Trip Report - Thrilla in Manila
Well, I am finally back from my 25 day vacation to Manila, Philippines. As I visited the Metro Poker Room on four separate occations, I will post some interesting hands from each visit. Having landed last night after a combined 20 hours of travel time, please excuse the typos.
Metro Poker Room
In the the Philippines, 'poker rooms' are available outside the regular casinos; there are several in the Manila area, and I was told that the Metro is the biggest in the entire country. The club was located in an area known as Metro Walk which is basically an outside mall with many restaurants, stores and an open garden area where they have live music in the evenings. As it was only a five minute drive from my hotel, it was idea for me. Outside the front door of the club were always two armed guards. Although this was standard for Manila where every McDonalds would have an armed guard at the front door. Never seen so many sawed off shotguns or M16s in my life.
Mainly no limit is the game of choice but I did hear that Omaha was available some nights. Limits included 10/20, 25/50, 50/100 and 100/200 (all in pesos). The 50/100 would be equivalent to $1/$2US which is most common in Canadian casinos. The 100/200 (approx. $2/$4US) was played in a separate private room. The Metro also had a single pool table where 8 ball was the game of choice and based on the crowd each night, some of the top players in the city played at the Metro (I assume for money). I stuck mainly to 25/50 or 50/100 (when available).
The main difference I noticed from poker rooms at Canadian casinos was a more relaxed attitude at the table. Here are some of most obvious differences: during a live hand, all players at the table can talk about the current hand and this occurred constantly. Players would discuss what they thought the other players might have, the cards on the board, the players tendencies, whatever, with no concern from the dealer; on any given night, there would usually be less than five non-filipinos at the club. Although everyone in the Philippines speaks English, Tagalog (local language) was typically spoken at the table, even with non-filipinos playing at the table. A few times players mentioned that everyone should speak in English so the non-filipinos could understand what was being discussed, but it was usually for less than a few minutes before the table returned to Tagalog again; chips could be removed from the table to pay for food or could be given to another player at the table. A lot of players would have side bets on any given hand so 25 or 50 peso chips were constantly flying across the table. This more relaxed atmosphere didn't really bother me much.
Buyin ranges were a lot more generous than in Canadian/US casinos. At the 25/50 table, you could buyin for 5k max for the first three rebuys and then 10k on the fourth; at the 50/100 table, the max buyin was 40k (400 the big blind).
The Metro only offered hot asian dealers (no male dealers) and they also had a calender of the 12 hottest dealers at the club.
Day 1 - Welcome to the jungle
Well I arrived at the club and since there were no seats available at the 25/50 tables, I started off with a 10/20 table (2,000 peso max - about $50 Cdn); good way to kill time and get a feel for poker Filipino style. I played at the table for about one orbit and then my name was called for the 25/50 table. I also put my name down for the 50/100 table to see if it would get started (it never did). Although, they had two 100/200 tables going later, but no 50/100, which was odd.
So I buy in for the max of 5,000 pesos and I am the only non-Filipino at the table, although there are two women at my table. About 10 minutes in and I get dealt pocket fours. Its raised to 300 pesos and I just flat call hoping to hit my trips (five players call). Its not uncommon for a lot of players to see a flop, even with raises of 10x the BB. Flop comes 4 7 J. Player in middle position bets 1,500 and it is folded around to me. I make it 3,000 and the other player pushes putting me all-in. Its an easy call for me and he shows JQ for top pair. I'm in good position to double up when the first of many burns comes: turn is a Jack (giving me the boat, my opponent trips) and the river is a 7 giving the villian a higher full house. Oh well, at least it only cost me $100US. Time to rebuy again.
Later in the evening, I have AK with a board of AK7 and bet the pot of 500 and get a call from one player. Turn is a 4 so I make it 1,000 and get another call. River is a 10 and I start to wonder what this guy might have to be making these calls so I check. He bets 1,000 and I figure my top two pair must be good so I call. He turns over QJ and he was chasing his gut shot all the way to the river. Very nice.
