The 2010 PokerStars Asian Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) Macau Main Event was truly a global affair. A total of 342 players from 40 countries and six continents descended upon the Asian gaming metropolis and, when the smoke cleared, Victorino Torres from the Northern Mariana Islands came out on top for HKD $3.2 million, or USD $416,000. Last year, the event drew 429 players, meaning that attendance fell in 2010 by 20%.
The final hand in Macau saw the flop come J-10-9. Chong Cheong insta-shoved with Q-6 for an open-ended straight draw, but ran into Torres’ 8-7 for a straight. The turn and river came an ace and seven, respectively, giving Torres the title of APPT Macau Main Event Champion. Cheong cashed in for HKD $2.1 million and became the highest placing Chinese player in the tournament’s history.
Torres entered the final table as the second shortest stack. The action kicked off about an hour late and Torres immediately made his presence known. Keith “The Camel” Hawkins pushed over the top of a raise by Torres pre-flop with A-3 of clubs and Torres called with pocket sevens. Hawkins found a three on the flop, but failed to improve any further and finished in ninth place as the final table’s first casualty.
After bleeding chips, Albert Kim’s ride in the APPT Macau Main Event came to an abrupt halt in eighth place. The American’s tournament life held in the balance in a race with A-9 of clubs against Cheong’s pocket eights. This time, the wired pair held and Kim banked HKD $350,000 for his efforts.
Kai Paulsen attempted a squeeze play by shoving all-in with K-7 of spades. However, he received a call from the original raiser, Jeppe Drivsholm, who had him crushed with A-K of hearts. Two aces hit on the flop and Paulsen was drawing dead by the turn. He picked up HKD $445,000 for his run through the APPT Macau Main Event.
Sixth place went to Costa Rican poker player Brian Green. His chips hit the middle with 9-8 on a flop of 8-5-2. Drivsholm held A-8 for top pair, top kicker and the board bricked out for Green. Denmark’s Kenny Nielsen exited stage right shortly thereafter after running A-8 into Torres’ A-9. Both players paired their kickers on the flop, but Torres’ hand held to send Nielsen out in fifth place for HKD $700,000.
Torres claimed the chip lead from Cheong and then Drivsholm fell by the wayside in fourth place. In his final hand, Drivsholm committed his chips before the flop with K-5 of hearts against Torres’ A-7. Neither player improved and Torres held over half of the chips in play lead entering three-handed action.
Kiwi Cole Swannack landed in third place and banked HKD $1.2 million. After Cheong just called pre-flop from the small blind, Swannack moved all-in with pocket deuces. Cheong insta-called with pocket aces and the board ran out Q-Q-4-K-5. Torres held a 2.5:1 chip lead entering heads-up play and never looked back.
Here were the results from the 2010 PokerStars APPT Macau Main Event. All amounts are given in HKD:
1st Place: Victorino Torres (United States) – $3,246,200
2nd Place: Chong Cheong (Hong Kong) – $2,088,000
3rd Place: Cole Swannack (New Zealand) – $1,177,600
4th Place: Jeppe Drivsholm (Denmark) – $891,000
5th Place: Kenny Nielsen (Denmark) – $700,000
6th Place: Brian Green (Costa Rica) – $572,900
7th Place: Kai Paulsen (Norway) – $445,600
8th Place: Albert Kim (United States) – $350,100
9th Place: Keith Hawkins (England) – $254,608
Next up for the APPT is a trip to Auckland from September 15th to 19th. The NZD $3,250 buy-in event will be held at the Skycity Casino. Visit PokerStars for full details.