APT Macau Main Event | 2008 Asian Poker Tour - Macau

08-31-2008 13:17 UTC+8

Timoshenko Stays Aggressive

Rober Karian raised to 17,000 and both Chong Wing Cheong and Yevgeniy Timoshenko made the call.

The flop landed {5-Hearts}

and Cheong fired out 85,000. Timoshenko moved all in over the top. Karian folded and the action was back with Cheong. He also folded and Timoshenko continues his aggressive ways to take it down and move up to over 400,000 chips.

08-31-2008 13:14 UTC+8

Michael Pedley Eliminated in 8th Place ($26,250)

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On the first hand of play, Quang Nguyen opened the pot preflop with a raise to 24,000. Michael Pedley called from the button. On a flop of {J-Diamonds}

, Nguyen fire out a continuation bet of 38,000. Pedley didn't really have enough left in his stack to just call -- it was a raise or fold situation. He elected to raise all in for a total of 107,000. Nguyen made a quick call and the cards were opened.

Pedley: {6-Hearts}

Nguyen:

Pedley had the better hand with a pair of sixes, but Nguyen had a huge draw: two overcards, a backdoor straight draw, and a flush draw. The turn killed all suspense in the hand: it was the {A-Clubs}

, making Nguyen the nut flush and a lock hand. The river {10-Spades}

completed the board.

Pedley walked out of the tournament area as quickly as he walked in, $26,250 richer. With that pot, Nguyen has taken over the chip lead.

Tags: Michael Pedley Quang Nguyen

08-31-2008 13:09 UTC+8

Background of Our Final Table

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In terms of poker background Casey Kastle is the most experienced player at today's table. With over 20 years in poker, Casey has collected over $870,000 in career prize money including 18 WPT cashes, 12 WSOP cashes and a runner-up in Event #43 at this year's WSOP.

Yevgeniy Timoshenko at only 20 years of age already has $240,000 in live tournament earnings to go with his online success. A win in the Irish Open and two Aussie Millions preliminary event cashes, sees him as one of the more seasoned players at this table, despite his years.

Michael Pedley has an Aussie Millions preliminary event title to his credit as well as a final table at this year's New Zealand Championships. He has $170,000 in career earnings but will need to fight from the short stack today.

Our remaining players do not have a lot of live tournament experience to rely on but have already proven their abilities to reach this point! It's a interesting blend of youth and experience and should make for an entertaining final table!

Level: 19

Blinds: 4,000/8,000

Ante: 1,000

08-31-2008 13:07 UTC+8

Shuffle Up and Deal!

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Cards are in the air. Forty-seven minutes remain in Level 19. The button will start in Seat 2, with Michael Pedley.

08-31-2008 12:52 UTC+8

Getting Closer

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The opening ceremony is finally underway. We're just minutes away from the start of play.

08-31-2008 12:31 UTC+8

Final Table Lineup

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Our final table lineup is as follows:

Seat 1: Casey Kastle - 456,000 chips
Seat 2: Michael Pedley - 132,000
Seat 3: Joon Hee Yeah - 160,000
Seat 4: Chong Wing Cheong - 454,000
Seat 5: Yevgeniy Timoshenko - 318,000
Seat 6: Quang Nguyen - 315,000
Seat 7: Julio Diaz - 315,000
Seat 8: Rober Karian - 419,000

Who will walk away with the trophy and US$500,000 in prize money?

08-31-2008 12:14 UTC+8

Check, Check. One. Two. Three.

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We are currently in a slight delay as the APT checks all of its television camera shots and goes through one last dry run of the opening ceremonies for the final table. We anticipate that play will not start for another 30 minutes.

08-31-2008 11:42 UTC+8

Counting Down to a Champion

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The eighth floor ballroom at the StarWorld Hotel and Casino has been transformed overnight for today's APT Macau Main Event final table. The finishing touches are being put on the television production even as we write this. In roughly twenty minutes, the players will make their way into the ballroom for rock star-like introductions before beginning the final leg to determine who will be the $500,000 champion.

Stay tuned to PokerNews for live updates as the final table unfolds!