International And Local Pros Descend Upon Manila Poker Cup Opening Day

Cards are now flying at the highly awaited Manila Poker Cup debuting at Newport World Resorts in Manila, Philippines. Announced just a few weeks ago, this new addition to the Asian poker calendar has been generating quite the buzz with players confirming their attendance and excitement on social media. In partnership with Korean group Lucky Poker Tour, the festival is expected to attract large contingents from Korea and the Philippines with some already on site.

Manila Poker Cup

The Manila Poker Cup opened today, September 4, 2024 and is set to run for one week, concluding on September 10, 2024. A bold PHP 32 Million (~USD 566,630) is guaranteed with the largest bulk of PHP 20 Million (~US$ 354,145) reserved for the upcoming MPC Main Event.

Two events kicked off the action, the MPC Kickoff and Mini High Roller. Numerous international pros and local talent have already been spotted with several getting in some early practice. Among the notables are Korea’s Yohwan Lim also known worldwide as Starcraft ex-game “BoxeR“.

Lim has achieved success all over Asia with a total of 20 titles under his belt. Included in those wins were two majors and six high roller titles. In 2016, he captured his first ever trophy in Manila, Philippines.

Korea-born American pro Joseph Cheong returns to the Philippine felt eleven years after he won the APT Manila Millions for a seven figure payout. Cheong is one of the most decorated players in USA with over US$ 18 Million in live tournament earnings. His biggest score was in 2010 where he finished 3rd at the WSOP Main Event for a payday of US$ 4.13 Million. For the past year and a half, Cheong has been seen frequenting the Asian circuit.

Also lighting up the felt is Korea’s Kim Hak Do. Known for his lively personality both on and off the felt, Kim is not only an avid poker player but also a comedian and singer by profession. The Philippines is special for Kim; he secured the first cash of his poker career in Manila back in 2014 and claimed his first trophy in the same city four years later.

Currently, the opening heat of the MPC Kickoff is largely dominated by local players, with several pros making their presence felt early on. Notable among them are John Tech, who has been on a hot streak since last year, Moses Saquing, consistently topping the local charts since 2022, and Terry Gonzaga, one of the leading local PLO players.

Other local pros onsite are Mike Takayama and Florencio Campomanes with Lester Edoc expected to attend. All three players are ranked 2nd-4th in THM’s Philippine All Time Money List. In late-July, Campomanes overtook Edoc for the 3rd spot after winning the APPT Manila Open. This was just one of Campomanes’ numerous victories with his biggest score also achieved on home soil.

In addition to Korea and Philippines, Vietnam is also represented with Pham Bao at the tables. Pham is one of Vietnam’s highly decorated players, however he is still hunting down a first title on Philippine soil.

For those just getting to the venue, the MPC Kickoff Event offers three entry flights, all scheduled for today. Buy in is PHP 15,000 (~US$ 265) with a starting stack of 30,000 and  blinds increasing at a gradual 30 minute pace.

At the time of posting, Flight A and Flight B were underway with registration still open for the latter, closing at the start of Level 10. Flight C is a turbo with blinds increasing every 20 mintues. That event starts at 7pm.

The Mini High Roller is also up and running with cards in the air at 1pm. Buy in is PHP 50,000 (~US$ 900). Starting stack is 40,000 with blinds increasing every 25 minutes.

Manila Poker Cup Main Event

The star of the festival is the MPC Main Event which gets on the floor tomorrow September 5 and runs through the end of the series. As stated up top, a sizable guarantee of PHP 20 Million has been announced.

Dates: September 5-10, 2024
Buy in: PHP 40,000 (~USD 700)
Guarantee: PHP 20,000,000 (~USD 354,145)

Day 1A: Thursday, September 5
Day 1B: Friday, September 6
Day 1C: Saturday, September 7
Day 1D: Sunday, September 8
Day 1E Turbo: Sunday, September 8
Day 2: Monday, September 9
Day 3/ Final Day: Tuesday, September 10

Make sure to browse the full schedule at the bottom of the page.

MPC High Roller

Running alongside Day 1A of the Main Event is the MPC High Roller which features a guarantee of PHP 5 Million (~US$ 88,530). With poker heavyweights already spotted on opening day, a big turnout is expected along with heavy duty intense poker action. This is a two-day event.

Tips For Players Flying In To Manila

International travelers arriving at any of the Manila International Airports aka NAIA (T1, T2, T3) need only hop in a Grab Car to get to the venue. This is the safest mode of transportation. For those arriving at Terminal 3, you are in luck. There is a free shuttle to Newport City, there is also a pedestrian bridge (footbridge) linking the airport to the city. If you opt for the footpath, you will still have to walk a short bit to the venue.

For players that need accommodations, staying in Newport City is the most convenient as everything is walking distance to the poker venue. There are a plethora of choices suitable for every type of budget.

With the event taking place at Newport World Resorts, players can exchange currency at the venue. There are also exchange counters at the airport. The Philippine currency is the Philippine Piso. This is used everywhere so make sure to keep some in your pocket.

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