Post deleted by Mat Sklansky

[52s]

[ QUOTE ]
I've never heard of any poker in Asia before...

[/ QUOTE ]

Lucky you missing olivert's numerous script-like posts about China turning into the shangri-la of the poker world.

[nath]

i have the Tom Waits song playing in my head now.

[TomHimself]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I've never heard of any poker in Asia before...

[/ QUOTE ]

Lucky you missing olivert's numerous script-like posts about China turning into the shangri-la of the poker world.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Koumari Boy]

The actual dates are 12-18 November 2006 at the Meritus Mandarin Hotel Singapore.

[AJackson]

Tony G, in his blog, has mentioned a couple of times that poker is getting big in China

[TomHimself]

yea tony g playing 300/600nl in japan. wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[shaniac]

Is Signapore the place where you can't chew gum and the punishment for vandalism is caning?

Also, what is Tony G's blog URL please?

[TomHimself]

http://tonyg.pokerworks.com/

[HSB]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Is Signapore the place where you can't chew gum and the punishment for vandalism is caning?

Also, what is Tony G's blog URL please?

[/ QUOTE ]

ya thats singapore. crazy drug laws too

[/ QUOTE ]

So what's the penalty for slow rolling, impalement?

[olivert]

[ QUOTE ]
http://www3.betfairpoker.com/tournaments/special/itemId/i65768518/index.html

Event takes place November 18th.

As I'll probably be in Thailand at that time, I'm thinking of heading over for this. Anybody think it will do well? Bomb? I've never heard of any poker in Asia before...

[/ QUOTE ]

Degen:

Americans are NOT allowed to qualify for the BetFair APT online because BetFair does not take online business from the U.S.

I wrote an article on this topic 5 weeks ago:

http://pokerbiz411.com/2006/07/24/legal-and-regulatory-betfair-folds-under-us-pressure.aspx

--

I can also tell you that:

1. former WSOP tournament director Matt Savage was involved in the BetFair APT until he had a falling out with Austrian tournament director Thomas Kremser. Litigation is pending in the Singapore court system.

2. There is no TV deal yet, and the promoter didn't seem to want to do a time buy with NewsCorp's pan-Asian cable TV giant ESPN STAR Sports (ESS). (The promoter can forget about getting a rights fee from ESS. NewsCorp does NOT like to pay cash up front for rights fees to poker anymore. Nor does ESPN.)

3. The promoter doesn't appear to have the resources to pay appearance fees to lure top Asian players, particularly Chinese-speaking players, from the U.S. to participate.

The price of luring Asian players from the U.S. to play poker tournaments in Asia has gone up dramatically.

The U.S.-based Asian players know that the Asian poker tournament promoters need the big name players more than the players need the promoters.

With half a dozen American-style mega-resort casinos opening up in Macau in the next 18 months, and 2 more mega-resorts opening up in Singapore by 2009 or 2010, there is plenty of time for the Asian players in the U.S. to wait for things to settle down before getting on that Trans-Pacific flight.

--

I do expect the WPT to have an event at the MGM Grand Macau in 2008.

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

300/600 nl in japan... more details please.

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

does he have a 2+2 account?

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

i think sing tourney will be huge flop, probably cancelled.

[olivert]

[ QUOTE ]
i think sing tourney will be huge flop, probably cancelled.

[/ QUOTE ]

The promoters of the APT, Singapore-Chinese entrepreneurs Joseph Wong and Nicole Wee, managed to align themselves with the wrong partners:

1. Thomas Kremser, who has one of the worst reputations among the U.S. poker playing community for his alleged backstabbing ways against American partners. Among the former American partners whom have had fallen out with Kremser include Matt Savage and Warren Karp.

2. BetFair, which has assets in the U.S. and cannot take any online action in the U.S.

If the original business plan of Wong and Wee was to attract Asian players, particularly brand-name Chinese players based in the U.S. or Canada (Johnny Chan, J.J. Liu, John Juanda, Jennifer Tilly, Doug Lee, Evelyn Ng, etc.) to play the APT, then they certainly have done everything they can to sabotage their business plan.



At this point in time with all the information I have, I honestly CANNOT advise ANYONE I know from the U.S. or Canada to travel to Singapore to play the APT this November.

