Tournaments in the Philippines are beginning to become bigger and bigger as local tournament players become more professional. Even foreign players are getting attracted to the prize pools of local tournaments and are starting to join the fray as witnessed at the Resorts World Inaugural Poker Championship held last March 16 to 19, 2010.
Resorts World Philippines, a 6-star hotel & casino that just opened January of this year, opened its doors to the world of tournament poker for the very first time. The tournament guaranteed an astounding Php 2,000,000 for a buy-in of Php 10,000 + Php 1,000 entry fee. Accredited by the Asian Poker Tour (APT), the tournament was directed by, none other than, veteran Tournament Director Lloyd Fontillas, who has got the WPT and the WSOP as feathers in his tournament directing hat.
Players from all over the country attended the event as well as contenders from England, Korea, Canada, Japan, Australia and Sweden.
Day 1a
Resorts World Manila made an open invitation to all the poker rooms in Manila to join the event as a sign of support and camaraderie in helping promote and build the poker community in the Philippines. In response, the Metro Card Club, the biggest poker room in Asia, sent more than 30 players to Day 1a, headed by the face of Metro Card Club himself, APT Champion and most celebrated local poker player Neil “Dirty Ice Cream” Arce.
The field of Day 1a totaled to 120 players with representatives from the Asia Poker Academy, other poker rooms and other countries. Local celebrities in this group included Joey Garcia from Pokerstars, Mark Pagsuyuin, Marc Rivera, Pilipinas Poker George Buddha, and PAGCOR Chairman’s Cup 6th placer Lim Choon Kwang.
Action immediately started the moment the cards were dealt. Although, some players love to have Pocket Aces at the beginning of the game to get a chance to double up early, Manesh Mirchandani felt otherwise as he became the very first bust out of the day. Mirchandani found himself “Bullets” in the hole. Unfortunately, he raised pre-flop, got a caller, pushed all-in on the flop just to get called by his opponent who had made his set by then.
“I should have raised a bit more. But it was too early in the game to be raising like crazy,” Manesh exasperatedly said.
The tournament went on quite smoothly and, amazingly, very quietly. There were hardly any outbursts of frustration for the unwanted river card or screams of joy for the unexpected suck out. Whether this was the influence of the recently ended international event the PAGCOR Chairman’s Cup or the effect of the grandiose interior of the Resorts World will never be known but it was surely very uncharacteristic of a Filipino dominated tournament. Nonetheless, it did show an improved level of professionalism which will definitely be manifested in future big events.
Somebody, however, tried to re-enter this freezeout tournament. TD Lloyd Fontillas had to reiterate over the microphone that it was a freezeout tournament and that re-entry was not allowed and would mean automatic disqualification.
The chip leader at one point was birthday boy Richard Marquez who was enjoying his birthday tremendously with 60,000 worth of chips in front of him and making it to Day 2. His birthday wish no doubt was to win this tournament but that remained to be granted as he ended the day only 2nd in chip lead with Michael Dario leading the pack with 87,600 worth of chips.
Other notable players that made it to Day 2 were Marc Rivera (52,100), Mark Pagsuyuin (21,200), Joey Garcia (15,000), George Buddha (38,000), and Team Metro Members Ernie Batalla (50,200) and Martin Gonzales (23,900).
Day 1b
Day 1b had more players coming in. Players lined up as alternates waiting for those that were already in the tournament to get eliminated.
More players from the Metro Card Club joined this day as well as famous names like Pilipinas Poker Head Alan Barretto, Dafa Poker’s Martin Elliott, AsianLogic’s Managing Director Kan Tang, local poker celebrity Brian Sombero, The Sweetheart of Philippine Poker Sunshine Samson, Two-time Filipino Poker Tour (FPT) Champion Kent del Rosario, and another FPT Champion Eric Cheung.
The field of the day amounted to 149 players making a total tournament field of 269 players. The number of players exceeded the requisite to make the guaranteed prize pool by Php 690,000. This ensured that the first place winner won a whopping Php 860,800. With a total prize pool of Php 2,690,000, the top 27 players will be paid with the lowest payout being 26,900.
Hakan Dagtas, Resorts World Vice President of Casino Table Games, was extremely happy with the turnout of players, “Not only are we happy about the number of registrants, but also of the very positive feedback we have received from the players,” he said.
He also said that when they opened in August 28, 2009, they didn’t have poker tables in the casino at all. But when he saw the booming community of poker players they decided to open a poker room on January 11, 2010. He said that this tournament was just the start but, “We expect to organize more for the future.”
Day 1b went on with no commotions and ended after 8 levels, as did the previous day. Chip leader for Day 1b was Jeon Seong Soo with 65,000 chips making him 2nd in chips entering Day 2 after overall Day 1 chip leader Michael Dario.
Day 2
Unlike the first 2 days of Day1, Day 2 started with a bit of drama. Apparently, a player, whom we will keep anonymous, re-entered the tournament on Day 1b. The one who eliminated the anonymous player on Day1a recognized him, called the floor and questioned how the anonymous player was able to qualify to Day 2 if he had been busted out on Day 1a.
A big commotion started because of this. Organizers had to investigate the situation and confirmed that the anonymous player did play and get eliminated on Day 1a. The player was immediately disqualified and his second buy-in forfeited for the deception he committed. Due to this, 29,600 worth of chips were taken out of the game.
