by Fred Leung
PokerStars Macau at Casino Grand Lisboa had 179 players entered Day 1B to bring the tournament total to 314 players making this the second largest Red Dragon event. The eventual winner will receive HKD $643,000 out of the total HKD $2,859,912 prize pool.

62 players remained from Saturday afternoon's session of Day 1B. Combined with the 41 survivors from 1A, the total entering the Day 2 night time session was 103 players.
PokerStars Macau Qualifier Ginger Keong from Macau leads the remaining 38 players going into the Day 3 Final with 235,000 chips. The local hero had a steady climb to the chip lead and feels confident heading into Sunday's final day.

"I always play well." said Keong, "I have been wanting to play these (PokerStars Macau) tournaments for a long time but am always too busy with work. I want to win and represent the local Macau (players)."

Keong won't have an easy ride to the final table as he begins Day 3 on the same table as Rathi Shashank who has 223,000 chips and was the outright chip leader for most of the tournament. Other notables making the final day include Macau Poker Cup Championship Main Event winner Devan Tang with 99,500, APPT Macau High Roller winner Nam Le with 28,500 and Day 1A chip leader Jason Coe with 146,500.

For Day 3 Seat Draws and Chip Counts please click here.

Notables busting from the main event include Team PokerStars Pro Bryan Huang, and former Red Dragon winners Kenichi Takarabe, Victor Chen and Zhenjian Lin. The Red Dragon trophy is assured of going to a first time winner and all 38 remaining players are in the money for no less than HKD17,200.

Red Dragon Day 3 Final begins on Sunday at 12:10 PM.

by Fred Leung

PokerStars Macau at Casino Grand Lisboa had a successful opening to the September edition of the Macau Poker Cup (MPC) which runs from September 1-5. The MPC kicked off with 167 players in the $2,000 KO Bounty event which set a record for that tournament. This was particularly impressive considering the T1 typhoon warning delayed travel plans for many players and cancelled flights from Korea. Ironically, it was Korean Jinduk Kim that won the opening preliminary event.

Team PokerStars Pros from Asia are looking good in the side events as Bryan Huang from Singapore placed 7th in the Charity Event which now has him trailing fellow Team Pro, Raymond Wu from Taipei, by only 128 points on the Asia Player of the Year Leaderboard. Huang has been the hottest player in Asia with a win in the PokerStars Macau Emperor Series, runner-up finish in the July's Red Dragon event, and final tables in ANZPT Queenstown and the recent Manila event.

Team Pro Tae Joon Noh from Korea leads the remaining 19-player field heading into the $3,000 NLH - Day 2 final and is joined by China's Celina Lin.

Please click HERE for the 2010 Asia Player of the Year Leaderboard.

It appears as though weather won't affect Asia's premiere poker series as the PokerStars Macau poker room is buzzing with players. Friday's Deepstack event set its own record with 186 players and all signs point towards another big Red Dragon main event which begins Day 1A at 8:10 PM later in the evening.

Players can still qualify to the Red Dragon $2,000,000 Guarantee event at PokerStars Macau.

For complete Macau Poker Cup schedule please click HERE

Live reporting of the Red Dragon event is available at Poker News Asia

PokerStars Macau at Casino Grand Lisboa is fresh off the success of the record smashing Macau Millions and now prepares for the final Red Dragon event of 2010 at the Macau Poker Cup (MPC) from September 1-5.

Asia's premiere poker series will boast a HKD $2,000,000 Guarantee for the featured Red Dragon main event.

PokerStars Macau marketing manager Fred Leung says, "As we enter the eleventh Macau Poker Cup we have a chance to make it ten consecutive MPCs of growth and prize pool records. It's a special and exciting time to be part of the PokerStars team in Macau and work with the amazing organization at Grand Lisboa."

Macau Poker Cup Schedule Highlights

01-Sep @ 8:10 PM - Event 1: $2,000 KO Bounty ($125,000 Guarantee)
02-Sep @ 2:10 PM - Event 2: $1,000 Charity Event ($50,000 added prizes)
02-Sep @ 8:10 PM - Event 3: $3,000 NLH ($350,000 Guarantee) [2-day event]
03-Sep @ 12:10 PM - Event 4: $1,500 Deep Stack ($100,000 Guarantee)
03-Sep @ 8:10 PM - Event 5: $10,000 Red Dragon ($2,000,000 Guarantee), Day 1A
04-Sep @ 2:10 PM - Event 5: $10,000 Red Dragon ($2,000,000 Guarantee), Day 1B
05-Sep @ 12:30 PM - Event 6: $5,000 NLH ($400,000 Guarantee)

The 5-day poker celebration will be comprised of six numbered events which each count towards the Asia Player of the Year (APOY) Leaderboard. The APOY winner will receive a 1-year sponsorship via PokerStars Macau and is currently led by Team PokerStars PRO: Asia Raymond Wu from Taipei.

