1. Don't get in over your head: Zoom is fast and the action is awesome; however, you don't want to overwhelm yourself by popping up too many tables. This will cause you to play too robotically which will cause your results to suffer.

2. Don't over-fold your blinds: It can be very enticing to fold your marginal hands when in the blinds in favour of seeing the next hand; however, doing this will cause you to be very vulnerable to steals which will lead to you bleeding money slowly but surely.

3. Don't over-defend your blinds: Contrary to the above, you also don't want to over defend your blinds versus steals. This is a key ingredient to fancy play syndrome and your goal is to achieve a balance regarding blind defence.

4. Take notes on opponents: This can be a bit difficult as the games are super fast paced. I think the most effective way to take notes is to do it after the session when it's all over and done.

5. Do go back and see what happened last hand: If there was a big pot being played out and you folded and got moved, you can either hold CTRL when folding to watch the hand play out or you can click on "previous hand" on the left of the table to see what happened. Don't overlook this simple task as it can gain you valuable information down the road.

6. Don't get personal: If someone is messing with you in position, don't worry. The next hand it will be another person since you will move. Therefore, when faced with a decision you don't really have to factor meta-game or game dynamics in there. Zoom poker is more about how to deal with THIS specific hand on the spot.

Keep these simple and useful tips in mind the next time you play Zoom and you'll be playing like a Pro before you know it. Have fun at the tables! For more information about Zoom poker, visit the Zoom Poker home page.

Follow Ray on Twitter: @RaymondSWu
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The complex already houses top facilities, but let me list several highlights for you in the area. Players on a budget can now consider staying the night at the Grand Waldo Spa for under $60USD or even sleep in the main hall of the spa if you don't mind being in a shared area. Visitors to Macau have previously spent most of their time on the Macau side but everyone knows that the new "place to be" is the Cotai Strip across the bridge on Taipa.

The Cotai strip is continuously getting developed and you can always find swanky new hotels and restaurants to discover. If you thought you really knew Macau, think again! Across the road from Grand Waldo is its sister-hotel, the recently opened Galaxy, which houses several different brands of hotels and several world class bars and restaurants. A short cab ride down to discover Taipa Village - where the original community of Taipa Island started from - will transport you back in time as you discover its small cluster of narrow lanes and alleys with colorful old (& new) colonial houses. Amongst these houses you can discover old temples and the best seafood in Macau!

Another highlight of our newly situated room is its proximity to the go-karting track and golf course. Fancy some speed, and a short cab ride brings you to the Macau Motor Sports Club where you can unleash the speed demon in you! If you feel like a relaxing day out on the greens you can head to Caesars Golf Macau and even enroll yourself for some lessons at the Butch Harmon School. Who knows you could be the next Tiger Woods after all.

There are just so many sights to discover and I will definitely be on the lookout for more gems as I uncover them! In the meantime satellites for the Macau Poker Cup (June 9th-18th) on running now on PokerStars so make sure to make your way there by winning a seat now!

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Follow Bryan on Twitter: @BryanHuang_

Follow Liv on Twitter: @livboeree

The city is one of the most glamorous I've ever seen, and believe me, I've traveled a lot. There is a very sophisticated atmosphere everywhere you go, something very old fashioned with a definite European-style taste.

You can find two different casinos there. The Sun casino in the Grand Hotel Fairmont (used to be the famous "Loews" that doesn't need introduction) offers all the American table games. The fantastic Casino de Monte Carlo remains one of the most prestigious casinos in the world and provides all the European games (French roulette, Baccarat, etc.). The experience will be totally different than anything you've seen before when it comes to gaming. You should definitely check it out. You' ll be amazed by the ambience.

The area is also the best when it comes to weather and sightseeing. It's close to Nice, Cannes, and pretty much all the Cote d'Azur. You are guaranteed to have a good time at the beach and get a great sun tan.

Regarding the food, you can find a wide range from standard to gastronomic (as in restaurant "Le Louis XV" with grand chef Alain Ducasse, one of the very best cooks of all times in Hotel de Paris). Personally, I always enjoy the "oreille d' éléphant" (i.e "elephant's ear") at Sass café, five minutes from the tournament area. Don't be scared, there is no elephant involved. It's just the best breaded veal cutlet Milanese I've ever eaten in my life.

For those who like to party, Jimmy'z is the place to be and be seen. I can remember last year the presence of George Clooney and Bono surrounded by like 50 girls (read "jealous" here). And even if you want to have a nice snack after dancing, the Tip Top restaurant is open late hours, and offers the very best pizzas, raviolis, pasta, and number one steak tartar in town. It's no wonder that it's been open for more than 60 years, and is still one of Prince Rainier's favourite places.

I'm sure I don' t have to mention the fact that French players (including Monegasque) have a particular playing style when it comes to poker. They really enjoy the game from an amateurish perspective, and you could tag them as "creative," if you see what I mean, which definitely makes the game easier for seasoned players.

I guess there is no need to talk about Les Thermes Marins, which is probably one of the finest spa in the world. Everything from facial treatments to massages will take place in the most luxurious environment. The only problem you will encounter is that you will have a hard time trying to leave that place.

