Bodog Beat

The Asia Pacific Poker Tour begins on Aug. 24 at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino in Manila, Philippines. (Image Courtesy of APPT.com)

In another show of the international force that poker has become, the new Asia Pacific Poker Tour kicks off next week in the Philippines with three stops planned. The launch event begins on Aug. 23 at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila. The second event is scheduled for Sept. 27 at the Sheraton Walkerhill Hotel and Casino in Seoul, South Korea, and the tour wraps up in December with the Grand Final at the Star City Casino in Sydney, Australia. At least three more events are expected for 2007 and the venues will be announced later in the year.

Poker pros Joe Hachem and Daniel Negreanu have both committed to play in the Manila event, along with the 130 other players who have already put up the $2,500 to play in the first major televised poker tournament in the Philippines. The event in Korea will also feature a $2,500 buy-in and is also the first major televised poker tournament for that country. The Grand Final in Sydney will have a buy-in of $5,500 and will be sure to draw some big name poker pros.

PokerNews.com has been named the official media partner for the tour and will be providing live updates for the first time in Chinese and Japanese.