PokerNews Cup Australia: The Main Event Day 1a | 2008 PokerNews Cup Championships - Australia

10-17-2008 12:13 UTC+11

Shuffle Up and Deal!

After a brief welcome from PokerNews CEO Damon Rasheed, he uttered the immortal words "Shuffle Up and Deal!"

The 2008 PokerNews Cup Main Event is officially underway!

Level: 1

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

10-17-2008 09:44 UTC+11

2008 PokerNews Cup Australia Championships - The Main Event

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Over half a million dollars has changed hands this week in the confines of the Crown Poker Room here in Melbourne, but that number will be dwarfed by the prizepool that will be generated by the 2008 PokerNews Cup Main Event.

The Cup Championship kicks off just past midday this afternoon and expects to attract a field somewhere in the ballpark of 400-500 players -- half of them will play today, and the other in tomorrow's Day 1b field. The event boasts a guaranteed $250,000 first place prize, a number juicy enough to draw out the region's best players. 2005 WSOP Main Event Champ Joe Hachem, Lee 'Final Table' Nelson, Tony 'G' Guoga, Billy 'The Croc' Argyros and James 'Andy McLEOD' Obst are just a few of the big names we expect to see take to the felt today and tomorrow, each with an eye on that quarter-million-dollar grand prize.

PokerNews' Live Reporting Team will be on site for the duration of the event, bringing you chip counts, photos, video interviews and up-to-the minute reports of the action as it happens. The party starts at 12:10 p.m. local time. We hope to see you then!