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

12-03-2008 22:08 UTC+11

Players Battening Down the Hatches

With the tournament now inside the last hour of play for the day, players have clearly tightened up, looking to maintain their chip stacks so that they can come back for Day 2. It's been a quiet day generally, but things have definitely gotten noticeably quieter in the last twenty minutes.

12-03-2008 21:54 UTC+11

Another Dent for Griffin

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One patten we've noticed from Gavin Griffin today is that he seems comfortable playing out of position, but will slow down on the river if he fires two bullets and gets called on both of them. That's what happened in a recent hand, where Griffin made flop and turn bets of 1,300 and 2,400. On the river, with the board showing {4-Spades}

, Griffin check-called a bet of 4,000. Upon being shown the red tens for two pair, jacks and tens, Griffin mucked.

He's down to 68,000 in chips.

Tags: Gavin Griffin

12-03-2008 21:52 UTC+11

Goonawardana Works Some Magic

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After a series of preflop raises Marlon Goonawardana decided to shove all in for an additional 22,000 and Tom Rafferty made a huge call. It was the right one, as Rafferty's {J-Clubs}

were in great shape against Goonawardana's ambitious {K-Clubs}

.

That was, however, until the board fell {K-Spades}

giving Goonawardana a full house to double up to over 55,000, as Rafferty was left shaking his head as he slipped back to 75,000.

Tags: Marlon Goonawardana

Level: 7

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 75

12-03-2008 21:41 UTC+11

Play Resumes

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Cards are back in the air. Seventy five minutes of play separate us from the end of the day.

12-03-2008 21:31 UTC+11

Break Time

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Players are on a ten-minute break. When we come back, we will be on the last level of play for the day.

12-03-2008 21:30 UTC+11

Markowski Falls To Ma

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Jacek Markowski has been eliminated at the hands of Zhi Hong Ma after all the chips went in on a board {J-?}

, with Markowski's pocket tens trailing the {A-?}

of Ma.

The river bricked out and Markowski was sent to the rail as Ma climbs up to 45,000.

Tags: Jacek Markowski Zhi Hong Ma

12-03-2008 21:28 UTC+11

Lee Flushes on the River

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What is it about flush draws? They're so enticing, so seductive. Many players just can't get enough of them. Christopher Lee may be one such player. He was part of a five-way flop of {A-Spades}

. With about 7,500 in the pot, Lee was the first person to take a stab at the pot. He open-shoved for 21,000. Two players folded, bringing the action to Robert Bechava. He went into the tank for over a minute before asking for a count. Upon being informed of the amount of the bet, Bechava called and tabled {A-Clubs}

. He was up against Lee's spade flush draw, {6-Spades}

. It didn't hit on the {10-Hearts}

turn, but it did hit on the {J-Spades}

river.

Lee is up to 50,000 as a result of the hand.

Tags: Christopher Lee Robert Bechava

12-03-2008 21:24 UTC+11

The Champ Is Here!

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Newly crowned 2008 World Champion Peter Eastgate has touched down in Australia for the very first time and is scheduled to play tomorrow on Day 1c. PokerNews' own Melissa Castello recently spent a few minutes chatting with Eastgate to find out what he's been up to since winning the world's biggest poker tournament in early November.

Tags: Peter Eastgate

12-03-2008 21:23 UTC+11

Raymond Rahme Eliminated

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Raymond Rahme finished in third place at the 2007 World Series of Poker Main Event, earning $3 million in the process. His tally of cashes will not include an APPT Sydney cash; he was recently knocked out of the tournament by Andrew Scott, all in preflop for 7,900 total. Rahme's {K-Spades}

was dominated by Scott's {K-Diamonds}

and never caught up.

Scott is up to 58,000 chips.

Tags: Andrew Scott Raymond Rahme