27 Aug “I Feel Great And Overwhelmed” – Arnel Trinidad From “Capthunt888” to Philippine Poker Millions Champion
The Philippine Poker Millions crowned its first-ever champion, and it was Arnel Trinidad who stunned everyone, turning a GGPoker PH freeroll ticket into a life-changing ₱7,200,000 payday. Without spending a single centavo to enter, Trinidad successfully navigated through three online step stages to earn a Day 1 seat for the Main Event, then days later, he shipped the whole shebang.
In a post-win interview, the champ took down the mask that he wore throughout the entire stretch and expressed his emotions,
Great!! I feel great and overwhelmed. So wonderful experience, I am still in shock right now. Is this real or not? I didn’t expect to go this far and I am not a tournament player, I’m just playing it for fun and nothing to lose for me. My nephew told me, I made history because this the event is hosted by all best poker clubs in the Philippines. I asked, I believed and received it. Thanks Metro Poker Club and all the poker clubs that made this tournament successful. My journey to being the champion would not have been possible without all of you.
I came into this tournament with nothing but faith, and I finished it victorious because of all of you. Special mention to GG Poker PH for being instrumental in my success. God is good, gave me so much I didn’t know I came this far. Without him I am nothing.
Also watch the video interview of Trinidad as he shares his journey with Metro commentator Jester Intia.
From Freeroll To The Final Table
Trinidad’s story began at GGPoker PH, playing online for the first time and encouraged by his nephew.
It was by chance that I played. The online game was introduced to me by my nephew, I thought first it was a scam but then I earned a few bucks in the GGPoker mini games, then I saw PPM League freeroll and I from there won in every stage until I reached the qualifying round event. So amazing experience I didn’t expect I would reach to this level, I have no experience any tournament event, I play poker only with my friends and cash game but not tournament event like this.
Trinidad’s path: he joined the Freeroll to a step satellite to the Philippine Poker Millions and survived three qualification stages before advancing to the Day 1 flight. He cruised through it, amassing over a million in chips while pros and regs wondered “who is this player “Capthunt888?”
The fairytale run continued as he enteredDay 2 at the Metro Card Club as the only player in the million range out of the 129 that started. This was another first as he had never played a live tournament outside of the casual home games. By the end of the heat, he racked up the third largest stack with 44 players remaining.
When asked about his strategy entering Day 2 as chip leader, he said,
My plan was to still just enjoy and focus to be number 1. That’s how I set my mind and mamba mentality, aiming for my goal to be a champion.
Aces No Good Against Trinidad
With everyone now keeping a close eye on this newcomer, Trinidad’s pursuit for the title did not waver. He reached the final table running 4th in chips with a decent 33 big blinds, which was 50 big blinds behind the leader Richard Nakila.
What was your gameplan at the final table having position over the chip leader Nakila while Edgar and Justin were to your left?
I wasn’t intimated, I’m just here to aim for the top spot. “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24″
Unafraid of the competition, the first crucial confrontation happened while the table was still full with Trinidad pushing out Nakila on the turn (hand below).
When asked why he pushed, Trinidad explained,
I have a draw, but the other player I read him with AQ, AJ or maybe pocket I guess…. So I jam and pray if this is mine, so be it. I am here to win it.
It wasn’t until he sent two pocket aces in flames that he catapulted to the top of the leaderboard and never looked back.
After Edgar Asehan‘s fall in 5th place, it only took one hour for Trinidad to close it out. At three-handed, his luck continued. Trinidad rivered Marciel Cerbito with {kc}{8d} straight over {4c}{4s} on a board {ac{Pjd}{9c}{7d}{10h} and entered heads up with a 2:1 advantage over Ellezer Castillo.
At that point, the hunt for the title was a short one. On just the fifth hand, it was a showdown. Castillo’s tournament life on the line on a flip with {ac}{qd} against Trinidad’s {8c}{8d}.
Congratulations to the champ!!