The week is book ended by the $2,000 KO Bounty event and the $5,000 NLH. As with previous MPCs, there will be a Charity Event where PokerStars Macau adds HKD $50,000 in prizes to the prize pool and then generously donates half of the entry fee in support of Caritas de Macau.

Wu and fellow Team PokerStars PROs Bryan Huang from Singapore, Celina Lin from China, and Tae Joon Noh from Korea have all confirmed their attendance to the MPC.
"Macau Poker Cup and the Red Dragon event have really built a name for itself," says Huang. "Asia's top poker players come out to the Red Dragon in hopes of making a name themselves and I'm always mindful of that. Playing the MPC at PokerStars Macau really means playing the best in Asia. The person who eventually wins the Asia Player of the Year will certainly deserve the trophy. I'm obviously hoping that person is me."

Other notables coming to the MPC include PokerStars sponsored Nam Le, JC Tran, and Quinn Do all from Vietnam. Of course, the reigning Red Dragon champion Kenichi Takarabe from Japan is expected to be amongst Asia's elite to defend his crown. The last MPC awarded HKD 4,257,000 through six events and this special week expects to be bigger and better.

Players can qualify live to Macau Poker Cup at PokerStars Macau.

Devan Tang did it easy - so easy, he wasn't even here when the opening hand was dealt today. The first Macau Poker Cup Championship (MPCC) Main Event title has been decided after the 32-year-old poker pro from Hong Kong running roughshod over the final table to pocket the first prize of HKD $727,600 (almost USD $940,000).

The winner of the MPCC Knockout Bounty event earlier this week, Tang was still preparing for the tournament when the order was given to "shuffle up and deal", but duly dispatched two players in the first hand he contested.

It wasn't all one-way traffic as he went blow-for-blow with American Vincent Chung at the final table, but Tang landed the killer blow three-handed and used his 5:1 chip advantage to quickly dispatch Taipei's Chun Chieh "Michael" Chang for the first major title of his poker career.

With an impish gleam in his eye, Tang described himself as an "online fish" but we suspect that's a little short of the truth. He mixed aggression with skill to be the dominant player on day two after the field of 158 had been slashed to 19 after the opening day.

Devan Tang's victory came when Michael Chang shoved all-in with the board showing [10d] [kc] [8s] [3h]. He showed [ad] [qs] for an inside straight but Tang held a made hand with [as] [kh]. The [6c] on the river confirmed Devan Tang as the inaugural Macau Poker Cup Championship Main Event winner.

This completes a highly successful MPCC, which was the culmination of a week-long festival of poker at PokerStars Macau and follows the bi-monthly Red Dragon events that have become a mainstay of the regional poker calendar.

Joining Tang among the big winners this week was Taipei's Kitty Kuo, who was crowned the first Asian Player of the Year. Kuo's triumph should rightly be lauded among the most impressive achievements of a female poker player in recent years.

Once again, the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino has been the backdrop for another historic step in the growth of poker in Asia as the game gains a foothold in the world's biggest gaming market.

It's been a massive weekend in Macau as this Special Administrative Region celebrated the 10th anniversary of its return to China, so it was only fitting that such an important week for poker conclude on this day.

As Devan Tang soaks up the adulation of his MPCC victory, it's appropriate to acknowledge the efforts of the PokerStars Macau and the local PokerStars.net teams for making this event such a major success.

This ends another year of poker on Asia-Pacific circuit. Our next commitment will be the opening event on season two of the PokerStars.net ANZPT in Adelaide from February 9. Happy holidays to all; see you in 2010.

11.50pm: Tang v Chang for the title

Vincent Chung's prediction that it would be he and Devan Tang going heads-up proved a hex on the American as he bowed out of the Macau Poker Cup Championship Main Event in third.

With 350,000 in the pot pre-flop, Chung bet 200,000 on the flop of [jh] [8s] [7s], Tang announced he was all-in and Chung made the call, showing [6d] [6s]. But Tang flipped over [9c] [10h] for the nuts, and when the turn fell [3h], Chung was drawing dead.

