Corpuz makes impact in Phl poker tour

MANILA, Philippines - World-ranked poker pro Martin Corpuz, the only Filipino with two World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelets, will be a marked man when the P10 million Philippine Poker Tour resumes with its fourth leg starting 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Metro Card Club in Pasig City.

Despite not having won a single leg of the nationwide tour, Corpuz is at the top of the leader board with 305 points following his fifth place finish in the third leg won by Rene Pacayra. The veteran journeyman of 16 years likewise placed 11th in the second leg won by Rebel Magdagasang at Resorts World Manila and 18th in the first leg topped by Dexter Luna also at the Metro.

Aside from the in-the-money finishes in the main tournaments, Corpuz won the Badugi side event of the second leg to bring his earnings in the 10-stop inaugural tour to P102,100, good for eighth place behind  Luna (P612,000) Pacayra (P398,000),  and Magdagasang (P321,700) in that order.

Luna, however, trails Corpuz in the leader board with 240 points followed by Magdagasang and Pacayra who each have 220. All three have already earned berths to the Battle of Champions in March which will see leg winners fighting it out for the right to represent the Philippines all-expenses paid to next year’s World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas.