2009 PokerStars.net APPT Auckland

$3,250 Championship Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info

2009 PokerStars.net APPT Auckland

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
55
Prize
$209,085
Event Info
Buy-in
$3,000
Entries
263
Level Info
Level
26
Blinds
30,000 / 60,000
Ante
5,000

Song Sucks In Aussies

With 3,800 chips in the pot preflop, three players checked a {10-Diamonds}{j-Hearts}{8-Clubs} flop. On the turn {4-Diamonds} Stewart Scott fired out 2,200 and both Michael Song and Emad Tahtouh made the call.

The river was the {5-Spades} and Song and Scott checked to Tahtouh who bet 5,500. Scott folded, but Song made the call tabling {Q-Clubs}{q-Spades}. Tahtouh rolled over {K-Hearts}{Q-Hearts} for air.

Scott is down to 17,000. Tahtouh has 35,000, Song moves up to about 50,000.

Tags: Emad TahtouhMichael SongStewart Scott

Big Show Down But Not Out

Steve Topakas
Steve Topakas
We wandered past the table of Steve "Big Show" Topakas and saw that his stack had all but disappeared as he was left with only a few hundred in small change.

When we inquired as to what happened, Topakas recalled to us that he was holding {10-?}{7-?} on a X-{J-?}{8-?}{9-?} board when the chips went into the middle on the turn. Unfortunately for Topakas his opponent held {Q-?}{10-?} for the bigger straight and "Big Show" was crippled.

"I might have to jump off the SKYCITY Tower...just without the cable!" laughed Topakas in jest.

However he's not out just yet, as we hung around to observe his recent double up to stay alive. Topakas was all in from the big blind with {6-Hearts}{5-Spades} against {K-Diamonds}{8-Spades} and caught good on the {10-Spades}{A-Clubs}{7-Clubs}{6-Clubs}{Q-Spades} board to double back up to around 1,000 in chips.

Tags: Steve TopakasThe Big Show

Level: 4

Blinds: 150/300

Ante: 25

Levy Doubles

Strike a pose...
Strike a pose...
Grant Levy has been battling the short stack for most of today, but he just doubled up to stay alive. We're not sure when the chips went into the middle as we only saw the end result as Levy's {K-Diamonds}{10-Clubs} collected the chips against his opponent's {K-Spades}{J-Spades} on the {6-Diamonds}{9-Clubs}{10-Spades}{10-Diamonds}{4-Diamonds} board.

"That's one double up, now one more to go!" chuckled Levy as he chips up to 10,000.

Tags: Grant Levy

Francis Finds A Double

The short stacks are hanging in there as this time it was Daniel Francis' turn to find a much needed double up.

Francis opened to 750, before the player next to speak made it 1,850 to play. The table folded back around to Francis who decided to commit all of his last 5,625 with his opponent quickly calling.

Francis: {A-Hearts}{Q-Clubs}
Opponent: {5-Hearts}{5-Clubs}

The board was kind to Francis as it fell {9-Diamonds}{3-Hearts}{9-Hearts}{Q-Spades}{4-Hearts} to pair his queen and provide the double up to around 12,000 chips.

Tags: Daniel Francis

Levy Gets A Life

Grant Levy is freerolling after surviving a sick cooler situation.

Preflop Levy with {9-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds} opened from under the gun and two players called. The flop came {8-?}{6-?}{6-?} and the opponent in the blinds checked to Levy who fired out a bet.

Both of his opponents decided to stay on for the {8-?} turn, which all three players checked.

The river was a {k-?} and the player in the blinds bet 2,000. Levy flat called looking to induce a bluff from the last player to act. The late position opponent also flat called, which turned about to be a pleasant twist of fate for Levy.

The player in the blinds tabled {6-?}{6-?} for quad sixes, which would have certainly sent Levy to the rail had he been able to check-raise all in.

He moves up to about 15,000.

Tags: Grant Levy

Blown Bluff Turns To Gold For Shinzaki

A blown play by Michael Shinzaki has paid dividends after hitting the river to haul the pot.

Shinzaki went heads up to the {3-Clubs}{7-Spades}{10-Hearts} flop and Shinzaki's opponent led 2,700. Shinzaki asked for a count on his opponent before shoving all in with {5-Clubs}{6-Clubs}. The opponent made the call for his final 20,000 in chips with {9-Clubs}{10-Clubs} and was looking good to the double up.

The turn was the {6-Hearts}, however the river {4-Diamonds} spiked the gutshot straight for Shinzaki.

Shinzaki moves up to 65,000 with the pot.

Tags: Michael Shinzaki

Dodds Done

Joel Dodds Eliminated
Joel Dodds Eliminated
Joel "StrongPlay" Dodds has been sent to the rail, after four-betting all in preflop with pocket jacks, but he ran into an opponent's pocket queens. Dodds couldn't find a jack to save his tournament and was sent to the rail.

Tags: Joel DoddsStrongPlay

Levy Heading Straight To The Bank

Grant Levy is laughing all the way to the bank after making a titanic come back from just 3,500 chips.

Levy now sits over 28,000 after a recent hand.

On a flop of {A-Clubs}{j-Hearts}{10-Spades} Levy bet out 1,275 and Bill Potts tossed out 2,075 in multiple chips. The dealer asked Potts what his decision was and he responded that he wanted to call.

At this stage Levy asked the floor for a ruling, as Potts bet was over half the amount required to raise. The floor agreed with Levy and the Potts had to raise to 2,550. Levy then moved all in over the top with the opponent calling.

Levy tabled {K-Spades}{q-Hearts} for a Broadway straight, and the Potts over {A-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds} for top and bottom pairs. The board completed {6-Spades} turn and {k-Hearts} river to put Levy back in a favorable position in this tournament.

Tags: Bill PottsGrant Levy