APPT Seoul Main Event Day 1 | 2008 PokerStars.net APPT Seoul

09-26-2008 01:44 UTC+9

2008 PokerStars.net APPT Korea - Seoul

[user38449]

PokerNews returns to South Korea's capital city on Friday for the 2nd Annual PokerStars.net APPT Seoul Main Event.

Last year's affair drew 186 entrants and created a $437,100 prizepool. The 2008 version hopes to attract well over 200 players with it's KRW 3,000,000 buy-in (approx. $2,870 USD) and player-friendly structure.

Our reporters will be your eyes and ears on the floor of the Paradise
Walker-Hill Casino for all three days of the Main Event, bringing you up-to-the-minute reports, chip counts, photos and videos as the tournament unfolds. Coverage begins at 1:00 p.m. local time on September 26th (12:00 midnight EST on Sept. 25th).

We'll see you then!

Level: 1

Blinds: 25/50

Ante: 0

09-26-2008 13:26 UTC+9

Shuffle Up and Deal!

[user67765]

After a brief opening ceremory featuring local Korean song and dance, 2004 World Series of Poker champion Greg Raymer welcomed the players and uttered the immortal words "Shuffle Up and Deal!".

The cards are now in the air!

09-26-2008 13:27 UTC+9

Who's Here?

[user75032]

Today's tournament is one of the smallest on the APPT circuit, with registration capped at 200 players due to some cramped space on the casino floor. Tables are quite literally "packed in like sardines", using every available nook of the space allotted by the casino for the tournament. That includes three tables tucked right by a bank of slot machines and one table directly in front of the registration table. Despite the lack of walking space between the tables, so far we've spotted the following players in attendance: Greg Raymer, David Saab, J.J. Liu, Hevad Khan, Kuok Wai Cheong, Celina Lin, Wooka Kim, Andrew Scott, Bertrand "Elky" Grospellier and APPT Macau double final-table player Charles "the Chuck Truck" Chua.

09-26-2008 13:40 UTC+9

Internet Outage

[user75032]

We apologize for the delay in starting coverage of this event. There were several logistical issues to be dealt with this morning by the APPT staff, including internet access for all of the assembled media. We are online now, about fifteen minutes after Level 1 started, and hopefully will be able to provide uninterrupted live updates on the tournament for the rest of the day.

09-26-2008 13:49 UTC+9

Programming Notes

[user75032]

After receiving positive feedback from the players in Macau regarding the structure of the events there, the APPT staff have decided that we will employ a similar structure here in Seoul. Today play will consist of seven one-hour levels, without a dinner break. Dinner will be after the completion of play for the day. This is intended to allow the players the chance to get out and explore the city while they're here.

09-26-2008 13:49 UTC+9

Sabat and Grospellier Join The Party

[user67765]

Table number one started play today with only three players who all seemed content to steal the blinds of the dead stacks at the table. That is, until they were joined by the 2008 APPT Macau Champion Eddie Sabat who quickly assumed the position of table captain.

Sabat was able to steal a few blinds until Bertrand "Elky" Grospellier took a seat at the same table! Fresh off his success at the PokerStars WCOOP, Grospellier will be looking for a big performance here in Seoul on a table that should provide some exciting moments!

Tags: Bertrand Grospellier Eddie Sabat

09-26-2008 13:59 UTC+9

Saab Wastes No Time

[user67765]

Another interesting table in today's event features JJ Liu and the 2008 APT Manila champion David Saab.

Saab is wasting no time talking up a storm and raking in chips. He recently collected a small multi-way pot when he was relieved to find his pocket kings were good on an ace-high board as his opponents folded to his "cheap, cheap" bet. Saab is up to 12,000 chips.

Tags: David Saab

09-26-2008 14:04 UTC+9

Chuck Truck Hits Roadblock

[user67765]

Charles Chua, who final tabled both the Main Event and the High Rollers event, at the 2008 APPT Macau event, mentioned to us before play commenced that he was keen for another big performance, however things have turned very sour for Chua in the early going.

With all the chips in preflop, Chua held {K-?}

against an opponent's {A-Diamonds}

. The flop of {9-Hearts}

was safe for Chua, but the {A-Hearts}

on the turn gave his opponent the lead with a pair of aces. Chua had picked up a flush draw and would need another heart or a king on the river, however the {2-Spades}

peeled off to leave the "Chuck Truck" down to around 5,000 chips.

Tags: Charles Chua

09-26-2008 14:06 UTC+9

"My Name is Andrew"

[user75032]

APPT Macau High Roller runner-up Andrew Scott has assumed the role of social chair at his table, introducing himself to everyone else and generally being quite chatty. He raised a recent pot to 150 from the cutoff, finding two customeres: the button and the big blind.

"There we go! There we go. Now we have a hand," said Scott. He was less chatty once the dealer spread a flop of {K-Clubs}

. After the big blind checked, he checked as well. The button player bet 500.

"One and one-nineteenth the size of the pot," noted Scott, but that was all he did with the button's bet. The big blind and he both mucked.

Tags: Andrew Scott