HomeFrom September 14th- 22nd, the Asian Poker Tour (APT) will liven up the poker room of Resorts World Manila once again with their ninth event of the calendar year, the APT Philippines III 2016. This upcoming series marks the APT’s third visit to RWM this year, bringing nine days of poker festivities to this highly popular venue. Players can expect a wide variety of poker games to enjoy with nineteen side events and the highlighted APT ring event, the USD 1,650 Main Event. Here’s the lowdown on the events and what’s in store.
APT Philippines III 2016 Main Event
During the past two editions of this series, the Main Event saw two very distinct champions emerge. In April, Korea’s well-known poker pro Jeon Seung Soo captured his second Main Event title, and last July, a fairly new player to the tournament arena, Japan’s Shinichiro Tone, raised his first-ever Main Event trophy. Both players also received the coveted solid silver APT Championship Ring. This special ring is awarded only to Main Event champions since start of the year. Eight of these rings have already found their victors, and at this series, another ring is up for grabs.
The Main Event begins several days into the poker festival. Buy-in is USD 1,650. Here is a breakdown of the schedule.
Day 1a is on Saturday, September 17th
Day 1b is on Sunday, September 18th
Day 2 is on Monday, September 19th
Day 3 is on Tuesday, September 20th
Final 8 on Wednesday, September 21st
There are satellites offered daily leading up to the Main Event.
APT Philippines III 2016 Side Events
Prior to the Main Event, on Wednesday, September 14th, the series opens its doors with nothing less than a crowd favorite, the USD 50,000 Guaranteed Opening Event. With an entry fee of USD 275, this unlimited re-entry tournament has consistently seen a high attendance that the prize pool tends to exceed the advertised guarantee. As usual, this two-day event will run both of its entry flights on opening day.
Throughout the rest of the days, the series offers a variety of well-designed poker games catering to every type of player and structure while covering varying ranges of bankroll. Here is a list of some of those exciting events
- The Battle of the Nations is one of the most challenging and prideful events on the schedule. It is a team event comprising of two players (of the same nationality) per tandem. In addition to the cash finishers, the last team standing will also receive a portion of the prize pool. Buy-in is USD 440 per team.
- Another specialized tournament is the Ladies of Poker event. It may all be ladies on the felt but it certainly doesn’t lack in fierce competition. Impressively, Filipino player Ferlyn Cabaling holds the most titles having won six trophies in this event. Buy-in is USD 165.
- The Head Hunter USD 100/Bounty is one of the most popular events at every APT stop. Players come out swinging and slugging and immediately get rewarded USD 100 for every head scalped. Buy-in is USD 440.
- The Monster Stack is one of the mainstay events that players constantly rave about. Due to its popularity, the prize pool can sometimes become quite hefty. Keeping true to its name, players begin with a very healthy starting stack allowing for plenty of hands to be played and a stack to muscle around with. This is a scheduled two-day event with an entry fee of USD 550.
- In addition to several more variations of No Limit Hold’em events on the schedule, buy-ins ranging from USD 110 – USD 330, the series also offers two other types of games. There is the Pot Limit Omaha Hi, which has a good following of players. Buy-in is USD 440. Then there is the Open Face Chinese Pineapple Shootout 36 Max, which has become one of the fastest growing and sought after events in the scene today. Buy-in is USD 330.
- And of course, for those with much deeper pockets, who like small fields and big payouts, there are three high roller events to look forward to: the High Roller Open Face Chinese Pineapple Shootout 12 Max with an entry fee of USD 1,100, the Pot Limit Omaha High Rollers, and the High Rollers event, both with entry fees of USD 2,200.
For players battling their way to the top of the APT Player of the Year 2016 race, all the events are point generating. The standings are up-to-date under the 2016 Player of the Year section.
Resorts World Manila and Hotel Accommodations
The APT hosts events throughout the year in various locations and destinations both in the Philippines and outside of the country. Traditionally, the APT holds its higher buy-in events at Resorts World Manila, the first integrated resort in the Metro Manila. It is located in Newport City, Pasay, directly across the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.
The resort has four hotels, the Marriott Hotel Manila, Maxims Hotel, Remington Hotel, and Belmont Hotel. These hotels are conveniently located within walking distance of the poker venue and have varying rates. Booking information can be found in the event page of the website.
Within the RWM, there are three booming casino floors, a wide variety of restaurant choices, a shopping mall, and cinemas. The Newport Performing Arts Theater is also located within the premises with world-class shows staged every month.
Nearby cities to explore
If you happen to have time to spare, there is no shortage of things to do and explore while in Manila. Before you head out though, just make sure to exchange your money into the local currency. If you need a taxicab, they can be found right outside RWM or your hotel can hail one for you.
Nearby cities such as Makati and Bonifacio Global City (BGC) are two of the best places to enjoy. Makati is the larger of the two cities, and like any other bustling metropolis, it has everything you desire under the sun such as shopping malls, museums, restaurants, bars, karaoke bars, clubs, live entertainment, you name it. But beware of the heavy traffic, which can get quite bad during the daytime and rush hour.
BGC is about a 10-min ride and it pales in comparison to the size of Makati. It is considered a bit more upscale and is the hippest part of town. It is a fast growing yet compact city with the country’s first and only pedestrian mall. The city has a slew of excellent restaurants to choose from, small parks to stroll, jog, and exercise, high-end mixology bars including the country’s biggest club.
The APT Philippines 2016 is right at your doorstep so start booking your accommodations. Special APT Player Rates available cthrough our official travel partner www.PokerTourBookings.com. For more info, check out the APT Philippines II Hotel booking info page
For more info, check out the APT Philippines III Event Info page