The Macau Myth: The 'Correct' path for a Poker player?

Preface, this post is aimed at Poker players who are intending to go to Macau purely to make a living in Poker. Thus to begin, It would seem in Poker as strong as the sense of Logic and reasoning is essential to playing the game. Usually the other end of passion and emotion creeps into the reasoning of a player who for whatever reasons wants to take the path more seriously. In all the players the author knows (The author hails from Singapore, thus Macau is preferable to Las Vegas as a destination for Poker), almost all have gone to 'take a chance' in Macau. Most of them also refer to the fact that if one wants to play Poker seriously, one HAS to go to Macau. In all respects, to supporters of this point, one has to strongly disagree with this line of Logic and thus it will be today's topic of discussion.

To start off, one will first state the reasons why anybody would go to Macau or a casino as a Poker player. The first being security. In a casino, you pay a fee or 'rake' in Poker to assure you, the player, that it will enforce the rules of the game and that there is legal recourse were anything to happen otherwise. Second, there is a gathering of a large number of players in Macau to play the game, meaning you will probably be able to get more uninterrupted hours in a game and always have 'new money' in the game to cover current losses. Thirdly, the games or tournaments you wish to play are not to be found in your native country or are played such large stakes that security and players are lacking due to the large cash amount or prize pool.

With the above reasoning, now the author can discuss the reasons why one used the Title, Macau Myth, narrowed to the group of players one is going to describe. Predominantly, those that want to take Poker as a job in recent years tend to be younger (below 35), only plays low limit Texas Hold'em (10/20* and below) and have a very limited Bankroll of below $20,000. So for such a person lets contrast with the above reasons if it will make sense to go to  Macau:

• Security: There is a good argument for this if Poker is illegal in one's country but the truth is unless the person is ready to commit to living in Macau long term along with the added expenses. This point is a redundant one. As in all countries, with a bit of research with the local Poker community, there should always be trusted hosts with a good reputations that can provide a game that almost all attending can say is fair and secure. This research in itself usually costing one much less than flying to Macau and back once.

• Gathering: This point is also largely down to research with the local community. If one's research has found a good trusted game, the author's own personal experience has shown that games are usually easy to fill and for many a late night. For if Poker is illegal in one's country, all the people have to play somewhere and trusted hosts is the best form of brand loyalty in a Poker game in such a situation.

• Large Stakes: As stated above, most of the people that ask the author this question to go to Macau tend to play small stakes and thus the stakes they play at are easily found in one's country and usually for a lower or similar rake than the casinos. Thus it is more cost effective to play in one's country than Macau at these lower stakes due to the extra costs of going to Macau.

• Weak Players: This is not in the above reasoning as it is not a reason but rather a misconception or even a delusion by most that would argue that the Poker field in Macau is weak. In fact, one always asks the question back when another refers to weak players in Macau as a reason to go there: "How do you feel you measure up to the current field in your country?" 

1. If they say they are stronger (which is often considering the author's personal experience), then should that person not stay in his/her country and play there as a 'better' player, paying no extra cost of flight, lodging or food. One example, the low average total per weekend in Macau with a budget airline and lodging is at minimum about $550 Singapore dollars. If one was to play a $2/5 Blinds game, before one even steps into a casino, one is already down over one full Buy-In or normal stack to play ($500) at those Blinds.
2. If the answer is they are not stronger and that the Macau field is easier. One always begs the question back, if you are thinking in such a way, what makes you think the people with your skill level in your country and others are not thinking similarly. An important factor here being the stakes, at today's low limits (minus the micro stakes), it is rare to find the extremely weak players as in the early 2000s. Where one's edge is so high that one can easily make 200% or more profit from consistent horrendous plays from others per session. At the same time, the person in question probably does not have the money to play the weak skilled rich players that he/she was looking for in Macau in the first place, who are just there to truly gamble in Poker and only play the high stake games.
3. For both, the most common end result especially for those who have been to Macau is the best evidence. For if it was truly that much of a Mecca to make money, then why would anyone come back to their native country. Logically, if it was that easy, one would continue to stay there for as long as one's visa would allows and save on the many flight cost and make a consistent regular living there. Reasons of job, family and friends being the most consistent and weak, as most of the people we speak of in this post would leave the family for a high paying job for a while and their job probably paying more consistently than the money that person can make with his skill as a Poker player.

In conclusion, it is usually cheaper in rake, transport and lodging to play in one's own country than in Macau. The only role Macau fills in the author's personal view is the ego factor to impress upon others, that one has been to one of the capitals of the gambling world. Going to Macau for those described above is illogical and using the frog in the well story as a loose reference. If one cant even defeat the other frogs in just your well, how good does one think he/she will fare against the frogs in the sea that is the earth or even just Asia.

Till next word...

*Refer to the last few minutes discussion in the clip with Peter Bao (WSOP Main Event final table 1997), where Peter is referred to as a low limits player, playing at 10/20 or 20/40 by Gabe Kaplan.