After my four sessions at the Metro, I noticed there was a lot more chasing than local games I have play at in the GTA. Especially gutshots. Players will easily commit all their chips if they have a chance at hitting their flush or straight. I don't mind, these are the kind of players I like.
For the next couple of hours, I'm getting some decent starting cards, but am missing the flops completely. After about 4 hours, I end up down around 5,000 pesos for Day 1 (around $125CDN). I decide to leave around midnight but first head upstairs to check out the counterfeit DVD stores. Picked up Prison Break Season 3 and Dexter Season 3 (which is the current season) for around $1.50 CDN for the complete season. Also some rare CDN live DVDs of Our Lady Peace, U2, Nirvana and Blind Melon for about a buck. My driver arrives (yes, in the Philippines, you can't drive in local traffic, so you must have a driver which costs about $10US for the day), and its time to call it a night.
Day 2
My only memories of Day 2 seem to pertain to kings; I'm in middle position playing 25/50 when a player makes it 400 pesos to go; I raise to 1,500 and there are two callers before it gets back to the original raiser who pushes for another 3,000 putting me all in. I call and we are heads up (against AA of course); I don't improve and its time for another rebuy; later on I get KK again and raise to 500 limiting the field to one other player; the flop brings an ace and I bet 1,200 trying to represent an ace and I get raised into; I fold and the other player graciously shows me an ace; later on its the KK again and this time I decide to just call and hope for a re-raise opportunity. A short stack decides to push with about 2,000 pesos and when it gets back to me I re-raise to 4,000 hoping to isolate. We are heads up and the other player holds AQ with an ace hitting the board, of course.
Later in the evening I get dealt pocket 8s and make a great call on the river with this other player making a large bet on the river with a 46106A board; he has nothing and I take down a nice pot. On the evening I am down about 800 pesos or about $20 CDN.
Metro Poker Room
In the the Philippines, 'poker rooms' are available outside the regular casinos; there are several in the Manila area, and I was told that the Metro is the biggest in the entire country. The club was located in an area known as Metro Walk which is basically an outside mall with many restaurants, stores and an open garden area where they have live music in the evenings. As it was only a five minute drive from my hotel, it was idea for me. Outside the front door of the club were always two armed guards. Although this was standard for Manila where every McDonalds would have an armed guard at the front door. Never seen so many sawed off shotguns or M16s in my life.
Mainly no limit is the game of choice but I did hear that Omaha was available some nights. Limits included 10/20, 25/50, 50/100 and 100/200 (all in pesos). The 50/100 would be equivalent to $1/$2US which is most common in Canadian casinos. The 100/200 (approx. $2/$4US) was played in a separate private room. The Metro also had a single pool table where 8 ball was the game of choice and based on the crowd each night, some of the top players in the city played at the Metro (I assume for money). I stuck mainly to 25/50 or 50/100 (when available).
The main difference I noticed from poker rooms at Canadian casinos was a more relaxed attitude at the table. Here are some of most obvious differences: during a live hand, all players at the table can talk about the current hand and this occurred constantly. Players would discuss what they thought the other players might have, the cards on the board, the players tendencies, whatever, with no concern from the dealer; on any given night, there would usually be less than five non-filipinos at the club. Although everyone in the Philippines speaks English, Tagalog (local language) was typically spoken at the table, even with non-filipinos playing at the table. A few times players mentioned that everyone should speak in English so the non-filipinos could understand what was being discussed, but it was usually for less than a few minutes before the table returned to Tagalog again; chips could be removed from the table to pay for food or could be given to another player at the table. A lot of players would have side bets on any given hand so 25 or 50 peso chips were constantly flying across the table. This more relaxed atmosphere didn't really bother me much.
Buyin ranges were a lot more generous than in Canadian/US casinos. At the 25/50 table, you could buyin for 5k max for the first three rebuys and then 10k on the fourth; at the 50/100 table, the max buyin was 40k (400 the big blind).
