APPT Cebu Main Event Day 1a | 2009 PokerStars.net APPT Cebu

11-11-2009 11:44 UTC+8

Welcome to PokerStars APPT Cebu

[user92162]

The PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour is back with the leg third of the season - APPT Cebu, kicking off in just under an hour.

The previous tournaments held in Macau and Auckland were action packed and we're expecting nothing less from this beautiful stop in the Philippines.

Things got underway with a fantastic pre-tournament beach party last night that included a full pig and calf on the spit, as well as plenty of drinks, music and a fantastic fireworks show to top it all off.

Today's fireworks will take place across the poker table and we're expecting Asia's biggest names to come out and compete for the prize pool in excess of US$500,000.

Pokernews' Lynn Gilmartin is on hand to welcome everyone to Cebu:

11-11-2009 12:16 UTC+8

Pomp and Ceremony

[user92162]

The standard welcoming stuff is just starting, with Danny McDonagh exclaiming that he is surprised with the larger than expected numbers gathering to enter the Day 1a flight.

We're expecting 12 full tables today, and a mammoth amount of players tomorrow.

While you wait for the action, take a look at today's Daily Update:

11-11-2009 12:23 UTC+8

Shuffle Up and Deal!

[user75032]

2008 APPT Manila champion Van Marcus wished everyone luck and said the magic words. Away we go!

Level: 1

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

11-11-2009 12:32 UTC+8

Who's Here?

[user92162]

Defending champion Van Marcus, Karl Krautschneider, Raymond Wu, Dan Schreiber, Andrew Scott, Doxing "Bobo" Chen, and Wally Sombrero are all in the Day 1a field.

11-11-2009 12:57 UTC+8

Settling In

[user75032]

There are twelve full tables in action to start the day here at APPT Cebu. The tournament floor has been set up in a part of the resort called "The Marquee" -- we're playing beneathe a huge tent that has been erected adjacent to the main hotel building. The players (and the media!) have ample space to stretch their legs and exceedingly comfortable chairs in which they hope to spend the whole day.

The most unusual feature of the tent is the light fixtures. There are four of them, each one consisting of several gracefully curving steel supports. Attached to the supports are 17 large paper lamp "balls" -- each one about the size of two soccer balls.

We won't even start on the outrageously delicious food that was served at the welcome party last night and at breakfast this morning. It's clear that the APPT has pulled out all the stops to make this inaugural event in Cebu a smashing success.

11-11-2009 13:08 UTC+8

Lights, Cameras, Action

[user75032]

Tournament organizers have told us that they're expecting about 300 players between today's Day 1a field and tomorrow's Day 1b field. Right now there are twelve tables in action. Usually the last of the Day 1 fields is the largest so it would be no surprise to see eighteen tables in action tomorrow.

The action so far has been light. With 200 big blinds in the starting stack, that's no surprise. Players are feeling each other out right now, with the largest pots consisting of a few thousand chips.

11-11-2009 13:16 UTC+8

Bong Tan Getting Involved Early

[user92162]

Local Davao City player Bong Tan is moving his chips in early and often, as he builds his stack.

On a flop of {2-Hearts}

Tan's opponent fired out 1,400 and Tan made the call. The turn was the {j-Spades}

and the opponent put the brakes on, checking to Tan.

Tan responded by betting out 3,500 and the opponent called. The river was the {5-Spades}

and the opponent check-folded to a 5,000 chip bet from Tan.

A few hands later three players called a 300 chip from an early position player. Tan, in the small blind, proceeded to pump it to 2,500.

Two middle position players made the call, taking a {4-Hearts}

flop. Tan fired out 10,000 at the non-descript board and it would prove enough to take it down, with both players tank-folding.

He's already up to almost 30,000 chips.

11-11-2009 13:18 UTC+8

Our First Mover

[user75032]

We missed the preflop action and the flop action at Mike Kim's table, but we heard him declare himself all in. With 12,000 chips in the middle, Kim moved all in for about 16,000 on a board of {9-Clubs}

. His opponent tanked.

"Do you have kings?" he asked Kim.

"What do you have?" Kim replied. "Do you have queens?" There were some murmured chuckles from the table.

"My money's in already," Kim continued. "I can't raise any more. What do you have?" There was silence for another thirty seconds.

"I really want you to call," Kim told his opponent. That seemed to settle the matter. Kim's opponent folded, prompting Kim to show the {K-Clubs}

as he collected the pot.

Tags: Mike Kim

11-11-2009 13:23 UTC+8

Coates Takes One Down

[user75032]

We met Dean Coates at the welcome party last night. He seemed like a perfectly reasonable chap, excited to come to Cebu all the way from England to play some tournament poker. He's off to a good start in the early-going. He opened for 375 from under the gun and was re-raised by the button player to 1,050. Coates called.

The flop came down {J-Clubs}

and Coates checked. The button player bet 1,600, then folded to a check-raise from Coates.

Tags: Dean Coates