Latest From Macau Big Game; US$14 Million Pot

As mentioned before, details are usually few and far between when reporting on the action coming from Macau’s Big Game.
However, tantalising snippets of information are still being released to the poker community occasionaly, usually via the Poker Portal Asia or on the 2+2 Forum, where Asian Poker Tour co-founder Tom Hall has been helping to fill in some of the blanks.
So far on our first report, we have been treated to the rumours of Tom Dwan losing HK$20 million ($2.6M USD) playing last week, and of Andrew “good2cu” Robl winning and losing $2 million USD around the same time.
Now the latest coming out of Macau is that Patrik Antonius has so far been unable to find a seat at the Big Game, and as “MacauPro” on 2+2 Forum claims:
“Confirmed that Patrik Antonius was not allowed into the game, James Bord (who was playing) tried to get him in but Guy Laliberte insisted no WAY. Antonius played ~US$640/US$1280 PLO instead with Andrew “good2cu” Robl and a few others.”
It is not at all clear why Antonius had trouble siiting at the Big Game, but it could be related to the wishes of the affluent amateur gamblers. As Tom Hall explains:
“They like action and thats why people like Tom Dwan they find very fun to play against. They do not like nitty pros and have been known to change a game from a 10k / 20k (HKD) game to a 10/20k with 20k ante to force the pros to play…They also prefer to play against people bringing their own money rather than a pro who has been staked by 15 different people.”
Also making the Macau Big Game news is the 10 times WSOP bracelet winner Johnny Chan. Apparently, the player dubbed ‘The Orient Express’ is doing rather well at the moment and is currently up over HK$11 mill ($1.41 million).
Finally, talking about the nose bleed action he’s seen so far, Tom Hall stated:
“Biggest hand I ever saw and arguably the craziest was a guy betting HK$28m (US$3.6) on the river into a HK$51m (US$6.54) pot with a gutshot straight draw against what turned out to be top set. He was down over HK$100m (US$12.83) at the time and hit it.”
If Hall’s figures are correct, that should equate to a roughly US$14 million pot.
We’ll continue to keep you updated as to any of the unsubstantiated action coming from the Macau Big Game as it occurs.