APPT Grand Final Day 1a | 2008 PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final - Sydney

12-02-2008 13:27 UTC+11

Our Setting Today

[user75032]

The Star City Casino is the venue for this week's tournament, and quite a venue it is. Everything in the interior of the casino is sleek, dark and modern. Dark purple carpeting with light purple speckles covers the floor; a dark, latticed ceiling is suspended about twenty feet over the casino floor by gleaming chrome pillars. Dark velvet ropes have been set up around the poker area of the main casino floor, where the tournament is taking place. Spectators are lined up along one section of the ropes right near a craps pit, eying the action on either side of themselves.

All of this is not to say that the tournament area suffers from lighting. Everything is extremely well-lit, with APPT and PokerStars.net branding advantageously positioned all around the tournament floor.

12-02-2008 13:26 UTC+11

Saab Showing Symptoms

[user67765]

David Saab has taken a couple of early hits, but in true Saab style, he will continue to keep on punching.

"Losing a lot of chips early is a symptom of being a good player!" stated Saab, "I'm either going to bust out or be chip leader!"

That's usually the case for Saab, but he'll have his work cut out for him today in a high quality field as he has slipped down to around 15,000 chips.

Tags: David Saab

12-02-2008 13:21 UTC+11

First All-In of the Day

[user67765]

We just had our first all-in confrontation of the day, but no one was eliminated as the short-stacked David Lovell managed to double up.

Lovell held pocket aces and they held against an opponent's pocket queens, as Lovell gets himself back up to 16,200 chips.

12-02-2008 13:11 UTC+11

Rubie Continues Good Form

[user67765]

Brendon Rubie, fresh off his victory in the $750 No-Limit Hold'em event earlier this week, is off to a bright start with an early pot.

A player in late position player raised to 300 before Rubie popped it up to 750 from the small blind. His opponent made the call. The flop was {8-Diamonds}

and Rubie check-raised his opponent's 800 chip bet, making it 1,600 to go. His opponent called once again.

The turn was the {7-Spades}

and the 3,000 chip bet from Rubie was enough to take it down.

Tags: Brendon Rubie

12-02-2008 13:03 UTC+11

Dye Jumps Out of the Gates

[user67765]

Australian Shane Dye is better known for being one of Australia's finest-ever jockeys, however he has recently turned his attention to the world of poker with some success.

He is off to a great start today after calling bets preflop and on the flop of {6-Spades}

. The turn was the {K-Spades}

and after his opponent fired out 4,000, Dye moved all of his chips into the middle. His opponent laid it down and Dye is first out of the gates to jump up to nearly 30,000 chips.

Tags: Shane Dye

12-02-2008 12:59 UTC+11

Western Australia's Table of Death

[user67765]

Table 27 has produced a very interesting draw with four of Western Australia's finest all drawing the same table.

It's just like a home game as Jay Kinkade, Matthew Kirk, Michael Pedley and Sam Jessop all find themselves seated at the same table!

12-02-2008 12:56 UTC+11

Today's Field

[user67765]

Today's field has produced the cream of Australian poker talent with a few international pros and PokerStars qualifiers sprinkled around the room.

Some of the notable players in today's lineup include Jay "Seabeast" Kinkade, Harris Pavlou, David Saab, Leo Boxell, Michael Chrisanthopoulos, Tony "Bond18" Dunst, David Lee, Steve "StevoL" Leonard, Celina Lin, Kent Hunter, Jarred "FlopNutsOnYou" Graham, Jovan Scekic, James "Andy McLEOD" Obst, Julian Powell, Vanessa Rousso and Chad Brown!

12-02-2008 12:48 UTC+11

Today's Format

[user67765]

The structure of today's event is a little different to the earlier APPT events, and is fitting for a Grand Final!

Players will enjoy a 20,000 chip starting bank, which is double the starting bank of previous APPT events. The level duration has also been increased to 75 minutes, which should provide plenty of game time.

Play will start at 50/100 and we anticipate playing around seven to eight levels of play today, depending on how many players survive that long! The early signs indicate that we'll have roughly 150 starters today, with registration still open.

12-02-2008 12:40 UTC+11

Shuffle Up and Deal!

[user67765]

Following a brief introduction the players were welcomed by a local rendition of "The Gambler" before last year's APPT Sydney Grand Final Champion and Sydney local Grant Levy uttered the immortal words "Shuffle up and deal!"

The cards are now in the air!

Tags: Grant Levy

Level: 1

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0