APPT Manila Main Event | 2008 PokerStars.net APPT Manila

11-16-2008 18:02 UTC+8

Nam Gets One Back

[user67765]

Hyoung Jin Nam limped the button and the blinds came along to see a cheap flop of {10-Clubs}

.

The blinds checked to Nam who fired 30,000. Michael Chang was the lone caller in the small blind as these two players butted-heads once again.

The turn was the {3-Diamonds}

and Nam fired again, this time for 60,000. Chang decided to give this one up and fold his hand as Nam takes back a few of his chips.

11-16-2008 18:01 UTC+8

Spectacular Double for Sirens

[user75032]

After losing a big pot a few minutes ago, Van Marcus found himself extremely short-stacked. He shoved from the button for 131,000 and was called by the big blind, Michael Chang.

Chang: {A-Spades}

Marcus:

It was bad news for Marcus. He found himself dominated by Chang's hand. But Marcus has led a charmed life in this tournament, rivering a two-outer yesterday to send a player home, and runner-runnering quads in the middle stages of the tournament to avoid a crippling defeat at the hands of Daniel Nordstrom's flopped set.

It seemed like his luck had seen him through again -- the window card was the {Q-Clubs}

. But as the left-handed dealer Linda spread the flop, she revealed the {7-Diamonds}

and the

. Marcus was once again in need of a two-outer.

The gallery erupted when Marcus hit his two-outer on the turn, pulling the {Q-Hearts}

. The

hit the river giving Marcus a new lease on life in this tournament.

"Wow," said Marcus after the hand was over. His stack is now 279,000, all in blue (1,000) chips. "I'm chip leader of the blue chips," Marcus joked. He told David Saab yesterday that he didn't need any luck to win this tournament, but we imagine that Marcus will agree that it certainly doesn't hurt.

Tags: Michael Chang Van Marcus

Level: 20

Blinds: 6,000/12,000

Ante: 2,000

11-16-2008 17:52 UTC+8

Chang Claims Control

[user67765]

Michael Chang raised under the gun to 25,000, before Hyoung Jin Nam reraised to 80,000 from the big blind. Chang thought for a moment before he made the call.

The flop arrived {9-Diamonds}

and Nam led out with a bet of 65,000 and Chang made the call. The turn was a dangerous looking {8-Spades}

. Nam fired a second barrel worth a hefty 150,000, sending Chang into deep deliberation. After a few minutes he made the call, as the audience "oooohed" over the biggest pot of this final table to date.

The river bricked the {2-Hearts}

and this time is was Nam who deliberated over his decision. After a few minutes Nam made a very strange bet of only 10,000 chips. Chang instantly moved all in, and almost just as quickly Nam's cards were into the muck. Just like that, the pot was shipped to Chang to extend his chip stack to well over the one million mark.

11-16-2008 17:50 UTC+8

Marcus Waves the White Flag

[user75032]

With action folding around to the blinds, Tae Jun Noh put in a minimum-raise to 20,000. Van Marcus re-popped it to 60,000 from the big blind. Noh made the call to a flop of {4-Clubs}

. He checked to Marcus, who bet about half-pot, 65,000 total. Noh quickly leaned forward and announced that he was all in. In reality, it is Van Marcus who would be all in if he made the call. He did not, choosing instead to surrender his hand after committing 125,000 chips to the pot.

Noh flashed {J-Clubs}

as he collected the pot, but Marcus probably couldn't have called even if he knew what Noh held. It seems likely he was finally trying to trade on his tight image, and got caught.

Tags: Tae Jun Noh Van Marcus

11-16-2008 17:45 UTC+8

Chip Leaders Avoid Clash

[user67765]

Hyoung Jin Nam raised to 27,000 from the cutoff before Michael Chang popped it up to 95,000 from the button. The blinds folded and Nam made a surprisingly quick call as it appeared a big pot was developing between our chip leaders.

The flop fell {4-Hearts}

and Nam checked to Chang who fired out 100,000. Nam quickly folded and the sizable pot went to Chang.

11-16-2008 17:42 UTC+8

Nam Keeps Chipping Up

[user75032]

Ramil Tandoc was the first player to enter the pot, raising the price of poker to 25,000. He found one customer: Hyoung Jin Nam, who called out of the big blind. The flop came {5-Spades}

. Nam checked so quickly it may have been a dark check. Whatever it was, he called a bet from Tandoc of 35,000.

Both players checked the {Q-Clubs}

turn. The river came down {4-Diamonds}

. Someone in the gallery shouted out "Go Jin!" after it hit the board. Nam complied by betting 70,000. Tandoc, the sole remaining Filipino in the tournament and the crowd favorite, released his hand.

Tags: Hyoung Jin Nam

11-16-2008 17:38 UTC+8

Raise and Take It

[user67765]

Hyoung Jin Nam raised to 37,000 before Michael Chang announced a re-raise to 90,000. The table quickly folded around and Chang takes it down. Since the pause in play we are yet to see a flop as the pots have all been "raise and take it" affairs. As players start to tighten and think about the big prize, perhaps now is the time for someone to change gears and take control of this table.

11-16-2008 17:27 UTC+8