Anyone to ask about living in the Philippines?

How is the live poker scene these days?

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Went to play live for 1 month but flight back to Macau after 3 days. The problem in all casinos is colluding. Filipino pros are talking in they language during big pots, card share, angle, etc. I tried to figure out how they communicate their starting hands preflop. Not easy. Example: one hand on table - BW, closed fist - A. They also communicate on river who had what blockers in big spot (when they play vs foreigner). But it depend on players, they are doing different things. Biggest casinos have a rule to speak only English, but nobody give a **** about this. When two Korean pros started to chat in Korean, dealer was correcting them, but Filipinos were talking Tagalog all day, and nobody care. Most places raked 10% + jackpots, and given this colluding only tricky Filipinos are profiting there I guess. Never again. Only exception might be some big tournament series, maybe will play again.

played several times in the last month...

played 25/50, 50/100, 100/200 and 200/400...at Okada, Newport/resortsworld, and Metro cardclub.

Didn't really notice any hand signalling, but admittedly wasn't really paying much attn to that stuff.

Wasn't much of an issue either with ppl talking during hands, like it happens and tbh i don't know what they are saying but this happens in all casinos in asia, at least ones ive been too. didn't seem like a problem to me while i was playing though.

the rakes are high, dealers are slow AF at okada/newport. super fast and professional at metro. okada didn't have chiprunners, and they had these stupid rules sometimes where i couldn't buy chips and put them in my pocket for later...like had to buy exact amount for the table.

I saw about 2 or 3 players that were actually somewhat good at the game, everyone else was mega fish. I was open raising and iso raising sometimes to 15bb and getting 2+ callers.

they def try to angle, had ppl grab there cards look like they gonna fold then lift them up and stare at u lol. weird stuff like that happened a few times by locals.

also the cashiers, not sure if they are incompetent or sinister, but make sure to count ur chips/moneys everytime u cashin/out. sometimes they **** it up.

Da Phils is unfortunately one of the few places in the world where I was the victim of CLEAR collusion and ended up folding the best hand after an all-in (on the flop) and iso on the turn from the other player (that never showed at showdown, but got me to fold in a 200bbs+ hand, sigh 😊). Granted, these were... 2 house pros... - or how do you call them again??? - that get RB for starting games and whatnot and were playing 4 handed vs my buddy and I. It did sting later after reviewing the hhs in my head and feeling dumb about the whole obvious (in hindsight) scenario.

I wouldn't worry as much in regards to full tables though, but would still be on the lookout and yeah, soft-playing in between locals/friends will definitely be a thing in the latter (which remains a soft form of collusion).

I don't care if they softplay between themselves, but I do care when there is colluding going on and my winrate drops from 12bb/hr to 0 on midstakes.

I guess 200/400 was Okada only. Was it running regularly or just occasional late evenings/nights?

They changed it to 300/600. I didnt go to okada sincd like 3 or 4 weeks now but afaik it runs everyday. Even 500/1k picks up sometimes.

Ive been waiting for a sms from metro for a 200/400+ game...but never comes. They seem to have a lot of 100/200/200 running and judging from the normal 100/200 i played there...decent chance for straddles and bombpot randomness if ur into that stuff.

And i played once 200/400 at newport,this was in december. Doubt will run often now though that they moved the game to holiday inn.

They have moved all the poker room or only HS tables? Got a connection flight next week and was going to play for like 8hrs

The whole pokerroom at newport got moved...

Good to know, thanks! Do you think any games will be running 4am-12am on Tuesday? Even as low as 50-100 is fine to kill the time

Yea like newport n okada is pr much 247 from what i seen.

Min stakes at newport is 50/100

Just to chime in, cheating is rife in Philly. I even suspect some dealers being in on it. Floor staff favor massively skewed towards locals. They can call an allin pre, then decide to fold their hand.
I've even had a local steal back chips from pots after I won an allin in an mtt, with no consequence. Watch for the sleight of hand.