The Metro only offered hot asian dealers (no male dealers) and they also had a calender of the 12 hottest dealers at the club.
Day 1 - Welcome to the jungle
Well I arrived at the club and since there were no seats available at the 25/50 tables, I started off with a 10/20 table (2,000 peso max - about $50 Cdn); good way to kill time and get a feel for poker Filipino style. I played at the table for about one orbit and then my name was called for the 25/50 table. I also put my name down for the 50/100 table to see if it would get started (it never did). Although, they had two 100/200 tables going later, but no 50/100, which was odd.
So I buy in for the max of 5,000 pesos and I am the only non-Filipino at the table, although there are two women at my table. About 10 minutes in and I get dealt pocket fours. Its raised to 300 pesos and I just flat call hoping to hit my trips (five players call). Its not uncommon for a lot of players to see a flop, even with raises of 10x the BB. Flop comes 4 7 J. Player in middle position bets 1,500 and it is folded around to me. I make it 3,000 and the other player pushes putting me all-in. Its an easy call for me and he shows JQ for top pair. I'm in good position to double up when the first of many burns comes: turn is a Jack (giving me the boat, my opponent trips) and the river is a 7 giving the villian a higher full house. Oh well, at least it only cost me $100US. Time to rebuy again.
Later in the evening, I have AK with a board of AK7 and bet the pot of 500 and get a call from one player. Turn is a 4 so I make it 1,000 and get another call. River is a 10 and I start to wonder what this guy might have to be making these calls so I check. He bets 1,000 and I figure my top two pair must be good so I call. He turns over QJ and he was chasing his gut shot all the way to the river. Very nice.
After my four sessions at the Metro, I noticed there was a lot more chasing than local games I have play at in the GTA. Especially gutshots. Players will easily commit all their chips if they have a chance at hitting their flush or straight. I don't mind, these are the kind of players I like.
For the next couple of hours, I'm getting some decent starting cards, but am missing the flops completely. After about 4 hours, I end up down around 5,000 pesos for Day 1 (around $125CDN). I decide to leave around midnight but first head upstairs to check out the counterfeit DVD stores. Picked up Prison Break Season 3 and Dexter Season 3 (which is the current season) for around $1.50 CDN for the complete season. Also some rare CDN live DVDs of Our Lady Peace, U2, Nirvana and Blind Melon for about a buck. My driver arrives (yes, in the Philippines, you can't drive in local traffic, so you must have a driver which costs about $10US for the day), and its time to call it a night.
Day 2
My only memories of Day 2 seem to pertain to kings; I'm in middle position playing 25/50 when a player makes it 400 pesos to go; I raise to 1,500 and there are two callers before it gets back to the original raiser who pushes for another 3,000 putting me all in. I call and we are heads up (against AA of course); I don't improve and its time for another rebuy; later on I get KK again and raise to 500 limiting the field to one other player; the flop brings an ace and I bet 1,200 trying to represent an ace and I get raised into; I fold and the other player graciously shows me an ace; later on its the KK again and this time I decide to just call and hope for a re-raise opportunity. A short stack decides to push with about 2,000 pesos and when it gets back to me I re-raise to 4,000 hoping to isolate. We are heads up and the other player holds AQ with an ace hitting the board, of course.
Later in the evening I get dealt pocket 8s and make a great call on the river with this other player making a large bet on the river with a 46106A board; he has nothing and I take down a nice pot. On the evening I am down about 800 pesos or about $20 CDN.
Comments
welcome home.
thanks for the report, jimmy.
my wife was born there; no, I never felt any players were ganging up on me; some were friends but they battled each other just as hard as a stranger; a couple would check down hands but it didn't happen very often. I am usually pretty aware when this is going on.
Cmon Jim, you can level with us.
if you saw where the whores lived, you wouldn't let them lick your asshole for free. Remember the episode of Seinfeld where George has to go to India for a wedding.
Umm did he get a whore there? or his ass licked?
I would consider the runner, runner boat an ass licking