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Thu Aug 07 2008 14:06 GMT-3Round: 2 Blinds: 50/100 Ante: 0
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Thu Aug 07 2008 14:05 GMT-3 | Posted by FerricRamsium
Rheem Moving Chips
Another player pushing chips around early is Main Event finalist David "Chino" Rheem. Chino has been involved in a number of pots already, and we find him involved in a hand once again.
With two limpers in front of him, Chino puts in a raise to 350. One of the original limpers calls, and the two men go heads up to a flop of
. The early position player checks, and Chino fires out a bet of 450. His opponent calls.
The turn brings the
. Action is again checked to Chino, and he bets out 1,125. That is enough, as the other player nods knowingly and open-mucks 
. Rheem pulls in the pot, and has worked his way back up to 8,500. -
Thu Aug 07 2008 13:50 GMT-3 | Posted by FerricRamsium
Jason MercierJason Mercier Active
Working in contrast to the predominant style, EPT San Remo champion Jason Mercier has been involved in a number of pots here early. In recent action, Mercier opened the action with a raise to 150 from early position. A player in late position came along to the flop. It came
. Mercier checked, and his opponent bet out 450.
"How much is it?" asked Mercier, removing his sunglasses. He made the call, and the two men saw the turn bring the
. Both players checked.
The river was the
. Mercier again passed, and his opponent put out a bet of 1,250. Mercier quickly counted out the calling chips, but seemed pained by the decision. He went into the tank for several minutes, alternately staring at his chips, the board, and his opponent. After a bit of a delay, he finally folded his hand, looking frustrated. He is down to 8,200 in the early going. -
Thu Aug 07 2008 13:22 GMT-3 | Posted by FerricRamsium
Feeling Out Period
As expected, the early pace of play is slow as the players begin to get a feel for their table mates and the flow of the tournament. They are also feeling out the dealers, who seem to vary in experience from novice to expert. A couple of the players have had to assist the dealers in counting out pots or progressing through the hand. Greg Raymer, for example, helped his dealer by suiting and checking one of the decks for him. It is interesting to hear bet amounts and instructions called out in both English and Spanish, as the majority of players speak only one of the two languages.
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Thu Aug 07 2008 13:03 GMT-3Round: 1 Blinds: 25/50 Ante: 0
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Thu Aug 07 2008 13:03 GMT-3 | Posted by FerricRamsium
Day 1 Begins
"Dealers, shuffle up and deal!"
The cards are in the air. -
Thu Aug 07 2008 13:02 GMT-3 | Posted by FerricRamsium
Punta del EsteA Brief History Lesson
While we wait, we thought we'd give you a little bit of background information on the tournament location.
Punta del Este, Uruguay was colonized in the late 1700's by the Portuguese, though it had been visited centuries earlier by the Spanish. In 1896, settler Antonio Lussich purchased nearly 4,500 acres of sand dunes and created an international botanical garden, planting trees and vegetables from all over the world. This worldwide influence is still evident in the cuisine of the area, which carries a mix of Latin American and Mediterranean influences.
The main claim to fame of the area are the miles and miles of pristine beaches. On one side, there are beautiful white sandy beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. On the other side, the Rio de la Plata terminates alongside flawless shores. The geography of the area lends itself well to outdoor activities, including fishing, surfing, small and large game hunting, and hiking.
The local population only amounts to about 10,000 inhabitants, but during the tourist season -- from December to February -- the number of people here can grow close to 1,000,000! It is indeed the premier resort town of South America.
Okay, now that you're feeling a little more informed, it's time to get going. The players are in their seats, and we are just one minute away from the start of play! -
Thu Aug 07 2008 12:25 GMT-3 | Posted by FerricRamsium
Slight Delay
The room is buzzing with activity and there are still a few things to take care of before we can get started. Like the players, for example, who are still lined up single-file alongside the building, waiting to take their seats. The staff has informed us that we will be starting on a one-hour delay, and we hope to get rolling at 1:00pm sharp. Stay tuned.
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Thu Aug 07 2008 11:58 GMT-3 | Posted by FerricRamsium
Glenn CademartoriJust About Ready
We are almost set to go here at the PokerStars.net LAPT Punta del Este. The dealers are in their chairs counting out the chips and the decks are being prepared for action.
LAPT President Glenn Cademartori spoke to the players and media in the room moments ago. "Poker is exploding in Latin America, and this region is primed for major tournament poker," he pronounced. He repeatedly referred to this as a "star-studded event" as he announced the notable players who will be in the field. Among them are Greg Raymer, Barry Greenstein, Chad Brown, Andre Akkari, Alexandre Gomes, Brandon Cantu, Vanessa Rousso, Jason Mercier, and David "Chino" Rheem, along with dozens of celebrities and international pros.
The tournament was originally capped at 300 players, but Cademartori indicated that the number will indeed grow. "I'm pretty sure we'll have a prize pool of over $1,000,000 with over 400 players today." With only 30 tables set up for play, it will be interesting to see how many entrants they are able to pack into the room.
We are just a few minutes away from the start of our event, so sit tight. We'll be back shortly with the action! -
Thu Aug 07 2008 01:36 GMT-3 | Posted by FerricRamsium
Bienvenidos a Uruguay
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the PokerStars.net LAPT Punta del Este in beautiful Uruguay! Located some 70 miles (112 kilometers) east of the capital city of Montevideo, this small beach-side town is the center of the poker world this weekend. The action will be coming to you from the luxurious Mantra Resort & Casino, where PokerStars has laid claim to one large corner of the building. What once was a wide-open corridor is now home to 30 brand new tables, hundreds of chairs, and a vast array of electronic and camera equipment.
Nearly two hundred players earned their ticket to this event by qualifying on PokerStars, and we expect to have another hundred or so pony up the $2,700 -- or 51,435 pesos -- and buy in directly. The tournament is officially capped at 300 players, but we are told that the number may swell a little bit to accommodate those who have made the trip.
The final preparations are underway, and everyone is anticipating a smooth and entertaining three days of play. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow as the action kicks off at high noon local time. Join us then!
Started 7th Aug, 2008
