MANILA, Philippines – Marlon “Marvelous” Manalo is ready and confident for the upcoming 2010 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters in May.

“I will do my very best for flag and country,” said the former snooker champion Manalo, who plays under the banner of Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos Jr. and Solar Sports.

Joining Manalo in the Masters slated at the Riviera Hotel and Casino from May 12 to 16, are Efren “Bata” Reyes, Francisco “Django” Bustamante, Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan, Dennis “Robocop” Orcullo and Lee Van “The Slayer” Corteza.

The Filipinos will contend with foreign cue artists from more than 20 countries. The event offers a $100,000 total pot prize with the champion getting $20,000.

Some of the international players participating in the event are Darren Appleton, Mika Immonen, Johnny Archer, Thorsten Hohmann, Daryl Peach, Ralf Souquet, David Alcaide, Shane Van Boening, Tony Drago, Allison Fisher, Yu Ram Cha, and Jasmin Ouschan.

The first 2 days of the event features double elimination play on a multi-table set-up as the field will be reduced from 64 to 32.

It will then go to single elimination and the Last 16 will be played out in a single table arena setting in front of the TV cameras, culminating in the final on the evening of Sunday, May 16. – by Marlon Bernardino