Jun Sacote outlasts 1,290 to win Mikes Room 3M for 3K

PASAY CITY, Philippines—In a gruelling Final Table that lasted more than six hours, MIKES ROOM cash game regular Jun Sacote became the last man standing to win the 3M for 3K tournament along with the PhP1,000,000 grand prize and a brand new Toyota Wigo.

Sacote, 58, a retired businessman hailing from Siquijor province in Southern Philippines, displayed patience in a Final Table riddled with varying styles en route to the victory.

His final hand against heads-up opponent Alex Torrefranca—a regular grinder in the local circuit—had the crafty veteran behind preflop holding Qh6h against Torrefranca’s Kd3s.

The flop improved Sacote’s chances when it came out: Jh9h5s, but Torrefranca’s King-high was still in a slight lead. The turn produced a Kc and threatened to double up Torrefranca. However, the river yielded an Ah and with the flush, Sacote followed in the footsteps of 2M for 2K champion Boyet Drilon as virtual overnight millionaires via MIKES MILLIONAIRE MAKER.

Final Table

At around 6:30PM, the Final Table was known and it included Conrad “Ponga” Pumicpic, who was the only player to repeat in the last ten from the 2M for 2K.

“Ponga”, however, was also the first casualty as Atty. Elmer Chantengco ended his run on the very first hand of the Final Table as the latter’s Pocket Aces held up against Pumicpic’s straight draw.

But after that, it would take more than two hours before the next casualty would be known as Korean poker pro Shim Yong Woo finally bade adieu in ninth place. He was followed in the very next hand by Filipina pro Tina Argao—who now resides in Macau—in eighth place.

After about another hour, Call Center Agent Mark Velasquez—the erstwhile chipleader entering the final day of competition—busted out at seventh place.

The last foreign campaigner remaining was sent packing not long after as Singapore’s James Cheong absorbed back-to-back crushing defeats to waylay him for good in sixth place.

The all-Filipino final five slugged it out for another hour before local pro Mike Bueza crashed out in fifth place, followed by returning tournament veteran Don “Pusang Gala” Carmona in fourth.

It was past midnight when Chantengco, a solid amateur, was eliminated by Torrefranca; setting up the final duel for the title between chipleader Sacote and Torrefranca.

Their heads-up battle didn’t last long and—much like Pumicpic’s exit—a new champion was known within minutes.

Mike Kim, the owner of MIKES ROOM, was on hand to hand out the trophy and the mock car key to Sacote—who confided that he will sell the car to Torrefranca, at a discount—and the PhP1,000,000 cash prize for his remarkable climb to the pinnacle of the undertaking.

Here is the Final Table and the payouts of the 3M for 3K:

Name	Country	Prize (PhP)
1. Jun Sacote*	PHI	1000000
2. Alex Torrefranca	PHI	446000
3. Elmer Chantengco	PHI	289200
4. Don “Pusang Gala” Carmona	PHI	194100
5. Mike Bueza	PHI	135900
6. James Cheong	SIN	97000
7. Mark Velasquez	PHI	67900
8. Tina Argao	MAC	57200
9. Shim Yong Woo	KOR	46600
10. Conrad “Ponga” Pumicpic	PHI	36900