2007 Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) - Manila

$2,500 APPT Manila Main Event
Day: 1
Event Info

2007 Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) - Manila

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
1010
Prize
$179,775
Event Info
Buy-in
$2,350
Level Info
Level
23
Blinds
30,000 / 60,000
Ante
5,000

Negreanu Doubles Up Again

From middle position, Danish player Anders Christensen raises to 400 and is called by Negreanu from the small blind and Brett Miller in the big blind.

The flop is {A-Hearts}{10-Hearts}{3-Spades}.

Negreanu checks and Miller bets 500. Christensen raises to 1,500 and Negreanu moves all in for 3,900. Miller folds and Christensen makes the call.

Christensen: {K-Clubs}{K-Diamonds}
Negreanu: {A-Spades}{7-Spades}

The turn {Q-Hearts} and river {10-Diamonds} bring no help for Christensen and Negreanu takes his stack to 9,000.

Tags: Anders ChristensenBrett MillerDaniel Negreanu

Team PokerStars Player Profile -- Joe Hachem

Joe Hachem in action in Manila
Joe Hachem in action in Manila
Home: Melbourne, Australia
Age: 40
Career Highlights: 2005 WSOP Main Event winner, 2006 WPT Five-Diamond Classic winner.

Born in Lebanon, Hachem moved to Australia in the early 1970s where he worked as a chiropractor and mortgage broker. Married with four children, he shocked the poker world by beating a record-breaking 5619-player field in the 2005 World Series Main Event and pocketing $7.5 million for his championship win. In 2005, he made the decision to play in the WSOP only after his friend won a seat on PokerStars. Hachem becomes the fourth World Series champion to call PokerStars his home.

Joe Hachem was a chiropractor by trade before a rare blood disease made him give up his work. It also could have been a factor that helped him win the World Series. By giving up his work as a chiropractor, Hachem spent more time playing poker. He has made two final tables in Australian No-Limit Texas Hold'em events along with earning final table berths in Pot-Limit Omaha and Pot-Limit Texas Hold'em. Before the 2005 Main Event, Hachem placed 10th in the $1,000 No-Limit Texas Hold'em Rebuy Event. He just missed the final table in this event, but outlasted 884 other players to take home $25,850. This would prove to be chicken scratch compared to what he was about to win.

After Joe Hachem's friend won a satellite playing on PokerStars, Hachem decided to join him for the trek to the United States and try the Big Dance for himself.

Hachem battled his way through the massive tournament, one time facing elimination after calling an all-in with pocket threes. It was the half-way mark in the tournament and Hachem hit a three on the flop to give him a set and keep him alive.

Being one of the smaller stacks at the final table, Hachem battled back to face off against Steve Dannenmann for the 2005 World Series Championship bracelet. After some battles back and forth, the defining hand happened. Hachem, holding 7-3 offsuit, called a raise by Dannenmann, who held A-3 offsuit. The board came 6-5-4 giving Hachem the flopped straight and left Dannenmann hoping to hit his open-ended straight draw. When the ace fell on fourth street, Hachem came out betting and found himself getting raised by Dannenmann. Hachem went all in and got the call he wanted. A four of clubs came on the river and so did Hachem's 2005 World Series Championship title.

Cheers of "Aussie, Aussie, Oi!, Oi!, Oi!" came from Australian supporters in the crowd. Joe wrapped himself in a Australian flag and shouted, "Thank you, America!" Hachem has started a poker craze in Australia with his Main Event win. He is only the fourth non-American to ever win the World Series Championship, an event he underlined late in 2006 when he captured the prestigious WPT Five-Diamond Classic title (ironically after a memorable final table battle with new Team PokerStars member Daniel Negreanu).

Hachem Takes a Hit

From late position, Joe Hachem raises to 525 and is called from the cutoff by local player Timmie Chua. The players see a flop of {9-Spades}{4-Clubs}{3-Spades}.

Hachem leads out for 1,500 and Chua makes the call.

Turn: {9-Diamonds}

Hachem leads out again for 3,500 and is quickly called by Chua.

River: {7-Hearts}

Hachem checks and Chua checks behind. Hachem announces, "I have no pair" and motions his cards to the muck. Chua flips over his {K-Spades}{K-Clubs} to take down the pot and Hachem is down to 5,400.

Tags: Joe HachemTimmie Chua

The Prize Pool

The prize pool has just been announced. There were 255 entries, with the prize pool as follows (USD):

1st $179,775
2nd $113,858
3rd $62,921
4th $44,940
5th $35,955
6th $26,966
7th $20,974
8th $14,981
9th $11,386
10th - 12th $8,390
13th - 16th $5,993
17th - 24th $4,794

No Golf Yet for Negreanu

After losing a succession of pots and whittling his stack down to 1,750, Negreanu moved all in for his remaining chips from late position with {7-Hearts}{7-Clubs} and was called by the cutoff with {A-Hearts}{K-Hearts}.

The flop of {A-Diamonds}{J-Clubs}{10-Clubs} didn't look good for Negreanu, neither did the turn of {5-Clubs}, but the miracle river of {7-Spades} gave Negreanu a set and a delayed visit to the golf course.

Tags: Daniel Negreanu

Level: 3

Blinds: 100/200

Ante: 0

Gamboa Cripples Comer

On a flop of {10-Spades}{5-Spades}{4-Clubs} local player Dennis Gamboa bet 2,000 and was raised by Australian Martin Comer, who moved all in for 14,500. Samboa called instantly and the hands were tabled:

Gamboa: {A-Clubs}{A-Diamonds}
Comer: {A-Spades}{9-Spades}

Comer needed a spade or running nines to win the pot, but when the turn and river blanked Gamboa moved to 30,000. Comer is in trouble with only 1,900 left.

Tags: Dennis GamboaMartin Comer