By Callum 
Last June, GameZone concluded its summer edition of its tournament: the GTCC Summer Showdown 2025.
Officially known as the GameZone Tablegame Champions Cup, the games took place for three days in Makati City.
Three finalists proved to be Tongits masters, each bagging hefty rewards that alter their lives—and carve their names in GameZone history.
As GameZone continues to rise as the top platform for digital entertainment, it treads a path that revolutionizes how people approach Tongits and other games.
So, how does GTCC define modern tournaments and quintessential card games for present and future players?
Let’s take a deep dive into the world of the GTCC and its influence in reshaping how we view Filipino entertainment and bringing it into the future.
A Cultural Game on a Global Stage
Tongits, often played during family gatherings or casual afternoons in Filipino neighborhoods, has historically thrived in informal settings.
Its rules—simple yet strategic—have captured generations of players.
GameZone’s pivot to elevate Tongits to a tournament-level sport is both a nod to Filipino tradition and a bold step forward in digital tablegame competition.
Held periodically in a year, the GameZone Tablegame Champions Cup gathers thousands of players worldwide, both online and offline, for a chance to showcase skill, wit, and strategy.
The tournament spans weeks of intense elimination rounds and climaxes in a championship watched by millions via live stream.
For the 2025 edition, the GTCC’s Tongits Tournament has become the most anticipated event, drawing in top Filipino talents and introducing the game to a wider global audience.
GTCC Tournament Format
If you’re new to the GTCC space, below is a detailed breakdown of how the tournament’s format works.
1. Online Qualifiers (April 25–May 16)
Thousands of players engaged in daily battles; each had to earn leaderboard points across multi-table Tongits matches.
Players who garnered the most points qualify for the succeeding rounds.
To ensure fair play for every participant—and uninterrupted gameplay—GameZone provided free platform chips.
2. Top 135 Confirmed (by May 27)
After the intense clash of the online qualifiers, the leaderboard finalized the top 135 players.
The chosen 135 players advanced to the GTCC group phase, which is one of the events that took place in June 2025 at Makati City.
3. Group Phase (June 12–15)
The Group Phase commenced the Tongits clash from June 12 to 15.
The 135 players from the previous stage were divided into groups of 45, each contesting matches lasting 20 rounds.
From these matches, GameZone selected the 84 players who are eligible for the more intense tournament rounds.
4. Promotional Round
For the promotional phase, the 84 players were shuffled into smaller groups.
The top 30 qualified for the upper bracket while the remaining 54 played in the lower bracket.
Ultimately, only five from the upper tier and four from the lower tier advanced to the semifinals round.
5. Semi-finals
The nine players battled through a 60-round bout that stretched their courage, wit, and focus.
Since this is the penultimate round of the GTCC, players are armed to the teeth with their Tongits, ready to secure a spot at the grand finals.
6. Grand Finals
In this round, the three ultimate players faced each other in a mind-boggling match that lasted 100 rounds.
Out of the three, Benigno “Tatay Benigno” Casayuran won as Grand Champion, securing the PHP 5 million jackpot prize.
He was followed by Ryan Dacalos (1st Runner Up), who won PHP 1 million, and Cesha Myed Tupas (2nd Runner Up), who received PHP 488,000.
Spotlight on GTCC’s Tongits Tournament
This year’s face-to-face Tongits tournament at GTCC introduced a level of polish and professionalism never before seen in the game.
From sleek interfaces and real-time digital card tables to integrated AI referees and automated scoring, GTCC turned a backyard favorite into a world-class esport.
And while GameZone has expanded its game roster, it still spotlights Tongits as an entertainment to be reckoned with—both offline and online.
That said, outlined below are the key features of the GTCC’s Tongits event.
Key Features of the 2025 Tongits Tournament:
- Digital Real-Time Play:Players competed via a secure, real-time platform with latency-free gameplay, ensuring every move counted.
- Tiered Ranking System:A dynamic matchmaking system ranked players into tiers, ensuring fair competition across skill levels.
- Cash and NFT Prizes:Winners didn’t just walk away with bragging rights.
Substantial cash prizes and collectible intangible winnings commemorated their victories.
- Live Commentary & Analytics:For the first time, Tongits matches featured professional commentators who broke down player strategies, paired with live game stats and win probabilities.
- Cultural Showcases:Each broadcast included interludes that highlighted Filipino culture—music, language, history, and of course, the roots of Tongits.
The championship round, held in Manila and streamed globally, drew record-breaking viewership.
Filipino fans tuned in not only to support their local champions but also to witness a familiar game evolve into a symbol of national pride.
GTCC: Redefining Tongits for Filipino Players
Tongits has always been more than a game; it’s a tradition and camaraderie.
But for years, it remained locked within casual play.
GTCC shattered those boundaries by redefining Tongits as a competitive, strategic, and internationally respected title.
Here’s how GTCC is changing the game for Filipino players:
1. Legitimizing Tongits as an Esport
GTCC’s professional-grade tournament format elevates Tongits to the level of poker or bridge in terms of competitive recognition.
Players now train rigorously, analyze past matches, and even have coaches and sponsors—unthinkable for the game just a decade ago.
2. Equal Access and Opportunity
Through digital platforms and mobile apps, players from all corners of the Philippines.
From rural towns to urban centers, everyone can now participate in Tongits tournaments.
GTCC levels the playing field and removes socioeconomic barriers, ensuring that skill is the only requirement to rise through the ranks.
3. Skill-Based Recognition
In traditional settings, winning a game of Tongits might earn you a few pesos or applause from your friends.
In GTCC, consistent performance is tracked, ranked, and rewarded with real-world opportunities.
The top Tongits players have gone on to become streamers, content creators, and even brand ambassadors.
5. Modernized Gameplay and Rules
GTCC introduced a standardized Tongits rulebook to ensure fair competition.
It streamlined gameplay, added digital anti-cheat systems, and incorporated tools for analytics.
These innovations not only protect the integrity of the game but also make it easier for newcomers to learn.
Conclusion: A Game Reimagined, A Nation Represented
The GameZone Tablegame Champions Cup has done more than host a tournament.
It has transformed Tongits from a cultural pastime into a symbol of national pride and modern Filipino identity.
By fusing digital innovation with deep respect for tradition, GTCC has given Filipino players a global platform.
It also brings a beloved Filipino card game closer to an international audience.
For millions of fans and players, this is more than just a game—it’s history, heritage, and the future of competitive card gaming.
And it all begins with three players, a deck of cards, and a dream.