Final Table Payouts
| Place | Player | Payout In PHP |
| 1 | Arnel Trinidad | 7,200,000 |
| 2 | Ellezer Castillo | 4,800,000 |
| 3 | Marciel Cerbito | 3,650,000 |
| 4 | Justin Ong | 2,900,000 |
| 5 | Richard Nakila | 2,400,000 |
| 6 | Edgar Asehan | 2,000,000 |
| 7 | JR Villanueva | 1,600,000 |
| 8 | Gemmyy Tue An | 1,300,000 |
| 9 | Manjong Kim | 1,000,000 |
Watch the Final Table livestream!
The first ever Philippine Poker Millions united poker clubs nationwide and online for one massive ₱50 Million Guaranteed PPM Main Event. Running from June to August 26, it drew a total of 1,354 entries across the board.
- ₱55,000 buy-in: 556 entries
- ₱27,500 buy-in: 798 entries
Total entries: 1,354 - Prize pool: ₱50,000,000
- ITM: 133 places
Payouts 10th-133rd
| 10 | Tan Johnson T. | 700,000 |
| 11 | Docto Jedo P. | 700,000 |
| 12 | Cayamanda Dan Byron C. | 500,000 |
| 13 | Inocentes Alvir R. | 500,000 |
| 14 | Delabre Maxime Pierre | 500,000 |
| 15 | Flores Kristine | 370,000 |
| 16 | Bulaong Raphael B. | 370,000 |
| 17 | Batac Melvin D. | 370,000 |
| 18 | Galvez Renniel E. | 370,000 |
| 19 | Barril Martin M. | 290,000 |
| 20 | Lu Ferdinand | 290,000 |
| 21 | Choi Jin | 290,000 |
| 22 | Rivera Czardy Earldale | 290,000 |
| 23 | Marcelo Edmil Venus | 290,000 |
| 24 | Natad Dante A. | 290,000 |
| 25 | Co Eugene Kim | 290,000 |
| 26 | Ong Jason O. | 290,000 |
| 27 | Carmona Adones | 290,000 |
| 28 | Figuerres Joshua Darnel Eben | 240,000 |
| 29 | Ysmael William L. | 240,000 |
| 30 | Cheng Xiong | 240,000 |
| 31 | Erquiaga Dave Jansen | 240,000 |
| 32 | Dasalla Windell Jimenez | 240,000 |
| 33 | Calonge Jeffrey B. | 240,000 |
| 34 | Hernandez Frederick | 240,000 |
| 35 | Falcis Ragde O. | 240,000 |
| 36 | Pabalate Rodelo De Leon | 240,000 |
| 37 | Isip John Nico | 210,000 |
| 38 | Mesina Ronn Ryan Delos Reyes | 210,000 |
| 39 | Salud George Lim | 210,000 |
| 40 | Javier Jimmie M. | 210,000 |
| 41 | Camperoso Earl L. | 210,000 |
| 42 | Kwong Jeffrey C. | 210,000 |
| 43 | Paino Antonio | 210,000 |
| 44 | Geronimo Manuel | 210,000 |
| 45 | Rivera Euryd | 210,000 |
| 46 | Peña Vicente | 180,000 |
| 47 | Liao Po-Hsun | 180,000 |
| 48 | Takayama Mike A. | 180,000 |
| 49 | Gabitan Anthony | 180,000 |
| 50 | Lee Jeseok | 180,000 |
| 51 | Quiambao Cezar II | 180,000 |
| 52 | Patulot Lemmor | 180,000 |
| 53 | Garcia Jonald O. | 180,000 |
| 54 | Kim Sun Jin | 180,000 |
| 55 | Magsakay Vamerdino | 160,000 |
| 56 | Yap Robertson | 160,000 |
| 57 | Bernatia Jayson T. | 160,000 |
| 58 | Liao Chien | 160,000 |
| 59 | Yamasaki Kyoka | 160,000 |
| 60 | Ang Joseph E. | 160,000 |
| 61 | Rivera Ashby | 160,000 |
