Tech tops WPT event; Mo wins high-roller tiff

MANILA, Philippines - Local pro John Zendrick “Jojo” Tech delivered a second championship for the Philippines in the World Poker Tour (WPT) National Philippines as he topped the second $150 NLHE Deep Stack Turbo event by outplaying Vietnam’s Vi Khoa Duong in heads-up at Solaire Resort and Casino.

Following up the victory of his good friend Euryd Rivera in the $200 NLHE Warm-Up, Tech dominated the showdown with Vi as he flashed his trademark pressure play until his opponent was forced into a misstep that inevitably led to another Filipino victory.

“He (Vi) was very crafty, but I waited for my spots,” Tech, the 30-year-old Pasig native said in Filipino.

“I wanted to drag him into post-flop action because I didn’t want to gamble by engaging him preflop. It worked and thankfully ‘we’ won,” referring to the Philippine flag attached on his shoulder.

Rivera was among a good number of Filipino fans who stayed on to witness the Tech-Vi duel.

“He’s a great player and I was there to support him all the way. Hopefully the Pinoy wins don’t end here,” Rivera said.

In the much-awaited $25K High Roller Event, American Jason Mo got the biggest payout of the tournament thus far as the victory there netted him US$150K (P6.6 million).

Joining Tech and Mo in the latest names to enter the winners’ circle were Sok Meng Hun of Cambodia, who took down the $500 Deep Stack event, along with the P 774K top prize and Saravanakkumar, who prevailed over Heng Mun Lua in heads up in an all Malaysian showdown in the $300 Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) championship and the P238K purse.

Action in Day 1A of the Main Event of the World Poker Tour (WPT) National Philippines opened with a bang as 143 competitors took to the felt. 

Players from all over the world plunged into battle with the prize pool now at a whopping $288K (approximately P12.6-million) with Day 1B still to follow.

Among the international campaigners were WPT Korea champion Iori Yogo of Japan, tournament grinder John Hoang, high stakes veteran David Steicke, lady pros J.J. Liu and  Zuan Lu of Canada.