The 'PokerStars LIVE at the City of Dreams' poker room is ready to kick off the 2014 Macau Millions which takes place from March 7-16. This is a unique event that's had a two year break since it was last run so here's a look at its historical significance and what you can expect.
BUY-IN & GUARANTEE
The first thing people notice is a relatively small buy-in of HKD $2,200 for the Main Event.
This is a poker series made for the everyman.
PokerStars LIVE Macau is known for tournaments with buy-ins of HKD $10,000, HKD $100,000, and HKD $1 million but the Macau Millions gives you the same big tourney feel for an affordable price.
And when I say, "Big tourney feel" it's not a prediction, it's a guarantee. Organizers have given an impressive HKD $2 million prize pool guarantee on the Main Event. That means the field is assured of being at least 1,000 entries and there aren't many poker tournaments in the world that can make that claim.
BIGGEST FIELD IN ASIA
In 2011, Macau Millions drew an Asia-record 1,329 entries. It's a record that still stands today and was a major turning point for poker in the Far East. Just look at the before-and-after of that milestone event.
Arguably the region's most beloved tournament series is the Macau Poker Cup and its main event known as the 'Red Dragon' event. Prior to the 2011 Macau Millions, the largest field for the Red Dragon was 509 players. Since then, that mark has been exceeded five times and the most recent Red Dragon event had 995 runners.
HKD $100,000 buy-in tournaments was something reserved for high rollers but after the success of the Macau Millions, PokerStars LIVE Macau introduced the Asia Championship of Poker the following year and is still Asia's only 100k Main Event.
FORMAT
If you've played at the PokerStars LIVE Macau poker room before then you know that nearly all of the tournaments are a classic freezeout - meaning you get one buy-in, one chip stack, and one chance at taking home the title.
The Macau Millions is the exception to the rule. There are six Day 1 flights where the Top 7% of the field will advance to Day 2.
Now stay with me here. This is where people get confused.
All players can play another Day 1 flight. You'll fall into one of two categories:
1. Busto - Each Day 1 flight allows for one same-day re-entry. If that day doesn't work out for you, you can choose to play in as many other Day 1 flights as you wish to try and make Day 2.
2. Survivors - So you played an early Day 1 flight and have nothing to do until Day 2? Not the case at all. You can still play another flight and if you survive once again, you'll be taking your biggest chip stack to start Day 2. Your smaller stack gets removed from play and gets replaced with HKD $11,000 cash straight into your pocket. Sound cool? Ya, thought so.
Three years ago, Shaq Lin was an unknown player who put up HKD $2,200 to enter the Macau Millions. That investment turned into a HKD $400,000 payout and Lin went into the history books as the man who defeated the largest ever field in Asia.
Three years later, Lin returns as one of the most recognizable players on the Asian poker circuit.
Asia's poker landscape has been forever changed and you have a chance to be part of history with this year's Macau Millions set to be even bigger!
For more information on the 2014 Macau Millions please visit www.PokerStarsLIVEMacau.com