$3,250 Championship Main Event Day 1a | 2009 PokerStars.net APPT Auckland

10-13-2009 11:35 UTC-12

Today's Format

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We'll be playing seven one-hour levels today, with no dinner break, but ten-minute breaks after every two hours.

Players are starting with a generous 20,000-chip start bank with the blinds at 50/100.

10-13-2009 11:31 UTC-12

Cards Are In The Air!

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Following a traditional Maori welcome featuring the Haka war dance, the mic was handed over New Zealand's poker icon Lee "Final Table" Nelson who uttered the immortal words, "Shuffle Up and Deal!"

This one is underway!

Level: 1

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

10-13-2009 11:17 UTC-12

Players Taking Their Seats

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The players are now taking their seats ready for the first day of the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event. We'll be underway shortly!

10-12-2009 22:28 UTC-12

Welcome to Auckland!

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Kia ora, and welcome to New Zealand for the second event of the 2009 PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Tour. This week the PokerNews crew find themselves in beautiful Auckland at the mighty SKYCITY Casino, home to the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere. The Sky Tower, a giant needle in the clouds, looms some 1,076 feet (328 meters) over the city of Auckland and will be host to hundreds of poker players this week. Lynn Gilmartin managed to squeeze in some sightseeing straight from the airport, so check out the video here:

Poker is blossoming in this part of the world and already this week, the SKYCITY Festival of Poker has attracted impressive fields for the preliminary events.

The highlight of the schedule is of course the NZ$3,200 (US$2,100) buy-in PokerStars.net APPT Main Event which kicks off in a few short hours.

We're expecting a host of Aussies and Kiwis to take to the felt, and joining them will be PokerStars.net Team Australia Pros Grant Levy, Eric Assadourian, Emad Tahtouh and Tony Hachem, Kiwi poker legend and PokerStars Sponsored Player Lee "Final Table" Nelson plus PokerStars.net Team Asia representatives Celina Lin and Bryan Huang. Their tables will also be filled by a wealth of PokerStars online qualifiers who have made their way to Auckland from all corners of the globe.

Last year the cash stayed at home when Wellington's Daniel Craker overcame 306 entrants to collect the trophy and the $257,040 first place prize. Will the Kiwis continue their impressive form? Stay tuned to PokerNews to find out as we bring you all of the live updates from the tournament floor.

The action kicks off at 12:15pm (GMT+12) and we look forward to your company then!