High Rollers Event Day 1 | 2008 PokerStars.net APPT Macau

09-07-2008 14:36 UTC+8

Break Out the Tin Foil Hats

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We didn't think the laws of the universe would allow Johnny Chan and Terrence "Not Johnny" Chan to coexist at the same poker table, but we haven't noticed any anomalies from their table yet. They've spent the last few minutes chatting with Shaun Deeb about the upcoming PokerStars World Championship of Online Poker and online poker in general.

"He doesn't trust online poker," said Not Johnny Chan, pointing at Johnny Chan.

"The things I've seen will blow your mind," replied Johnny Chan.

Deeb was unimpressed. "I guarantee I've seen more."

Tags: Johnny Chan Shaun Deeb Terrence Chan

09-07-2008 14:35 UTC+8

Soul Reader Steicke

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David Steicke continues to impress with some excellent results and amazing reads here in Macau.

In a recent pot Steicke was involved in hand with the board reading {5-Clubs}

. With around 14,500 in the pot, Steicke led out from the big blind for 3,500 before his opponent moved all in for 13,000.

Steicke, dressed in a lovely pink shirt and hat combo today, sat back and took a drink of water before announcing a call. His opponent just shook his head in disbelief as he flipped {A-Diamonds}

for just ace-high! Steicke revealed {7-Clubs}

for another remarkable call with a marginal holding.

The river cemented Steicke's hand with the {7-Diamonds}

giving him a set and a nice early pot to jump out to 31,000.

Tags: David Steicke

09-07-2008 14:27 UTC+8

More Late Arrivals

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A late arrival into today's field is well known professional John Juanda. He has taken his seat on the same table as Johnny Chan and Terrence Chan. Juanda was eyeballed by Johnny Chan as he welcomed him to the table with merely a raised eyebrow.

Team PokerStars Pro Isabelle Mercier has also just taken her seat after sleeping in.

Tags: Isabelle Mercier John Juanda

09-07-2008 14:18 UTC+8

Defending Champ Takes a Punch

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Eric Assadourian, John Phan and a third player all took a flop of {4-Clubs}

, prompting Assadourian to ask Phan if he had a hand every time.

"A playable one," replied Phan. He led out for 500 on the flop. The middle position player called before Assadourian popped it up to 1,700.

"I like this table," said Phan as he got out of the way. The player in middle position made the call.

Both players checked the turn when it came {6-Spades}

. On the river {10-Diamonds}

, Assadourian's opponent led into him for 3,700 Assadourian studied the board and then called. His hand was second-best to his opponent's two pair, {4-Diamonds}

. Assadourian's chip count dropped to 16,500.

Tags: Eric Assadourian John Phan

09-07-2008 14:11 UTC+8

Who Else Is Here?

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Other well known pros in today's field include 2005 World Champion Joe Hachem, Team PokerStars pros Barry Greenstein, Hevad Khan and Lee Nelson, online phenoms Mike "Timex" McDonald, Van "Sirens" Marcus and Tony "Bond18" Dunst, and final table representatives from last year's APPT High Rollers event, David Steicke, Emad Tahtouh and the poker diva herself, Liz Lieu.

09-07-2008 14:05 UTC+8

Saab is Warned

[user75032]

There's been a strange sequence of events at David Saab's table. He cut down 700 chips from his stack, pushed them all over the betting line in his hand and then decided to bet only 600, pullilng 100 back all in one motion. As he pulled the extra 100 back it fell out of his hand, hit the felt and rolled in front of the betting line. Emad Tahtouh insisted that the bet of 700 had to stand and that Saab should just learn how to bet properly. Saab protested and TD Danny McDonagh was summoned to the table.

After listening to Saab's long-winded side of the story, McDonagh let the bet of 600 stand but issued Saab a half-hearted warning. Whether it was for his betting antics or for taking so long to tell the tale, we're not certain.

Tags: David Saab Emad Tahtouh

09-07-2008 14:00 UTC+8

Celina Out!

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Celina during happier times in the Main Event

In a huge shock, one of the faces of PokerStars and the push into the Asian poker market, Celina Lin has already busted out of today's event.

Yevgeniy Timoshenko, winner of the 2008 APT Macau event last week, raised to 300 from the button and Lin put in the 3-bet to 1,200 from the big blind. Timoshenko made the call and they took a flop of {9-Hearts}

.

In a mad flurry of action all the chips went into the middle when Lin led for 1,400, Timoshenko raised to 4,500 and Lin moved all in. Timoshenko made the call. Lin held {A-Hearts}

but Timoshenko had flopped an unlikely top two pair with his {9-Diamonds}

.

The

fell on the turn and {3-Spades}

on the river to give Timoshenko a full house and the pot as a steamed Lin stood and exited the poker room as the rest of the players looked on in disbelief!

Tags: Celina Lin Yevgeniy Timoshenko

09-07-2008 13:56 UTC+8

Overlay

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This event has a prize-pool guarantee of HKD10,000,000 (about USD1,280,000). Tournament Director Danny McDonagh has announced that sixty players are currently registered for today's event, which means that unless there are a few late registrations, the prize pool will fall HKD1,000,000 (USD128,000) short of the guarantee.

09-07-2008 13:50 UTC+8

Johnny and Not Johnny

[user67765]

Johnny Chan is a late arrival into today's field and has been seated to the direct left of Terrence "Not Johnny" Chan!

We look forward to Chan vs Chan fireworks!

Tags: Johnny Chan Terrence Chan

09-07-2008 13:48 UTC+8

Tables of Death

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Today's field is star-studded affair with every table full of big name professionals. Some of the more interesting tables include:

- Tyler Cornell, Liz Lieu, Lee Nelson, David Steicke, Quinn Do and Barry Greenstein

- Kofi Farkye, Dan Schreiber, Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier, Steve Sung and Ivan Tan

- Eric Assadourian, Javed Abrahams, Van Marcus, John Phan and Harry Demetriou

- Celina Lin, Shawn Buchanan, Yevgeniy Timoshenko and Andrew Scott