To finish, what could be better than chilling and having a drink on the terrace of Café de Paris, which has been depicted on thousands and thousands of postcards.

The list could go on and on as to why Monte Carlo is one of the best spots on the planet, but to make a long story short, you' ll know where to find me from April 24-May 1.

Follow Arnaud on Twitter: @ArnaudMattern

First: feel lucky . Be alert and on top of it. Don't lose sight of reality. Have fun playing at all times!

Play your best game and be prepared to accept bad beats. Pick the event you can afford and see it as you being the ultimate challenger. Know even when you do have the best starting hand, you do have to lose sometimes with it. You may have started with the favourite hand to win, but that can easily change at any moment.

It could be on the flop, turn or river. It could happen even before the hand is played. Laying down hands like medium and low pairs is certainly nothing to be ashamed of. It strengthens your game-play and helps you to wait for the moment when you do have a 4-to-1 lead with the overpair!

Playing to stay out of trouble or to protect getting there is one of the secrets. When you play hands you shouldn't be in, you end up getting in a situations in which you have to make up for bad decisions. It has nothing to do with how other people play. It has to do with the decisions you make. Don't let it get that far.

Find the way to take your time at first. Make decisions that are based on the ideal situation according your hand strength, position, and size of your chip-stack. In small-stack or turbo events, play hard and aggressive.

If you have an average stack, stay away from trouble and position yourself with the lowest risks and play to get to the money if there is time enough to do so.

If you have a big stack, you can play a lot more hands and pick off people with shorter stacks. Spend the rest of the time making sure you stay above average.

Once you've made it to the comfort zone of being in the money, you have to aim for the top. Dare to take risky moves, as you will not survive till the end waiting for all solid hands. Use your button wisely. Don't be afraid to three-bet from the blinds. Dare to put your opponents to the test for the rest of their chips.

Of course, I make no guarantees, but mine is a strategy that you can use in whatever way it suits you best. If anything, it's better than going forward without any strategy or plan.

Good luck on the Sunday Storm's anniversary and ll the other events this weekend!

Last but not least, do what is best for you and makes you have fun. That's what makes you a winner.

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Follow Marcel on Twitter: @MarcelLuske

Often I went deep in tournaments but did not quite get the result I expected. But it never hurt more than in Berlin. One year I got a big stack of chips and then made a superb hero call for it. He had the nuts.The next year I got a big stack of chips. Then I got it in with over 90%. He rivered two pair.

But this year I am going to win it. No doubt.

And Berlin is going to be the best place to have that celebration. That ONE TIME has to be in a city where I can choose the music I want to hear, the drinks I want to have, the price I want to pay and still have a couple of options to go out.

Even close to the Casino and Hotel there are a few choices. Rebuilt not long ago the Potsdamer Platz features modern architecture that I can accept and a few places to dance that are ok. I rather go shopping there or to the movies at the Sony Centre and get my portion of indie later, but for a poker tournament it's a fine place.

For a meal I go across the street, a burger or fine dining at the Hilton. They say Berlin is the best place to have a Döner. A German/Turkish dish. But with the choice of food in Berlin I would eat that one in Mannheim and instead go for the small international restaurants. For example the Taiwanese Lemongrass in Anklamer Str. is a good example. Just off the grid multikulti flair that makes Berlin what it is.

Before the tournament starts I'll go for a tour at the Pergamum museum. That will root me to old mythology and make me unbeatable. Probably not. But it's a great place.

A quick change of clothes, as the German casinos often feature a coat and tie policy not seen in American casinos. They are a little less stiff nowadays with the poker crowd, but a shorts and tanktop style that would not lift an eyebrow at the Rio in Las Vegas does not get you in.

Sitting down in my scarf I will play that analytical German poker, right in between the ego + math American and the ego + maniac Scandinavian. If you subtract that, I am going to be a math-maniac. That gets you far. Or not.

All in all it is going to be a big one. For everybody.

Follow George on Twitter: @trickyscarfy

When I first heard of MicroMillions my first thought was its another great idea but I assumed that I would probably not play as many events as the buy-ins were low and expected very big fields. Therefore the chance of making a final table and a big score in terms of money for a medium/high stakes player was much lower than in WCOOP or SCOOP.

Then I busted in the second level of EPT Madrid with TT vs [Ac][Kc] when the board ran out [A][T][6c] and he got a runner-runner flush. I had nothing to do and decided to give it a go and play a few events in MicroMillions. I started out slow, cashing a few and not playing nightly events. I realized that the points structure was slightly revised and you get a little more points for cashing than before (10/15/20 rather than 5/10/15 depending how deep in the money you go). This, together with the total of one hundred events, created a possibility that not only players who win and get 100 points, but also players who regularly cash can have a chance in the leaderboard race.

I started playing more events, including the nightly ones, and was able to gradually catch up with the leaders. By Saturday, the second-to--last day of the series, I managed to get a five-point advantage with a shot to win if I did well on Sunday. I even had a day when I cashed six out of nine events. Unfortunately, the start of Sunday was a disaster. I busted six straight events, and with only five remaining I dropped 25 points behind the two other players.