So that leaves Devan Tang holding 2,563,000 and a 5:1 chip lead over Michael Chang (498,000) as the heads-up duel begins.

Live updates from the final table, level 19 (12,000-24,000, ante 4000) of the Macau Poker Cup Championship Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander from the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest chip counts can be found by clicking here.

11.30pm: Tang turns it around

With so many breaks, it feels like the never-ending level ... the chip lead is back with Devan Tang after an intriguing hand with Vincent Chung. There was about 150,000 in the middle and both players had checked the flop of [kd] [10s] [9s]. The turn came the [4d], Chung checked, Tang bet 50,000, Chung made it 150,000 and Tang re-raised to 450,000 total. Chung was none too happy to let his hand go as he slumped to 950,000 and Tang soared to 1.7 million.

11.15pm: Wing Bor Cheng eliminated in fourth-place, HKD $252,500

Wing Bor "Paul" Cheng has just completed his exit interview after making his final move of the Macau Poker Cup Championship Main Event final table.

Cheng called the all-in of Chun Chieh "Michael" Chang, who had him covered, and showed [qh] [jh]. Chang flipped over [ad] [jc] and sealed the deal on a board that flowed [2d] [ah] [10c] [8s] [4h].

We're down to three players, with the American youngster Vincent Chung leading on 1,518,000 from Hong Kong's Devan Tang with 1,056,000 while Taipei's Michael Chang remains in the hunt on 600,000.

11pm: Chung's tournament to lose

The pendulum has swung back in favour of Vincent Chung after he took down a massive pot against former chip leader Devan Tang. There was betting on every street as the board flowed [10c] [7s] [3h] [jc] [5d], Tang bet 100,000 but Chung slammed back over the top with a bet of 280,000. That put Tang back in his seat, and he made a reluctant fold to gift the chip lead back to the player on his immediate right.

10.40pm: Bryan Huang eliminated in fifth place, HKD $200,500

His chips seemed to spend more time over the betting line than behind it, but Bryan Huang has carried his short stack all the way to an impressive fifth in the first Macau Poker Cup Championship Main Event.

The PokerStars.net Team Asia Pro's last stand came with [jh] [10s] against the [ks] [qs] of Devan Tang. The flop of [7d] [9h] [5s] gave Huang an inside straight draw, but the turn [5h] and river [ac] were no good for Huang and he was out in fifth.

10.20pm: Lighting up the sky

The largest fireworks display in Macau's history has just ended to mark the 10th anniversary of Macau's return to China. We're experiencing our fair share of fireworks in the Grand Lisboa Casino with 56,000 in blinds and antes to pick up on each hand.

We're into level 19 of the Macau Poker Cup Championship Main Event, with the blinds up to 12,000/24,000 and an ante of 4000. Bryan Huang has been main beneficiary so far this level, with three pre-flop all-in shoves met with no interest.

However, it's Vincent Chung back in the lead on 1.24 million after taking down a nice pot with a pre-flop re-raise against Wing Bor "Paul" Cheng. Devan Tang is down to 950,000 while Cheng (370,000), Michael Chang (350,000) and Bryan Huang (275,000) are looking for a spot to make a move.

10pm: Yong Hyun Yoo eliminated in sixth place, HKD $163,400

It was hardly surprising that Yong Hyun "James" Yoo and Wing Bor "Paul" Cheng eventually butted heads with barely a hand passing without one or the other pushing all-in.

It came just after the dinner break when Yoo pushed all-in with [ah] [9h] and Cheng called, showing [qs] [js]. The flop hit both players, but Cheng had the better of the [qh] [9s] [4s], and it was all over for Yoo when the [7s] landed on the turn, with a meaningless [4c] on the river.

Devan Tang leads narrowly on 1,048,000 from Vincent Chung on 1,010,000, followed by Cheng on 640,000, Chang with 390,000 and Bryan Huang holding 210,000.

Live updates from the final table, level 18 (10,000-20,000, ante 3000) of the Macau Poker Cup Championship Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander from the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest chip counts can be found by clicking here.

9pm: Welcome to the party

As we tick down to the dinner break on day two of the Macau Poker Cup Championship, the blinds are starting bite as hard as a saltwater croc. The two least-active players at the final table, Korea's Yong Hyun "James" Yoo and Wing Bor "Paul" Cheng from Hong Kong, have awoken from their relative slumber and have joined the pre-flop frenzy.

