Two of the tournament short stacks are two prolific online players from across the Tasman Sea in Melbourne, Australia.
Tom 'tollgate' Grigg and Andrew 'fuzzbungle' Hinrichsen have not only great online records on PokerStars.net but also on the live circuit.
Grigg collected the $1,500 Semi Shootout/Bounty tournament at last year's APPT Sydney for just over $30,000 before final tabling the Main Event and collecting nearly $120,000 for his fifth place finish.
As for Hinrichsen, he collected a second placing in the PokerStars.net ANZPT Queenstown Main Event and the Six-Handed event at the PokerNews Cup before finally breaking through with a win in the $2,500 Six-Handed event at the APPT Sydney before winning an Aussie Millions title in the Poker Pro event.
Unfortunately for Grigg and Hinrichsen, they are going to have recall deeply to the way they played those events as they sit with 7,050 and 6,325 respectively - although it is still a playable 35 and 31-big blind chip stack - if they are to not only make day two, but also have a charge at reaching the final table.
Aaron Benton happy at doubling against ace-high . . . wouldn't you?
With a limp and a raise to 800, Aaron Benton made the call next to act before the button and original limper followed suit.
The flop fell down , and after a continuation-bet to 1,200, Aaron Benton bumped it to 3,000. The player on the button then three-bet to 8,600 to force the original raiser out before Benton committed his 9,125. His opponent made the call for the additional 525 to put the APPT Sydney Champion at risk.
Benton:
Opponent:
With the table in shock at how Benton was effectively gifted a double up, the turn and river rolled out the and to see Benton double through to 23,150.
"Wowee!" sparked one player on the table as Benton clapped in a flurry as the pot was pushed to him.
"Did you really think you were behind there?" asked Brooke Howard-Smith.
"When I raised him, I'm not going to fold!" responded Benton.
As James Honeybone waltzed over to check out what unfolded, Benton screamed, "Ship it!"
"He doesn't realize I'm not going to fold for 5k . . . thank you very much my fried!" concluded Benton as he stepped away from the table to take a breather.
With level three kicking in, registration has now closed with 89 entrants making up the Day 1a starting field.
We have also just been informed that 114 players have already been registered into the Day 1b flight tomorrow; so if you're still interested in taking part in the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event, then make sure to get on down to SKYCITY Auckland to grab your seat!
, Brooke Howard-Smith led out for 700 and was met with a call from his lone opponent in the hand.
was checked through to see the 
land on the river and Howard-Smith fire 750 at the pot.
, but it would be Howard-Smith's 
that would see him collect the pot and move to 24,000.
, and after a continuation-bet to 1,200, Aaron Benton bumped it to 3,000. The player on the button then three-bet to 8,600 to force the original raiser out before Benton committed his 9,125. His opponent made the call for the additional 525 to put the APPT Sydney Champion at risk.
and 
to see Benton double through to 23,150.
