HomeFor the Asian Poker Tour (APT), 2010 will be remembered as the year when a couple of underdogs ruled the main events; and when a pair of poker superstars joined the fray making this season’s APT one of the best in its three-year history.
APT 2010 Year in Review
In August Michael Cua, becomes the 2nd Filipino to capture the APT Philippines 2010 Main Event title while 19 year old Zhang Dan Peng became the 1st Chinese to win an APT Main Event at APT Macau 2010 last November.
Cua won roughly PHP 7.758 million (US$176,700) for his first-place finish while Zhang cashed out HK$1.678 million (US$215,000). What made their feat doubly impressive was the fact that both of them qualified from satellites, to outlast the star studded field!
Both stops, at the Resorts World Manila in the Philippines and the City of Dreams in Macau, were also well-attended by poker luminaries. APT Macau Main Event featured respected poker pros like 8-time World Series 
of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner Phil Ivey and online poker sensation Tom “durrrr” Dwan, both of them became the talk of the town because of the participation as referred to on 2+2 Poker forum in creating the “nosebleed” no limit cash games with blinds as high as HK$10,000 (USD$1,250) – HK$20,000 (USD$2,500)
Of course, we can’t forget how the APT is also known for it’s off-the-hook award winning Player Parties. Players looking back at 2010 will for sure have stuck in their minds the free flowing alcohol, nonstop dancing, and the beautiful and hot Prestige Models and Ambassadors of the APT! 
To close out the year, APT set foot in mainland China by sponsoring the China Poker Carnival (CPC) Which was attended by 126 players, including the likes of Poker King’s Winfred Yu, Back to back APT 2010 Main Event final table player Li You Nan, and APT Macau 2010 High Roller’s champion Nick Wong.
What’s Ahead in 2011
Fresh off another successful run, the APT has recently announced two major events to kick-off the poker festivities in 2011!
First in line is the inaugural staging of the newest poker series in Asia called the APT Asian Series. According to Jeff Mann (APT CEO) “the APT Asian Series is being created to cater to the rapid growth of poker in Asia, which will feature more affordable buy ins with the same prestige as a full blown APT event and the first stop is set from the 10th to 17th of January at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino in Cebu, Philippines”.
The main event of APT Asian Series Cebu will feature 45-minute rounds and a starting stack of 15,000 in chips while the side events will have 25-minute rounds. This is actually a step up to previous APT side events that had 20 minute rounds.
Then from March 28 to April 3, 2011 constant poker action returns to the Resorts World Manila in Pasay City, Philippines for the APT Philippines 2011, which will introduce new side events and increased starting stacks and with 30-minute blinds. APT Philippines 2011 Main Event will have a starting stack of 15,000 and opening blinds of 25-50 at one-hour rounds.
To top it off as good as the APT Main Event structure is, for players’ fortunate enough to make it to the
final table will be guaranteed that the minimum average stack will be 30 times the big blind to give players one of the best structures in the world!! Also, APT side events has also gained popularity among the players in the region and they will again be thrilled as APT will reintroduce and open up with a side event now named the APT Asian Heads Up Championship in addition to the traditional side events like one of a kind, Greed event, High Rollers, Ladies of Poker and Head Hunter among many others. APT 2011 side events will also feature new blind levels, increased buy-ins and 30-minute rounds to allow for more skillful play.
For the Asian Poker Tour, 2011 will be another year to look forward to. With changes and innovations especially made for the players—the upcoming season will definitely be another special one for the APT.