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The Midas Touch - Field Report

Yesterday, May 21, 2010, the new poker room in Henry Javier St., Oranbo, Pasig opened. This PAGCOR accredited poker room is called The Midas Touch and has the potential of being another alternative for poker players. However, it's hard to say this early on if poker players will actually like the new poker room. They're just in their soft opening and there's still some room for improvement.

Pros

• It's very spacious. Tables are far away from each other that people can go through without disturbing the players at the tables.
• Their tables include a built-in card shuffler which is pretty interesting. It's supposed to make the dealing faster but I can't tell if it actually is.
• It being near a more stable poker room will make the competition a little bit better. If there's competition, the players get the better of it.

Cons

• There's no ATM nearby. The nearest one is a 10-minute walk or 2-minute drive away. And when the player who needs to withdraw goes that far to do so, there's a possibility he won't return.
• Lack in quorum. Of course I did go there on their first night when only a few people knew that it was open. We'll see in the future. For now, it's hard to play when employees outnumber the guests.
• There's a line on the house rules which is a little disconcerting. "Fights are not permitted inside the house. Fights are only permissible at the parking area and only after all the side bets have been made." I mean, why should this even be on the list of house rules?!?!

I may be spending my time playing here. Just because it's literally just across the street from where I live. Maybe until they lose my confidence.

Fail!

I entered Day 2 of the Labor Day Tournament with an average stack and I felt good. It was the first time that I reached the second day and I was ready.

But the strategy I had made in my head never materialized. It was one bad decision after another. I got a second chance when I was able to crack AA with my 99 but then I lost most of it a few hands after when I hero called a raise on a board of 33A2A.

I was short stacked with just a little more than 10x BB and the buzzer just signaled the end of another level, I needed to make a move. I was SB and everybody folded to me, I had A2o. I shoved hoping BB would fold or just have a smaller hand. He had A4. This was fine as there was a very big chance of a split pot. Flop comes 7-6-x. Turn shows a 5. It was already a split but then river showed a 3. Villain has a straight and that was that...

Labor Day Tournament Update

I made it through Day 1!!!

I think I've joined around 5 multi-day tournaments but this is the first time I reached Day 2! Next goal, I have to win.

New Poker Room

A friend texted me about a new poker room. And lo and behold it's across the freaking street where I live. I stopped by earlier but they were still closed. The caretaker said they're going to have a sort of soft opening this coming Monday.

I guess I'll stop by again this Monday after I win the Labor Day Tournament this weekend.

PokerManila 40k guaranteed

PokerManila gives the best tournaments, in prize, price, and skill.

Yesterday was PokerManila's 40k guaranteed. For just Php 100-300 (depending on forum activity) a member can win some cash and a seat to either an APPT satellite or the Labor Day tournament at The Metro. The best thing about it is that the field is full of top players.

I won a seat to the Labor Day tournament and it looks like I'll be playing another multi-day tournament. I'll be going for the win. It's about time.

Poker Debt

Poker debt is part of poker though it's often kept between the people involved. I just feel that it's timely to bring it out in the open and talk about it a little.

It's common for poker players to lend and borrow from each other; maybe poker players just view poker money differently. This ranges from a few hundred to thousands of pesos. The reasons also vary from need (player needs to play but is short) to convenience (player has money but not at that particular time and place). I've heard of a few people who have borrowed money from other players for gambling. No one has heard from them after they've "gone into hiding" from not being able to pay. On the other hand, there are also some who seems to always be short and needs a helping hand, but they always pay and no one hesitates to lend them. There are some who would ask to borrow from strangers or acquaintances.

Here are some guidelines when it comes to poker debt:

• Don't lend money to strangers.
• Don't lend money if you can't stand to lose the amount.
• Don't borrow money without a sure way of how to pay. (Don't assume that the money borrowed will win)
• Don't borrow money from people you won't lend to.
• All debts have to be paid.