Main Event Day 2 | 2009 Asian Poker Tour - Manila

01-31-2009 11:41 UTC+8

Now It Gets Interesting

[user75032]

69 is a number that makes teenage boys titter, but there's nothing to titter about for the 69 runners who have made it through to Day 2 of the 2009 Asian Poker Tour Philippines Main Event. Today is the day when players will position themselves for a deep run or go broke.

27 players will make the money in this event. At the start of play, Steve Yea leads the field. But anything can happen over the course of the next nine to ten levels. Will David Saab's aggressive style earn him a mountain of chips? Will Casey Kastle's more conservative style allow him to grind his way to his second APT final table in a row? And what about the remaining members of the Poker Pack -- Nam Le, Chino Rheem, and Steve Sung?

All these questions and more will be answered in about 20 minutes' time!

01-31-2009 12:05 UTC+8

Shuffle Up and Deal

[user75032]

Cards are in the air!

Level: 11

Blinds: 600/1,200

Ante: 200

01-31-2009 12:11 UTC+8

Three Already Out

[user75032]

We're barely five minutes into the day and already three short stacks have busted out. With blinds at 600 and 1,200, almost a quarter of the starting field could be considered "short."

01-31-2009 12:16 UTC+8

Huang Off to Early Start

[user80015]

Peter Goransson moved all in for his 20,000 and Bryan Huang made the call.

Goransson: {A-Spades}

Huang:

The board fell {J-Spades}

to see Goransson head to the rail as Huang climbs to over 100,000 in chips.

Tags: Bryan Huang

01-31-2009 12:18 UTC+8

Chino Rheem Eliminated

[user75032]

It was a brutally swift Day 2 for David "Chino" Rheem. He raised from late position and was called by Norihito Suzuki out of the big blind. Suzuki checked a flop of {5-Diamonds}

, then raised to 6,100 after Rheem bet 3,000. Rheem made the call.

The turn was the {K-Clubs}

. Suzuki checked, then called another 6,500 chips. It was on the river {2-Clubs}

where disaster befell Rheem. After Suzuki checked, he pondered his action for 20 seconds before betting 14,000. Suzuki quickly moved all in and Rheem quickly called. Suzuki turned over the nuts, {A-Clubs}

.

"Nice hand, buddy," Rheem said, nodding his head. He pushed the rest of his stack into the middle, got up, had a quick word with Nam Le at a nearby table, and then walked out of the room.

Tags: Chino Rheem Norihito Suzuki

01-31-2009 12:29 UTC+8

Kaufmann Takes a Big Hit

[user75032]

Susumu Toge and Tim Kaufmann put a huge pile of chips into the middle of the table. It was Toge who walked away with them all. He called Kaufmann's check-raise from 7,000 to 14,000 on the turn of a {7-Spades}

board. Kaufmann checked when the river fell {5-Spades}

, prompting Toge to move all in. He had Kaufmann, who was only playing about 16,000 behind, well covered.

Kaufmann tanked for four full minutes. "So sick," Kaufmann said before finally folding his hand. He tried to get Toge to show his hand, but Toge quietly slid it into the muck.

Tags: Susumu Toge Tim Kaufmann

01-31-2009 12:36 UTC+8

Saab Going the Wrong Way

[user75032]

David Saab started the day fourth in chips, with 84,000. In just more than half an hour, he's lost half of that. The latest 10,000 went to Kim Tae Hyung. Saab limped into the pot from under the gun, then called Hyung's raise to 4,900. The flop came down {7-Clubs}

. Saab bet 6,000, then instantly mucked when Hyung stood up and confidently announced he was all in for 102,000.

"Oh ship!" cheered a jubilant Hyung. He turned over {6-Spades}

and stacked up to 121,000. Saab is down to 42,000.

Tags: David Saab Kim Tae Hyung

01-31-2009 12:43 UTC+8

Saab in Freefall

[user75032]

It's starting to look grim for David Saab. He now has only 23,000 chips after losing another pot, this one to Lester Edoo of the Philippines. With a heap of chips in the middle on the turn {2-Clubs}

, Saab bet 8,000. Edoo was in position and called to the river {2-Spades}

. Saab checked, then folded to a bet of 15,000.

Tags: David Saab Lester Edoo

01-31-2009 12:56 UTC+8

Arce Surrenders on Turn

[user75032]

Neil Arce, one of the chip leaders to start the day, was faced with a tough decision. He had called Barry Cole's bet of 6,300 on a {K-Spades}

board. With a total of 22,000 chips in the pot, Cole moved in for 24,000 more when the turn fell {10-Spades}

.

Arce went into the tank. After a minute, he started whistling and talking to himself. "Ace-ten?" he mused. After another minute, he gave an "Aww, f*ck it," and mucked his hand.

"Good fold," said Cole. He turned over {A-Diamonds}

for top pair. He's on 46,000 now. Arce retains about 80,000.