Back in the Game – My Phillipines Poker Journey with SV Poker
Intro
What’s up, guys? A while back, I did a DoorDash bankroll challenge, grinding deliveries to build a poker roll. It was going well, but I ended it early when I transitioned from poker to advantage play—mostly slot AP and card counting. That worked out for a while, but then life took a turn when I moved to the Philippines with my fiancee. It was supposed to be a short stay while we waited for her visa, but things didn’t go as planned, and now I’m here for the long haul—with a baby on the way in July!
The problem? Advantage play in Manila is basically dead.
Card counting is impossible – Continuous shuffle machines everywhere
Slot AP is ultra-limited – Maybe 10 playable machines in the whole city
Grinders camp those machines 24/7 – Smoking, drinking, and waiting for scraps
So, all my AP skills are useless here, at least until I’m back in the States later this year. That's when I realized: I need to get back to poker.
Why I Joined SV Poker
I’ve made my living from gambling since 2016, outside of a few short breaks. But with a baby on the way, I didn't want to deal with the variance stress of playing on my own dime. That’s when I started looking into poker stables—and I found one that actually made sense:
Enter SV Poker.
✔️ No bankroll stress – Just focus on playing +EV poker
✔️ Elite coaching & community – Work with crushers who actually know what theyÂ’re doing
✔️ Access to soft sites – Better ROI than just firing into GG and Stars donk-fests
✔️ Clear progression path – Play, study, improve, move up
Since joining, I’ve already made key adjustments to my game, cashed out my first profits, and feel like I'm finally back in the right mindset.
The 75-Day HARD MTT Challenge
I knew I had to shake off the rust and get back into serious volume, so I put together a 75-day challenge based on a lifestyle and poker training plan I saw online. It’s a mix of grinding, studying, and discipline to get back to playing at a high level.
📌 30 min/day study – Fix leaks one by one
📌 30 min/day exercise – Strong body, strong mind
📌 100+ MTTs/week – Minimum volume for SV Poker
📌 1 off day/week – Either light study or micro SNGs for FT/ICM practice
📌 Daily notes & review – Track leaks, session results, and improvements
Now, I started off rough. First few days, I was in makeup and questioning my adjustments. But after switching 90% of my volume to smaller, softer sites, I went on a crazy upswing:
Day 1 – 13 MTTs, -$19.14
Day 2 – 15 MTTs, +$55
Day 3 – 17 MTTs, +$300
Day 4 – 19 MTTs, +$167
Day 5 – Off day
First $500 upswing, out of makeup, and cashed out $154 from the stable already.
Want to Join SV Poker?
If you’re serious about grinding MTTs with backing and coaching, I 100% recommend SV Poker. They’ve already helped me get back on track, and I've got two friends in the process of joining.
🔗 Apply here
If you use my link, drop a comment—I'll personally help guide you through the process and make sure your application gets noticed.
Daily Updates & Next Steps
I’ll be updating this blog daily with:
✅ Grind results
✅ Study takeaways
✅ Deep runs & hand breakdowns
✅ Life in a poker stable & in the Philippines
Right now, I’m capped at $11 MTTs, but the goal is to move up ASAP. Let’s run it up.
