Philip Padron after winning the USD $9930 first prize at the 2011 APT Philippines Heads Up event As we draw near to the next APT Asian Series leg in Manila on August 17-23, we thought we’d get some advice from the current APT Philippines Heads Up event champion, Philip Padron, on how best to tackle the tournament’s PHP 11,000 buy-in Heads Up opening event.
The 27-year-old poker amateur and small business owner hails from Quezon City, Philippines and is a regular on the cash tables around Manila. Come August 17, Padron is hoping for a successful return to Resorts World Manila to put his heads up advice into practice and will also be playing the PHP 50,000 APT Asian Series Manila main event.
Surviving round after round of heads up play can be a tough test of a poker player’s mettle so it might be helpful for those wanting to learn a thing or two from Padron’s experience to read on…
Poker Portal Asia: What was your tactic going into the last APT Philippines Heads Up event that you won?
Philip Padron: My tactic going to the last APT Heads Up was to remain focused no matter what happens.
PPA: Did you stick to a specific gameplan from the outset or did it change with your opponents?
PP: I just played my game throughout, shifting gears from time to time – tight to passive to aggressive – depending on how I read my opponent's game. I just stayed confident and optimistic during the game but not to the extent of underestimating my opponent.
PPA: How did it feel when you won?
PP: I was really happy to take the tournament down. It was my first time to play at the APT and I didn't really expect that to happen. Before the game my first priority was to be in the money and after that my urge to take down the title emerged.
PPA: What do you think makes a good heads up player?
PP: A good heads up player must always stay focused on the game. He must not get rattled if his chips are dwindling down. He must also not get on tilt after a bad beat. He should know how to adjust to the game of his opponent.
PPA: Do you play a lot of heads up online?
PP: Not that much. Mostly small sit and go’s and sometimes cash games.
PPA: Do you think that playing heads up a lot makes you a better overall tournament player?
PP: I can’t say that it definitely makes you a better overall tournament player but it could add to your arsenal the experience of playing a lot of heads up. You could use it especially if you are already in a heads up match on a regular tournament or in an isolation play during a tournament.
PPA: Some argue that heads up improves your overall game because it forces you to practice playing a wider range of hands – do you agree?
PP: Yes it improves your overall game but not because it forces you to play a wider range of hands – it’s because it enhances your reading skills of your opponent. You become more attentive to any tells that your opponent may give you. How he moves and bets during a bluff and when he has the nuts. Every small detail is important, especially in a tournament. A wrong read could cost your tournament life, unlike in a cash game where you just call the floor and shout ‘chips please’.
PPA: What have you been up to in terms of your poker since winning the APT title?
PP: Well, the usual stuff. Hanging around with my friends and playing poker every now and then. I used some of my winnings as part of my bankroll and some for my small business.
PPA: Any other poker tournament plans in the near future?
PP: I hope I can play as many tournaments as I can. I'm still studying and learning the game of poker by watching pros, mostly Filipinos online and in live games. I also talk to them to ask some advice, mostly on bankroll management, self-control and discipline.
To register for the APT Asian Series Manila or for more information vist www.theasianpokertour.com.
