PokerStars is announcing that they are offering the first-ever real money No-Limit Texas Hold’em poker tournament. It is going to be held in People’s Republic of China, with the establishment of ‘PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour Macau: Asian Poker Open’. The whole APPT Macau tournament will be from November 22-27 of this year and it will feature a main event with an opportunity to buy-in for $2,500 in US dollars. The main event will be held at Macau’s Grand Waldo Hotel & Casino. This is one of the newest five-star venues to pop up on the expanding Macau scene.
Macau was established on December 20, 1999 as one of two special administrative regions of the People’s Republic of China. The economy is based mainly on tourism with a focus on gambling.
The APPT President Jeffery Haas has said that the Asia Pacific Poker Tour is pleased to be bringing the sport of tournament poker to Macau. He has said that Macau is already the world’s gaming capital and this historic event diversifies its global attraction by including the APPT’s brand name of poker tourism. Haas has said that it is a major step forward, not only for the APPT, but it is also for the growth of poker in Asia.
There are many name pros that are expected to attend this event including a big selection of Team PokerStars members. There will be other events that will be held, including a special high-rollers tournament that has a $15,000, in US dollars, buy-in. PokerStars will also be adding the Macau stop to its selection of events available for satellite qualifying by its online players.
Sarne Lightman, who is the PokerStars Asia Pacific’s Director of Marketing, has said that the stop is part of PokerStars’ continuing expansion on the international scene. Lightman has said that PokerStars is dedicated to the growth of poker as an international sport. He went on to say that adding Macau to the APPT schedule is a very exciting step in the right direction. Lightman said that there is a lot of global interest in the ‘Las Vegas of Asia’ and PokerStars is very proud to be offering players this great experience.
The new Macau stop completes an APPT schedule that started in the Philippines in August and ends with the championship event in Sydney, Australia in December.
=P