APT Manila leg dangles $1-M purse        

A big gathering of the finest poker faces will take place from May 27 to June 1 when the 2008 Asian Poker Tour holds its $1 million kickoff leg at the Dusit Thani Manila Hotel.

Chris Parker, APT director and chief executive officer of online and land-based gaming company Asian Logic Limited, said the Manila leg is expected to draw 450 players.

In yesterday’s official launch of the new APT season at Dusit, Parker guaranteed the $1 million purse “come hell or high water.” The winner takes home $280,000 (P11.5 million).

“How good is the guarantee? It’s very, very good. It’s going to be a million dollars even if one or 400 players show up for this tournament,” said Parker.

“And we want a local player to win this one,” he said, adding that holding the opening leg in the Philippines could be a big boost to the tourism industry as well.

“All the foreign players that will be coming in will be spending their hard-earned dollars after the tournament – in your hotels and clubs. We want them to try Boracay, Puerto Galera or Cebu,” he said.

Up next after this leg are those in Macau, Korea and Singapore. For the 2009 season, Parker said the APT is going to add a few more stops in Japan, Malaysia and Thailand.

To qualify, a player must be 21 years and above. Buy-in is pegged at $2,500 and it already includes the $200 entry fee.

According to APT business development manager Martin Elliott, there’s also a humanitarian side to the tournament through the celebrity match, where 10 invited players will dispute the P400,000 pot.

The money then goes to any charitable institution chosen by the winning celebrity.