LAPT Punta del Este Main Event Day 1 | 2010 PokerStars.net LAPT Punta del Este

02-24-2010 04:47 UTC-12

De Korver Almost Back to the Starting Stack

Mickey Doft

After getting down to under 10,000 in level two, Pieter de Korver is off to a good start in level three.

He raised to 550 in early position and was called by the player in the big blind. De Korver's opponent check-called bets of 600, 1400, and 3,550 on a {4-Spades}

board, sending his hand to the muck when de Korver tabled {8-Spades}

for a flush.

Pieter de Korver is back to around 18,000.

Tags: Pieter de Korver

02-24-2010 04:47 UTC-12

Sanchez Can't Get a Bite

[user66118]

Diego Sanchez opened to 450 under the gun before a man in the hijack seat three-bet to 1,150. Sanchez made the smooth call, and the two men saw a flop of {9-Hearts}

.

After a check from Sanchez, Mr. Hijack continued out with another 1,600 chips. Sanchez flatted again, and the turn paired the board with the {9-Clubs}

. The action check-checked, and Sanchez checked again on the {A-Diamonds}

river. When his opponent checked it back, Sanchez slumped in his chair, tabling {2-Diamonds}

for the full house. His opponent flashed {Q-Clubs}

as he slid them into the muck, and a frustrated Sanchez collected the smaller-than-he-would-have-liked pot.

Still, he's up to about 31,000.

Tags: Diego Sanchez

02-24-2010 04:38 UTC-12

Meet Your Qualifiers

[user66118]

During the break, we caught up with Mike Brunner, one of the multitude of online qualifiers here in Punta del Este.

Brunner says he's really enjoying playing his first major tournament here in South America. It was a long trip from his native Madison, Wisconson, and he's relishing the chance to wear shorts and sandals while the rest of his hometown deals with a snowy, blustery winter. And the soft field sure doesn't hurt either.

Brunner qualified for this event via a $11+r satellite on PokerStars. He says he was in for at least 16 or 18 buy-ins, but the rebuy machine made it work and soon found himself heads up for the package. A crucial coinflip held Brunner's pocket eights against ace-nine on the final hand, and he was locked up for a seat in Uruguay.

When he's not grinding out his tuition money online, Brunner is a student at the University of Wisconson where he studies Economics. His knowledge of money and investments has suited him well thus far; Brunner is sitting with about 27,000 as he returns from break.

Tags: Mike Brunner

02-24-2010 04:30 UTC-12

Welcome to Punta del Este!

[user116926]

While you wait for the action to restart here at the PokerStars.net LAPT Punta del Este, let us show off all the exotic sights this beach-resort town has to offer:

Jealous much? You could be here too! Qualify online for any of the LAPT stops, or even NAPT or EPT with satellites running daily on PokerStars.

02-24-2010 04:29 UTC-12

Play Resumes

Mickey Doft

The players are back and the cards are in the air.

Level: 3

Blinds: 100/200

Ante: 0

02-24-2010 04:11 UTC-12

Break Time

Mickey Doft

The players are on their first 15-minute break of the day. While you wait, why not watch our update for Day 1:

02-24-2010 04:10 UTC-12

Akkari Picking His Spots

[user66118]

A player in early position limped into the pot, and a man in middle position raised to 550. Andre Akkari called from the small blind, and the limper called as well to go three-handed to the flop.

It came {A-Spades}

, and the action checked to the raiser. When he continued out with 1,000 more chips, only Akkari called.

The turn paired the board with the {A-Hearts}

, and Akkari tapped the felt again. His opponent bet 1,200 this time. Akkari went into the tank for a minute or two before surrendering his cards to the dealer.

Akkari is sitting right at 17,000 as the break approaches.

Tags: Andre Akkari

02-24-2010 04:03 UTC-12

Just Throw in Some Chips

[user66118]

Online qualifier Mike Brunner opened the pot to 400 in middle position. In the small blind, a man wearing a Mickey Mouse sorcerer's hat made the call, and action came to a rather uninteresting and nameless man in the big. He popped it up to 4,000. Or possibly 4,075. Or maybe that was 4,150. There was far too much confusion and making of change for Brunner to handle, and he quickly folded. Mickey Mouse made the call, though it's really not clear exactly how many chips he put into the pot. It really was a mad scramble to make change and pull in chips, and we think nobody's exactly certain what actually happened. The dealers are still learning here.

In any event, the two men went heads up to a flop of {10-Hearts}

. When Mickey Mouse checked, the big blind fired out 5,000. Mr. Mouse tanked for a minute or two before open-folding {J-Diamonds}

. He's back to about 11,000, and we'll try to catch his actual name next time by.

02-24-2010 03:53 UTC-12

Gomes Sliding

Mickey Doft

With about 4,000 in the pot, Alex Gomes and his opponent checked a board of {5-Diamonds}

. Gomes' opponent bet 3,025 when the {4-Spades}

landed on the river, sending Gomes into the tank for about two minutes.

He tossed in the chips to call, but shook his head when his opponent tabled {8-Diamonds}

for a pair of eights. Gomes mucked and dropped to under 9,000.

Tags: Alexandre Gomes