APPT Macau Main Event | 2009 PokerStars.net APPT Macau

08-30-2009 16:48 UTC+8

Chen Chips Up With Big Slick

[user67765]

Daoxing Chen raised to 100,000 from under the gun and Dermot Blain made the call in the big blind.

The flop was {Q-Diamonds}

and Blain checked to Chen who fired out 150,000. Blain gave it up and Chen took down the pot, flashing {A-Spades}

.

Tags: Daoxing Chen Dermot Blain

08-30-2009 16:46 UTC+8

Chen Chooses Not to Get Involved

[user75032]

In a battle of the blinds, Daoxing Chen limped in and Darkhan Botabayev declined his option. Chen checked a flop of {5-Clubs}

to Botabayev, who bet 100,000. Chen thought about it for far shorter than we would have expected before flashing a {7-?}

and foldin. Botabayev showed {8-?}

for top pair and a gutshot straight draw.

08-30-2009 16:42 UTC+8

Chip Count Update

[user67765]

Dermot Blain - 3,350,000
Darkhan Botabayev - 2,200,000
Daoxing Chen - 1,900,000
Mike Kim - 940,000

08-30-2009 16:38 UTC+8

Play Resumes

[user75032]

Everything is set up and players are back in their seats. Four left!

08-30-2009 16:34 UTC+8

Pause

[user75032]

There's been a pause in play to re-align players around the table and set up different camera angles. Stay tuned...

08-30-2009 16:31 UTC+8

Pontus Kers Eliminated in 5th Place ($114,464)

[user75032]

All in players that are called have not fared well today. Pontus Kers moved all in for 360,000 total after Darkhan Botabayev opened the pot to 100,000. Botabayev decided to gamble and called with {9-Clubs}

; Kers didn't have much but was ahead with {K-Spades}

. It all changed on a flop of {2-Spades}

, with Botabayev pairing nines to take a stranglehold on the pot.

But what's an all in without a good sweat? The turn {8-Spades}

put two spades on board, giving Kers a flush draw to go with his draw at a pair of kings. With everyone in the gallery leaning in towards the table, the dealer burned and turned a black card -- but it was the {8-Clubs}

. Kers was eliminated in 5th place, taking home $114,464.

Tags: Darkhan Botabayev Pontus Kers

08-30-2009 16:26 UTC+8

Chen Gets Away Cheap

[user67765]

Daoxing Chen completed from the small blind but Darkhan Botabayev wasn't going to see a cheap flop as he popped it up an additional 80,000 from the big blind. Chen deliberated for a minute before flashing the {A-Hearts}

and folding. Botabayev flashed {A-Spades}

.

Tags: Daoxing Chen Darkhan Botabayev

08-30-2009 16:09 UTC+8

Big Stacks Go to War

[user75032]

With the blinds now at 20,000 and 40,000, even a single called raise can create a sizable pot. Darkhan Botabayev opened preflop for 110,000 and was called by Dermot Blain from the blinds. They were the only players for a flop of {6-Spades}

. Blain checked to Botabayev, who bet 150,000, about two-thirds of the pot. Blain called.

The turn was the {5-Hearts}

. Taking an unusual line, Blain led into Botabayev for about half of the pot, 250,000 chips. Botbayev took thirty seconds before calling to the {10-Hearts}

river.

Blain didn't seem to like the call or the river. He checked to Botabayev, who put a whole stack of red (25,000) chips into the middle, a bet of 500,000. Blain rubbed his forehead and thoughts things over, staring the whole while at the board. He pursed his lips and nodded his hand and could be seen talking to himself, although the words were inaudible from the media desk. Finally he called.

Botabayev: {A-Clubs}

, ace-high
Blain: {J-Hearts}

, a pair of jacks

It was a huge call by Blain and it was correct. Botabayev was on a stone bluff. Blain's top pair was enough to drag a pot worth more than 2.0 million chips, pushing Blain's count north of 3.0 million!

Tags: Darkhan Botabayev Dermot Blain

08-30-2009 15:58 UTC+8

Action Tightening

[user75032]

After that massive pot went to Dermot Blain, things have tightened way up. We had several hands without a flop before one in which Daoxing Chen limped the small blind and Darkhan Botabayev checked the big blind.

Both players checked a flop of {k-Clubs}

. When the turn fell {3-Clubs}

, Chen's bet of 80,000 was enough to chase Botabayev out of the pot.

Tags: Daoxing Chen Darkhan Botabayev

Level: 24

Blinds: 20,000/40,000

Ante: 4,000