Fontillas, who handled the problem with calm and professionalism, proceeded on with the tournament with no further issues.
Top 3 chip leads entering Day 2 were Michael Dario, (87,600), Jeon Seong Soo (65,100) and Cris Ramayrat (59,600). There was a total of 96 players for Day 2 and everyone was fiercely fighting to get closer to the coveted Php 860,000.
Professional player Mark Pagsuyuin, had a constant frown despite the fact that his pockets, which he got quite a number of times, kept on being called. He need not have worried too much that his pockets would get cracked as every time he did get called, his hand held.
John Riad, an amateur player didn’t care about winning the tournament. All he wanted was to make it in the money. It was very difficult for him, however, as Cris Ramayrat, professional poker player, smelled the newbie in him and constantly called rules, even if they didn’t apply, to get John off his game.
Unfortunately for Day 1a’s birthday boy Richard Marquez, his birthday wish didn’t come true. With pocket Jacks in the hole, Marquez was run over by Jeon Seong Soo’s pocket Queens. Jeon Seong Soo was 2nd chip entering Day 2 and was the first one who reached 100,000 in chips in the day.
Needless to say, people were dropping off like flies at the beginning of Day 2. Twenty-seven players hit the rail within the first hour and a half of the tournament. Notable casualties included Mark Rivera, Martin Elliot, Alan Barretto, and George Buddha.
After the 29th player got sent home, tournament director Lloyd Fontillas called for a hand to hand play. It took almost an hour to burst the bubble at the 28th player. Unfortunately, it was a woman, one of the last 2 still in the field, who had to take the blow. Iris Lorenzo was the bubble girl for the Resorts World Inaugural Poker Championship. Although the bubble, Lorenzo still felt proud of going this far deep into the tournament because, as she said, this was her very first live tournament and placing 28th out of
269 players was still an achievement.
Interesting enough, newbie John Riad outlasted the man who kept ribbing him for being new. John Riad finished at 19th place cashing Php 26,900 while Cris Ramayrat cashed the same amount at 21st place.
Although all 27 players were already in the money, play continued until the final 9 that will comprise the final table which will be held on Day 3.
Joey Garcia of Pokerstars was so near the final table and yet was so far to reach it. Garcia finished 11th winning Php 43,000. Garcia’s King-Jack ran into pocket Kings and the flop, sadly, didn’t help him get into the final table.
The final table consists of the following players:
Seat 1: Paul Hirakawa (344,000)
Seat 2: Willy Maliksi (330,000)
Seat 3: Elmer Binondo (55,000)
Seat 4: Jeon Seung Soo (332,000)
Seat 5: Sam Munloong (142,000)
Seat 6: Martin Gonzales (418,000)
Seat 7: Eric Cheung (427,000)
Seat 8: Geraldo Lubas (180,000)
Seat 9: Sae Jin Lee (320,000)
Seat 10: Ed Marcelo (113,000)
Day 3 (The Final Table)
Six Filipinos entered the final table with two of them, Eric Cheung (427,000) and Martin Gonzales (418,000), being the chip leaders. Apart from cash, first and second places was to receive a complimentary one-night stays at the six star Maxims Hotel, while the rest was to be given PhP 3,000 Resorts World Manila food & beverage voucher.
Although the day started rather quiet with only the final table, the railbirds, the media and the organizers being present, action immediately commenced and the excitement was manifest the moment TD Lloyd Fontillas said the words, “Shuffle up and deal.”
The baby faced, 34-year old Korean Sae Jin Lee, who came into the final table 6th in chip stack, was like a bulldozer demolishing the stacks of his opponents. Two hours and a half into the final table, Sae Jin moved from 6th to the chip lead. Eliminating Willy Maliksi, however, ensured that he would be one of the final two as his chip stack looked like the impenetrable Wall of China.
Maliksi, who placed 7th, was definitely not his final victim. Jbet’s Paul Hirakawa (5th place) was next to hit the rail, followed by Ed Marcelo (4th place), and ultimately Eric Cheung (3rd place), leaving only Jeon Seong Soo to be conquered.
And conquer he did. Both going all-in pre-flop, Sae Jin’s 8-8 held against Jeon Seong’s 3-3, giving us a champion and a runner-up. After the heads-up duel, both players refused to be interviewed on account that they both didn’t speak English, but Poker Digest didn’t fall for this bluff and got a statement from both anyway.
Sae Jin and Jeon Seong are very good friends but as Sae Jin says, “We(‘re) good friends but in poker, I play to win.” Jeon Seong, on the other hand, didn’t mind being runner-up. He said he was very happy because this was the very first time he made it to the final table, more so, place 2nd.
At that, the Resorts World Inaugural Poker Championship ended. Hakan Dagtas, said that although numerous players had given positive feedback and some had said that it was a successful event, he believes that there is still a lot of space for improvement and that he intends to make the next event even better. He has also said that with the success of the Inaugural Poker Championship, Genting Ltd., Owner of Resorts World Manila, will use its international network to bring more international players to enter local tournaments bringing forth an international level of poker to hone the skills of local players and expose them to bigger and greater fields.
The next big event at the Resorts World Manila will most probably be the Manila leg of the Asian Poker Tour to be held on August. There is no doubt that that that event will even be bigger and better. Surely we will watch out for it!
By: Gabrielle Ruiz-Barredo
Published in: Asia Poker Digest
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