Asia's largest poker tournament begins in Macau 亞洲撲克賽巡迴澳門展開 (亚洲撲克巡迴赛澳门展开)

Asia’s richest tournament, the Asian Poker Tour Macau will begin today on 27 August, this event will run from August 27 to 31 and is being held at the StarWorld casino, following the welcome reception and satellite tournaments yesterday. This year the APT Macau will offer US$1.5 million in prize and the first prize also guaranteed a prize at US$500,000. The buy-in for the main event cost USD$5300 ($5000+$300) and many of the big names are also expected to take part includes Todd Brunson, Liz Lieu, J.C Tran, Kenny Tran, John Juanda, Nam Le, Quinn Do, Steve Sung, Huck Seed, Mel Judah, Mansour Matloubi and APT Philippines champion David Saab, who won the top prize of US$280,000 at the first leg of the Asian Poker Tour in Manila and hopes to add a second APT championship to his poker accomplishments here in Macau.

Jack Binion - host of the first World Series of Poker at the Horseshoe in 1970, together with Binion, Doyle Brunson and tournament director Matt Savage will open this prestigious event.

“I have been to so many tournaments and so many places in the world but I have to say I am so impressed with The Asian Poker Tour and Macau. This is the first time I have been here.” Brunson said.

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps is also invited to Play Poker at this APT Macau Event. He will get that chance to meet some of the big names in the poker world if he takes up the APT's invitation.

The open letter to Phelps from the APT reads as follows:

Dear Michael,

First of all, congratulations on your eight gold medals and world record breaking feats - what a supreme sporting achievement and I hope superstardom treats you well. However, I write this open letter to you to say that I am in a position to add weight to the argument that you should be crowned history's ultimate sportsman.

I noticed recently that you have told your local newspaper that you were a big fan of poker and look forward to playing again. By a strange twist of fate, I represent the Asian Poker Tour and we are running Asia's largest ever guaranteed tournament NEXT WEEK in Macau. It starts on the 27th and runs until the 31st and guarantees a prize pool of $1,500,000 and a first prize of $500,000.

This is the biggest prize pool ever offered in Asia! While you are already in China, why don't you give it a go? It would be our pleasure to fly you in, organize your accommodation and buy-you in to the tournament!

Some have said you are a 'human dolphin' but we're keen to know if history's greatest swimmer is really a fish. You may have feet that can reach angles others cannot to give you the ultimate swimming technique but just you wait until you've got sharks like Vegas poker legend Doyle Brunson chasing you. We'll see how fast you really are then when they smell blood - get some flippers on those size 14's!

Don't bring your goggles, bring a pair of sunglasses - dive in at the deep end and we would love it if you showed us your hand. You've almost certainly got more chance of making good money from our $1,500,000 prize pool than securing any commercial deals! Your homecoming to a delirious country can wait.

Go all-in Michael! We'll even get some special one-on-one lessons for you from poker's greatest players. If it makes you happier we'll even bring in Mark Spitz too and you can play heads-up! Some have campaigned for poker to become an Olympic sport. The fact that you are a 'human dolphin' doesn't mean you will necessary get a gold medal for Texas Hold'em!

In all seriousness, come join us, you may as well while you are there! We'll definitely show you a good time and would be honored with your presence. Get the closing ceremony over and done with first though!

Best Wishes,

Jeff Mann

The Asian Poker Tour

20-year-old Yevgeniy Timoshenk from the United States of Ukrainian descent has won the 2008 APT Macau at the glamourous Galaxy StarWorld. Chris Parker - CEO of the Asian Poker Tour congratulated Timoshenko at a wildly colorful closing ceremony. He then made a draw that gave away one free seat to the next event for one lucky player, who had pre-registered for the tournament on official website.

"There were points in the tournament where I definitely run good but I have to give respect to runner-up Joon Hee Yeah. He was the last person I wanted to take on heads-up, luckily I had a substantial chip lead. It feels really great to have won such a tournament in a place like Macau where you can feel the excitement about poker growing so fast" said by Yevgeniy Timoshenk.

1) Timoshenko (USA) - US$500,000
2) Joon Hee Yeah (South Korea) - US$250,000
3) Rober Karlian (Thailand) - US$126,000
4) Casey Kastle (USA)
5) Julio Diaz (Spain)
6) Quang Nguyen (Vietnam)
7) Chong Wing Cheong (Hong Kong)
8) Michael Pedley (Australia)

2008年亞洲撲克巡迴賽(APT)第二賽站 - APT澳門大賽將在8月28-31日星際酒店舉行。 澳門預賽和衛星賽於8月27日開始。

APT澳門賽站將是目前為止, 太平洋沿岸最大型的撲克比賽之一。 比賽職業選手名單包括撲克教父, 十個WSOP頭銜獲得者傳奇人物Doyle Brunson, 他的兒子Todd Brunson, 澳洲的David Saab (APT菲律賓賽站贏家), 亞洲地區的四個撲克明星 - JC Tran, Nam Le (2006年Bay 101 Shooting Star WPT比賽冠軍), Quinn Do 和Steve Sung (2008年Shooting Star亞軍)。

APT澳門大賽的第一名獎金為US$500000, 預計大約500名選手會參加比賽。 每位入場費為USD$5,300。 幾場主要線上網站將繼續為APT提供衛星資格賽。

高籌碼現金遊戲會在比賽期間舉行, 遊戲每個席位的入場費為MOP$1,000,000。

今年20歲的 Yevgeniy Timoshenko , 有著烏克蘭血統的美國知名扑克玩家榮獲亞洲獎金最高的巡回賽 -- 亞洲扑克巡回賽澳門站 (APT Macau) 的冠軍。 亞洲扑克巡回賽首席執行官Chris Parker, 在精彩絕倫的閉幕式上向冠軍得主Timoshenko表示了祝賀。

冠軍) 美國 Timoshenko - 獎金為500,000美元
亞軍) 韓國 Joon Hee Yeah - 獎金為250,000美元
季軍) 泰國 Rober Karlian - 獎金為126,000美元

美國的 Casey Kastle 榮獲第四名, 第五名是來自西班牙的 Julio Diaz, 來自越南的 Quang Nguyen和香港的 Chong Wing Cheong分別獲第六、第七名。 第八名的得主是澳大利亞的 Michael Pedley。

Doyle Brunson Opens the APT Macau