Main Event Day 1b | 2009 Asian Poker Tour - Manila

01-30-2009 11:47 UTC+8

Second Verse, Same as the First

[user75032]

We're back in the ballroom of the Dusit Thani Hotel in the Makati section of Manila for Day 1b of the 2009 Asian Poker Tour Philippines Main Event. 75 runners started in the field yesterday, with 19 making it through to Day 2.

We expect a significantly higher number of players in the field today. As of dinner last night, there were 125 confirmed Day 1b runners. Another ten were expected to satellite in by the end of the night, and of course there will be walk-up registrations at the last minute.

Players have queued up to draw their seats. Play starts in 15 minutes!

01-30-2009 12:03 UTC+8

Cards Are in the Air!

[user75032]

Chino Rheem kept it short and sweet. "Hey guys it's great to be here. Shuffle up and deal."

Level: 1

Blinds: 25/50

Ante: 0

01-30-2009 12:14 UTC+8

Chick Chops Nuts

[user80015]

Heath "Tassie Devil" Chick opened from middle position to 150 and found only one caller from the the cutoff.

The flop fell {j-Diamonds}

and Chick continued with a bet of 200, with his opponent making the call. When the turn fell the {K-Hearts}

Chick led out for 500 before being raised to 1,500. Looking distraught, he shook his head slightly before making the call.

Checking the river of the {6-Clubs}

would see his opponent bet out 2,000 before being met with a check-raise to 6,000. As Chick's opponent made the call Chick stated, "So sick, look at this," and tabled {A-Hearts}

. However his opponent also tabled the same hand in {A-Spades}

.

Both flopped Broadway, and both are still alive!

Tags: Heath Chick

01-30-2009 12:23 UTC+8

Pros Out in Force

[user75032]

Yesterday saw a fairly small field filled with mostly lesser-known poker players. Today, the more well-known names of the international poker circuit are out in force. On our first round, through the tables, we've already spotted the likes of David "Chino" Rheem, Liz Lieu, Bryan Huang, Ivan Tan, Steve Sung and Andrew Scott. There's also a strong contingent of local players, including William Te Jr and Ramil Tandoc.

David Saab, the 2008 APT Philippines champion, is here. He will be defending his crown while 2008 APT Macau runner-up Joon Hee Yeah will be trying to cinch the deal that he barely missed in Macau.

01-30-2009 12:37 UTC+8

Saab Starts the Banter

[user80015]

In a three-way pot it was checked down to the turn with the board reading {J-Clubs}

; a player in middle position led out for 200 before David Saab check-raised out of the small blind to 500.

His opponent made the call before Saab made it 300 on the {8-Hearts}

river, only to be met with a raise to 800. "Yes rivering a straight on me . . . well done," and Saab laid his hand down.

Tags: David Saab

01-30-2009 12:45 UTC+8

Quite a Field!

[user75032]

We don't have official numbers yet, but the big board has 187 players registered for today's flight. That's about two-and-a-half times yesterday's field. We can't pinpoint any specific reason why there was such a disparity between the two flights, other than the general poker tournament rationale that most players don't like a day off in-between two days of a big buy-in tournament.

01-30-2009 12:47 UTC+8

Chick Crippled Then Eliminated

[user80015]

Facing a raise to 250 and a call, Heath Chick made it 875 to go from the button, with both opponents making the call.

The flop fell down {K-Hearts}

and with the action checked to Chick he fired out 1,500, only to be reraised to 3,500. Chick made the call and when the turn fell {4-Clubs}

, his opponent moved all in and Chick tanked for several minutes before making the call.

Chick tabled {A-Diamonds}

to be behind his opponent's {J-Clubs}

and with no third ace on the river he was left crippled with only 425 chips.

A few hands later Chick would be eliminated when his {Q-?}

was unable to hold against an opponent's {K-?}

when a king dropped on the flop.

Tags: Heath Chick

01-30-2009 12:56 UTC+8

Late Arrivals

[user75032]

The field is still growing a bit as a few late arrivals show up. The most notable of the late arrivals is Rory Rees Brennan, an Irish player who took first place in the 2009 PartyPoker Irish Poker Championship at Galway earlier this month. That win brought with it a payday of €160,000.

Level: 2

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0