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Macau’s Poker Scene Looking Vibrant after Successful 2009

With the new year just beginning, Macau is already gearing up for even more poker tournaments and events to build on a successful 2009.

Last year, Asia’s gaming capital was the site of record-setting poker events from the biggest poker tours in the region. It also saw the opening of several new poker rooms, signifying that local players were steadily becoming more interested in the game.

In mid-August, the Asian Poker Tour (APT) held its 2009 Macau event at the StarWorld Hotel and Casino and experienced a large surge in player participation. Its twelve-day festival of poker featured fifteen side events in addition to the main event, which set a new APT record with a field of 326 runners. The winner was France’s Adrien Allain, who won HK $3,035,000 for his first-place finish.

Over at PokerStars Macau at the Grand Lisboa Hotel, the third season of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) Macau event saw Irish player Dermont Blain win HK $4,194,000 in its main event. Blain was just one of the APPT Macau record 429 players who played in the main event, contributing to the prize pool of HK $16,130,400.

The PokerStars Macau poker room also held its own series of tournaments throughout the year, culminating in a grand finale in December. The poker room’s Macau Poker Cup held four Red Dragon main events in 2009, with each one getting more players than the last.

The first Red Dragon main event, which was held in March, saw its HK $500,000 guaranteed prize pool broken as 112 players entered for a total prize pool of HK $1,052,800. Due to the large turnout, the subsequent Red Dragon events offered a guarantee of HK $1,000,000. It didn’t matter, as player numbers kept increasing, including a field of 247 runners in October.

PokerStars Macau then held its grand finale in December with the Macau Poker Cup Championship (MPCC). Held from December 12-20, the MPCC featured a HK $20,000 main event with HK $2,000,000 guaranteed. The winner was Devin Tang, who defeated Taipei’s Michael Chang to win the HK $727,600 first prize.

2009 also saw two new poker rooms open in Macau. Sun City’s Poker King Club, named after the movie released earlier in the year, opened on October 31 at the StarWorld Casino. Over on the other side of town, The Venetian opened its own poker room in late November, adding to the hotel’s multitude of gaming and shopping attractions.

With more poker rooms and bigger tournaments, 2009 definitely showed just how much poker is capable of growing in Macau and the region as a whole. Already established as the go-to place for poker in Asia, it won’t be long before it becomes one of the biggest poker hotspots in the world.

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Play Safe Online Poker

Online poker sites are the latest rage on the internet for enthusiasts where you can play poker for free. It is good for novices to try out games instead of going to an actual casino. It is also much cheaper as stakes are low, so playing such games is easier on the pocket. Poker games have become very popular and there are many websites which focus only on this particular game.

Why Play Online

If you want to play poker on the internet it is easy now, if you are interested in the game.

*There are many websites offering the game online and you can choose a safe site which guarantees a satisfying experience without dangers of fraud.

*In traditional casinos the stakes may be too high for players who don’t want to spend too much on the game.

*So many varieties of the game are offered that you will be enticed to play no matter what your motivation.

*Online poker has been legalized in many countries.

*Many online poker websites have certification from major auditing companies and gaming commissions.

*Playing online can improve your skills at poker by analyzing your opponents’ strategy, where you can also practice your playing style. Reading your opponents’ style can teach you bluffing and betting habits. Switching styles can also help in developing your strategy of play. A good player can become a great player and a beginner can acquire new skills. Free poker games can help you hone your skills with the free software. Your fellow players are more friendly and ready to advise you as the game is not very serious. You will also learn patience and the ability to read your opponent. Once you have gained experience you can play for money.

*Websites offering poker games have anti collusion software which looks into the hand history of previous players to prevent fraud.

*Some online poker rooms teach novices the steps to play the game and the opportunity to practise their skills without risking money.

Variety Of Poker Rooms

There are a variety of poker rooms available online which provide interesting selections for players to choose from.

*Party Poker: This is one of the most popular rooms for UK residents and has innovative features and uses pounds sterling.

*Virgin Poker: This game has great tournaments and has great rewards for winners.

*Titan Poker: They have the best bonuses and easy to use software.

*Full Tilt Poker: This game has a range of options for players and is very popular.

*Captain Cook’s Poker: There are a variety of games and limits from one dollar to no limits.

*Pacific Poker: This site offers safe online poker and is a trusted site among players. It offers a variety of poker games, including downloadable and non downloadable versions. You can even chat with other players adding to your excitement.

When you play online poker you have to be careful in choosing a site which is safe and secure and well known. The software of casinos varies and the best sites have regular auditing of their payouts by certified auditing firms. Friendly customer service which is available at all times is another feature of the legality and safety of a gaming site. Once you are confident of a poker website you can enjoy your game and maybe even become an expert player.