Texas Hold'em at Grand Waldo

Five years ago, an unknown accountant by the name of Chris Moneymaker (we kid you not) turned a few hundred dollars into US$2.5 million by winning the World Series of Poker. The final event was widely broadcast on television, and ignited a wave of interest in the game across the United States, which has quickly spread to the rest of the world.

The wave has landed in Macau.

On May 23-25, the Asia-Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) opened a permanent home at the Grand Waldo Casino on Cotai. The PokerStars Macau room will be playing host to a series of weekly poker tournaments, bringing all the glamour, action and excitement – not to mention international celebrities – of seven-card "Texas Hold'em" to the city.
Sponsored by PokerStars.net, the world's biggest online-poker site, the APPT sees Macau as a natural base for its operations in Asia, which by next year will include tournaments in eight countries, including Macau.

The men behind poker in Macau (from left to right): APPT executives David Jung (business development), Jeffrey Haas (president), and Danny McDonaugh (tournament director), with Gary Woollard, manager of the Grand Waldo Casino.


Jeffrey Haas, president of APPT, obviously has his sights set on China, the world's biggest market for gaming enthusiasts. "There is no basis for a poker culture in China," he says, matter-of-factly, adding that he hopes to help to change the perception of poker among Chinese, recognizing that it is a skill-based game. "We think Macau, as the gaming capital of Asia, is the perfect place to get it going."

As the name suggests, however, the APPT sees Macau as a hub for the entire region. "Macau is going to grow, and we want to grow with it," says Haas. "We really believe it can be a destination for international visitors, and by 2011, we think the APPT Macau will be the largest poker event in the world."

For reference, the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas attracts more than 5,000 participants, and is played over 18 days. Macau will probably pull in about 800 for the main event in September, over a weekend – but that is more than double what the first tournament achieved last November (before the APPT had set up in Macau).
"We got 352 players from 36 countries here last year, and that was with less than a month to market it," Haas's business development director, David Jung, chips in. "For a HK$25,000 buy-in fee, players have the chance of winning a guaranteed HK$10 million in prizemoney. We believe we will get strong interest this year."

Both men, plus their tournament director Danny McDonaugh, are keen to point out that tournaments are not just for the professionals, however. There are always smaller tournaments going with smaller buy-ins on around the main event, where anyone can try their hand. "The great thing about this is that it's not like gambling against the house," McDonaugh says. "You decide how much money you are prepared to pay at the start, and then you see how much fun you can have with it."

Texas Hold'em is a relatively simple game, whereby each player receives two cards face-down, and then five cards are laid out in front of the dealer. The skill comes with each round of betting as one card after another in front of the dealer is turned over. An ability to calculate the odds is one obvious advantage; but the truly great players are those who can "read" their opponents, to see if they are bluffing or not.

It is the world-class players who really turn a tournament into an entertainment event. Joe Hachem, winner of the 2005 World Series of Poker, is a regular on the Asia tour. He and many others are constantly playing in online poker rooms throughout the year – which is where they make their real money – but they live for the tournaments, where their competitive streaks go on full display in front of the cameras.

Haas is obviously excited about the APPT's potential to put Macau on the world poker map. "We are thankful for the marketing opportunity with our hosts, the Grand Waldo," he says. "We think we can return that commitment by televising these tournaments all over the world, and bringing people in to play here."

Gary Woollard, who runs the Grand Waldo Casino under the Galaxy Entertainment Group concession, sees the decision to bring in APPT as something of a no-brainer. "The market is so competitive these days that every property needs to have an edge," he says. "We are excited about this opportunity, to be partnering with such strong marketers who will bring a steady stream of new patrons to our property."

Ever since the Grand Waldo hosted the first APPT tournament last November, it has been talking to the organizers about how to replicate its success. "We showed with that tournament the people and the government of Macau how popular this game is, and how much it could do for the city as a destination," says Woollard.

"This is now the only place in Asia to play regular poker tournaments," Haas adds, noting that the APPT schedule is available at its website, www.APPT.com, and its Macau website, www.PokerStarsMacau.com, which is still being developed.

Tournaments can vary in their size and scale, according to demand. Each Thursday, a "free roll" will take place within the PokerStars Macau room at the Grand Waldo, where players can sit in on games without having to put up any cash, to see if they can win one of five places at the weekend's tournaments. Friday and Saturday are usually full schedules, with Sunday being the day for "satellite" APPT tournaments – where winners can gain entry to the main event in September (worth HK$25,000 a seat).