A Filipino, amateur poker player and veteran public relations practitioner Rommel Orbigo, won a Pokerstars Gold Pass last December 22, 2025, via a 4am satellite tournament at Pokerstars, the world’s largest poker site.
After besting the field of more than 640 players from all over the world, Orbigo won the USD10,300 Pokerstars Gold Pass, which entitles him to join the European Poker Tour (EPT) Main Event in Paris starting on Feb. 23 with a buy-in of EUR5,300.
Orbigo also only got the USD55 Step 4 satellite ticket through a lucky raffle entry courtesy of the Pokerstars Snowball Challenge.
Hotel bookings or buy-ins to the EPT side events can be availed of as part of Orbigo’s Gold package. His other option is to join the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event in May or any of the two other EPT stops to be scheduled by Pokerstars for later this year.
A Definite First
Regarding Orbigo’s spectacular achievement, the Pokerstars Live Team replied via email, “To our memories, you (Rommel) are the first and we can’t recall any other Filipino playing an EPT after using a Gold Pass.
“Can’t say it is absolutely 100% sure but [it’s] very likely,” the Pokerstars Live Team added.
Orbigo, a BS Chemistry and Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University and a public relations and marketing consultant mainly for property development firms, is now busy with getting a Schengen visa for the unexpected trip to Paris.
As to his poker credentials, Orbigo has won several small No-Limit and Pot-Limit Omaha tournaments in the Metro Poker Club and Pokerstars Live Manila at its former venue at the City of Dreams Manila. But Orbigo intends to go even further than these small wins.
A Champion’s Next Steps
Orbigo—a consistent math contest champion in Bulacan during his grade school and high school years—intends to hire a poker coach and a mental coach, among others, to prepare him for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The 2024 winner of the EPT Paris Main Event, for instance, banked more than EUR1.2 million.
All of these activities, however, entail costs, for which his team are looking to get sponsors and partners. For instance, the Pokerstars package does not include airfare to and from Europe, so Orbigo’s team is busy preparing for the financial challenges and opportunities over the next few weeks.
“Taken altogether, I believe that this is the best way to stay long in the grueling seven-day EPT Main Event and continue waving the Philippine flag in Paris. I hope to make my fellow local poker enthusiasts proud, when I do finally get to join the EPT in Paris or Monte Carlo.
“I need all the support and good luck I can get, and I hope to make that lucky raffle entry at Pokerstars continue to work wonders,” Orbigo declared.