From Sunshine to Showdown, Here’s Your Metro Summer Event Preview

Summer is here, and while it’s already heating up outside, it’s about to get even hotter on the felt as the  Metro Summer Event starts in just one week!

Now in its 9th year, the 2026 edition of this homegrown favorite once again takes center stage at Metro Card Club, featuring a total of 12 trophy events across eleven days of action.

The festival kicks off on April 10 and builds toward the ₱6 Million guaranteed Main Event on April 15. A new champion will be crowned on April 20, joining a growing list of past winners that includes Jae Chang, Moses Saquing, Bonifacio Mondalo, Kai Paulsen, and the newest Metro Team Pro Marlon Laxamana.

Here’s a look at what’s in store—and why you won’t want to miss it.

2026 MSE Main Event

Photo: MSE 2024 Main Event

From the first ever MSE Event, the MSE Main Event has always packed the house. In its inauguration in 2016, it was wall-to-wall with 656 entries. The record now stands at 912 entries with the prize pool at ₱9.1 Million!

This year, another massive turnout is expected as players from across the country make their way to the felt. To give everyone a shot at the title and the ₱6 Million guarantee, Metro has lined up five starting flights, running from April 15-18, each with a ₱11,000 buy-in. It pays to get there early as the  starting stack is a very deep 25,000, which is 250 times the opening blinds of 100-100.

Pre-Event

As always, the Metro offers a slate of pre-games to help players warm up and build a bankroll before the main attraction begins. The festival kicks off with the Pre-Event which always draws a big crowd. Last year, 304 entered, with the champion, Bryan Tiongson, turning his buy-in into a bankroll of ₱134,000.

This year, the buy-in has been lowered to ₱2,200, making it more accessible to everyone. The guarantee stands at ₱500,000, and as per tradition, it is likely to be breached.

Ladies Showdown

Among the numerous side events, only one is exclusive for the women in poker. Ladies, it’s your time to shine at the Ladies Showdown with registration totally FREE!  And on top of that, the event guarantees ₱50,000.

In the event that you bust while registration is still open, you don’t have to get up from your seat. Just rebuy for ₱1,000 and voila! A fresh stack instantly. If you need to cool off from a bad beat, you can re-enter at anytime before the start of Level 11 for ₱1,100. Once reg closes, there is also an Add-On option for ₱1,000.

Already expressing her attendance on social media is Bea Garcia who won her first trophy during the Ladies Showdown at the RVS Cup last November.

Mini High Roller 500K GTD

Over the years, Metro has become a hub for players to develop into some of the most competitive in Asia. For the heavyweights, there’s one event that truly puts skills to the test, the Mini High Roller, featuring a ₱500,000 guarantee.

With a ₱16,500 buy-in, players start with 100,000 in chips, equivalent to a deep 200 big blinds at the opening level. For those that max late reg, you enter with a decent 20 bb.

2026 Metro Tournament Leaderboard

Once again, the race for Metro Player of the Year takes center stage. Last season, Marlon Laxamana topped the leaderboard to claim the Metro Tourney Most Valuable Player title, earning himself a one-year contract as a Metro Team Pro.

In his post-win interview, Laxamana revealed that his victory in the 2025 MSE Main Event was the spark that fueled his pursuit of the MVP crown.

This year’s Metro MVP race kicked off on March 25 and runs through December 20, 2026. Players can continue to earn points at the MSE 2026 festival.

2026 Metro Summer Event – Schedule