APPT Seoul Main Event | 2008 PokerStars.net APPT Seoul

Level: 18

Blinds: 4,000/8,000

Ante: 1,000

09-28-2008 18:57 UTC+9

Railbirds Swarming

[user67765]

The crowd is starting to build up around the final table area with the excitement building as we draw closer to the climax of the 2008 PokerStars.net APPT Seoul Main Event.

There are plenty of railbirds supporting the players, and if there's one thing the Asian culture provides, it is a passion for gambling. Any time there is a big pot the railbirds are up on the chairs yelling their hearts out! It's great to see such passion and excitement as poker captures the attention of Korea.

09-28-2008 19:09 UTC+9

Game On

[user75032]

The stacks are deep now in relation to the 4,000 and 8,000 blinds. As a result, players have reverted to the cautious approach that characterized early stages of the final table. Most pots are captured with a preflop raise. In a few instances, someone else has called the raise. However, every time, a single bet on the flop was enough to take down the pot. For as action-packed as the last hour was, this hour is shaping up to be much more about strategy and meta-game.

09-28-2008 19:17 UTC+9

Shiono Does It With Big Slick

[user67765]

Hidenari Shiono raised to 24,000 from the button and Brian Kang defended in the big blind.

They took a {A-Spades}

flop and both players checked. The {9-Clubs}

fell on the turn and Kang led out for 30,000. Shiono then popped it up to 60,000 with Kang making the call.

The river landed the {4-Clubs}

and both players checked it down.

Kang flipped {A-Clubs}

for top pair but Shiono had a monster with {A-Hearts}

good to collect a healthy pot.

09-28-2008 19:32 UTC+9

Tasaka Doubles through Shiono

[user75032]

Yoshihiro Tasaka looked like he might have adopted a new strategy. Three hands in a row he moved all in, first by opening all in from the button, then reraising all in over the top of Brian Kang (who folded), and the third hand by reraising all in for 174,000 over the top of a 24,000-chip raise from Hidenari Shiono. Shiono pondered his decision for about a minute before shipping thirty yellow (T5,000) chips into the middle. His {A-Hearts}

was dominated after Tasaka impressively turned over {A-Spades}

. The board ran out no help to Shiono, {9-Spades}

. Tasaka now has about 360,000 chips.

Tags: Hidenari Shiono Yoshihiro Tasaka

09-28-2008 19:43 UTC+9

Sayonara

[user67765]

After the recent double up of Yoshihiro Tasaka, there was a few words exchanged between Tasaka and Hidenari Shiono. Both players are Japanese and decided to use their preferred language to communicate.

However Brian Kang was having none of it, and the Canadian quickly had a word to the tournament director who reminded the players that it is English only at the tables.

09-28-2008 19:47 UTC+9

Tasaka Runs Down Shiono

[user67765]

In a limped pot in a battle of the blinds, Hidenari Shiono and Yoshihiro Tasaka checked to the river on a board of {K-Diamonds}

.

Tasaka in the big blind finally took a stab at the pot with an oversized bet of 25,000. Shiono took another peek at his cards and made the call.

Tasaka revealed {Q-Spades}

for a running straight as Shiono's pocket tens bit the dust.

09-28-2008 19:49 UTC+9

Kang In Control

[user67765]

Brian Kang opened with a raise to 24,000 from the small blind and Hidenari Shiono defended his big blind with a call.

The flop came {K-Clubs}

and Kang's bet of 25,000 was called by Shiono. The turn was the {5-Diamonds}

and both checked.

The river was the {6-Hearts}

and Kang fired out 50,000. It was enough to force the short stack out of the pot, as Kang rakes in another pot.

09-28-2008 19:50 UTC+9

Shiono Softplays Top Set

[user75032]

A rather unusual hand sent the players off to the dinner break. Yoshihiro Tasaka who has become a preflop raising machine, raised the button to 32,000 and was called by Hidenari Shiono in the big blind. On a flop of {K-Diamonds}

, Shiono checked, then called a bet of 25,000 made by Tasaka. Both players checked the {9-Diamonds}

turn and the river {3-Spades}

. At showdown, Shiono turned over {K-Spades}

for top set! He got looks of surprise from everyone in the final table area, and a comment was made in Japanese that cracked up all of the Japanese railbirds.

09-28-2008 19:51 UTC+9

Dinner Break

[user67765]

The three remaining players will now take a 45-minute dinner break. Play will resume just after 8:30 p.m. local time.