Undoubtedly, one of the most attractive Asian destinations for many poker enthusiasts is the Philippines. From the ample amount of events offered per year, to the hospitality, the vibrant Manila nightlife, and the stunning beaches just a short flight away, players are practically assured an enjoyable time both on and off the felt.
Coming September 13 to September 24, the country stirs up with the Asian Poker Tour returning to Resorts World Manila for the second edition of the APT Philippines Championships 2018. This highly popular festival is one not to miss with 22 events lined up and over PHP 20 Million in guaranteed prizes.
Guaranteed Events
- APT Main Event: PHP 8,000,000 (September 15 – 19)
- APT Championships Event: PHP 8,000,000 (September 20 -24)
- APT-RWM Opening Event: PHP 2,000,000 (September 13 – 14)
- MegaSportsWorld Deep Stack Turbo: PHP 750,000 (September 22)
- Monster Stack: PHP 2,000,000 (September 23 – 24)
APT Main Event and APT Championships Event
Taking a closer look at the richest events of the festival – the APT Main Event and the APT Championships Event – both of these featured tournaments extend large guarantees of PHP8 Million (~US$149,000) each. These are the events everyone will surely head to the felt for.
The first of the two is the Main Event taking place from September 15 to September 19. Buy-in is PHP55,000 (~US$ 1,030). Players are able to sign up as late as one hour into Day 2.
- Day 1A: Saturday, September 15
- Day 1B: Sunday, September 16
- Day 2: Monday, September 17
- Day 3: Tuesday, September 18
- Final 8: Wednesday, September 19
The APT Championships Event is the second featured tournament of the series. It runs right after the main, from September 20 until September 24. Buy-in is PHP82,500.
- Day 1A: Saturday, September 20
- Day 1B: Sunday, September 21
- Day 2: Monday, September 22
- Day 3: Tuesday, September 23
- Final 8: Wednesday, September 24
In April, Filipino pro Lester Edoc dominated the featured events claiming the victory at the Main Event and runner-up at the Championships Event. This earned him his first-ever APT championship title and combined winnings over US$80,000. The Main Event amassed a prize pool of nearly PHP 16 Million with 325 entrants and the higher buy-in Championships Event won by Japanese pro Iori Yogo saw 100 of the toughest players in Asia for a pot of PHP 9.7 Million.
Main Event packages on CoinPoker
One way to try and secure a seat before the big event is via CoinPoker, a cryptocurrency-based online poker room using CHP. Three Main Event packages are up for grabs. It includes a seat to Day 1B, accommodation, and travel expense. Qualifier satellites have been running since August 24 with the Main Event Qualifier taking place on September 9.
CoinPoker Main Event promos will continue running as well with the Last Man Standing and the Main Event Rake Back in effect.
Main Event seats at RWM
Another avenue towards a discounted seat is through the Pre-Event Satellite hosted by Resorts World Manila. A total of 3 seats are guaranteed to the Main Event. The event takes place on September 9. The ticket price is just PHP3,300. As added value, for each of the next three players outside of the winners, one seat will be awarded to the MegaSportsWorld Deep Stack Turbo 750K Guaranteed.
Other events
Among the remaining 20 events are tournaments with buy-ins from PHP5,500 and up. Games that run below PHP10,000 are the Turbo events, the Ante Up for Charity, the Satellites to the featured tournaments, and the MegaSportsWorld Deep Stack Turbo 750K Guaranteed.
Upwards of PHP10,000, players will find a wider variety such as the NLH events, PLO events, the Opening Event 2M Guaranteed, and the Monster Stack 2M Guaranteed.
High Rollers events
For players that enjoy much higher stakes, there are a few options:
- CoinPoker Super High Rollers: September 13 – 14 – Buyin: PHP500,000
- CoinPoker High Rollers: September 18 – 19 – Buy-in: PHP107,500
- CoinPoker High Rollers Single Day (Shot Clock) – September 19 – Buy-in: PHP107,500
More: APT Philippines 2018 II Schedule
Article by Tricia David
Louis Hartwell
Graduated in Media Communication at the University of Lausanne, Louis Hartman is a co-founder of somuchpoker.com. He began his career in Cambodia as freelance journalist. In same time he was making his living by playing poker every night at that time. Intense learner, he read dozens of poker strategy books to improve his skills during many years. With a strong interest about poker "behind the scene" in Asia and his communication skills, Louis launched Somuchpoker in 2014.
Follow Me:
