It was at APPT Macau last year – after almost seven years of waiting – that China finally captured an APPT title when Alexandre Chieng bested a field of 388 players to break his nation’s duck.
Last night that record improved to two APPT titles in two years as JiaJun Liu matched Chieng’s feats by winning the eighth running of APPT Macau. Showing no fear as his aggressive style continually dumbfounded his opponents, Liu entered the final table sitting second in chips behind England’s Thomas Mcgarrity and managed to ride his luck all the way to the HK$2,776,000 top prize.
However, it took an epic heads-up battle against France’s Cyril Andre and two stunning pieces of fortune for Liu to clinch victory. Andre looked certain to claim the win when he got it in with A-4 against Liu’s K-3 as they saw an A-4-7 flop. Liu would need a miracle to stay alive but that’s exactly what came as running 3s gave him trips and a crucial double.
The final hand of the night was just as dramatic as the pair got it all in pre-flop with Andre’s Q-8 racing against Liu’s 7-7. The Q-Q-10 flop was huge for Andre, but again fate had a different idea as the dealer turned a 7. The river was a 9 and Liu was the newest champion of APPT Macau.
It was another Liu – Taiwan’s JJ Liu – claiming victory in the High Rollers. One of the highest earning female players of all time when it comes to tournament poker with a runner-up finish at the WPT’s Bay 101 Shooting Star in 2007 and four final table finishes at the WSOP, Liu showed her experience to top a field of 59 players and take home the HK$1,420,000 first prize.
This year’s APPT Macau series attracted an impressive 2,445 players across 12 events – up 32% on 2013.
