Poker and chess

Friday, June 5, 2009

Frank “Boy” Pestaño
Chessmoso

WHICH game is harder to master?

Chess, which is associated with brains? Or poker, which is associated with guts? Everyone admires someone who can bluff their way to victory.

Isn’t it like comparing crackers and cakes?

They say you can learn poker in one minute but it takes a lifetime to master it.

Chess is a contest where the player with the better developed skills will dominate. There is no comparison. While I enjoy playing a hand of poker, it does not give the same kind satisfaction as winning a game with a queen sacrifice. The
calculation required to make almost every single chess move leaves poker in the dust.

On the other hand, chess is simple where you can find concrete linear answers, while poker is hard as you need non-concrete, non-linear answers.

The main difference though is that while you can win P10,000 after nine rounds of chess, you can win a million bucks in poker. And that is the main reason why poker, the Texas hold ‘em all-in kind, is one of the fastest growing phenomena in the world today.

Another reason that attracts a neophyte to play poker is the fickleness of Lady Luck. The huge possibility of the underdog winning is exactly why so many play poker for big money. Self-deception is impossible to maintain in chess.

The invention of the pocket camera has made watching poker on TV as exciting as watching a top-notch tennis or boxing match. In chess, it’s like watching paint dry.

Poker is now the favorite pastime of most young Cebuanos during parties and family gatherings.

There are three major places to play poker here in Cebu and all are licensed by Pagcor.

All feature cash games with different blinds in different tables and they also serve free dinner.

One of these poker hotspots is the Metro Card located on AS Fortuna St. in Mandaue City, which boasts of nine tables and a VIP room.

On Mondays and Fridays, Metro Card stages the “Metro 500,” where P25,000 is guaranteed. Every Tuesdays and Thursdays, it has the P8,000-guaranteed and the P50,000-guaranteed on Wednesdays.

Every Saturdays, it hosts the Metro Hi-5. It is a satellite tournament for Metro’s P5-million-guaranteed event to be held in Manila on July 24.

The place is run by its top honchos Nick Galan and Neil Arce. For information about the events, one may call Monaliza Kohyama at 232-1800 or 232-1802.

The Diamond Club, on the other hand, is more accessible to city folks as it is located beside Grand Majestic Convention Center. It has seven tables and a friendly staff.

Earn-outs or raffle tickets are given to those playing in cash games depending on blinds and the time of play. The prize amounts to P1.2 million, which includes a Toyota Vios, a trip to Hong Kong and a laptop, among others.

On June 20, the Diamond Club, which is owned by Edward Uy, will have a P250,000 guaranteed event. The buy-in is pegged at P2,500 with rebuy and add-on. One may contact 516-4785 for more details. Bad beat is now P750,000.

Another club is the All-in, which is located in the casino premises of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel in Lahug. It is managed by John Ong and operated by Vanskap management group headed by Antonio So Jr.

All-in has been operating for almost two years now and this is where most of my friends play. The place has six tables.

On June 27, the place will hold a P1-million guaranteed event. Buy-in is P5,000 and registration is pegged at P500 with rebuy and add-on