Hey, poker playas!
The first poker tournament after the pandemic has begun has just concluded. It was a long time before tournaments were allowed to be held Live.
As we have shown the action, we would like to share an exclusive interview with what we believe was the best player of the felt that day.
Although he only finished third. the excellent command of his chips was something worth looking into.
Like a general commanding his army, he was a leader commanding his chips like soldiers into the battlefield.
Yes, he had the advantage of coming to the final table with a big stack. But his skills in maintaining it for more than 4 hours was superb.
Choosing which battle to fight and commanding his soldier to gain more resources. He was the general that stood on top of the castle guarding it and gaining territory at the same time.
But a Twist of luck changed the battlefield but it was still a good effort as he finished the RVS cup in third place.
The name of the General? Nicandro “Nikki” Filart Jr!
A cup of coffee and some ?
How long have you been playing poker.
Wow it has been so long I don’t remember the exact number but likely more than 20 years now. I was one of the earliest adherents of poker here in the PH, especially playing online and in the underground scene. And in my own way proud as well in terms of how I contributed to building the poker community in the Philippines.
Why do you love poker?
I think it’s the fact that on the surface it seems very simple but it’s actually a very complex game. It’s very open and accessible, anyone can play and win against anyone at any given time (well for the short term anyway). Plus you get to earn money, what’s not to like ?
You were not as active in poker even before the pandemic. are you now making a strong comeback especially since tournaments are back?
No, family and work come first so I haven’t had much time to play, especially tournaments where you need to dedicate multiple days to a single event. I was only able to play the RVS Cup because day 1 was online and only day 2 needed a live appearance. Great concept by the way, I hope there will be more like it especially for people like me who can’t necessarily invest the time for a regular tournament.
What were you doing during the lockdowns?
Working! It never stopped. But there was a time early in the pandemic where the PPP scene was hot so for a few months was playing on that platform and even put up my own club with a few friends. Have also been playing some private games in Metro Online during the beta testing of their app.
How was your experience on the RVS cup?
Very impressed with the tournament, considering that the buyin was only 2k the structure was very playable and you could see it in terms of how long the final table lasted. Kudos to Ronald S., Marc R. and the Metro staff….
The look you have when you are about to eat someone raise.
who do you think was your hardest opponent during the final table.
This is the first time I played with him but I thought it was Vam. Down 4 handed I was actually trying to manuever it in a way that I whittle down his stack before we get to 2-3 handed. He got down to 300k (5-6BB) at one point I think and we were all in my A6 vs his KJ. Unfortunately the cards didn’t go my way…
What would you advise a new player on the new normal now if they want to play poker?
Learn the game. There is so much more information available now vs when I started out. Books, blogs, youtube videos, training sites, solvers/tools, etc. There is no excuse not to get better now. Secondly, the game if best played when you have fun. So enjoy yourself…
What is the most important skill you believe a poker player should have?
Willingness to learn, the game is ever evolving. The way it is played now vs how it was played 5 or 10 years ago is vastly different. You need to be able to adapt and change along with it. I remember reading a quote, can’t remember which poker player – “Today’s shark is tomorrow’s fish”. True in poker, true in life as well…
Do you have any messages for Pokercast Asia readers?
Poker is back! Let’s all work together in rebuilding the community…
