Araw ng Dabaw Poker Face 2011

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

ALL eyes were on the poker tables of the Metro Card Club Davao (MCCD) as poker enthusiasts converged to get a piece of fame, glory, and the P500,000 pot on the most awaited tournament held in celebration of the Araw ng Dabaw Festival. A total of 182 players played during the three day tournament get a spot on MCCD Wall of Fame.

Players entered the tournament with a P3,000 buy-in and a P300 registration fee. This afforded them a 20,000 chip stack to play with. All for a chance of getting a portion of the P500,000 pot.

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On Day 1A, 96 showed up to get a chance of joining the final day. Meanwhile on Day 1B, 85 players tried their luck. At the end of the two qualifying days, young poker player Jibrail "Jib" Garcia, 27 years old, emerged as the chip leader with a stack of 222,000. Other chip leaders were John O. With 183,400 billiards player Yang Yang Valle 148,1000, Ed Fortuna, Zandro C., Mike Gempesaw, Noel P., Fe O., Jovan G., and Nate Lorenzana.

After several hours of intense poker action, 20 players remained seated in the final two tables, each of them with a good chance of grabbing a piece of the pot. The players who got booted out at 11th to the 20th place got seats to the Poker Face Championship for April 2011. They were Jesper Piatos, Michael Datumanong, Rey Ramos, Kirby Te, Mike Tiu, Jovan Guerra, Ely Yap, Zandro Carmona, Jan Ortiz, and Carlo Macavinta.

The final 10 players in the Final Table were composed of a mix of local poker stars and players from out of town. First one out of the Final Table, at 10th place and taking home P12,500 was Bong Dublan. At 9th place with P15,000 cash prize was Clark Dairo.

Final Day chip leader Jib Garcia went home at 8th place and took home P17,500. At 7th place with P20,000 was Ian Geronimo. Female player Fe Otaza took home P22,500 at 6th Place.

A staple in tournaments, Kenneth Tan placed 5th and took home P25,000. Billiards player Yang Yan Valle was booted out of the Final Table at 4th place and bagged a P37,500 prize. Third Place and P50,000 cash went to Richard Tolentino.

The final heads up was between two seasoned players, whose names are well-known in the Davao poke scene. It was a showdown between former Poker Face Champions and local poker stars, Bong Tan and Czarina "Cza"Yujuico. But in the end, it was Cza, fondly called "The Queen," who emerged victorious.

Bong Tan went home at second place with a P100,000 prize money.

The champion, respected entrepreneur and poker star, Cza Yujuico, earned another spot in the wall of fame, along with the Championship and the elusive P200,000 prize money.

For more information about poker in Davao, visit http://www.davaopoker.com.