Neil Arce proves The Metro is The Best
February 2, 2009
MANILA, Philippines (1 February, 2009) – The stacks were deep, the blinds were low, and everyone expected a long tough battle of Asian Poker’s best of the best in the APT final table. Who would have know that the entire final table would last only three hours? Who would have predicted that heads-up battle would only be 25 minutes? Nobody could. But Neil Arce, reigning Filipino Poker Tour Champion and WSOP money finisher DID predict weeks earlier to APT CEO Chris Parker that he would win APT Manila. And so he did, in dramatic fashion!
The end of the tournament could not have been more epic that this. Neil, Day 1 chip leader, and Korean poker veteran and APT Macau 2nd placer Steve Yea, Day 2 chip leader, were neck and neck all the way. Neil’s strategy to make it to the top two? Avoid Steve Yea. Neil told Steve that he would never get into a pot with him, and said in Day 2 “If you want to bust me out, you won’t be able to do it today, do it tomorrow.” He proved it too, when he flat called Steve’s raise with Pocket Kings, then immediately mucked his hand face up when the Ace came on the flop.
Heads up came and people expected a long drawn out battle, with stacks in the millions and blinds at around 5,000/10,000. Neil, who avoided Steve for the last 2 days of play, suddenly opened up and attacked relentlessly, stunning Steve by wresting the chip lead which Steve held for the last 2 days in a matter of a few hands. Steve, forced to play Neil’s game, became visibly rattled by the hyper aggressive moves of the Filipino veteran.
On the final hand, Arce again made a move for Yeah’s chips with a 100,000 raise. This time, Yeah made a raise of his own for 300,000. Arce then moved all-in to which Yeah called. The crowd was on its feet for this one because should Arce take the hand, he would eliminate Yeah and become the new Asian Poker Tour Philippines Main Event Champion. The flop cam 4s-6c-7h, slimming down Neil’s chances to 3 outs. Burn and turn, and boom! Queen of hearts! The crowd went absolutely wild and Neil screamed with celebration, amazed at the lucky turn of events in his favor. The river would be a harmless 6 hearts, and Neil became the first Filipino Champion of any international poker event!
For Steve Yeah, it was another bridesmaid finish after also placing runner-up in last year’s Asian Poker Tour Macau Main Event to Yevgeniy Timoshenko. Devastated as he was, there’s no denying that Steve Yeah is one of the most promising young poker players in the world. He won $100,000 for his valiant effort.
Congratulations to The Metro’s very own Neil Arce making the Filipino presence known all throughout the poker world. He has proven that we can compete at the highest level among the best of the best. Go Metro!
Congratulations Neil!
-Final Table Donkey