Hey, poker playas!
For a while PH was the most active one in terms of live poker. After all the laws in the Philippines were the most relaxed compared to other countries.
Then the pandemic hit and all gaming activities in the PH were put on hold.
This year, as the quarantine measures were eased. Slowly live poker was slowly making a come back and nowadays almost every week there is a big tournament.
For a while PH poker rooms, and operators were still at ease as there was the protection that no two tournaments above 1 million PHP can be held at the same time.
Although, some rooms were doing things sneakily by having 800k PHP guaranteed to get away with the rules. Now a new threat poses a big challenge.
Other countries are making live poker tournaments as well.
Can the Philippines compete?
Times have changed
The clash of two poker schedules was a big deal for the Philippines market. Although some would argue that due to the difference in buy-in it is like comparing apples and oranges.
But is it?
There was a significant reason why this time around the poker dream is something that should be looked at carefully.
This is the first time that a really good number of local poker players went out of the country to play in another country.
Yes, there was a big group that left before to join other tournaments. But none as significant as this as the local poker celebrities and heroes are the ones heading this drive.
And this is not the end, it is only the beginning. One of the biggest local tournaments which is the RVS cup is now set to clash with a big international tournament in Cambodia.
And there have been reports that the local pros of the Metro Card Club will fly to Cambodia to take part in it.
Will ph poker industry survive?
The Philippines on a local level will survive, After all, not everyone will fly out. and PH does have a good number of poker players.
It is on an international level that PH could lose the battle.
That is because a lot of the local operators operate on a local level.
The battle is still between local and international. There is no real battle between the two international tournaments happening yet.
The RVS was built for the local players and the international tournament in Cambodia was meant for international players.
It was always like that anyway, Hence if you look as a whole the Philippines’ biggest export is still manpower. because the opportunity even with poker will always be outside the Philippines.
One big example is Mike Takayama, he is one of the local talents that really shined because he went and competed outside the country.
It is not that the Philippines do not have talented people. It is locked in its ways hence it will never be able to compete on an international level.
Instead of appreciating talents, it simply tries to find a cheaper alternative and copies it. Like all other companies, it tries to find shortcuts.
Another example is Jason Kyle Magbanua, his name is currently being used to promote a tournament. Omitting the fact, he first won in Metro Card Club, he was added to the Metro Team Pro, and he is not playing that local tournament. but his name is being used to promote that local tournament.
PH will survive on a local level. Hopefully, it can wake up and start competing on an international level.
