High Rollers Event Day 2 | 2008 PokerStars.net APPT Macau

High Rollers Event

Day 2 Completed

09-09-2008 01:20 UTC+8

Day 2 Ends

[user75032]

Players will be chasing David Steicke and his wall of chips.

It was a long Day 2 at the Grand Waldo Casino and Hotel for the 2008 APPT Macau High Rollers Event. Twenty-eight players entered the field today, each having put up roughly US$19,200 to enter this tournament. Only nine of them would see any return on their investment. The short stacks started doubling straight off the bat, perhaps a harbinger of things to come.

The money bubble and the final table bubble were one and the same in this tournament. Both lasted for two hours and forty minutes. During that time, only one player moved all in and was called -- ten-time WSOP bracelet winner Johnny Chan. His pocket eights held up against Wai Will Ma's jack-three, prolonging Chan's tournament run and disappointing everyone in the final table area.

In the end it was Eric Assadourian, last year's High Rollers Event champion, who bubbled off the money. Tomorrow, these nine players will return to duke it out for the title of Champion of the 2008 APPT Macau High Rollers Event:

David Steicke - 391,000
Andrew Scott - 226,000
Wei Will Ma - 186,500
Nam Le - 107,000
Quinn Do - 105,000
Ivan Tan - 61,000
Johnny Chan - 60,500
Charles Chua - 47,000
Van Marcus - 43,000

The most intriguing name on the list is that of Charles "the Chuck Truck" Chua. After playing late into the night on Sunday, ultimately finishing second in the Main Event and pocketing almost $300,000 in prize money, Chua was a very late addition to the High Rollers field. He entered just as late registration was about to close, the last of the 61 players to register for this tournament. Could he be the final player standing?

He'll have his work cut out for him if he wants to be the champion. Join us tomorrow at 2pm local time for live updates as the High Rollers Event reaches a thrilling conclusion.

09-09-2008 01:14 UTC+8

Eric Assadourian Eliminated On The Bubble

[user67765]

The champ will not be back tomorrow to defend his title. Eric Assadourian moved all in for his last 17,500 before next to speak, Nam Le made a structure raise to 31,000. David Steicke joked about eliminating two players in one hand, but folded as did the blinds.

Assadourian: {A-Spades}

Le:

The board ran out {9-Diamonds}

and Le's kings held up to eliminate last year's champion on the bubble of the final table in 10th place.

Our official final table of nine is now set! We'll have the complete chip counts for you shortly.

Tags: Eric Assadourian Nam Le

09-09-2008 01:07 UTC+8

Assadourian Starts Again

[user67765]

Eric Assadourian cut down his remaining chips and found he was down to only 19,000, which is less than the 20,000 bank he started the tournament with!

He yelled out to his entourage on the rail, "Hey Kenny...I'm back to less than my starting stack!"

Tags: Eric Assadourian

09-09-2008 01:05 UTC+8

Aces Going Around The Table?

[user67765]

Quinn Do raised to 12,000 in the small blind before David Steicke bumped it up to 25,000. Do folded and Steicke flashed pocket aces!

"That's only the second time in five days!" defended Steicke as the short stacks eyeballed his good fortune!

Tags: David Steicke

09-09-2008 00:59 UTC+8

The Chuck Truck Finds A Playable Hand

[user67765]

Charles Chua raised to 12,000 and the table folded around. Chua said, "This is all I play" and flashed {A-Diamonds}

!

The "Chuck Truck" will need to start finding a few more aces as his stack has blinded down to about 50,000 chips.

Tags: Charles Chua

09-09-2008 00:56 UTC+8

Tight is Right?

[user75032]

Ivan Tan opened for 22,000 in the cutoff. Action folded to Eric Assadourian in the big blind, who had only about 20,000 chips behind his blind.

"I don't fold this to anyone but Ivan," Assadourian said as he open-mucked {K-Hearts}

.

09-09-2008 00:48 UTC+8

Play Resumes

[user67765]

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

09-09-2008 00:36 UTC+8

Break Time

[user75032]

Improbably, we have reached the next break. Play will resume in ten minutes.

09-09-2008 00:36 UTC+8

Steicke Takes One To The Break

[user67765]

Just before the break, Eric Assadourian raised it up to 12,000 from late position before David Steicke reraised to 35,000 from the button. The action folded back to Assadourian who stood from his chair and pondered his decision.

He only had about 30,000 left and stared down his opponent. "Kings again, David?" he said but received no response from Steicke.

"You feeling lucky Kenny?" he said to his buddy Kenny Ng on the rail. Kenny replied "You are playing to win!"

"There's only one prize!" said Assadourian to himself as he looked set to call but eventually let it go.

Steicke flashed {A-Hearts}

!

Tags: David Steicke Eric Assadourian