This is the third year that the PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour has visited the world's gaming capital Macau, and with each visit has come more milestones and records. In 2007, it was the first No Limit Hold'em tournament to be played in the People's Republic of China. Last year, it was the largest field and prizepool ever offered in an Asian poker tournament.

For all the achievements in the past two years, the 2009 APPT lifted the bar to new heights. For the first time, the tournament was held at the stunning Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino, and in the largest poker room in continental Asia, PokerStars Macau.

The prizepool for the 2009 APPT Macau Main Event again set a new benchmark for Asia, with the field of 429 players chasing a slice of the HKD $16,130,400 prizepool (just over USD $2 million).

But there was more to this year's event than the numbers - poker felt like it really belonged in Macau. To see a packed room of players from around the world mixing it up with increasingly skilled and competitive locals in the heart of the most prestigious casino in Macau showed that the work of the regional APPT and PokerStars teams is starting to pay handsome dividends. There's still much work to do, but the foundations have certainly been established.

Appropriately, it was a player who won his seat in a live satellite at PokerStars Macau, 25-year-old Irishman Dermot Blain, who was the last man standing after four days and more than 30 hours of play. The quietly-spoken Dubliner played the final table to perfection, mixing aggression with skill to dominate his opposition, as shown by the 8:1 chip lead he held before the heads-up duel started.

Blain prevailed at an often enthralling final table, which featured a player who encapsulated the excitement of poker in Asia, 47-year-old Daoxing Chen.
A PokerStars Macau regular who learned to play Texas Hold'em less than 12 months ago, Chen, known as "Bao Bao", brought boundless enthusiasm and an element of carnival to the final table.

He spent more time out of his seat than in it, agonised over decisions much to the frustration of his rivals, congratulated and commiserated with those same players after almost every hand and, in the end, was heart-broken that to have finished higher than second.

Chen and the scores of PokerStars Macau regulars who also took their seats in the APPT Macau Main Event are the new guard to Asian poker pioneers like Mike Kim, who finished runner-up to Blain. Kim has been a tireless advocate for poker in Asia, and played a pivotal role in the first APPT event hat was played in Macau. The 42-year-old struggled for traction at the final table and rarely held more than the 1.6 million in chips with which he started the day.

And if ever there was an indicator of poker's growing popularity throughout this continent, our fourth-place finisher, Darkhan Botabayev hails from the nation more famous for Borat than poker players: Kazakhstan.

Other noteworthy performances came from Korea's Youngshin Im, who was the top-placed female player in 15th, PokerStars Sponsored Player Van Marcus who collected a record breaking fourth APPT cash and Roger Spets, who scored his third APPT in-the-money finish.

This event also marked the international debut of PokerStars.net Team Asia, with Korean-based Dan Schreiber leading the way in 40th place (his third APPT cash). Schreiber's teammate Jonathan Lin displayed plenty of tenacity to return for day two after falling ill in the wake of his day one appearance.

It was again encouraging to see many of the world's best players supporting this event, led by Team PokerStars Pros Joe Hachem, Chris Moneymaker, Raymond Rahme and Bertrand ElkY Grospellier along with members of PokerStars.net Team Australia and numerous WSOP bracelet winners (including dual WSOP Main Event winner Johnny Chan) and major title winners.

One down, three to go - with the postponement of APPT Seoul due to construction work at the Seven Luck Casino, the next scheduled stop will be APPT Auckland for the SKYCITY Festival of Poker (October 14-18).

PokerStars Macau is also scheduled to host two major events before the end of the year - Macau Poker Cup events will be held on October 19-25 before the season-ending tournament from December 12-20, including the HKD $20,000 Main Event with a guaranteed prize pool of HKD $2 million.

We'd like to thank everyone at the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino for their hospitality over the past week, and on behalf of Landon Blackhall and Jenn Barr, along with the entire APPT and local PokerStars teams, farewell from Macau, China. We look forward to bringing you all the action from SKYCITY Auckland in October.

Live updates from day 3 of the PokerStars.net APPT Macau Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander and Landon Blackhall from PokerStars Macau at the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest selected chip counts can be found by clicking here.

Level 27 (blinds 40,000/80,000, ante 5000)

9.15pm: Mike Kim eliminated in 2nd place; Dermot Blain wins APPT Macau Main Event

It was only the fourth hand of heads-up play when Irish PokerStars satellite winner Dermot Blain announced that he was all-in, after which Mike Kim leaned back in his chair, grimacing. "Okay," he muttered as he turned up [10d] [9s]. Blain stood up and rolled over [kd] [10h] to have the Korean PokerStars Sponsored Player outkicked.

