APPT Macau Main Event Day 1a | 2009 PokerStars.net APPT Macau

08-25-2009 13:22 UTC+8

Tahtouh Gives Up on Aces

[user75032]

We passed by Emad Tahtouh's table to see a huge pot in progess. There were 4,500 chips up for grabs with the board showing {9-Hearts}

. Four players, including Tahtouh and Dan Schreiber, were contesting the pot.

The big blind checked to Tahtouh, who made a bet of 3,800. It was enough to fold the third player in the hand and Schreiber, but the big blind paid to see another card.

That card was the {8-Clubs}

. The big blind seized the opportunity to lead into Tahtouh for 6,500. Tahtouh studied his opponent for about a minute before folding {A-Spades}

face up. His stack is down to about 18,000 as a result.

Tags: Dan Schreiber Emad Tahtouh

08-25-2009 13:27 UTC+8

A Couple of Champs

[user67765]

2009 Aussie Millions Champ Stewart Scott

We've spotted a couple of other champs in the field with 2009 Aussie Millions winner Stewart Scott recently taking his seat, while Isaac Galazan is also amongst today's field.

Galazan is a WSOP bracelet winner from back in 2005 where he won $315,125 in Event #6 $2,500 No Limit Holdem where he overcame 548 players and the likes of Antonio Esfandiari, David Singer and Harry Demetriou on the final table to capture the title.

We'll be keeping a close eye on the progress of these guys today!

Tags: Isaac Galazan Stewart Scott

08-25-2009 13:31 UTC+8

Silent Savages

[user38449]

Ben Savage is down to 18,300 early after a quiescent Hassam Rahim Mansour took a pot from him holding baby suited connectors.

The under-the-gun player opened with a raise to 300 and Savage (UTG+1) made the call. Mansour called from middle position and the three opponents saw the flop come {4-Spades}

.

Action was then checked around to Mansour who fired a 675 bet. The original raiser tossed his cards into the muck pile, but Savage stuck around to see the turn, which brought the {K-Spades}

.

Another check, bet (1,000), call sequence sent the hand to the river ( {2-Diamonds}

) where Savage checked again. Before Mansour could act, Savage needled, "Firing again..." Sure enough, Mansour counted out a 2,500 bet and slid the chips into the middle.

"Aggressive these people, aren't they?" (According to PokerStars' player list, Mansour resides in Canada). "Where you from?" Savage asked.

Not willing to give up any additional information, Mansour remained silent and Savage eventually made the call prompting Mansour to table the winning hand -- {4-Clubs}

.

Tags: Ben Savage Hassam Mansour

08-25-2009 13:32 UTC+8

Levy Shows Some Grunt

[user67765]

With a raise to 350 and a call in front of him, Grant Levy popped it up to 1,300 from the button. The original raisor then re-raised once again to make it 3,000 to play as Levy was the lone caller.

The flop came down {J-Clubs}

and Levy's opponent made it 3,000. Levy then announced a raise, increasing the price to 7,500. The heat was too much as Levy's opponent folded and Levy flashed {A-Diamonds}

for just ace-high.

Levy is up to 25,600 chips.

Tags: Grant Levy grunter

Level: 2

Blinds: 100/200

Ante: 0

08-25-2009 13:33 UTC+8

Schreiber Slowplays to Victory

[user75032]

The area of the room that contains the tables of David Steicke and Dan Schreiber continues to be a magnet for action. We passed back that way to see Schreiber and Li take a flop of {6-Spades}

. Schreiber checked to Li and then called a bet of 500.

The turn was the {7-Spades}

. Again Schreiber checked, inducing another bet of 1,000 from Li. Schreiber called to the {7-Clubs}

river, where he led into Li for 2,700. Li had enough hand to call, but not enough to win when Schreiber showed down {A-Clubs}

for two pair, jacks and sevens. He's up to 29,000 in chips.

Tags: Andrew Li Dan Schreiber

08-25-2009 13:46 UTC+8

The Early Movers

[user67765]

We've just received official word that the final number for the opening flight of the PokerStars.net APPT Macau Main Event is 119 entrants. Registration has now been closed.

Here are the early top five:

Jonathan Lin - 48,500
James Akenhead - 42,000
Mark Cornwell - 40,600
Eric Assadourian - 31,000
Dan Schreiber - 29,000

08-25-2009 13:47 UTC+8

Akenhead Punishing His Table

[user75032]

James Akenhead has more than doubled his stack to 42,000 here in the early-going. He just took 11,200 off the unfortunate player to his right in blind-on-blind battle.

We caught the action with Akenhead facing a raise of 1,600 more chips from the small blind, with 1,200 already in the middle. Akenhead called to a flop of {10-Diamonds}

. His opponent made a weak lead of 1,400 that Akenhead called.

The turn was the {3-Diamonds}

. The small blind fired out another 3,200 and again Akenhead called. On the river {8-Diamonds}

, Akenhead watched carefully as the small blind threw a single yellow (5,000) chip into the pot. He then quickly raised all in, for more than 20,000, and induced an immediate fold.

Tags: James Akenhead

08-25-2009 14:00 UTC+8

The Reality of Poker in Macau

[user75032]

One of the few downsides to Macanese poker is that, unlike poker rooms in most of the world, Macau poker rooms allow smoking at the table. That's not the case for today's tournament -- players are prohibited from smoking in the tournament area -- but some smoke is drifting by Vivek Rajkumar's table and he's not happy about it. He flagged down Commissioner Danny McDonagh to complain.

"You can smell smoke?" McDonagh asked. "What would you like me to do about it?" He got on the mic and asked spectators to refrain from smoking on the rail.

08-25-2009 14:03 UTC+8

Day 1a Runners Announced

[user38449]

Tournament Director Danny McDonagh just informed the room that the official Day 1a entrant tally ended up at 119.

Unofficially, we've heard that there are already over 300 players registered for the Main Event. As is the case with most tournaments offering multiple Day 1's, we expect the largest starting field on Thursday's Day 1c - the last of three opening flights.

Of today's 119, currently 113 remain.