Friday, 29th March 2024 02:02
Home / Uncategorized / MPC21: The Red Dragon’s coming of age

In many parts of the world turning 21 means the things you have already likely been doing for the last three to five years suddenly becomes acceptable in the eyes of the law. That’s probably what makes turning 21 such a big deal to some.

It’s also a simple fact that poker fans from all around the world count down the days until they are old enough to head to Las Vegas and play in some of the biggest poker events in the world. However, there is more to this milestone than the legal right to drink booze, gamble the night away and grind poker.

You see, turning 21 is considered a ‘coming of age’.

You’ve made it through your late teens, had a year to transition into your so-called twenties and all of a sudden, whether you like it or not, you wake up an ‘adult’.

If that’s at all true, then I would like to welcome the Macau Poker Cup to adulthood.

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Like a fine wine, the Red Dragon only gets better with age

It’s hard to believe that there have already been 20 editions of the Macau Poker Cup. It began back in 2008. Poker in Macau was in it’s infancy as just 33 players partook in the first-ever Red Dragon Main Event.

Kenny Leong won that tournament and since then has forever been championed as the inaugural victor of the Red Dragon. His legacy as that first-ever victor will never change, so get used to us mentioning Leong, oh, just about every time a new Macau Poker Cup takes place.

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The name ‘Kenny Leong’ is forever etched in MPC history

Throughout the last six years the Macau Poker Cup has transitioned through multiple poker rooms and crowned 19 more champions before we reached this landmark 21st birthday.

It’s a landmark, not only because of the link between the number 21 and gambling around the world, but also because it is the first Macau Poker Cup to take place in PokerStars LIVE Macau’s brand-new space at the City of Dreams.

The poker room is no longer down on the main gaming floor, instead it is in the cosy and classy corner upstairs right near the Hard Rock Café. It’s a happening area of the casino and more than fitting for a tournament series which is about to celebrate its coming of age.

No MPC champion has been crowned in the new room, but that will change in the next seven days. The last time a player won the Red Dragon it was down in the old room and it was Mongolia’s Buyanjargal Bold who lifted the trophy. Bold overcame a field of 995 players which is the largest in MPC history. Considering the MPC is only 21 editions young, there is still plenty of time to host more fields of that massive magnitude. One of those times could very well be this week.

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There aren’t many poker champs from Mongolia, but Bold is one of them

So, basically the cliff notes are that we would like you to join us in celebrating the 21st birthday of the Macau Poker Cup! Be sure to stay tuned as we will be bringing you all the live updates from the prestigious Red Dragon, which will draw to a conclusion next Wednesday! There are three Day 1 flights, with the first beginning at 7:00pm local time on Friday. Full details of the schedule and more can be found on the PokerStars LIVE Macau website.

This 21st celebration might not feature any cake or oversized novelty keys to sign, but there will certainly be plenty of poker action and hundreds of thousands of dollars awarded to players from all around the world! Sounds like a party to me…

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