APT - Macau

It is appropriate that one of the richest cities in the world should host a poker tournament with largest (guaranteed) prize pool in Asia.

Macau, the first and last European colony in China, is home to the Galaxy StarWorld Casino, an establishment that is ‘thirty-eight storeys tall as an emblem of Asian wit and experience’.

Both of the latter qualities, if not the ethnicity, were evident as seasoned pro and emblem of Texas, Doyle Brunson, cut the ribbon to begin the event on the Asian Poker Tour.

257 players took part in an historic handover as they watched their $5300 buy in disappear into the clutches of the StarWorld. For some, the three day affair was bitter, for others it was sweet but for all it was an emotional tussles for the $500,000 first prize.

Eventual winner, Yevgeniy Timoshenko, originally from the Ukraine but now living in America is a reflection of the appeal of a tournament that saw five different nations in the final ten players.

Special credit should be awarded to Joonhee Yea who sat at the final table in second last position but managed to outlast all bar one, finally accepting his fate when his KQ failed to improve against QQ.

Main Event – APT – StarWorld Casino, Macau – NL Hold ‘em, $5,300

1. Yevgeniy Timoshenko – USA $500,000
2. Joonhee Yea – USA $250,000
3. Robar Karian – THA $126,000
4. Casey Kastle – USA $90,000
5. Julio Diaz – SPA $67,500
6. Quang Nguyen – USA $52,500
7. Chong Wing Cheong – HKG $37,500
8. Michael Pedley – AUS $26,250