Junnie Pamplona aka “Rolly Rules” is a Filipino poker player who turned his passion from hobby to profession and is looking to cash-in big time since working the live-action felt in his home country. Pamplona began playing cash games at local Manila poker clubs in 2016. He would play dailies and smaller games just for the fun of it until he met Philippine Poker star Mike Takayama. His compatriot Takayama is the only home-grown Filipino WSOP bracelet owner and is currently the country’s number 1 player in the GPI National Rankings. Takayama was an inspiration for Pamplona to improve on his own poker skills, tagging along the Philippine master and watching his dazzling work on the live felt. Takayama would give Pamplona tips and soon advised he participate in the live tournaments. Pamplona obliged and went all-in.

Junnie Pamplona saw early success with a successful showing in his very first recorded event at the 2018 Asian Poker Tour Finale Manila. The young upstart went deep in the MegaSportsWorld Deep Stack Turbo Event and finished first at the Deep Stack Turbo event to cash an impressive $91,000 combined total for the two events. Pamplona would continue honing his skills at home tournaments like the PokerStars Live, PPPoker Festival World Championship and The Metro Summer Event before the pandemic lockdown would break his momentum.

Pamplona resumed live action play in 2021 through 2022 playing exclusively in the Philippines with his most notable table finish coming at the PokerStars Live Okada Manila Millions Main Event, finishing 4th. Ironically, his first career milestone would come outside home soil. In August 2022, the Filipino player would place 3rd at the World Poker Tour Prime Cambodia Main Event for a career-best live cash of $106,482. He would then repeat his success in Phnom Penh 2023, though at a different tournament and doing one better as runner-up at the Asia Pacific Poker Tour Cambodia Main Event, almost equaling his career-best pay-off, banking $101,647.

Junnie Pamplona’s latest achievement is a deep run at the inaugural 2024 Chase Cup in Cebu, Philippines, adding nearly $20,000 to his career earnings. To date, Pamplona has earned $298,989 in live total live earnings.

*Profile by Mike Alcazaren

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