Asian Championship of Poker 2013
When: 18 October 2013
Where: PokerStars Live at the City of Dreams, Macau
Main Event: HKD$100,000 (USD$13,000)
Tournament Main Event Structure
Schedule Week One
Friday 18 – Oct
4pm – Qualifier to Deepstack Championship Satellite – HKD$500 + HKD$50
7pm – Rebuy Championship (HKD$500,000 guarantee) 2-day event – HKD$2,250 + HKD$250
9pm – HKD$1,500 Qualifier to Main Event MEGA satellite – HKD$1,350 + HKD$150
Saturday 19 – Oct
2pm – Qualifier to Deepstack Championship satellite + HKD$500 + HKD$50
3pm – Rebuy Championship – Day 2
3:30pm – Deepstack Championship Satellite (HKD$2,300 + HKD$200)
6pm – Deepstack Championship (HKD$1,000,000 guaranteed) 3-day event – HKD$10,000 + HKD$100
8:30pm – HKD$1,500 Qualifier to Main Event MEGA – HKD$1,350 + HKD$150
Sunday 20 – Oct
1:30pm – HKD$1,500 Qualifier to Main Event MEGA – HKD$1,350 + HKD$150
2pm – Deepstack Championship Day 2
5pm – HKD$2,000 Deepstack – HKD$1,350 + HKD$150
7:30pm – HKD$1,500 Qualifier to Main Event MEGA satellite – HKD$1,350 + HKD$150
Monday 21-Oct
2pm – HKD$1,500 Qualifier to Main Event MEGA satellite – HKD$1,350 + HKD$150
3pm – Deepstack Championship – Final Table
5pm – Qualifier to Main Event satellite – HKD$1,350 + HKD$150
6pm – 6-Max Championship 2-day event – HKD$10,000 + HKD$1,000
Tuesday 22-Oct
2pm – HKD$1,500 Qualifier to Main Event MEGA – HKD$1,350 + HKD$150
3pm – 6-Max Championship Day 2
6pm – HKD$2,000 6-Max – HKD$1,800 – HKD$1,000
8:30pm – Main Event satellite (1 seat guaranteed) – HKD$12,500 + HKD$1,000
9:30pm – Qualifier to ACOP Warm-up satellite – HKD$800 + HKD$100
Wednesday 23-Oct
1:30pm – Qualifier to ACOP Warm-up satellite – HKD$800 + HKD$100
3pm – ACOP Warm-up MEGA satellite (5 Seat guarantee) – HKD$3,600 + HKD$400
6pm – ACOP Warm-up (HKD$5,000,000 guarantee) – Day 1A 4-day event – HKD$23,000 + HKD$2,000
9pm – ACOP Warm-up satellite – HKD$3,600 + HKD$400
Thursday 24-Oct
1:30pm – Qualifier to ACOP Warm-up satellite – HKD$800 + HKD$100
3pm – ACOP Warm-up satellite – HKD$3,600 + HKD$400
6pm – ACOP Warm-up (HKD$5,000,000 guarantee) Day 1B 4-day event – HKD$23,000 + HKD$2,000
Friday 25 – Oct
3pm – ACOP Warm-up Day 2
4pm – Ladies Asia Championship satellite – HKD$1,350 + HKD$150
5pm – HKD$1,500 Qualifier to Main Event MEGA satellite – HKD$1,350 + HKD$150
6pm – Ladies Championship – HKD$8,00 + HKD$800
7pm – PLO Championship 2-day event – HKD$13,600 + HKD$1,400
9:30pm HKD$1,500 Qualifier to Main Event MEGA satellite – HKD$1,350 – HKD$150
Saturday 26-Oct
2:30pm – HKD$2,500 PLO – HKD$2,250 + HKD$250
3pm – ACOP Warm-up Day 3
3:30pm – PLO Championship Day 2
4:30pm – HKD$1,500 Qualifier to Main Event MEGA satellite _ HKD$1,350 + HKD$150
6pm – KO Big Bounty 2 Day event (HKD$2,000 cash for each elimination) – HKD$10,000 + HKD$1,000
9:30pm – HKD$1,500 Qualifier to Main Event MEGA satellite – HKD$1,350 – HKD$150
Week one of the Asian Championship of Poker looks primed to help build-up to the Main Event in the only way Macau, PokerStars Live and the City of Dreams Hotel and Casino know how, to offer an unprecedented 30 events for over HKD$10,000,000 in guaranteed prizes.
