GGRAsia – PokerStars adds Asia pros, Macau Poker Cup back

PokerStars adds Asia pros, Macau Poker Cup back

Sep 04, 2015 Newsdesk Industry Talk, Latest News

Online poker brand PokerStars says its has added two professional poker players from Asia to its ‘Team Pro’ roster. They are Lin Chen-An from Taiwan and Zhu Yaxi from mainland China, known on the poker circuit as Chen-An Lin and Yaxi Zhu.

PokerStars’ 23rd edition of the Macau Poker Cup is currently under way. The event runs until September 13 at ‘PokerStars LIVE at the City of Dreams’, a branded venue at Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd’s City of Dreams casino resort on Cotai, Macau.

Mr Lin started playing poker in 2009, gaining his first tournament victory – a side event at the Macau Poker Cup – in October that year.

His largest cash prize to date came in the Macau Poker Cup in August 2014, when he took home HKD380,700 (US$49,118). Earlier this year he won two tournaments in Las Vegas – his first prize wins outside Asia. According to PokerStars, Mr Lin wants to use his sponsorship opportunity with the brand to promote the game in Taiwan.

Ms Zhu, a former finance and business manager, started playing poker via a career at a consulting firm, bringing her analytical skills to the game.

Last year saw Ms Zhu win cash at the Asia Championship of Online Poker Platinum Series III side event in Macau and at a European Poker tour 11 Prague side event. To date she has earned more than US$230,000 playing in live tournaments.

In May, PokerStars announced it had recruited Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and Brazilian soccer international Neymar Jr as brand ambassadors.

Canada-based Amaya Gaming Group Inc announced in June last year it was acquiring PokerStars in a US$4.9 billion leveraged deal.