PokerStars Announces Sponsorship of 2014 Beijing Millions

The 2014 Beijing Millions is set to get underway next month on China's mainland with PokerStars.net handling the sponsorship duties.

Running from July 18-27, the festival is allied with the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) and marks the first time that the APPT will make a mainland China tour stop.

"Poker in China has become more and more popular in recent years," said APPT President Danny McDonagh. "I am so excited that the Beijing Millions will become part of the APPT. International Players will not only be fascinated by the history of this great city and all the attractions it has to offer, but will also enjoy an event held at a very professionally run club headed by APOY (Asia Player of the Year) champion Jian Yang.”

Under sanctioning of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports, the festival will take place at the Beijing Star Poker Club in central Beijing City. One million Chinese Yuan has been guaranteed as the prize pool.

"The Beijing Millions is the first of many poker sporting events we plan to run in Beijing and partnering with the APPT will ensure the event is held to the highest standard that we are seeking," Yang said.

Those standards will be met by PokerStars, who has agreed to secure a tournament director and train the staff in order to guarantee a top-notch event. PokerStars will work with the festival organizer, Beijing AoBoTe Sports Culture-Transmitting Company Limited, who is on a mission to promote "poker as a mind sport in Greater China,” Yang added.

A special Poker Challenge has been added to the festivities. Representatives from China, Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan are scheduled to compete in the challenge, as well as Team PokerStars Pros Bryan Huang, Raymond Wu and Celina Lin.