTD – April 19 @5PM
• The Closer 300K GTD – April 20 @3PM

MINI HIGH ROLLER 500K GTD

Over the years, Metro has become a hub for players to develop into some of the most competitive in Asia and many have already been spotted since the start of the festival. To test your skills, the Mini High Roller, is the way to go featuring a ₱500,000 guarantee.

With a ₱16,500 buy-in, players start with 100,000 in chips, equivalent to a deep 200 big blinds at the opening level. For those that max late reg, you enter with a decent 20 bb.

2026 METRO TOURNAMENT LEADERBOARD

Once again, the race for Metro Player of the Year takes center stage. Last season, Marlon Laxamana topped the leaderboard to claim the Metro Tourney Most Valuable Player title, earning himself a one-year contract as a Metro Team Pro.

This year’s Metro MVP race kicked off on March 25 and runs through December 20, 2026. Players can continue to earn points at the MSE 2026 festival.

2026 METRO SUMMER EVENT – SCHEDULE