Phl team ousted in WPT Nations Challenge

MANILA, Philippines -- History was made last Saturday as the first ever World Poker Tour (WPT) National Philippines unfolded at the posh Grand Ballroom of the Solaire Resort and Casino in Parañaque City with the much anticipated WPT-Solar Sports Nations Challenge highlighting the opening salvo of events.

A series of qualifiers saw over a hundred aspirants scurry for that much coveted seat to the WPT Main Event that begins on October 23rd and the schedule indicates that there will be more satellites in the coming days where those who want to take part can gain entry to the prestigious tournament for as low as $25.00 (PhP 1,100.00). As of now, about ninety seats have been gained through satellites.

Day 1 climaxed with the inaugural WPT-Solar Sports Nations Challenge wherein four countries saw action vying for the title as Korea took on Japan while Malaysia locked horns with the host nation in the shoot-out format that was intense from the onset.

Team Philippines captain Wally Sombero made last minute changes to the local roster as four players opted out due to commitment issues.

The locals’ final line-up had Sombero, former national and Asian champion Vic de Guzman, Philippine Poker Tour (PPT) Player of the Year Martin Corpus, PPT champion Derek Bautista, 2014 Asian Poker Tour runner-up Jay Lubas, World Series of Poker (WSOP) campaigner Derek Leaño, Davao’s Edison Marzan, tournament veteran Almond Cabral, Filipino Poker Tour (FPT) founder and entrepreneur Alan Escaño and actor and active poker aficionado Philip Salvador.

The host nation got off to an early lead by scoring the first two eliminations against the Malaysians and holding a substantial chip lead, but two decisive hands on Table 2 dealt the Pinoys crucial blows as Salvador—the most active celebrity in local poker scene—got ousted by an action card on the turn that gave him two-pair and his opponent a straight, and Escaño fell into a beautifully set trap later revealed as two-pair vs. Escaño's top pair-top kicker. The two Philippine casualties came within five minutes of each other and Malaysia quickly gained the upper hand for the first time.

Needing to regain the momentum, Cabral turned up the heat in Table 1 as Leaño and de Guzman followed suit. But the three-way trap they set-up was indeed a set-up as Malaysian skipper Daniel Chin’s pocket aces flopped a set and in one swift blow the Philippines lost three players.

It was an uphill struggle for the locals from that point on as Lubas (Table 1) and Marzan (Table 2) tried desperately to keep the ship afloat. But in the end the squad succumbed to a combination of well played hands and timely strikes by the Malaysians to send the whole Philippine contingent to the sidelines, with Lubas being the last man standing; going down swinging against four Malaysians.

“When we lost Almond, Derek and Vic, I knew it was going to be difficult for us to recover,” Lubas—the former 2-day overall chip leader of the 2012 WSOP Main Event—said. “I didn’t want to go down without a fight, but the lead was just too big.”