The big raises are enough to scoop most pots, but Devan Tang just caught the Korean with his fingers in the cookie jar when he shoved over the top of Yoo's pre-flop raise. His all-in, and Yoo's fold, was enough to win a pot of more than 600,000.

8.40pm: Tang talks it up for the TV

Players are back from a 10-minute break due to TV commitments, with the remaining six players now spread evenly around the Macau Poker Cup Championship Main Event final table.

We're actually looking forward to seeing the footage as Devan Tang is proving a real talent in the chat department. There hasn't been a lot of table-talk, but Tang has been quick with the one-liners. Unfortunately, some of his best work is heading for the floor of the editing suite.

And for those who like a bit of variety, the last three songs on Grand Lisboa FM have featured Michael Bublé, The Prodigy and the theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey; never a boring moment.

8.15pm: Yew Fatt Kan eliminated in seventh place, HKD $133,700

Vincent Chung is off the canvas and throwing haymakers, like the one that just KOed Yew Fatt "Raiden" Kan in seventh place. After minimum pre-flop action, Raiden shoved all-in after the flop came [9s] [jh] [5c]. Chung called in an instant, and showed [4d] [4c].

Outs opened up for Raiden with the [jc] on the turn, but the river [8s] brought no joy as he exited the MPCC Main Event. Credit to Vincent Chung for his astute read and gutsy call with three overcards on the flop - the young man has some serious game, and a big chip lead on 1.32 million, more than double that of the next player.

8pm: Huang hangin' on

The hunter has become the hunted with Bryan Huang playing aggressively to stave off the wolves camped at his doorstep. The short stack of the last remaining PokerStars.net Team Asia Pro is being eyed greedily by the other six players, but all-in shoves over the top of raises has been enough to keep the Singaporean alive in the MPCC Main Event.

Devan Tang has just been involved in another big post-flop tussle, this time with the man to his immediate right, Vincent Chung. We're not sure about Vincent's claims of working as a dishwasher, but he cleaned up a big pot when he turned the nut straight to regain much of the ground he'd lost earlier in the final table.

Live updates from the final table, level 17 (8000-16,000, ante 2000) of the Macau Poker Cup Championship Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander from the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest chip counts can be found by clicking here.

7.45pm: Tang goes bang on Chang

Level 17 ended with one of the few pots that went to showdown with without an all-in bet, and the action was tasty between Devan Tang and Chun Chieh Chang. After betting on every street, Tang bet 80,000 on the board of [5h] [10h] [ks] [jd] [3s].

Chang again couldn't decide, so spun the card protector, it came up paint and he called. Tang showed [kd] [10d] for two-pair, Chang tapped the table in acknowledgment and sent his cards into the muck. The pot was worth 270,000 between the two chip leaders, and sent Tang to the top of the count.

7.30pm: Tae Joon Noh eliminated in eighth place, HKD $104,000

PokerStars.net Team Asia Pro Tae Joon Noh was all-in again, and Chun Chieh "Michael" Chang was clearly interested in making the call for an extra 115,000. So he flipped his card protector, and made the call.

The Korean was in reasonable shape holding [as] [jd] against his Taipei opponent's [kd] [6d], and the flop of [ad] [ac] [7d] brought something for everyone. Chang took the lead when he filled his flush on the turn [9d], but Tae Joon Noh had several outs for a full-house.

The [3c] wasn't one of them, and the emerging young star was out eighth, just three spots short of winning the Asian Player of the Year title, which will now be awarded to Taipei's Kitty Kuo.

7.10pm: Raise, fold, raise, fold, raise, fold

"And he takes the blinds and antes," APPT tournament director Danny McDonagh said for the umpteenth time this level with the remaining eight players content to shuffle chips among themselves during level 17 of the MPCC Main Event final table.

But the lack of action hasn't quelled the audience's interest with the bleachers around the final table still packed, and curious onlookers still popping past to see what all the fuss is about. And they've got the Ricky Martin soundtrack to enjoy in the background!

Live updates from the final table, level 16 (6000-12,000, ante 1000) of the Macau Poker Cup Championship Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander from the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest chip counts can be found by clicking here.

