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Level: 2
Blinds: 50/100
Ante: 0
2008 PokerStars.net LAPT Punta del Este
$2,700 No Limit Hold'em Main Event
Day: 1
Event Info
2008 PokerStars.net LAPT Punta del Este
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Buy-in
$2,500
Prize Pool
$851,175
Total Entries
351
Level
27
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000
Players Left 1 / 351
Filter
With two limpers in front of him, Chino puts in a raise to 350. One of the original limpers calls, and the two men go heads up to a flop of
. The early position player checks, and Chino fires out a bet of 450. His opponent calls.The turn brings the
. Action is again checked to Chino, and he bets out 1,125. That is enough, as the other player nods knowingly and open-mucks 
. Rheem pulls in the pot, and has worked his way back up to 8,500.
. Mercier checked, and his opponent bet out 450."How much is it?" asked Mercier, removing his sunglasses. He made the call, and the two men saw the turn bring the
. Both players checked.The river was the
. Mercier again passed, and his opponent put out a bet of 1,250. Mercier quickly counted out the calling chips, but seemed pained by the decision. He went into the tank for several minutes, alternately staring at his chips, the board, and his opponent. After a bit of a delay, he finally folded his hand, looking frustrated. He is down to 8,200 in the early going.
Level: 1
Blinds: 25/50
Ante: 0
The cards are in the air.
Punta del Este, Uruguay was colonized in the late 1700's by the Portuguese, though it had been visited centuries earlier by the Spanish. In 1896, settler Antonio Lussich purchased nearly 4,500 acres of sand dunes and created an international botanical garden, planting trees and vegetables from all over the world. This worldwide influence is still evident in the cuisine of the area, which carries a mix of Latin American and Mediterranean influences.
The main claim to fame of the area are the miles and miles of pristine beaches. On one side, there are beautiful white sandy beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. On the other side, the Rio de la Plata terminates alongside flawless shores. The geography of the area lends itself well to outdoor activities, including fishing, surfing, small and large game hunting, and hiking.
The local population only amounts to about 10,000 inhabitants, but during the tourist season -- from December to February -- the number of people here can grow close to 1,000,000! It is indeed the premier resort town of South America.
Okay, now that you're feeling a little more informed, it's time to get going. The players are in their seats, and we are just one minute away from the start of play!
LAPT President Glenn Cademartori spoke to the players and media in the room moments ago. "Poker is exploding in Latin America, and this region is primed for major tournament poker," he pronounced. He repeatedly referred to this as a "star-studded event" as he announced the notable players who will be in the field. Among them are Greg Raymer, Barry Greenstein, Chad Brown, Andre Akkari, Alexandre Gomes, Brandon Cantu, Vanessa Rousso, Jason Mercier, and David "Chino" Rheem, along with dozens of celebrities and international pros.
The tournament was originally capped at 300 players, but Cademartori indicated that the number will indeed grow. "I'm pretty sure we'll have a prize pool of over $1,000,000 with over 400 players today." With only 30 tables set up for play, it will be interesting to see how many entrants they are able to pack into the room.
We are just a few minutes away from the start of our event, so sit tight. We'll be back shortly with the action!
Nearly two hundred players earned their ticket to this event by qualifying on PokerStars, and we expect to have another hundred or so pony up the $2,700 -- or 51,435 pesos -- and buy in directly. The tournament is officially capped at 300 players, but we are told that the number may swell a little bit to accommodate those who have made the trip.
The final preparations are underway, and everyone is anticipating a smooth and entertaining three days of play. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow as the action kicks off at high noon local time. Join us then!
