More support for alternative fuels

With the expanded value added tax hitting oil products and power rates tomorrow, the country is without doubt in for higher prices. Alternative fuels, definitely, deserve a serious look. Here’s an e-mail from Dodo Galindez, one of our readers.

"I would like to commend you for giving more publicity to these indigenous alternative fuels. In the case of coco-biodiesel, the initial mix of one percent in diesel fuel, a very minute number by oil company standards, will create new local coconut oil demand equivalent to 70 thousand metric tons per year.

"If the government will put its effort in coming out with a long-term policies to encourage replanting and planting of new trees and providing the necessary incentives to agriculture and processors and promoting the product, the potential export potential is greater than $1 billion a year with practically no foreign exchange requirements.

"Please note that coconuts are harvestable the whole year round. Soybeans and rapeseed cannot be planted on a continuing basis on the same area of land. So just think of how the government can really help alleviate poverty due to the large amount of money flowing into the countryside due to these future activities."

Non-wager poker tournaments

The Poker Club of the Philippines is reminding poker enthusiasts that the 5th leg of the ongoing Poker King Challenge, a series of non-wager poker tournaments conducted under the auspices of Pagcor, is set on 5th November 2005 at Casino Filipino, Tagaytay City.

Prize certificates with cash value of up to P60,000 await the leg champion, in addition to trophies and valuable gift items from tournament sponsors, namely the Poker Club of the Philippines, Philippine Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), Jack Daniels, Miller Genuine Draft Beer, Bicycle Playing Cards/Star Paper, Hyatt Hotel and Casino, Ralph’s Wine, and MyReviewerOnline, the Internet knowledge-builder.

As recently clarified by the Poker Club of the Philippines, winners of previous leg competitions of the ongoing Poker King Challenge can participate again in succeeding legs and compete for the prizes at stake, like the ones up for grabs at the 5th leg to be held at Tagaytay City on 5th November. In order to participate, they just have to pay the tournament fee.

With the clarification, winners of the previous four legs headed by Mon Gelveson, Perry Calalang, Engr. Nicolo Palo and Jessie Dy, are expected to list in future leg competitions as prizes at stake increase in value. At present, a total of 18 leg winners have earned slots for the grand finals.

Of course, these early qualifiers are keen to participate in succeeding leg competitions to continue honing their playing skills in preparation for the grand finals. According to these players, face-to-face competition under tournament conditions is more exciting and informative than just watching a game on television.

Skill begets luck

The Poker King Challenge is a series of non-wager tournaments conducted by the Poker Club of the Philippines in partnership with Pagcor, the country’s gaming authority, to provide a growing number of poker enthusiasts who previously had to contend with just playing the game within a small group opportunities to put their skills to test in tournaments with wider participation.

This growing number of Filipino poker enthusiasts welcomes the launching of the non-wager poker tournaments including the media coverage being given to the game. These developments surely help in promoting the game of poker as a game of skill and not, as misconstrued by others, as a game of chance just like the other card games like blackjack or baccarat.

New converts to the game of poker now recognize that the game is not solely dependent on luck. Just like golf, one may appear to have some moments of good luck like a "hole in one" or a "gimme" after blasting out of a bad lie in a deep bunker.

But these lucky shots are coming out of a sound swing and correct alignment. In other words, a good player possesses the skills needed to play the game well. Paraphrasing world famous golfer Gary Player, a skillful golfer gets lucky more often.

The same is true with the game of poker. You win when you know when to fold or give way to your opponent or when to apply pressure or when to bluff your opponent by making him believe you have the better hand.

Learning the game of poker needs an understanding of the mathematics of computing odds and the skill of reading your opponents behavior and psychology. It is likened to a business game where you assess the risks and evaluate the rewards in relation to the investment one has to make.

Poker players, old and new converts, who would like to test their skills or gain experience in tournament competition, are enjoined to visit www.PokerClubofthePhilippines.com to get the latest news about non-wager poker tournament schedules to be held in various places.

Watch out, too, for announcements regarding the biggest tournament being organized, the Texas Hold’Em Philippine Championship. Details are available on the website or from the club secretariat (co Cindy) at 817-9092.

Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 4th Floor, 156 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected]. If you wish to view the previous columns, you may visit my website at http://bizlinks.linkedge.biz.