Asia Poker Championship underway! Day 1A in progress; late reg until end of Lvl 8

Cards are flying at the Metro Card Club with the Asia Poker Championship on the felt! The highly anticipated event is off to a slow start with only three tables but that is certain to pick up as the day progresses and during the remaining four starting days. The APC is the biggest and most lucrative tournament hosted by the Metro this year and it should not be missed with a jaw dropping Php 20,000,000 (~US$ 378,600) up for grabs. This is a huge leap from the 2020 inaugural edition which guaranteed only a quarter of that figure.

The APC runs from today June 6 through June 12. For those looking to jump in before the day’s buzzer, buy in is Php 44,000 (~US$ 833) with multiple re-entry allowed. At the time of writing, getting an early start were Metro Team Pros Marc Rivera and John Tech, and local pro David Erquiaga.

Working in partnership with Korean Mind Game Members (KMGM), an additional field of 300 international runners is expected to boost the number of attendees for this season’s events. Pre-pandemic, the renowned poker venue was a popular stop amongst Korean players and now that live events are back on track, international attendance has grown considerably. Also to watch for are Metro Team Pros Mike Takayama, Lester Edoc, Joven Huerto, Vamerdino Magsakay, and several others. Past winner Noel Araniel is expected along with other local hot shots.

APC info

Buy-in: Php 44,000 (~US$ 833)
Guaranee: Php 20,000,000 (~US$ 378,600)
Starting stack: 40,000 (400x opening big blind)
Level duration: 40 minute blinds
Format: Big blind ante (switches to regular ante at the final table)

Day 1A: Monday, June 6
Day 1B: Tuesday, June 7
Day 1C: Wednesday, June 8
Day 1D: Thursday, June 9
Day 1E (Turbo): Friday, June 10

Day 1 structure

All Day 1 flights will play through 12 levels of 40 minute action except for the last flight (Day 1E) which runs under a turbo format and 20 minute blind levels. Starting stack is at 40,000 with multiple re-entries allowed following the “Best Stack Forward” policy. Cards are in the air at 11 a.m. giving players just enough time to register before its closing at the end of level 8 daily.

Day 2: Friday, June 10 (opens at blinds 2K-4K ante bb 4K)
Day 3: Saturday, June 11

Final Day: Sunday, June 12
Final Table: 8 players, 60 minute blinds

Day 2 is slated for six hours of play with runners heading to Day 3 playing down to the final eight players. Blinds for the final table will increase every 60 minutes with Metro’s new RFID feature arriving right in time for the biggest event of the year. Tune in to Metro’s official Facebook page on June 12, 2022 for the livestream of the entire final table gameplay and the crowning of the latest APC champion.

Noel Araniel

Over 500 entries were recorded at the 2020 APC inaugural edition, easily smashing past its Php 5 million (~US$ 95,000) guarantee. Local Main Event winner Noel Araniel pocketed a seven-figure score amounting to Php 1,525,877 (~US$ 30,000) following a four-way ICM deal in the final table. The top payout however, went to runner-up Martin Gonzales who took home Php 2,238,066 (~US$ 42,000) from the Php 10,495,400 (~US$ 200,000) generated prize pool. ​​

Other side events

Aside from the Main Event, the scheduled side events have also seen a boost in its overall entry fees with buy-ins ranging from Php 11,000 (~US$ 210) to as high as Php 110,000 (~US$ 2,100) for the High Roller event.

K.O. Bounty: Monday, June 6 @ 4pm – Buy-in: Php 13,000 (Php 2K goes to bounty pool)
No Limit Hold’em Turbo: Tuesday, June 7 @ 4pm – Buy-in: Php 11,000
No Limit Hold’em Turbo: Wednesday, June 8 @ 4pm – Buy-in: Php 11,000
Power Button: Thursday, June 9 @ 4pm – Buy-in: Php 16,500
High Roller: Saturday, June 11 @ 3pm – Buy-in: Php 110,000
Monster Stack: Sunday, June 12 @ 11am – Buy-in: Php 22,000