Apt Poker

10 years ago, poker in Asia was a commodity almost unknown and could not choose a poker player a crowd. Today, you might struggle to find someone who does not play the game, or at least does not know how it works.

Although it has been popular across America - especially in California - and in some parts of Europe, poker remained in the shadows between the Asian countries. For years, companies have expressed interest in land to enter the Asian market, but have failed in part because most of these countries - with the exception of Macau - prohibits any form of gambling. Therefore, poker is a game West, completely detached from the East.

10 years later and that's another story.

It is no secret that the popularity of poker has experienced an unprecedented boom with the introduction of online poker. Not only that, but the emissions of the World Series of Poker and World Poker Tour has introduced the game to millions of casual viewers.

More importantly, the introduction of poker in Asia occurred because the country has slowly begun to open its collective arms to the ground and gambling online.

The attraction of Asia as a region wild poker is not a surprise given nearly half the world's population can be found here. India and China alone accounted for nearly 2.5 billion people when they are combined, not counting Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines - a country heavily populated by their own. With all these people start to become familiar with the game and attractiveness that comes with it, it was only a matter of time before the poker games and poker tournaments has exploded in the region.

And now, to say that Texas Hold 'Em, without a doubt the most popular type of poker is played everywhere, is an understatement. Poker rooms are multiplying like seeds in their own right throughout Asia. Macao, a country dominated by Baccarat, slowly begins to experience that is poker. In recent years it has hosted many poker tournaments including the Macau Asian Poker Tour 2008. Furthermore, the APT now has its own poker room at the Hotel Galaxy StarWorld and Casino.

Even in the Philippines, poker is growing faster than you can say, "all-in!" The country has hosted its fair share of tournaments is not the least of which is the Asian Poker Tour. In fact, the success of APT tournament last year - has attracted well over 316 poker players from around the world - has led to the organization APT another tournament to kick off its 2009 season. The Asian Poker Tour Philippines 2009 will be held from January 27 to February 1, 2009 at the Hotel Dusit Thani Manila and it is likely that some of the best poker players in the world will attend.

poker players in Asia have also become instrumental in the spread of poker in Asia. Some of the best poker players in the world, including Johnny Chan, Men "The Master" Nguyen, JC Tran, Nam Le, Steve Sung, Quinn Do, David Rheem and Kwang Soo Lee, all trace their roots in Asia and their impact on the world poker scene has not gone unnoticed.

With the explosion of poker in Asia, it seems inevitable that more and more future top poker players come from the region. It is a testament to a game that only a decade ago was not even an afterthought. In the darkness of the dark, poker has grown to become one of the most popular games in Asia.

With the way things are going, it's a safe bet that poker is far from having reached its popularity peak, and that's good news not only for Asia but for the world.