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

01-30-2009 13:03 UTC+8

Konichiwa!

[user75032]

Tokyo, Japan is not terribly far away from Manila. It's a roughly five-hour plane ride. It should come as no surprise, then, that a large Japanese contingent made the trek for this tournament. Yesterday Yoshie Watanabe finished the day in the middle of the pack, while Yasuhiro Waki busted early on bad beat. Today there are number of Japanese players in the field today, and are supporting of a variety of poker organizations. Patches on the clothing of Japanese players include JBet Poker, Team J3PT, and Japan Poker League.

01-30-2009 13:19 UTC+8

Other Things to Do for Early Bust-outs

[user75032]

One of the evolutions of international tournament poker over the course of the last year is an increase in the number of side events available at each tour stop, making the stop more of a poker "festival" than a poker tournament.

The Asian Poker Tour has picked up on that trend and is offering a number of side events here in Manila. Players who bust out early on Day 1 don't necessarily have to choose to be a tourist for the rest of the weekend or change their flight arrangements to go home early. Side Event #2, a no-limit hold'em with rebuys tournament, is beginning on the other side of the Dusit Thani hotel ballroom in about 30 minutes.

01-30-2009 13:31 UTC+8

Small Loss for Rheem

[user75032]

Chino Rheem is one of the darlings of the Asian Poker Tour. He and several of the other APT-sponsored players bring to this tour quite the star power. Rheem has had a slow start to the day, however. He played a recent heads-up pot in which he check-called 1,050 chips on the {J-Spades}

flop and check-called another 1,050 on the {6-Diamonds}

turn. Both Rheem and his opponent checked the {9-Clubs}

river.

At showdown, Rheem thought the last aggressor would show first, whereas his opponent thought that Rheem would show first since he was first to act. Rheem said, "I don't love my hand," without showing. His opponent finally opened {K-Hearts}

for top pair. Rheem nodded his head and mucked.

Tags: Chino Rheem

01-30-2009 13:45 UTC+8

Huang Surges

[user80015]

Facing a raise of 250 and a call, Bryan Huang made it 750 to go. The original raiser folded and the player caught in the middle made the call.

On a flop of {6-Clubs}

Huang made it 1,050 but was instantly met with a check-raise to 2,350, which he called. The turn landed the {2-Hearts}

and his opponent led for 3,000 before Huang made it 10,000.

His opponent stood up and went into the tank after being faced with a decision for his tournament life. Huang soon joined him, standing up only to cover his mouth with his strippy T-shirt.

Several more minutes passed before Huang's opponent folded, uttering that he folded queens. With the pot being pushed Huang's way to chip him up to over 22,000 he flashed the {J-Clubs}

to the table.

Tags: Bryan Huang

01-30-2009 13:53 UTC+8

Saab's Mouth as Busy as His Bets

[user75032]

David Saab is doing his thing on Table 5. He opened from early position for 500 and was called by Raymond Wu before the player on the button made it 1,500 to go. That raise folded both blinds, bringing the action back to Saab, who reraised to 3,000. Wu quickly folded. The button player tanked for a minute, then he also folded.

"I don't want to respond to things like that," Saab told the button after the hand. He flashed the {8-Clubs}

. "Don't be squeezing me, my friend."

He then added to a player on his right, "He'd doing what I would do playing against me with a cold caller. It's a natural squeeze."

A few hands later, Saab had to fold on a flop of {8-Hearts}

after Wu led out for 500 and was called by one player before Saab raised to 1,500. Wu folded, but the player in between moved all in for 5,425.

"Wow, I was worried about you when you called," said Saab. He eventually folded, telling Wu, "I just got caught in a trap that was meant for you."

Saab has 10,500 in chips.

Tags: David Saab

01-30-2009 13:55 UTC+8

Pedley and Lieu Get Acquianted

[user75032]

We passed by Liz Lieu's table as she was emptying a packet of sugar into a cappuccino and explaining to players at the table that she is Vietnamese. Michael Pedley, seated on her right, gave a few facts about himself, including the fact that he made the final table of APT Macau.

"I played one hand," explained Pedley. "One hand and I was out."

Lieu seemed amused. "Good play," she deadpanned. "Good, good play."

Tags: Liz Lieu Michael Pedley

01-30-2009 14:01 UTC+8

Steicke Makes His Appearance

[user80015]

[Removed:197] opened on the button to 350 and David Steicke called out of the big blind. The flop fell {A-Spades}

and Steicke checked to [Removed:198] who made it 550 to go. Steicke called and checked the turn of the {K-Spades}

as did [Removed:198].

The river landed the {5-Clubs}

and Steicke led out for 1,300 with [Removed:198] quick to fold. As the pot was pushed to Steicke he flashed the {A-Clubs}

to move up to over 14,000 in chips.

Tags: David Steicke Nasr Elnasr

01-30-2009 14:05 UTC+8

Huang's Cowboys Shoot Dead Opponent's Knaves

[user75032]

A few hands ago, Bryan Huang induced a fold from a player holding pocket queens to drag a pot. He just induced a call from a player with pocket jacks and had similarly excellent results. Huang's opponent moved all in preflop for approximately 5,000 chips with pocket jacks. Huang called and turned over pocket kings. He took a stranglehold on the hand with a flop of {2-Spades}