Hey, Poker Player!
Back in Manila — Observing the Shifting Landscape
Back in Manila and slowly checking things out again.
It’s hard to believe we were gone for just a month—but in that short time, we covered two major events in Cebu:
The Chase Cup and the IVP Cup 2025—both of which are quickly becoming cornerstones in Cebu’s poker identity.
What makes Cebu’s rise so significant is that it’s not about massive guarantees.
It’s about building identity, community, and a long-term vision for growth. And it’s working.
Meanwhile in Manila, the landscape is shifting fast.
Three new poker rooms have opened, with three more scheduled to launch soon. The market is clearly tightening—everyone chasing a slice of the same pie, yet offering more or less the same product.
It’s becoming a race—not just to open a room, but to stand out.
Because in a market this saturated, simply existing is no longer enough.
The question is:
Who will find their identity—and who will get lost in the noise?
FIELD OF DREAMS
As Manila Braces for More Competition, the Bigger Question Remains: What’s Next?
With several new poker rooms opening—and more on the way—Manila is entering a phase of intense competition. But as the market grows, so does the pressure to evolve.
The problem?
Many rooms still operate like a mom-and-pop store—or a “sari-sari store”, relying heavily on the same old formula:
The “Field of Dreams” approach—“build it with a big guarantee and low buy-in, and they will come.”
But the results speak for themselves.
That strategy, once promising, has repeatedly failed.
Just in the past year, we’ve seen tournaments with 20 to 50 million guaranteed prize pools suffer major overlays—a clear sign that the guarantee alone is no longer enough to attract the market.
What’s missing?
Identity. Branding. Culture. Storytelling.
Most poker rooms are so focused on pushing prize pools, they forget to build something players can believe in.
Take for instance a current ₱3 million guaranteed tournament running in one of Manila’s biggest rooms—treated no differently than a daily donk fest, with no narrative, no hype, no respect to the scale of the event. It’s just another entry on the calendar.
Meanwhile, if guarantees are the only draw, the hard truth is:
There are often bigger ones elsewhere—whether it’s Cebu, Korea, Vietnam, or Taiwan.
In a time where players have more options than ever, Manila’s poker rooms need to stop relying on the size of their prize pool—and start answering a more important question:
Why should anyone care?
Until that answer is clear, it’s not the competition they should fear—
It’s becoming forgettable.
Back in Manila
Back in Manila — A New Chapter Begins
Now that we’re back in Manila, it’s time to turn the spotlight on the city’s ever-evolving poker landscape. Several new poker rooms have opened their doors, and we’re hitting the ground running—starting with features, interviews, and the latest updates from around the Metro.
One of the most intriguing developments so far is from Masters Poker and their bold new campaign: “BluffMasters.”
What makes it even more exciting?
They’re set to collaborate with another legacy poker brand in Manila—an event that’s more than just a tournament, but a reunion of sorts.
More than a decade ago, players in Manila were almost always defined by where they came from:
Malate or Metro.
These two rooms weren’t just venues—they were the heartbeat of the Philippine poker scene, laying the foundation for the industry as we know it today.
Now, those two names are joining forces again—a collaboration built on history, rivalry, and shared legacy.
And Masters Poker isn’t stopping there.
They’ve already announced a solo event on their home turf this July—a smart and timely move toward reestablishing their identity in a new era of poker.
Manila poker is changing. The brands that understand where they came from—and are willing to evolve—might just shape where it goes next.
