APPT Auckland Main Event Day 1a | 2008 PokerStars.net APPT Auckland

10-08-2008 18:16 UTC-12

Slow Going

Pace of play has slowed to a crawl as players keep one eye on the clock, less than an hour away from earning their spot in Day Two. Most of the pots right now are being won with a single raise preflop or a lone bet on the flop. It will be interesting to see if the short stacks sit on their chips or try to get them in and double up in the waning minutes of action today.

Level: 7

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 75

10-08-2008 17:53 UTC-12

Cards Back in the Air

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Play has resumed here at SKYCITY, and the players are playing their final level of the night.

10-08-2008 17:48 UTC-12

Break Time

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Donnie Peters

Players are all on their last break of the day for 10 minutes. There is only one level left of play after this break.

10-08-2008 17:37 UTC-12

Saab Gets a Flat Tire

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We pick up the action on the flop in a growing pot between David Saab and Kevin Clark. The board shows {Q-Hearts}

, and Clark puts out a bet of 4,300. Saab makes the flat call.

The turn comes the {2-Spades}

, and Clark relinquishes control, checking over to Saab. Not one to take a check passively, Saab tosses a single orange T5,000 chips into the pot. Without hesitation, Clark moves all in. Saab asks for a count, and he learns that it is 8,325 more to call. He tanks for a few minutes before giving up his hand, sending a nice chunk of his stack over to his opponent.

After losing that pot, Saab has slipped back to 21,000 in chips.

Tags: David Saab

10-08-2008 17:16 UTC-12

No River?

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Donnie Peters

After some preflop action, Tony Hachem and his opponent saw the flop come down {A-Diamonds}

. Hachem checked and his opponent bet out 1,500. Hachem tanked for a while before saying, "I think my jacks are good." After some more thought, he finally called.

The turn brought the {7-Clubs}

and Hachem quickly tossed out enough chips to put his opponent all in - 4,350 to be exact. His opponent quickly called.

"If you got the ace you win," said Hachem. His opponent said he had the ace and then Hachem quickly mucked his hand. The dealer announced that the other player had to show his hand and he turned up {A-Spades}

. Hachem looked disgusted, but said "nice hand" as his opponent raked in the pot. No river card was shown.

Tags: Tony Hachem

10-08-2008 16:56 UTC-12

"I'll Take One"

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Even APPT President Jeffrey Haas Took a Quick Time-Out

The action seems to have slowed a bit here in the last two levels. Perhaps the players can feel the end of the day approaching in just a couple hours and they are holding out to make Day 2. Or perhaps they were distracted a little by the Speight's Girls, who are making laps around the tournament room offering beer to the players and spectators. Maybe if enough of the players start drinking, the action will loosen up a bit once again.

Level: 6

Blinds: 200/400

Ante: 50

10-08-2008 16:37 UTC-12

The Saab Runs Well

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Donnie Peters

Tony Hachem hasn't stop commenting on the fact that David Saab is winning every hand he plays. According to Hachem, he either gets there or has the better hand hold up the entire way. Saab has been laughing along with Hachem about the whole ordeal, claiming that he's been running well for a few years now. Saab is over 35,000 in chips.

Tags: David Saab Tony Hachem

10-08-2008 16:20 UTC-12

Sabat Pays Up

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Donnie Peters

Edward Sabat got off to a bad start on the day and it took a lot of work to build back to a healthy amount of chips. On this hand, Sabat saw the flop of {K-Clubs}

with a few other players. Sabat check-called an opponents bet, leaving them heads up to see the {10-Hearts}

on the turn.

Sabat checked again and his opponent fired 1,325 into the pot. Sabat called again.

The river was the {Q-Diamonds}

and Sabat checked. His opponent bet 1,300 and Sabat went into the tank before making the call. His opponent turned up {9-Clubs}

and announced that he had a straight. Sabat mumbled, "You could have gotten a lot more out of me," as he mucked his hand.

Sabat is down to 11,000 chips after the hand.

Tags: Edward Sabat