Only in its second year, the ACOP has attracted some of the poker world’s most notable players with the likes of Bertrand ‘Elky’ Grospellier, Terry Fan, Aaron Lim, Lee Nelson (2006 – Aussie Millions winner), Jonathan Karamalikis (winner of 2012 ACOP High Roller event), Billy ‘Croc’ Argyro, Celina Lin and the world famous Johnny Chan (2-time World Champion) all expected to be in attendance. These stars will be ed by an estimated 600 players who will take part in the 30 event tournament which will increase the guaranteed pay-outs even more.
In Asia, the Pacific and Australia this tournament is expected to be bigger than the Guangdong Asia Millions, bigger than the WSOP Asia / Pacific and bigger than the Aussie Millions. Follow all of the latest results from the events at FTR or alternatively visit ACOP Macau 2013 online.
Notable players to watch
Bertrand ‘Elky’ Grospellier ()
Easily one of the best online poker players out there today, Grospellier became an online gaming star before transitioning into live tournament play. His success is largely down to his statistical and strategy skill set which has so far this year logged four top 10’s and seven top 20 finishes. He has won both a European Poker Tour (EPT) and the World Poker tour (WPT) title along with being only the third player in history to win the ‘Triple Crown’ with victory in the USD$10,000 Stud World Championships at the 2011 World Series of Poker. Elky’s most recent cash-out was a seventh place finish in event 19, USD$5,000 Pot Limit Hold’em, at the WSOP in June, collecting USD$34,341. He added an 111th place finish in a USD$1,500 NLH event and 295th in the Main Event earning himself USD$32,242.
Terry Fan (Chinese Taipei)
Since early 2006 Terry Fan has been blazing a trail through the poker world from his 782th finish in the 2006 WSOP Main Event to his most recent win at the 2013 HKD$11,000 NLH Red Dragon Main Event, collecting HKD$1,771,000 (USD$228,121). Fan has 11 top 20 finishes with seven of them in the top 10 since 2006. His record and current form makes Fan a player to watch and easily one of the main challengers for the crown.
Johnny Chan (USA)
A real icon of the poker world, Chan become one of the most recognisable and famous player’s poker has ever seen. Born in China but now living in the USA, Chan has won an unprecedented ten WSOP Bracelets that include back-to-back Main Events in 87 and 88. He has won over USD$8million along with 25 titles and 98 career cashes, earning him the nickname ‘Orient Express’. Inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame, Johnny Chan is a once in a lifetime player who possess the skill and talent to steamroll the competition and add yet another title and cash to his bursting resume.
Billy ‘Croc’ Argyuros (Australia)
The ‘Croc’ has been around the poker world since the late 80’s, using his Australian charm to dominate tournaments and collect winnings totalling more than USD$2million. Argyuros has placed in the top 20 six times this year and finished in the top 10 four times, winning his most recent tournament, the APPT Melbourne, collecting AUD$121,261 for his efforts. He finished fourth in the WSOP Main Event 2008, collecting USD$268,605 while also amassing a reputation as one of Australia’s best players. The ‘Croc’ is an Australian Poker Hall of Fame member and a player not to be taken lightly, his skill, knowledge and experience make him a good bet to go deep into the Main Event.
Lee Nelson (New Zealand)
Another player who has continued to play at the highest level for so many years, collecting more than USD$2million in career winnings over a 20 year playing career. Nelson is most notabily ed for his 2006 Crown Australian Poker Championship Main Event win, pocketing AUD$1,362,709. Nicknamed “Final Table”, Nelson has continually made it to the final table in events around world, winning the likes of: the National Poker Championships, the Victorian Poker Championships, St. Maarten Open, 2005 Crown Australian Poker Championships, Irish Open, PartyPoker World Open, 2006 Crown Australian Poker Championships Main Event, Grosvenor World Masters, New Zealand Poker Championships, 2009 Crown Aussie Millions Championship PLO, 2009 State of Origin Team Event, plus many more. “Final Table” has the experience and talent to threaten at the ACOP with Nelson hoping his nickname comes good again soon.
Aaron Lim (Australia)
Since late 2010, Aaron Lim has been steadily navigating his way through the tough world of poker to amass winnings totalling USD$1,500,000, with 697,000 of that coming from 2013 alone. In 2012 Lim crowned an impressive start to his poker career with his first tournament win at the Aussie Millions, winning a AUD$1,00 Hold’em/Omaha. He then went on to record six more top 20 finishes, which included a third place in the Partouche Poker Tour – Grand Final in Cannes where he collected EU417,499. This year Lim has won two tournaments, The WSOP Asia-Pacific AU$5,000 NLH – 6 Handed and the APPT Seoul KRW2, 760,000 NLH Main Event. Lim is one of the new breed of Australian poker players who has the skill to make a legitimate run at the ACOP crown.
Stay tuned to FTR for the latest news and results from the ACOP or alternatively visit ACOP online for full event schedules and tournament info.