| 62 | Park Taewook | 160,000 |
| 63 | Concepcion Michael L. | 160,000 |
| 64 | Nguyen Hop | 140,000 |
| 65 | Li Decheng | 140,000 |
| 66 | Larrabe Sanchez | 140,000 |
| 67 | Lirio Oliver | 140,000 |
| 68 | Pamplona Junnie | 140,000 |
| 69 | Abella Jeff Ryan Oscar | 140,000 |
| 70 | Kim Donghyun | 140,000 |
| 71 | Ecarma Lenart Tia | 140,000 |
| 72 | Lumbera Adrian | 140,000 |
| 73 | Hebron Mark A. | 120,000 |
| 74 | Ubalde Reymond | 120,000 |
| 75 | Chua Christopher | 120,000 |
| 76 | Santos Zedrick | 120,000 |
| 77 | Dela Cruz Edwin A. | 120,000 |
| 78 | Chan Gene | 120,000 |
| 79 | Saquing Moses | 120,000 |
| 80 | Ybarsabal Benhur V. | 120,000 |
| 81 | Wang Yu-Tang | 120,000 |
| 82 | Mendiola Gino Carlo A. | 110,000 |
| 83 | Ling Dongying | 110,000 |
| 84 | Acdal Aj A. | 110,000 |
| 85 | Miura Yoshiki | 110,000 |
| 86 | Lee Seungeon | 110,000 |
| 87 | Gopez Jr. Edilberto | 110,000 |
| 88 | Cheng Matthew | 110,000 |
| 89 | Kuang Robert | 110,000 |
| 90 | Lee Dongseok | 110,000 |
| 91 | Leonarez Jessie | 100,000 |
| 92 | De Vera Lance Mhartin | 100,000 |
| 93 | Choi Gun | 100,000 |
| 94 | Fajardo Michel | 100,000 |
| 95 | Thompson Gary Joseph | 100,000 |
| 96 | Dela Cruz Crisanta | 100,000 |
| 97 | Rosete Maxwell Philippe | 100,000 |
| 98 | David Rene Mar | 100,000 |
| 99 | Rivera Marc Richelieu | 100,000 |
| 100 | Magbanua Jason Kyle M. | 90,000 |
| 101 | Caalim Patricio D. | 90,000 |
| 102 | Tech John Zendrick | 90,000 |
| 103 | Mondalo Bonifacio D. | 90,000 |
| 104 | Bautista Milbert D. | 90,000 |
| 105 | Lortie-Cloutier Christian | 90,000 |
| 106 | Fung Ching Chun | 90,000 |
| 107 | Astorga Martin | 90,000 |
| 108 | Dela Cruz James Rirod Tiangco | 90,000 |
| 109 | Valdiviezo Jun | 85,000 |
| 110 | Dong Bin | 85,000 |
| 111 | Baider John Philip C. | 85,000 |
| 112 | Chen Jingliang | 85,000 |
| 113 | Mendoza Raquel Vengado | 85,000 |
| 114 | Medel Rafael Guillermo Y. | 85,000 |
| 115 | Andrews Nicholas | 85,000 |
| 116 | Gonzales Rundulf Martin | 85,000 |
| 117 | Adam Ford | 85,000 |
| 118 | Magbutay Riener Iii B. | 80,000 |
| 119 | Libo On Ryann M. | 80,000 |
| 120 | Marzan Edison | 80,000 |
| 121 | Cerbito Marvin T. | 80,000 |
| 122 | Ponce Jeffrey | 80,000 |
| 123 | Arrieta Christian T. | 80,000 |
| 124 | Tan Ryan L. | 80,000 |
| 125 | Tollefsen Henrik | 80,000 |
| 126 | Buan Marco C. | 80,000 |
| 127 | Huerto Joven Ingente | 75,000 |
| 128 | Guo Dong Sheng | 75,000 |
| 129 | Lee Hyeokki | 75,000 |
| 130 | Magsakay Vamerdino | 75,000 |
| 131 | Rivera Marc Richelieu | 75,000 |
| 132 | Ong Jason O. | 75,000 |
| 133 | Solsona Mark F. | 37,500 |
| 134 | Santos Zedrick | 37,500 |
No Comments