Huge field takes shot at poker's P10 million purse

MANILA, Philippines - A record international field is expected to vie for the guaranteed prize pool of P10 million in the Metro Anniversary Special beginning tomorrow at the Metro Card Club in Pasig City.

The event serves as the 11th leg of the Filipino Poker Tour. At a buy-in of only P15,000 and entry fee of P1,000, one will have a chance of winning first prize of at least P3 million and becoming an instant celebrity, just like the previous FPT champions who are now making waves in the international circuit.

Among the fancied names competing in the tournament are former Asian Poker Tour champion and FPT 3 winner Neil Arce, two-time FPT champion Kent del Rosario and FPT 10-Metro Hi-5 titlist Vic de Guzman, who earned P2 million for winning a tournament last August.

Hundreds of players have already earned seats to the event through satellites tournaments conducted daily at the Metro Card Club, the biggest card room in Asia. The Metro Card Club is fast establishing the Philippines as the poker hub of Asia with its desire to promote tournament poker as a mind sport.

There are also those who made it through a series of “freeroll tournaments” conducted daily online at Pokerstars.com, where seats were given away for free or through a $5 satellite.

Metro, the biggest card room operator in Asia, is already in the record books for offering the biggest prize pool guarantees as well as attracting the record number of player entries for a local poker room operator and poker tournament organizer.