Both players hit the flop of [3c] [10c] [as], but Kim would still need that nine to take the lead. Blain cupped his hands over his mouth, turned away from the table and closed his eyes, but he needn't have worried as the turn and river bricked out [js] [8s], confirming him as the 2009 PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour Macau Main Event champion, taking home the championship trophy and a payout of HKD $4,194,000 (USD $541,081). Congratulations to Mike Kim, who takes home HKD $2,984,100 for his runner-up finish.

9pm: Daoxing Chen eliminated in 3rd place

In the biggest pot of the tournament, Dermot Blain raised it up to 220,000 from the button and Daoxing Chen called from the small blind as Mike Kim got out of the way on the big blind. The drama would then unfold on the flop which read [3h] [9c] [ac]; Chen checked, Blain opened for 350,000, Chen re-raised to 1,350,000 and Blain announced that he was all-in. Chen snap-called, rolling up [ah] [qs] but was devastated to see that Blain was ahead with [ad] [ks]. The turn and river would blank out [5h] [as] and "Bao Bao" was eliminated from the APPT Macau Main Event in third place, receiving a standing ovation from his supporters on the rail. Blain has 7,390,000 in chips and goes into the heads-up battle with an eight-to-one chip advantage against Mike Kim, who holds just 920,000. He takes home HKD $1,855,000.

8.45pm: Chen on the charge

The remaining three players have settled back into their game, but since the elimination of Darkhan Botabayev, it's been Daoxing Chen controlling the game, taking two pots from Mike Kim in quick succession. Kim raised from the small blind and Chen called from the big blind. They checked it all the way on a board that read [9c] [2h] [4c] [qc] [6d]; the [7d] [7c] that Chen tabled would be good enough to take it down. A few hands later, Chen limped in from the small blind, Kim checked from the big blind and they both checked the flop of [qs] [9s] [qc]. It would go check-check on the turn of the [5h]; Kim would then check-call Chen's bet of 150,000, only to muck after Chen tabled [ad] [jc] for top pair on the river.

8.30pm: Arce leads with five remaining

Tournament officials have wisely decided to start the final table of the APPT Macau High Roller event in PokerStars Macau with the Main Event still occupying the feature table on the Grand Lisboa Casino floor. The final table comprised:

Grant Levy 1,428,000
Neil Arce 1,153,000
Gap Young Kim 760,000
Vladimir Geshkenbein 678,000
Johnny Chan 518,000
In Wook Choi 490,000
Danny Huynh 432,000
Nicolas Wong 224,000

Already, Wong has been busted by Neil Arce when his jacks held up against A-K. In Wook Choi finished sixth, following Gap Young Kim to the rail who was the seventh-place finisher. With five players remaining, it's Arce in the lead on 2.2 million ahead of PokerStars.net Team Australia's Grant Levy (1.65 million), Vladimir Geshkenbein (700,000), Johnny Chan (520,000) and Danny Huynh (430,000).

8pm: Darkhan Botabayev eliminated in 4th place

Kazakhstan has a poker hero of its own after Darkhan Botabayev finished a stunning fourth in the APPT Macau Main Event. His tournament life was snuffed out when Daoxing Chen raised from the small to 210,000, only to have Botabayev announce he was all-in for his last 850,000 in chips from the big blind. Chen snap-called tabling [ac] [qc], well ahead of the [10d] [4d] of Botabayev. The flop of [8s] [5d] [6h] didn't improve either hand, but Botabayaev found a gutshot straight draw. He then had more outs to the flush then the [jd] appeared on the turn, but the river bricked out the [5s] and the Kazakh was KOed in third place for HKD $ 1,290,500. With that, Chen is now on 2,845,000 in chips. Dermot Blain still holds the chip lead with 3,052,000 and Mike Kim is the short stack on 1,950,000.

Live updates from day 3 of the PokerStars.net APPT Macau Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander and Landon Blackhall from PokerStars Macau at the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest selected chip counts can be found by clicking here.

Level 26 (blinds 30,000-60,000, ante 5000)

7.30pm: Time is not on their side

The remaining four players at the final table have returned from their recent break, under a collective warning from APPT Tournament Director Danny McDonagh. They have been advised that due to the excessive length of time taken by players in their decision-making, if the trend continues they will be on the clock permanently and receive lesser time banks to act within each hand they play. That rule has been quickly applied to Daoxing Chen. Dermot Blain raised from the button before the flop to 210,000 and Chen called, going to the flop that read [6c] [jc] [7s]. Both players checked and the dealer produced the [ts] on the turn; Chen checked and Blain opened for 275,000. Chen went into his usual routine of leaning over the table to see how much was in his stack, then appeared to gather several stacks to raise before pausing again. The clock was called and Chen insta-mucked.

