The main event will have a $2500 buy-in and will start on January 29. It will run for four days, and the final table will be played out on the first. For the high rollers there will also be a $50,000 minimum cash game played on the first. This year’s action should attract even more big-name poker players than it did last year considering they are all at the Aussie Millions just prior to these APT events.

This is that letter from the APT.

Dear Michael,

First of all, congratulations on your eight gold medals and world record breaking feats – what a supreme sporting achievement and I hope superstardom treats you well. However, I write this open letter to you to say that I am in a position to add weight to the argument that you should be crowned history’s ultimate sportsman.

I noticed recently that you have told your local newspaper that you were a big fan of poker and look forward to playing again. By a strange twist of fate, I represent the Asian Poker Tour and we are running Asia’s largest ever guaranteed tournament NEXT WEEK in Macau. It starts on the 27th and runs until the 31st and guarantees a prize pool of $1,500,000 and a first prize of $500,000. This is the biggest prize pool ever offered in Asia! While you are already in China, why don’t you give it a go? It would be our pleasure to fly you in, organize your accommodation and buy-you in to the tournament!

Some have said you are a ‘human dolphin’ but we’re keen to know if history’s greatest swimmer is really a fish. You may have feet that can reach angles others cannot to give you the ultimate swimming technique but just you wait until you’ve got sharks like Vegas poker legend Doyle Brunson chasing you. We’ll see how fast you really are then when they smell blood – get some flippers on those size 14’s!

Don’t bring your goggles, bring a pair of sunglasses – dive in at the deep end and we would love it if you showed us your hand. You’ve almost certainly got more chance of making good money from our $1,500,000 prize pool than securing any commercial deals! Your homecoming to a delirious country can wait.

Go all-in Michael! We’ll even get some special one-on-one lessons for you from poker’s greatest players. If it makes you happier we’ll even bring in Mark Spitz too and you can play heads-up! Some have campaigned for poker to become an Olympic sport. The fact that you are a ‘human dolphin’ doesn’t mean you will necessary get a gold medal for Texas Hold’em!

In all seriousness, come join us, you may as well while you are there! We’ll definitely show you a good time and would be honored with your presence. Get the closing ceremony over and done with first though!

Best Wishes,

Jeff Mann

The Asian Poker Tour

If Phelps does decide to head to Macau to play a little poker, then he would be joining poker pros Doyle Brunson and son Todd Brunson, Johnny Chan, JC Tran, Liz Lieu, Nam Le, Kenny Tran, John Juanda, Steve Sung, APT Manila champ David Saab, Mel Judah and Huck Seed. Those guys are definitely "some of those poker guys" that Phelps thought "it would be cool to meet."

Online poker players' last chances to qualify for the APT Macau through the freeroll series take place at 9am ET, 3pm ET, 9pm ET, 3am ET for the next two days, ending on July 27. The top 25 finishers in each of these tournaments will be invited to participate in the APT Macau Seat Giveaway Finale that takes place on August 2nd. Furthermore, the 1st place finisher will also win T$35 in order to participate in an APT Macau Quarterfinal and the 26th to 50th place finishers will win T$2 in order to buy-into an APT Macau Cheap Seat tournament.

The winner of the APT Macau Seat Giveaway Finale online poker tournament receives the $8,000 prize package, which includes buy-in, return flight and accommodations for the tournament.

There are also regular buy-in qualifiers to the APT Macau available on a daily basis, ranging from the $1 Cheap Seats tournaments to the $300 + 20 Semifinals. Check out the APT Macau online poker qualifier details over at Bodog Poker and make sure not to miss out on the chance to experience the VIP Bodog lifestyle.

Poker pro Tony G won the Asian Poker Tour's event in Singapore last year. (Bodog Beat Image)

The Asian Poker Tour announced today that the 2008 tour schedule will kick off on May 27 in the Philippines and will be followed by three other events in Singapore, Macau and South Korea. Those dates have yet to be confirmed

The $2,500 buy-in events will each guarantee a $1 million prize pool and hope to draw about 400 entrants. The large prize pool is sure to attract some big names to make the trip out to play. However, the first event is schedule to happen at the same time as the first event of the 2008 WSOP – $10,000 World Championship Pot Limit Holdem – so we'll just have to see who decides to show up where. We're not holding our breath for the small regional poker tournament over a World Championship WSOP event.

Anyway, online gaming company ESL-Asia, a subsidiary of AsianLogic, took over the APT and will organize all the online and land-based tournaments in associated with the tour as well as brand management for the tour.

"The Asian Poker Tour will definitely be a top-class brand. This is such an exciting time for poker players in Asia and we feel that with our expertise and skills, we can make the APT a bigger and better series of events each year," said Chris Parker, AsianLogic CEO.

"From the four events that will take place this year, the APT plans to expand to a total of six events in 2009. We are continually working to set up some of the world's most exciting and prestigious poker tournaments."

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