2009 PokerStars.net APPT Auckland

$3,250 Championship Main Event
Day: 1b
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

The Numbers Are In

The official numbers are in for the second flight and the prizepool for the 2009 PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event has been announced.

We had 128 entries today, which has unusually defied the worldwide trend of more players preferring the last flight of the schedule. That puts the total number of entrants for the Main Event to 263 to create a total prize pool of NZ$789,000.

The top 32 players will finish in the money and be guaranteed a NZ$5,523 payday while the winner will take home a very pretty NZ$209,085.

"I knew I had one over when I called"

Dennis Huntly recently eliminated a player after getting it all in with just an overcard.

Preflop, a player from early position made it 800 to go and Dennis Huntly made the call. Action folded to the big blind who moved all in for 3,225.

The early position player folded and action was on Huntly. After taking some time in the tank, the other player got sick of waiting.

"Come on, make a decision already," he huffed. Huntly replied, "I don't have to call here, but I will".

"Ok, let's gamble then," replied the all-in player.

Huntly tabled {A-Spades}{5-Clubs} to have one overcard against his opponent's {10-Clubs}{10-Diamonds}.

The flop was {Q-Clubs}{3-Diamonds}{4-Hearts} to give Huntly outs to the straight, and the turn {6-Hearts} made that an open-ended straight draw. The river spiked the {A-Hearts} and shipped the pot Huntly's way.

"I knew I had one overcard when I called," said Huntly. He's up to about 8,000 in chips after being down early.

Tags: Dennis Huntly

Small Hit For Eric

Eric "The Smiling Assassin" Assadourian
Eric "The Smiling Assassin" Assadourian
PokerStars Team Australia Pro Eric Assadourian is one of the poster boys of this event, but so far he has been rather quiet as he chips up comfortably down at the far end of the SKYCITY poker room. However we just caught him taking a small hit to his stack.

After a limp in early position, Assadourian made it 700 to go from middle position and found calls from the big blind and limper.

They took a flop of {3-Diamonds}{5-Diamonds}{6-Clubs} and play checked to Assadourian who made it 1,700. The big blind called as the third player stepped aside.

The turn was the {9-Clubs} and both checked, before again checking down the {J-Hearts} river.

The big blind was first to reveal, as he tabled {7-Spades}{7-Clubs} which was good as Assadourian mucked. He's still well placed with 26,000 chips.

Tags: Eric Assadourian

Egan Eliminated

New Zealand's Josh Egan has been eliminated after running into some bad luck against Germany's Ralf Westphal.

Preflop, Westphal opened to 700 and Garry Gates called. Josh Egan then raised to 3,000 and Westphal made the call, Gates folded.

The flop came {9-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}{6-Clubs} and Egan fired out 5,000 which Westphal raised to 15,000. Egan moved all in for not a lot more and Westphal called.

Egan {k-Diamonds}{k-Clubs}
Westphal {10-Hearts}{j-Diamonds}

The {j-Spades} hit the turn to give Westphal more outs, and the {Q-Spades} river made him a straight sending Egan to the rail.

Westphal moves up to 60,000.

Tags: Josh EganRalf Westphal

Dunst Motoring

Tony Dunst
Tony Dunst
Tony Dunst has been active recently as he just collected back-to-back pots.

In the first hand, facing a raise to 600, Dunst popped it to 1,800 in position and his opponent made the call. The flop fell {6-Clubs}{4-Hearts}{8-Clubs} and Dunst's continuation bet of 2,300 was enough to take it down.

A moment or two later Dunst was at it again, firing 1,200 at a {9-Spades}{10-Clubs}{K-Clubs} flop. His opponent called and the {9-Clubs} hit the turn. Play checked to Dunst who fired another barrel worth 2,600. His opponent called once more and the river fell the {3-Clubs}. With four clubs on board the unknown player led out for 5,000, which represented almost half his stack, but Dunst immediately raised to put his opponent all in.

After a minute of though he released and Dunst dragged in another nice pot to move up to 38,000 chips.

Tags: Tony Dunst

Level: 4

Blinds: 150/300

Ante: 25

The White Boy Has Some Chips

Brad Bainbridge recently moved over 30,000 after eliminating an opponent.

The opponent pushed for about 6,000 chips on a {7-Hearts}{q-Spades}{j-Diamonds} flop and Bainbridge called with {k-Hearts}{q-Diamonds}. He caught his opponent with just {A-Spades}{j-Hearts} middle pair.

The opponent was able to get there as the board comleted {6-Diamonds} turn and {6-Spades} river to send her to the rail.

"Hell yeah! The white boy has some chips" said Bainbridge excitedly.

Tags: Brad Bainbridge

Hachem Jacked

Tony Hachem
Tony Hachem
Tony Hachem has been having some mixed fortune so far today, as illustrated by a couple of recent hands. Both times, he held pocket jacks but in the first he fell to his opponent's flush, however the chips went his way the second time around.

Catching the action on the the turn on a board of {10-Diamonds}{A-Clubs}{4-Hearts}{3-Spades} Aaron Benton fired 1,800 with Hachem making the call before the river fell the {9-Diamonds} and was checked down.

Benton flipped {8-Clubs}{8-Hearts} but Hachem collected with his {J-Hearts}{J-Diamonds}. Hachem is up to 23,000 chips.

Tags: Tony Hachem

Huang Doubles

Huang representing PokerStars Team Asia
Huang representing PokerStars Team Asia
Bryan Huang has a stack courtesy of a double up.

Huang put his tournament life on the line on the river after flat-calling all the way down.

His opponent bet 1,200 preflop with Huang and another player opting to take the {3-Diamonds}{3-Hearts}{k-Spades} flop. On the flop the opponent was the aggresor, once again firing out 5,000 with Huang going heads up to the {6-Hearts} turn.

Both players checked the turn and the river was the {9-Spades}. On the river the opponent checked, Huang moved all in and the opponent called, but mucked when Huang tabled his {a-Clubs}{k-Clubs}.

Huang has about 35,000 chips right now.

Tags: Brian Huang

Rosario Slips

Shirley Rosario
Shirley Rosario
American Shirley Rosario is a welcome addition to the Asia Pacific Poker Tour as she is one of the many International visitors to Auckland for today's event. With three WSOP cashes to her name and plenty of experience in the industry, Rosario is looking to add an APPT title to her resume.

Rosario was progressing well early but just took a hit against a short stack on a {Q-Clubs}{5-Hearts}{4-Hearts} board. Rosario went with her {6-Hearts}{7-Spades} for an open-ended straight draw but had run into her opponent's set of fours.

The turn was the {A-Spades} and the river the {9-Clubs} to give her opponent the double up. Rosario is still in sound shape with 24,000 chips.

Tags: Shirley Rosario