Poker is the most popular card game in the world. And it is not the Asians who will say the opposite since their continent is the new destination of the biggest players, and more precisely, Manila, the capital of the Philippines.
This casino city has many attractions that draw players from all over the world. There are many casinos, hotels, restaurants, and bars in Manila that serve different food and drinks. Manila’s most famous landmark, the San Lorenzo Cathedral, serves as a major attraction for tourists visiting Manila.
Macau to Manila
It wasn’t that long ago that Macau was the poker capital of Asia. The greatest businessmen from all over the world gathered there to play big cash games. This city was the only corner in China where gambling was not prohibited. But, over time, it has become a place of corruption and money laundering. The Chinese government then decided to take anti-corruption measures, which were fatal to various clubs and casinos. They then decided to move to Manila which has today become the heart of Poker in Asia.
The Samar River borders manila to the North-Eastern part of the Cagayan River to the south. It is home to both Manila casino and the Manila Gaming Compact. The Manila Gaming Compact is an eighteen-section parochial board whose governing body is elected every year by the voters of the city. The Compact is subordinate to the board of the National Commission for Professional Regulation (NCPR), which is the body responsible to oversee all the activities and policies of the Manila casinos and gaming compact.
The Biggest Clubs in Manila
The fact that Manila is considered a gambling city is not new since games have been authorized there since the 1970s. Several clubs are located there, such as the Poker King Club, which was the biggest game organizer of Poker in Macau. In May 2015, its leaders also decided to invest in the opening of new clubs in Manila, such as the Solaire Resort & Casino. PokerStars, one of the most popular poker organizers, has also been present there since late 2014 at the City of Dreams casino. There are cash games, and big tournaments played there every day. All year-round, the biggest names in poker from around the world, to name but Phil Ivey, Steve O’Dwyer, Daniel Colman, meet in Manila to participate in big games.
The Poker King Club
Poker King Club of Manila
The Poker King Club of Manila is the new venue for major high-stakes poker games.
The biggest poker games in Macau were organized by the Poker King Club, owned by one of its junket agencies, Suncity Group, and linked to two well-known Asian high roller players Paul Phua and Richard Yong.
In May 2015, Poker King Club opened a new exclusive club in Manila, at the Solaire Resort & Casino side, with plans to open four more locations in the city as well.
“We are proud to export our poker room and particularly to Solaire, and our aim is to offer a sumptuous and first-class experience to the poker players in Asia,” declared the director of Poker King Club, Winfred Yu, during of its opening.
Obviously, if Yu had been completely transparent, he would rather have said that the Philippine authorities are much more welcoming towards junket operators and big players than the Chinese authorities.
The tycoons no longer have any problem if they want to get to Manila, and we can bet that some form of corruption will be freer there as well.
Poker Tournaments in Manila
The Manila Poker Tournaments are held throughout the year. Earlier, the tournaments used to be held only during the Christmas season or at the end of the year. However, with the increasing number of casinos being built in the recent past, it became possible to hold the Manila Poker Tournaments even during the non-peak seasons. Most of the major players in the world participate in these tournaments. These include the world poker tour’s grandmasters such as chip Stackhouse’s Simon Gough and Russ Hamilton, along with the European tour’s top players such as Vincent Capra and Russ Hamilton.
A player entering into a tournament must be a minimum of thirteen (thirteen) card decks. Also, there should be one hour of free time before and after the match. The player can either play for cash or place his wager for another player. Also, the player has to be present in the chat room within the given timeframe.
If you are interested in joining a Manila tournament, then all you need to do is to contact the tournament organizer and reserve your spot. Also, you have to pay the entry fee, which is usually free. However, if you are new to playing poker online, then it is advisable that you register first at one of the online casinos before actually joining a Manila tournament. This will help you avoid getting in touch with the other players who are present in the tournament just to play against them. Also, by registering in advance, you will be able to avail yourself of better prizes and bonuses when you go to play in the Manila tournaments.