I needed a very good run and had to count on nobody else at the top of the leaderboard scoring a bunch of points. I decided to become aggressive, and I probably set a Guinness Record in number of rebuys in 3x turbo tournament. I managed to cash it, and then I had a deep run in the three last events, including the main event. I got 55 points in total, while my opponents got only 10 and 20, It was close, but I won the trophy and the PCA package! Overall I cashed in 34 events out of 89 I played.

Of course, as you can imagine, my poker strategy had to be somewhat adjusted. A player sometimes has to give up chip value in favor of increasing his chances of cashing. This would mean choosing a very conservative style, picking spots with less variance, and even folding big pairs on the bubble. Such a strategy would not be profitable in a standard tournament, but was correct approach as the buy-ins were small compared to the leaderboard prizes (places 2-10 received SCOOP Main Event Medium tickets and places 11-100 received SCOOP Low tickets). In a way we played three satellites in a single tournament, first to get 10 points, then 15, and then 20 points. Only after that could we focus on getting to the final table.

Overall it was a much harder assignment than is seems as the tournaments run 24 hours a day and you had to manage sleep and take care of the rest of your lift. My strategy was to late register nightly events, try to quickly build a big stack and then continue or to go back to sleep. The same applied early morning and again before noon. One time I got a nice stack and then fell asleep in front of the computer only to wake up and see I had no chips anymore. Luckily by the time I was blinded away the action was so fast that I cashed.

Finally, I would like to congratulate all other players who competed in the TLB and especially "bem777ret" who narrowly missed final table three times. That's a big achievement in such a large fields. If he had made the final table once, he he would be the champion!

I hope to find the same commitment and motivation during SCOOP in May.

See you at the tables!

Follow Marcin on Twitter: @MarcinHorecki

It gives everyone a chance to play in a big tournament, and to experience a deep run in a major tournament is very fun, which is why it is great that they run so many a day. You have so many chances to build up chips and make a run and the prices are small so everyone can play. You have to start somewhere in poker, and to win one of these is a great way to start a poker career. It is also very entertaining for the players who play for fun because it is a very small buyin and there are so many different games and variations.

I think that in these tournaments there are so many players so I think in the non turbo tournaments you should just not bluff at all and try to get the maximum value every time you get good hands because most people aren't going to fold anything decent especially in the beginning.

In the turbo I wouldn't try to bluff much either but if you are able to make it into the middle or later stages of the tournament then you can take advantage of the big blinds and pick up a lot of chips by shoving in ways where people aren't going to call.

I love playing 8 game for fun, I really love all of the games and have a lot of fun playing Omaha High- Low I would say is my favourite game and I love to play those when the SCOOP and WCOOP series comes around.

I love to play those games. I think it is great for PokerStars to have all kinds of tournaments and they are all small so you could try to learn a game for a small price and get some good practice when there aren't usually many of those tournaments.

I am really looking forward to playing some of these when I leave Madrid for the EPT. See you all at the tables.

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Follow Ana Marquez on Twitter: @AnaMarquez86

The Macau Poker Cup held at Pokerstars Macau also signals a new start to this year's Asia Player of the Year (APOY) race. All Macau Poker Cup numbered events, as well as Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) main events in Asia carry APOY points where the winner would have their name engraved into the permanent APOY trophy located at Pokerstars Macau--and become a part of poker history in Asia. In addition, the winner would win a one-year sponsorship with PokerStars Macau!

I was fortunate enough to win the APOY in 2010, and with the participation levels growing in Asia event after event, taking it down again will not be easy. So expect to see me playing my heart out at every event.

2012 will be a great year for poker players who live in or love to visit Asia because of the great additions the APPT has announced. APPT Korea will once again be a welcome addition and this will take place March 7-11 at the prestigious Paradise Walkerhill Casino.

The APPT will also be returning to Philippines, Cebu from April 24-30, where the official hotel will once again be the fantastic Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa. I have not met a single person who did not sing the praises of the hotel or location. Here, you get great (and affordable) food, fun and hospitality all in one place. In fact, within the Asian circuit, APPT Cebu is known as the PCA of the Far East!

The highlight of the poker season in Asia for 2012 will be the Asia Championship of Poker (ACOP) which will launch in November 2012 and cost HKD $100,000 (USD $13,000) for anyone who wants a piece of the HKD $10,000,000 (USD $1.3M) guaranteed prizepool.

The great thing about playing poker in Asia is the opportunity to experience different cultures, cuisines and sights at each and every stop. You get to visit traditional palaces & experience non-stop nightlife and shopping in Seoul, Korea and experience the sunny beaches, crystal blue waters and hospitality in Cebu within a month of each other. A short flight to Macau and you can experience gaming in the highest-grossing gaming venue in the world surrounded by Unesco heritage sites all over.

Welcome to 2012 and the start of the Poker Season in Asia. Visit the PokerStars Macau website and the Asia Pacific Poker Tour site for more updates regarding future stops in 2012 and qualifiers to all these events can be found in the PokerStars lobby.

Bryan Huang is a member of Team PokerStars Pro: Asia. Follow him on Twitter @BryanHuang_ or via his Facebook page.