Could we commence the interview with a brief history of the tournament, what was the original motivation behind it, and how impressed are you with the events success.
Baccarat is one of the oldest and most popular games in casinos all over the world. Besides just creating the biggest Baccarat tournament ever, the Grand Dragon Master Baccarat Championship offers the ultimate experience for true Baccarat lovers from around the world.
The inaugural Grand Dragon Master Baccarat Championship that took place from Oct 2012 to March 2013, entailed 12 separate tournaments held across seven Las Vegas properties - Venetian Macau, Sands Cotai Central, Sands Macau and Plaza Macau; Venetian and Palazzo, Las Vegas; Sands Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. Dubbed the world’s biggest Baccarat event, it not only generated a worldwide participation of 30,000, but the international reach and the appeal of the competition was a great indication that we have created an unparalleled and unique experience for the Baccarat community.
The success of the inaugural championship is evident through the participation numbers for the 2nd edition of the Grand Dragon Master Baccarat Championship that took place from 9 August to 14 December 2013, with an amazing total prize pool of over USD$12 Million The grand finale is slated took place from 12 to 14 December 2013 at Marina Bay Sands Singapore.
It should also be noted that the variety of Baccarat played in the tournaments for such a global event is very different from the typical Baccarat casino game many are accustomed to. With a global tournament such as the Grand Dragon Master Baccarat Championship, we are introducing a slight twist to this favourite and traditional casino game without changing the rules of the game. The emphasis is not so much on luck or chance but a test of a player’s skill and strategy. To beat the high score or win against other players on the same table, contestants need to apply strategy in the competition by understanding the game trends and anticipate the actions of other participants.
How many players are anticipated for this tournament?
We anticipated a worldwide participation of 40,000 but this year, we received a participation of 60,000 across all Sands properties for the 2nd annual Grand Dragon Master Baccarat Championship.
We are heartened by the overwhelming response and the numbers have far surpassed our expectations. Our properties in Macau have helped to raise awareness and generated a lot of interest amongst our patrons of the 2nd Grand Dragon Master Baccarat Championship.
Do they need to qualify or register for the event if so how?
The registration and qualification process for the event differs across the various Las Vegas Sands properties. The patrons either receive complimentary entries by invite only or they can use the points from their loyalty rewards programme to register for the tournament. Some players can also pay the entry fees to participate in the qualifying rounds.
What is the format of the event will it for example involve tables of twelve players with starting with each table playing one shoe of baccarat, and will it be the case that at the end of the shoe, the top 6 players (that is the players with the six biggest stacks) will progress?
Different rules will be applied for different rounds of the Grand Dragon Master Baccarat Championship. During the qualifying round, each participant’s total chip count will be tabulated and ranked for each of the session. The prize money will subsequently be awarded according to the daily rankings. For the semi-finals and finals, the winner(s) will be determined by conventional Baccarat rules.
And finally, what aspects of this year’s Baccarat Dragon Master Baccarat Championship most excite you most and why?
This is the second year we are organizing the Grand Dragon Master Baccarat Championship. The most exciting part, in my opinion, is the massive interest and participation rate that we got for this second instalment – from 30,000 in 2012 to 60,000 this year where the growth comes mainly from Asia.
The uniqueness of the Grand Dragon Master Baccarat Championship hinges on providing our patrons from across all Sands properties, an exclusive competition experience. Baccarat is one of the most popular casino games and the Championship provides a platform for patrons to pit their skills against each other at their favourite game.
The attraction of the Championship definitely goes beyond the daily regional and global prize pools. It is the journey that participants will experience as they advance from qualifying to the Global Final and be crowned the ultimate master of Baccarat.
