28-year-old Australian Eric Assadourian has become the first PokerStars.net APPT Macau High Roller Champion, pocketing a massive $420,600.

Play kicked off last Monday with a field of 64 players from 16 countries – the field was reduced to just eight on the final day, as they battled it out for their share of the $1 million prize pool. Eric outlasted some of poker’s brightest stars, including the famed Team PokerStars Professionals: 2005 World Champion Joe Hachem, 1998 World Champion Scotty Nguyen and fifth place Aussie Emad Tahtouh, as well as poker’s best known “diva” Vietnamese-born Liz Leiu.

“I knew my form had been good leading into the Macau event, though I am so excited to have taken out the High Roller. This is a truly historic moment for poker, being the first poker tournament in China and it is great to be part of that history. I am looking forward to returning to Sydney and playing the APPT Grand Final at my home casino in 10 days time,” commented Eric directly following his win.

This emerging young pro from Sydney has showed impressive form over the past 18 months on the Australasian circuit – today’s win is by far the icing on Eric’s cake. He will return to Sydney next Monday to battle it out at the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final, being held at his home casino Star City, Sydney.

The PokerStars.net APPT Macau High Roller event capped off a week of China’s first poker championships at Macau’s exclusive Grand Waldo Hotel and Casino – the PokerStars.net APPT Macau: Asian Poker Open.

Eric will join the APPT Seoul champion Ziv Bachar and the APPT Manila champion Brett Parise at the APPT Grand Final at Star City Casino in Sydney, Australia, December 12 - 16.

Final results:
1. Eric Assadourian, Australia, ($368,640)
2. Bo Sehlstedt, Sweden ($184,320)
3. David Paul Steicke, Hong Kong ($110,592)
4. Tony Ng, Hong Kong ($82,944)
5. Emad Tahtouh, Australia ($64,512)
6. John Juanda, USA ($46,080)
7. Scott Numoto, USA ($36,864)
8. Liz Lieu, USA ($27,648)