6.30pm: Daren Yoon eliminated in ninth place, HKD $89,100

Daren Yoon was unable to get much going at the MPCC Main Event final table and decided it was time to again commit his short stack just before the first break. But this time, Yew Fatt "Raiden" Kan decided to come along for the ride.

It was Yoon's [2d] [2h] in front of Raiden's [ah] [2c], until the flop fell [5h] [6s] [ad]. The board ran out [10d] [js], and the likeable Malaysian was out in ninth place.

6.15pm: Team Pro tops up

There's barely been a flop sighted in the past 30 minutes, with a pre-flop raise enough to scoop up most of the pots. Tae Joon Noh has exploited the lack of action to bolster his stack to 150,000 after starting the final table with only 52,000. It's been a gutsy display from the Korean PokerStars.net Team Asia player, who's been almost down and out on several occasions during the MPCC Main Event.

6pm: Bright sparks

Having spent so much time in casinos for the past few years, two questions spring to mind - who picks the carpet and who dresses the staff? Ticks all round for the décor here at the Grand Lisboa Casino, which could be described as "grandiose Casbah", but our sympathies to the security staff who have to pull on their bright - really bright - orange jackets each day. So much for the element of surprise.

5.45pm: Chung stung by Raiden

Vincent Chung's miserable start to the MPCC Main Event final table continues after losing another big pot, this time to Hong Kong's Yew Fatt "Raiden" Kan.

Chung was well ahead when he called Raiden's all-in with [qc] [qh]. But the flop fell [ac] [ad] [8s] to make trips for the Malaysian-born player's [ah] [qh]. The turn [6d] and river [7c] didn't improve Chung's hand as he slumped to 340,000 while Raiden is up to 315,000.

And to make matters worse for Chung, the Pussycat Dolls are blaring over the PA system at the Grand Lisboa for the 400th time today - sometimes life sucks.

Live updates from the final table, level 15 (4000-8000, ante 1000) of the Macau Poker Cup Championship Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander from the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest chip counts can be found by clicking here.

5.30pm: Huang back in the hunt

Bryan Huang is back in the hunt after taking down a pot worth more than 520,000. The PokerStars.net Team Asia Pro shoved all-in over the top of Vincent Chung's pre-flop raise, with the American making the call.

The Singaporean was in great shape with [ad] [qc] against Chung's [qd] [8d], and it stayed that way on a board that fell [5c] [5h] [6s] [3d] [7h]. That propelled Huang into the top four while Chung slips back to the field on just over 500,000.

5.15pm: Double-up, but Tae Joon needs more

Tae Joon Noh is grimly clinging to his tournament life, but just received a timely transfusion of chips when his pocket jacks held up against the pocket nines of Daren Yoon. That took the PokerStars.net Team Asia Pro up to 65,000, but still in a world of hurt.

Vincent Chung has overtaken Devan Tang at the top of the chip count to lead on 760,000, ahead of Chun Chieh "Michael" Chang on 600,000 and Tang on 500,000. However, the chips remain evenly spread among the top five so a dominant player is yet to emerge.

5pm: Ming Fang eliminated in 10th place, HKD $74,300

It took just two hands for the first player to be sent on his way from the MPCC Main Event final table. Short-stacked Ming Fang thought he was in good shape when he shoved with pocket queens, only to find Chun Chieh "Michael" Chang holding pocket aces. Neither hand improved on the board of [jd] [jc] [7h] [8c] [9s], and Fang was out in 10th, while Chang closed on leaders Devan Tang and Vincent Chung.

4.45pm: We're underway!

After a break for TV commitments and media interviews, the 10 players who'll contest the first Macau Poker Cup Championship final table have taken their seats. Blinds have been wound back two levels to 4000/8000 with an ante of 1000.

We've relocated from PokerStars Macau onto the main gaming floor in the Grand Lisboa Casino, and scores of interested onlookers have wandered over the see what all the fuss is about. Poker is again centre stage in Macau! The final table line-up is:

Devan Tang (Hong Kong) 610,000
Vincent Chung (USA) 573,000
Chun Chieh "Michael" Chang (Taipei) 499,000
Yong Hyun "James" Yoo (Korea) 396,000
Wing Bor "Paul" Cheng (Hong Kong) 326,000
Daren Yoon (Malaysia) 238,000
Bryan Huang (Singapore) PokerStars.net Team Asia Pro 194,000
Yew Fatt "Raiden" Kan (Hong Kong) 190,000
Ming Fang (China) 83,000
Tae Jun Noh (Korea) 52,000