My thriller in Manila with PartyPoker.com

One of PartyPoker.com’s most exotic recent promotions was sending 11 of our players to Manila for the APT Philippines, the first ever Asian Poker Tour event.

One of those to claim a dream $6,000 luxury package was Jeppe Ipsen from Denmark. He went on to finish a fine 18th from the 316 starters, winning $7,500. Not bad for getting there in a $320 satellite on PartyPoker.com! Jeppe takes up the story:

By Jeppe Ipsen

I was so ecstatic when I won my satellite at the beginning of May, but I had to wait until the 25th before I headed out to Manila. It was a really long flight, almost 22 hours, but it was my first time to Asia so I didn’t mind at all.

When I arrived the sun was shinning and one of the first things I noticed was the kindness of the people. Everyone was really polite and willing to help if you needed it.

Following a small drive from the airport I arrived at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati, a beautiful place with everything a modern hotel has to offer. There was a pool, spa, five different restaurants, three bars and a big poker room created for the occasion.

 This is me trying to look serious!

After the dinner, PartyPoker.com’s Angelica Hael came up with the idea we should have a round of poker and the tournament director Matt Savage was kind enough to provide a dealer and a table. Even tough this was to be a freeroll and only for fun, PartyPoker.com put up some prizes to liven things up. It ended up being one of the funniest times I’ve ever had at a poker table.

Later that evening all the players decided to go out and see what the nightlife was like in Manila. Let me tell you if you ever go to Manila don’t miss the opportunity to go out. The nightlife is insane with great bars, great clubs and the girls are staggering.

The next thing was the official opening of the APT. This was when I really began to feel the poker vibe, even though I wasn’t set to play until the second opening day.

With a day off, I decided to play a $300 freezeout. I went out in eigth place – and with some luck I would have done much better. Straight away I discovered that I was not up against your average internet player. In the main tournament it turned out to be a really bad day for the PartyPoker.com players with no one going through 1A!

Now it was my time to play. The table I was seated at was not that bad. The players were really straight forward so I just had to pick out my spots. After two hours, though, I was short as I had some hands that just didn’t hit anything.

After I picked a couple of small pots and back up to average the table was broken up. Five hands or so on this new table I look down and see A-A and the nerves and blood started pumping. I crossed my legs, prayed for a raise and got what I wished for. I take down a huge pot and now have twice average.

Riffling my chips… while I still had them 

For a long time nothing really happened, but then the current chip leader arrives. He’s an old Chinese player who has more than eight times average. After three hours, though, he only has four times average with most of his chips now mine. At 2am the play was stopped and I was 17th in chip count.

Day two and I get seated at the worst table possible, with players like Qin Doo and Chris Saab. It didn’t take long for me to notice how aggressive they were playing. Because I had a lot of chips, I figured the best way was to only play top hands. The only problem was I didn’t get any top hands and after six hours a play my best hand had been A-4. My chip stack was getting small and the bubble was getting near so I simply waited for it before getting aggressive.

I was pretty short at this stage and this Frenchman had kept pushing me around all day but after a few hands where my cards had held up I was back at average and this guy was now short, and pretty angry at me. One orbit later he’s in the SB and raises me again. I look down at K-Js and think why not and push all in? He instantly calls and is happy to see my K-J as has A-Qs. But after the flop he doesn’t look so happy, 2-K-3. He doesn’t improve so it’s goodbye Mr Frenchman.

There’s a table break-up with only 18 players left and I’m moved. This next table is paradise; the players respect my steals and I pick up a lot of small pots.

 The guy to my right was a bit vacant

Then, out of the blue, my big, big blowout comes. I’m on the button and raise with K-Q. The BB defends and make a big raise and I don’t know why but my lips say all in. He calls and turns over A-K. The flop comes J-10-4 all spades and because I’m the only one with a spade that makes me the favorite. But no help comes and I’m left really short. Next hand I pick up Q-10s, push and is called by Q-J. My tournament is over.

Afterwards I felt so bad. I was so close and with my chip stack I could have cruised to the final table. It was a bad move against the only player who could really hurt me.Now I’m back in Denmark the only thing I want to do is go back to Manila. I want to thank PartyPoker.com for an experience of a lifetime and I’ll definitely be qualifying for next year

Some of the great PartyPoker players I met 

I made some great friends, especially the other players from PartyPoker who I spent time with: Johan, Markus, Joseph, Gustav, Krisoffer, Nathan, Tha balls and his friend. See you next year… or in Vegas in a few weeks!

This is Nathan from Canada… in familiar pose! 

**** Be like Jeppe and qualify for great events with PartyPoker.com. Check out all the promotions running on PartyPoker.com now.