Poker: gambling or sport?

Of all the forms of gambling, poker is one of the most complex and sophisticated, and because there is the ability to win even with a bad hand, there is much more skill involved.

It is a game that, over a long period of time, will always reward the more skilled player.

That is why there are professional poker players who depend on the game as a livelihood just like chess.

And so, even if you can't accept poker as a sport, it has to be accepted as a legitimate form of competition in which talent overrides luck.

Texas hold 'em is the most popular poker card game in Cebu and across North America and Europe, as well as online. It is a community card game where each player may use any combination of the five community cards and the player's own two hole cards to make a poker hand,

Because each player starts with only two cards and the remaining cards are shared, it is an excellent game for strategic analysis.

Metro Card in Mandaue recently had the Sharpe Classic P500,000 guaranteed tournament with a buyin of P5,500.

Here are the winners (in pesos): 1st: Anthony Song 147,500 2nd: Gerry Campo 85,000 3rd: Jett Latonio 60,000 4th: John Ruiz 50,000 5th: Joey Agustin 42,500 6th: John Ong 32,500 7th: Anthony Feliciano 22,500 8th: Ray Martin 17,500 9th: Jed Neri 12,500 10th: Taino Tenney 10,000 11th: Sonny Ugalde 10,000 12th: Rafael Escano 10,000.
The All In Poker Sports Club, located at Cebu’s Waterfront Hotel & Casino, is holding its Anniversary Series of Poker this month from June 20-27, 2011. The packed schedule will include a PHP 1 million guaranteed prize pool Main Event, which has been accredited by the Asian Poker Tour (APT) and is sure to attract the Philippines’ best poker players.
Players sitting down at the tables for the PHP 5500 buy-in Main Event of the All In Anniversary Series of Poker can be confident that the event will be run to according to the same protocol that has made the APT such a trusted tournament series.

“We’ve had a great partnership with the All In Poker Sports Club previously with the launch of our APT Asian Series Cebu tournament and are very happy to continue our association with the professional team there,” said Jeff Mann, CEO of the Asia Poker Tour.
Also The new Oriental Poker Sports Club in Parkmall ,Mandaue has also a P1,000,000 tournament this month with a buyin of P25,000 limited to 40 players. 1st prize is an amazing P500,000.
Plus they have freerolls (no buyin) that keep them coming.
Also remember that it is a special night for ladies tomorrow at Parkmall as they pay only P200 , convertible to cash game chips while gentlemen pay P500. Guaranteed pot is P15,000.
Also try your luck at Diamond Club beside the Grand Convention Center as they have affordable buyins and the lady dealers are a sight to behold and even prettier lady players.
Sigeman.The 19th Sigeman Chess Tournament is set to take place today up to the 13th in Malmö, Sweden.
The format is 6-player round robin and features Alexei Shirov (ESP 2709) and the world's top juniors namely Anish Giri (NED 2687) and our Wesley So( PHI 2667).
Completing the 6 man event are Sweden`s top players : Jonny Hector 2585, Hans Tikkanen 2560 and Nils Grandelius 2541
MICA.The "Mactan Island Chess Association" or "MICA" is organizing a tournament on June 17 1pm to be held in the park under the new bridge titled Singkwenta na Chess Tournament .
The occasion is the 50th Charter Day of Lapulapu City and has 3 sections: A,B and Kiddies.
Sponsor is councillor Harry Radaza and MICA. Prizes are cash and medals.
The president of MICA is Galileo Roma Jr who is a good poker player.
boypestano@gmail.com,www.chessmoso.blogspot.com