7pm: Champ pops by to take a look

Two all-ins - one each from Daoxing Chen and Dermot Blain - have met with no interest as the temperature starts to build at the APPT Macau Main Event final table. With 10-time WSOP bracelet winner Johnny Chan an interested spectator, Blain shoved over the top of Chen's pre-flop re-raise to 350,000 after the Irishman had made it 160,000. No clock required for "Bao Bao" this time, as he released the hand without much thought. Chen quickly regained those chips with a pre-flop all-in bet of his own to scoop up the an almost identical pot from Darkhan Botabayev. The atmosphere around the final table is one of the best we've ever experienced on the APPT, with more and more spectators joining the rail as the evening progresses. Everyone on the main gaming floor is popping over to see what all the fuss is about - poker is undoubtedly taking centre stage in Macau tonight.

6.45pm: Body punches, but no KO blows

The routine of "raise, fold" has been broken in a few small pots, mostly between Daoxing Chen and Darkhan Botabayev, including one battle of the blinds. On a flop of [7s] [2c] [5s], Chen checked to Botabayev from the small blind, Botabayev fired out 135,000 from the big blind but Chen quickly raised another 315,000. After a minute in the tank Botabayev laid it down; Chen flashed [7h] [7c] for a flopped set and raked in the pot. Dermot Blain has rarely thrown his hat into the ring against the two adversaries at the other end of the table while Mike Kim is quite happy to mostly watch on. In one hand, Kim folded to Chen on the button who raised it up to 160,000. Botabayev called from the small blind but Blain grabbed a stack of orange chips and moved them into the middle, raising it up an additional 465,000. The others mucked. That's about the best we can muster.

6.30pm: Slow, like a boat to China

Do we wish we had a girlfriend as hot as one of the Pussycat Dolls? Just one of weighty issues being discussed at the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino tonight as play in the APPT Macau Main Event grinds to glacial progress early in the 26th level of play. Blinds are up to 30,000/60,000 and an ante of 5000, and players have been happy to take their turn at scooping up small pots without any significant action in the past 30 minutes. Just 600,000 in chips separates the four players, with Irishman Dermot Blain on 2.4 million ahead of Daoxing Chen (2 million), Darkhan Botabayev (1.95 million) and Mike Kim (1.85 million). Could be here for a while. Botabayev, that's 107 points in Scrabble with a triple-word score and 50 bonus points.

Live updates from day 3 of the PokerStars.net APPT Macau Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander and Landon Blackhall from PokerStars Macau at the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest selected chip counts can be found by clicking here.

Level 25 (blinds 25,000-50,000, ante 5000)

6pm: Chen agonises before folding best hand

Darkhan Botabayev has just flexed his muscle against chip leader Daoxing Chen. After Chen raised it up before the flop to 125,000 from the button, Botabayev re-raised to 375,00 from the small blind. Chen asked for a count then made the call. The flop read [8c] [9c] [5c] and Botabayev announced he was all-in for 1.4 million. Chen shot him a nasty look, asked for another count, asked to spread the pot, stood up, sat down, thought long and hard, stood up again, took his jacket off and put it on the back of his chair before sitting back down again. APPT tournament director Danny McDonagh gave him two minutes to act upon his hand. "One is enough," barked Chen in Chinese, sending the gallery into laughter. That soon turned to gasps of shock when Chen open-mucked [jc] [jh]; "Bao Bao" would have had Botabayev on the ropes if he had called as the Kazakh flashed [10h] [10d]!

5.45pm: Because you are gold, Mike Kim

With Spandau Ballet's Gold booming over the casino PA - one of those great Macau moments that smacks you between the eyes when you least expect it - the toe-tapping stopped when PokerStars Sponsored Player Mike Kim moved his last 640,000 into the middle against Darkhan Botabayev. It was the Kazakh who was in the lead with [ac] [kh] against the [kd] [10s] of Kim. The flop and turn of [2h] [5d] [6d] [5h] were of no help for the Korean PokerStars Player, but the ever-appearing [10h] spiked on the river, doubling Kim up! We're now on to Shirley Bassey - say what you like but the lady can sure belt out a tune.

5.30pm: "Bao Bao" takes a bow bow

Crowd favourite Daoxing "Bao Bao" Chen has been relatively quiet compared to his performance yesterday, but he has slowly started to play to his audience, which has perhaps helped him to forget stretching the clock on every decision. In a recent hand, he managed to take down a pot worth more than 800,000 from Dermot Blain. Blain raised it up pre-flop to 110,000 and Chen called from the big blind, then both players checked the flop of [3c] [kh] [10h]. On the turn of the [4c], Chen fired out 175,000 and Blain called; he would then call Chen's bet of 375,000 on the river [3h]. Chen tabled [jh] [8h] for the flush and Blain sent his cards into the muck. That earned Chen a round of applause from his rail, and most of the casino joined in the celebrations for the PokerStars Macau regular.