Was also told I was out after losing a flip vs shorter stack, I was like realllyyyy? I conceded as thought there's no way this guy can be wrong (I was live noob). Walked away and insta-remembered I had at least 20bbs more than the other guy for sure. Such a noob error to make can only blame myself and my slow brain really.

I remember in an mtt calling off my 7bb stack K9s BB vs SB jam (erm pretty standard even with 2-3 tables left, ITM and basically nut shortie), only to win vs A5o. Table erupted. Floor staff came over and just shook his head in disbelief and disgust. It was one of the weirdest live experiences ever, to have everyone rooting so hard vs you that even a standard spot with a tiny pot disgusts them.

Did not enjoy my experience at Resorts world

Gonna be in Manila from April 1-7 to play Pokerstars Okada Millions.

Does anyone know if there's any kind of tax on MTT winnings like in the US where they take 30% of any win above 5k?

Reading about all the shady stuff happening above makes me think twice but I guess during an MTT series patroned by PokerStars that stuff should be reduced to almost 0?

Honestly not sure what everyone on about regarding cheating. Just played another 2 sessions ytd and today in cebu and its fine. Total sessions ive played now easily over 20 total in ph and really never seen anything suspiscious.

You will be completely fine in an MTT series ; the issues pop up more when you are playing with the same 8 regs on a Friday night in a cash game, for example. GL

Hate to break it to you, but (just over) 20 sessions is not much of a sample size...

Not sure what level you are playing on, and if you understand, but it is mostly card sharing preflop and blocker sharing in big pots postflop for removal effect. There is also very negative attitude towards "tight foreigners". Was asked to GTFO from local club. In Okada they just look unfriendly on you. I don't care about softplaying and other bullshit that has zero impact on my personal hourly.

Thanks for breaking it to me man. Ive only been playing poker for 3 days.

I mostly sit 50/100 and 100/200. Higher games than this rarely runs.

Okada and newport in manila.
Voyager at cebu.

Okada and newport games...like max 4 locals sitting..like most of opponents are asian tourists or random white dudes.

I disagree, as I saw a lot of cheating and/or negligence at a series in resorts world, over multiple events.

I would say that overall these series are high EV IF you can be 100% focused at all times, slow things down and count every AI you're involved with, watch players hands during allins etcetc. Definitely do not trust the dealers

BigBananas are you going to check out NuStar or the Waterfront poker room while you are in Cebu?

i went to nustar casino.

nice casino.

arrived at about 4pm, no game running, but has a poker room with like 6 or 7 tables, spoke with the girls there and they told me usually have a game running daily 50/100 PHP. Told them send me msg when game starts...i get a msg about 730pm that evening that game just started and seat open, but i didn't go.

on 2nd day same thing, they message me around 730pm but again didn't go...its too late i rather eat something then go to KTV lol.

I also msg this room called Poker8 club, they answered that they had a 25/50 game running, this was about 330pm. Drove all the way over there (its on outskirts of town) and there is no game running lol...ask them why the **** you tell me have a game but theres nothing? just waste of my time...she said they had players waiting but then they left lol (BS!).

Ill be back in town maybe 2 or 3 months from now. Will check out Waterfront and try to put an actual session at nustar.

there has been a 100/100/200 plo running every day pretty much at 2 ace. pretty juicy. seems like there is a chinese guy who sort of runs and organizes the game and I guess gets a cut of the rake? i dunno he gave me 2k in lucky chips to sit in it one night lol. 20k min. i really hate the 1/1/2 structure and the double board bomb pots they run every dealer change.

Hey I'm a Cebu local. how did u find playing in these games in Cebu? Rake is stupid high. If you wanna link up msg me

Any of the Manila experts able to answer a few gambling questions please.

Thinking of going to one of the resorts near the airport.

1) Do casinos out there have Video Poker Bar tops like Vegas. If not, is video poker available and what are options and pay tables like?

2) I know it's highly unlikely but has anyone seen Mississippi Stud Poker out there.

3) off topic of Poker, but do they have slot machines like Buffalo and Huff n More puff in particular.

Thanks in advance.