ONLINE POKER

Poker continues to expand in popularity, and there is further proof that is not just a male sport, as Kim Butsumyo became the first female player to qualify in the main event of the Philippine Poker Tour (PPT) Million-Peso Hold’Em Philippine championship set for April 8-9 at the Airport Casino Filipino Paranaque.B utsumyo was one of the thirteen most recent qualifiers from Metro Manila. Other palayers to qualify were Raymond Umagat , Balu Renganatan, Kenny Karseboom, , Gotch Chua, Ricky Sarmiento, Ronald Regis, Grant Butsumyo, Francis Arnaldo, Oliver Zapanta, Mauri Bulauitan, Paul Santos,and Tim Vphili.

Four players from Cebu City also made it into the main event, bringing the number of players who have qualified to 37. These players included Canizares, Nonoy Tirol, Raymund Garcia, and Manuel Regis.
Aside from the guaranteed $1 million worth of prizes, the winner of the main event will bring home the Champions Bracelet and the title as the First Hold’Em Philippine Champion.

A total of $1.6 million will be awarded to the top ten finishers. Over 250 players have so far participated in ongoing non-wager satellite tournaments being held at San Mig, Alabang Town Center (every Wednesday evening), Valle Verde Country Club (every Friday and Saturday), El Pueblo at Ortigas Center, Pasig (every Friday) and Rajah Park Hotel, Cebu City (every Friday).

"We are expecting a strong delegation of tournament poker players from Cebu eager to give players from Angeles City, Pampanga and Metro Manila stiff competition for the Philippine Poker Champion bracelet," said Rey Gamboa, chairman of the organizing committee. Participants may also join the main event without playing in satellite tournaments by paying a registration fee of $21,000 on or before April 5.