Party Poker Starts Asian Poker Tour Qualifiers

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- PartyPoker.com is pleased to announce that online qualifiers are underway for the popular Asian Poker Tour Macau event in August.

The package is worth $7,000 and includes the
  $4,300 Main Event buy in, seven night's accommodation from August 17th and $1,600 spending money. The main $700+$50 takes place every Sunday at 15.55 ET (20.55 BST, 21.55 CEST) where one in ten players will secure a package. There are daily $70 + $5 satellites at 15.55 ET (20.55 BST, 21.55 CEST) except Sundays where there is a Turbo at 13.55 ET (18.55 BST, 19.55 CEST). In all cases one in ten will win seats into the main qualifier, but, as ever, PartyPoker.com provides a diverse qualifying structure, with players able to start the quest for qualifcation from as little as $3.

A PartyPoker.com spokesman said: "The Asian Poker Tour Macau is one of the most popular events we run satellites for. Those trying to qualify for this year's event may have their work cut out as every single PartyPoker.com qualifier who has been to an Asian Poker Tour event has their eyes on a repeat visit! Macau is a completely different poker experience and with The Asian Poker Tour's legendary award winning parties and soft action in the cash games it is now established as a very popular stop on the international circuit."

Last year's six day event is being transformed into a record breaking 12 day extravaganza, creating Asia's first festival of poker. The Asian Poker Tour Macau Festival will run from August 12–23, 2009 at the Galaxy StarWorld Hotel and Casino in Macau. Last year, the event attracted some of the most famous names in the game including Doyle Brunson, Jack Binion, Johnny Chan, John Juanda, Huck Seed, Liz Lieu, Todd Brunson, Kenny Tran and Poker Pack members Nam Le, Quinn Do, JC Tran, Steve Sung, David "Chino" Rheem, and Kwang Soo Lee. The 2008 Asian Poker Tour Macau Main Event was won by 20-year-old US hotshot Yevgeniy Timoshenko, who scooped US$500,000 after emerging triumphant from the star-studded field that featured players from over 40 countries. Since then Timoshenko has gone on to win the WPT Championship, making him one of the most in-form players in the world.

Organizers and leading tournament director Matt Savage, fresh from a successful revamp of the LA Poker Classic, promise a lengthy and varied side event schedule that will appeal to all tastes with high-limit games and sit-n-go tables running throughout the duration of the festival.

The last Asian Poker Tour event was held in the Philippines in January 2009 and was won by Manila rounder Neil Arce, who scooped US$185,000 for first prize. The runner-up was the Republic of Korea's Steve Yea, who repeated his second place in the Asian Poker Tour Macau 2008.