PokerStars (www.PokerStars.net), the world’s largest online poker site, today announced the first ever real money No-Limit Texas Hold’em poker tournament to be held in the People’s Republic of China. The ‘PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour Macau: Asian Poker Open’ $2,500 buy-in Main Event, which is being run in conjunction with the Galaxy Entertainment/Grand Waldo Casino group and First Impression Ltd., takes place from November 22-27 at the Grand Waldo Hotel and Casino on the historic Chinese island of Macau.

The luxurious Grand Waldo Hotel and Casino is one of Macau’s newest five-star hotel resorts and will offer APPT players and their friends and families an opportunity to explore one of Asia’s most fascinating locations. With its wealth of Chinese temples, Portuguese monuments and beautiful gardens, Macau’s historic centre has been designated a World Heritage site.

“The Asia Pacific Poker Tour is honoured to be bringing the sport of tournament poker to Macau,” said Jeffrey Haas, president of the APPT. “Macau is already the world’s gaming capital and this historic event diversifies its global attraction by including the APPT’s unique brand of poker tourism. It’s a significant step forward, not only for the APPT, but for the growth of poker in Asia.”

Several of the most well-known and celebrated poker players are slated to attend the ‘APPT Macau: Asian Poker Open’ including the high profile Team PokerStars ambassadors and several of the world’s top online players. In addition to the $2,500 Main Event of the APPT Macau, there will also be a $15,000 High Rollers Event and a selection of smaller satellites and side events available. Players from across the world can qualify for all APPT events free at www.PokerStars.net, with online satellite tournaments running daily.

“Poker is experiencing tremendous growth in Asia and we are very excited to be a part of this growth, particularly as the first casino to host live poker in Macau,” said Gary Woollard, general manager of Galaxy Grand Waldo Casino. “We are very honored to work with the PokerStars Asia Pacific Poker Tour and First Impression Ltd. to make this a successful event.”

“PokerStars is committed to the growth of poker as an international sport,” said Sarne Lightman, director of marketing for PokerStars Asia Pacific. “Through our association with poker events such as the European Poker Tour and the APPT, we are able to offer players a unique chance to play and travel across much of the world. Adding Macau to the APPT schedule is a very exciting step forward. There is global interest in the ‘Las Vegas of Asia’ and we are very proud we can offer players this amazing experience.”

The APPT launched this August in Manila, Philippines, with a second event in Seoul, Korea in September. Season 1 will conclude in December with the Grand Final in Sydney, Australia. All APPT events are filmed for television with the programs distributed globally.

More information on the APPT can be found at www.appt.com.

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