Hey, Poker playas!
The first legal tournament in Metro Manila was held at the Metro Card Club. The RVS cup returns in 2021 but with a small modification.
For this article, we would focus on the activities that happen yesterday at the RVS Cup.
Especially the final four where the true poker action began.
The Final table.
For this year’s final table of the RVS cup, Tables were modified to include transparent barriers. Hence the Maximum number of players that could play the final table was only 8 players.
However, as soon as the final table began one player after another got busted out.
What remained were four players of different poker styles that took four hours before a player was busted out.
Why did it took that long?
The action
For this year’s final table of the RVS cup, Tables were modified to include transparent barriers. Hence the Maximum number of players that could play the final table was only 8 players.
However, as soon as the final table began one player after another got busted out.
What remained were four players of different poker styles that took four hours before a player was busted out.
Why did it took that long?
Lucky Sen poker
Salas st corner Mabini, Metro Manila
The players.
Nikki Filart came to the final table with the big stack, What made him stand out was his very calculative movement in taking advantage of his big stack.
The Metro Card Club RVS Cup after all had a great structure, but It was Nikki that made use of the structure. Raising the right amount, test betting the right amount, he was like a huge wall that slowly kept moving and increasing his territory. He slowly increased his stack more and more as time progressed and would not give an inch to anyone.
Folding if the risk was too much, calling when it was a comfortable amount of chips to call. He remained friendly and maintained his cool and comfortable Personality while shifting to a poker face when there is an action. We believe that Nikki had more chips than the rest of the final 4 combined at certain points of the game.
The next was Ian Brion, He was like a snake in the forest, Quietly watching his opponent for those moments and taking advantage of them.. looking for that opportunity to get chips whenever it was possible.
While Raphael Bulaong was a brick wall. Whether he was going to call or fold, He tried to make sure that nobody could read his reaction.
The last was Vamberdino Magsakay, He played like a living computer that built in the odds deeply into his game. What card is the best to raise on what position, the chances of his opponent having a better hand? He was not only playing the positions but the probabilities.
Each player had a different playstyle. and that playstyle was quite exciting to watch.
The truth was that we believed that the odd on favor was Nikki Filart and Vamberdino to face heads up. but things were so easy to predict then there would be no excitement in poker.
The Crucial moment.
Both Nikki and Raphael played a defensive game. Although it could be seen more that Raphael was more intent on making sure he could not be read, While Nikki who had the advantage of the chips was intent on gnawing more chips.
While both Vam and Ian were more on waiting for an advantage and hit on it. The only difference was Ian was looking for that weak spot from a physical perspective while Vam was betting on the odds and percentages to his favor.
However, it was Ian who was able to take advantage of the right opportune moment.
The first was a raise by Ian and met with an all-in by Raphael, Ian called and his pocket 10’s held against Raphael pocket 4’s. Doubling Ian stack made him a threat.
While the heads up with Nikki was a now or never.
As a raise and reraise and all-in situation preflop happened. Ian was put on the hot spot to call the all-in of Nikki putting Ian tournament life at risk to call.
Ian Eventuallyc called Nikki and as both open their hand. Nikki showed Pocket jacks while Ian open his hand to reveal ace-king
Pocket pair VS 2 overcards.
Nikki was favored to win. but Lady luck had a different idea and blessed Ian with a king on the river.
The final moments.
With Ian now having more than a million in chips and with Metro’s RVS Cup great structure. Ian could now afford to take risks. The significant hit did affect both players. Although they were able to recover slowly. It was enough for Ian to take the lead and make use of it.
Raphael got busted and Nikki went next. Ian came into the final 2 with a huge chip advantage and his kings landed and held on the final hand.
For more than four hours, each player had their own style of playing and held unto it. But it was not their time.
Lady luck smiled and bless Ian risk.
But that is what makes poker exciting. A certain amount of luck involved could spell the difference.
Ian took that risk and won. No pain, No gain.
Stay safe poker playas!