[beagle007]

Just to clarify a couple of things before misinformation gets out of hand:

1. Thomas Kremser is the most well renowned tourney director in Europe. 'Backstabbing ways' is a bit rich without any evidence

2. Betfair do not have any assets in the US as far as i know, they just do not take US customers or bets - get your facts straight

I think you are quite bitter olivert - and I think you need to get your facts straight before you try to persuade people of inaccuracies...

[olivert]

[ QUOTE ]
Just to clarify a couple of things before misinformation gets out of hand:

1. Thomas Kremser is the most well renowned tourney director in Europe. 'Backstabbing ways' is a bit rich without any evidence

2. Betfair do not have any assets in the US as far as i know, they just do not take US customers or bets - get your facts straight

I think you are quite bitter olivert - and I think you need to get your facts straight before you try to persuade people of inaccuracies...

[/ QUOTE ]

I do have my facts straight.

Kremser has, in the past, forced out American partners in every project he has gotten his hands on.

Among American partners Kremser has forced out include Warren Karp and Matt Savage.

Savage in particular is considering legal action in the Singapore court system for the way he was forced out of the APT project by Kremser.

Kremser has much of Europe cornered, but he is HATED by many people associated with the poker industry in the U.S.

The battle for the poker industry in the Chinese-speaking markets in Asia is just starting.

I can tell you that most of the brand-name Chinese-speaking players based in the U.S. and Canada will NOT travel to Singapore to play the APT unless they get their buy-ins and travel expenses completely covered by the promoter.

[beagle007]

Not one to question a Two plus Two addict, but I assure you, you do not have your facts straight.
Kremser was appointed to the BAPT by Betfair and, thus, did not force anyone out of anything. Savage was not the right man for the job for a number of reasons, I am led to believe.

Re the battleground in Asia - yes, i agree - is it more important for a mulit-million pound company like Betfair to have the big name Chinese players in Asia - or is it more important for them to be there?

[Pingviini]

But it should be still worth it to travel there from Thailand. I am moving to Phuket, Thailand, in early November and I am planning to play some tournaments here and there in asia, and cash, if possible.

[olivert]

[ QUOTE ]
Not one to question a Two plus Two addict, but I assure you, you do not have your facts straight.
Kremser was appointed to the BAPT by Betfair and, thus, did not force anyone out of anything. Savage was not the right man for the job for a number of reasons, I am led to believe.

Re the battleground in Asia - yes, i agree - is it more important for a mulit-million pound company like Betfair to have the big name Chinese players in Asia - or is it more important for them to be there?

[/ QUOTE ]

If the APT were so important to BetFair, then why isn't BetFair willing to spend the money to buy TV time to put the APT on the likes of ESPN STAR SPORTS?

I can guarantee you that a NewsCorp/Rupert Murdoch outfit such as ESPN STAR SPORTS will NOT pay a single penny of cash for the pan-Asian TV rights to the APT.

If BetFair were holding out for TV rights fee in cash for the APT, then BetFair will be waiting forever.

And BetFair won't be the only ones running TV poker in Asia.

WPT will be in Macau by 2008, guaranteed.

WSOP will eventually find it way into China as well. Harrah's has made no secret that it wants to find a way to get into Macau.

[Seputro]

English only at the table?


Mandarin only at the table?

=)

[olivert]

Basically, the top-tier brand-name Asian players in the U.S., particularly the Chinese-speaking ones, are waiting for a serious Asia-based poker tour, complete with a TV distribution contract on a brand-name pan-Asian TV network (such as one of the networks managed by ESPN STAR SPORTS), plus appearance fees and reimbursement of travel expenses, before they will travel to Asia to play.

BetFair/Thomas Kremser, once they took over management of the APT and kicked Matt Savage under the bus, have an arrogant attitude: "We are a multi-million dollar business and we are the first to run a televised poker tour in Asia (even though we don't have a TV contract yet), so Asian players in the U.S. should be paying their own way to play our tour."

It'll be interesting to see who shows up at the BetFair APT in Singapore this November. My guess? Tony G. will be there with a handful of journeymen players, and that will be it.

[mephisto]

Anyone ever play on betfair? I feel like creating an account just to try to sat myself into this Singapore event. If anyone can give a quickie review, mucho appreciated.

[mephisto]

Just hearing that right there is enough for me to download and client and check it out. Thanks. I really like the graphical layout of the website and their animation, very classy. I have good vibes about this site.