Midas Touch to stage P10M Poker Tour

MANILA, Philippines - It will be the turn of the Midas Touch Poker Sports Club to host the inaugural season of the P10-million Philippine Poker Tour as it stages the fifth leg of the nationwide series starting tomorrow in Pasig City.

The six-day event, which has a guaranteed purse of P1 million, is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Buy-in is P5,500.

A mad scramble for the remaining six berths in next year’s Battle of Champions among monthly main event winners is expected after Martin Corpuz ruled the fourth leg at the Metro Card Club last month and pulled away from the pack in the Player of the Year race which puts premium on performances in the 10-stop tour.

The world-ranked Corpuz, who has been in the money the past four legs and won a Badugi side event in the second stage, has jacked up his leader board points to 525, way ahead of second running Rene Pacayra, the third leg champion who has 360, and perennial contender Jojo Tech who has 340.

The PPT, led by founder lawyer Jojo Allado, is using the leader board system to determine the PPT Player of the Year, a cumulative measure of performance of players in all tournaments of the nationwide tour. The player with the most points at the end of the season will receive P100,000 cash, A PPT Player of the Year token and a limited edition PPT Player of the Year merchandise. He will also be recognized and featured in the PPT website and Facebook page.

Corpuz’s fourth leg victory catapulted him to third overall in money winnings with P432,100 behind maiden leg topnotcher Dexter Luna (P626, 000) and Pacayra (P438, 000).  With their leg triumphs, the trio, along with second leg champion Rebel Magdagasang, has thus gained berths to the final table of champions.

 in March which will determine the Philippine representative to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) main event in Las Vegas next year.

Leader board Top 10 –  Martin Corpuz 525 points, Rene Pacayra 360, Jojo Tech 340, Dexter Luna 295, Ian Brion 280, Jay Tolon 225, Rebel Magdagasang 220, Mike Takayama 215, Joseph San Diego 210, Randy Alday 195.

Top 10 Money Earners – Dexter Luna P626,000, Rene Pacayra P438,000, Martin Corpuz P432,100, Rebel Magdagasang -321,700, Joseph San Diego P273,000, Richard Marquez P187,000, Ronald Dimaano, Edwin Nava P156,600, Jojo Tech P108,600, Richard Tampepe P106,000.