PokerStars, the world’s largest online poker site, today released a massive 20-day schedule for the PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) Macau Spring Festival of Poker, set to take place at the PokerStars Macau Poker Room at Casino Grand Lisboa from May 3-23, 2010.

APPT Macau, the event historic for bringing Texas Hold’em Poker to China in 2007, and which has been the richest poker tournament in Asia every year since, is set to dazzle the world’s gaming capital once again with 25 landmark events over three weeks of intense competition.

The $40,000 HKD ($5,160USD) Main Event, scheduled for May 18-23, is again expected to be an international affair, attracting players from across Asia and the rest of the world.

In 2009, 429 players from 46 countries entered the Main Event, competing for a prize pool of $16,130,400 HKD (more than $2 million USD). Irishman Dermot Blain topped the field, claiming the $4,194,000HKD ($541,072 USD) grand prize. The 25-year-old won his seat in a live satellite at PokerStars Macau, the largest poker room in continental Asia.

The action begins on Monday, May 3 with one of the many live ‘step’ satellites scheduled throughout the festival and culminates with the showpiece $40,000 HKD Main Event, which kicks off at 12:10 pm on Tuesday, May 18.

The fourth season of the APPT has already had a spectacular start, kicking off with a special event in the Philippines two weeks ago. The “APPT Manila: PAGCOR Chairman’s Cup” shattered its $1 million USD guarantee, attracting 430 players who competed for a $1,042,750 prize pool, making it the largest poker tournament ever held in the country. The event was won by American Binh Nguyen who earned a USD $260,700 payday.

“The success of APPT Manila means huge numbers are expected for APPT Macau,” said APPT President Jeffrey Haas. “We have great momentum right now, and all our players and staff are excited about the prospect of having at least three events in our fourth season with prize pools greater than $1M USD! More than just larger prize pools, the larger fields tell the real story. It seems that these years of nurturing poker’s growth in Asia are really starting to have a positive effect on the game’s growth across the region.”

Among the 25 events scheduled for the Macau Spring Festival of Poker is a broad range of buy-ins and innovative formats, including a $1,000 HKD deep stack event; a $1,500 HKD “No Limit Hold’em Express” tournament – in which players only have 20 seconds to act; a $2,000 HKD bounty tournament – in which every player has a $500 bounty on their head; six-max events; and a heads-up tournament.

As in Season 3 the $88,800 high roller event, set for May 18, should prove another highlight. Last year’s event attracted 64 entries and was won by Russian Vladimir Geshkenbein with Johnny “The Orient Express” Chan finishing second and Philippines Champion Neil Arce third.

Perhaps the most intriguing events on the schedule is the mega satellite freeroll on Thursday, May 13. The tournament is free to enter but has $500 re-buys; and at least one winner will be awarded a seat in the APPT Macau Main Event. The $1,000 APPT Macau charity event will be held later the same day, with $50,000 added to the prize pool by PokerStars.net. Half of all buy-ins will go directly to the selected local charity.

Team PokerStars Pro and former world champion Joe Hachem said: “I played the very first APPT Macau in 2007 and I’ve been amazed at how quickly poker has taken off in this region. The APPT is now by far Asia’s largest and richest poker tour and has seen incredible growth. My brother Tony recently competed in the sell-out APPT Manila: PAGCOR Chairman’s Cup, straight after winning ANZPT Perth. By all accounts, it was a phenomenal event so I expect APPT Macau numbers to go through the roof.”

The full PokerStars.net APPT Macau ‘Festival of Poker’ schedule is detailed below. For further event details and updates please visit www.appt.com.