MWAM Opens Today with Gods of Poker Seats and Trophies Up for Grabs

Ready or not, the Metro Walk To A Million (MWAM) hits the felt today!

Running from June 19–29, 2026, Metro Card Club‘s beloved homegrown festival returns packed with ₱7.15 Million in guaranteed prize pools, double trophy events, and seats to the upcoming Gods of Poker Manila festival this August.

Full schedule at the bottom of the page.

Photo: MWAM 2025

For those unfamiliar with the venue, Metro is Asia’s longest-running card room and one of the pillars of the Philippine poker scene. Home to 36 tables and a VIP room, the club keeps the action running around the clock with a mix of tournaments and cash games catering to players of all bankrolls.

For this year’s MWAM schedule, 11 tournaments are spread across 11 days of action. Buy-ins range from just ₱1,500 (~US$ 25) to the festival’s marquee Main Event of ₱6,000 (~US 100).

As always, players that cash in any trophy event will earn points toward the 2026 Metro Tournament Leaderboard race. Check out the standings at the bottom of the page.

Another MWAM Smasher Expected

For the past two years, the MWAM Main Event carried a ₱5 Million guarantee and both times players smashed through it. The largest came in 2024 when the prize pool ballooned to ₱6,695,000 (~USD 114,150). That year also produced a landmark moment as Jamie Zaragoza turned a modest buy-in into a ₱1,230,000 (~USD 20,970) payday, thus becoming the first millionaire in MWAM history.

This year, the MWAM Main Event guarantee remains at ₱5 Million and as everyone knows, it is merely a starting point. The question really is, how high will the prize pool go?

MWAM Main Event – Structure

Win Seats to Gods Of Poker Manila

Adding extra excitement to this year’s festival is a collaboration with the rapidly emerging Gods of Poker brand. Across select MWAM events, players won’t just be competing for cash and trophies, they will also have opportunities to win seats to the upcoming Gods of Poker Manila festival and get their hands on GOP trophies.

Events with GOP Manila prizes are listed below:

MWAM Main Event
Champion: MWAM Main Event Trophy, GOP Manila Pandora Mystery Bounty, Silver Spartan Trophy
2nd place: GOP Manila Opening Event
3rd place: GOP Manila Opening Event
4th place: GOP Manila Opening Event

MWAM Pre-Event
Champion: MWAM Trophy, GOP Opening Event, GOP Shield Trophy

MWAM 100K GTD
Champion: MWAM Trophy, GOP Shield Trophy

Gods of Poker Arena Event
Champion: GOP Manila Main Event Seat, Arena Trophy
Last Woman Standing: GOP Manila Event#12: Aphrodite’s Event Seat

NLH Turbo Bounty
Champion: MWAM Trophy, GOP Shield Trophy

Ladies Showdown 50K GTD
Champion: MWAM Trophy, GOP Aphrodite Mirror Trophy

Power Button
MWAM Trophy, GOP Shield Trophy

Deepstack 200K GTD
Champion: MWAM Trophy, GOP Manila Hyper Turbo Power Button, GOP Shield Trophy

The Closer 300K GTD
Champion: MWAM Trophy, GOP Manila Hyper Turbo Head Hunter, GOP Shield Trophy

During the MWAM, players will also get to experience GOP’s signature Cronus Structure, a format unlike anything else in tournament poker. Running from June 22 to 24 is the Gods of Poker Arena Event ₱1M GTD. The concept is simple: two levels of registration, a deep starting stack combined with only a single blind increase before registration closes.

This structure is tailor-made for both tournament players and cash game players. Once registration closes, blinds will increase at a faster pace. The champion of this event will receive a seat to the GOP Manila Main Event worth ₱82,500 where the magnificent GOP Gautlet is up for grabs.

Last May, Metro’s very own Team Pro, Marc Rivera, became the first player to win two GOP gauntlets.

One more perk, and this is for all the women,  the GOP Arena Event will also award the Last Woman Standing a seat to GOP Manila Event#12: Aphrodite’s Event worth ₱16,500 on August 22, 2026.

For more on the GOP Manila, click here.

GOP Arena Event Structure

MWAM Pre-Event Kicks Off the Games

The MWAM gets rolling today with the first two of four starting flights for the Pre-Event. For a buy-in of just ₱2,200, event, players have a chance at share of the ₱500,000 guaranteed prize pool while the eventual winner will also walk away with a MWAM trophy and GOP Shield trophy.

Other events featuring guarantees:

• MWAM 100K GTD Special – ₱1,500 buy-in
• Ladies Showdown 50K GTD – Free to Enter, Re-Entry ₱1,100, Re-Buy/Add-On ₱1,000
• Deepstack 200K GTD – ₱3,000
• The Closer 300K GTD – ₱4,000

*Scroll down for the structures

Star Power at MWAM

With the WSOP ongoing in Las Vegas, more than a handful of Metro’s biggest names and Team Pros may be absent from this year’s MWAM field, but that doesn’t mean the star power dries up. Newly badged Metro Team Pros Marlon Laxamana and Dek Cruz are both expected to be in action, fresh off appearances at last week’s MMS II.

Photo: Dek Cruz

Jhun Aballa, who claimed the 2026 Metro Summer Event title just this past April and current MTLB leader with a wide advantage over the rest of the pack will surely be in top form. Also expected are Moses Saquing, Revo David, Richard Marquez, Marvin Cerbito, and Metro commentator Jester Intia.

Photo: Rommel Panopio

Female attendance at Metro has been increasing every year, creating high chances for one lucky lady to finally shine and hoist a Metro major. One player rising incredibly fast is Bea Garcia, with multiple trophies won in just over a year. She is currently ranked 11th in the MTLB.

And then there is the newest Metro winner, Rommel Panopio, who walked away with the MMS II title just days ago.

There’s plenty of excitement up ahead. Who will rise to claim the title?

Event Structures

MWAM Schedule

2026 Metro Tournament Leaderboard