April 2010 Archives

At about 4.10pm yesterday, the Lebanese player Nicolas Chouity seized the chip lead at the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo. There were 16 players remaining and more than a day's play before the end. But at about 9.15pm today, Chouity was crowned the latest champion on the EPT -...more

4.45pm: Hachem's hopes dashed Tony Hachem's astounding run of seven cashes in eight ANZPT events has been confirmed, but his hopes of a third successive ANZPT final table have ended in 29th. Hachem shoved over the top of Danny Yeung's raise to 85,000 with A♦ K♥, with Yeung making...more

2.45pm: Tri-ing for Tim Recent eliminations have included James Moustacas (46th), Bruce McPherson (45th) and Tim English, who was all-in with 7-5 only to find Tri Nguyen holding kings. English is out in 44th, collecting AUD $4014. Michael O'Grady retains the chip lead on 570,000 after almost two hours...more

We're becoming accustomed to sections of the Star City Casino being closed off over the past 12 months, but it's all for a good cause. The property is currently being transformed into a world-class entertainment destination with improved gaming and entertainment facilities, new hotel and expanded restaurant and bar offerings...more

The PokerStars.net ANZPT Sydney Main Event is poised for a gripping start to day three. After seven hours of play on day two, the field was slashed from 209 to 59. Tomorrow, just five players will miss out on a spot in the money as barely 15 per cent...more

8.10pm: Carnevale is over Rennie Carnevale has fallen short of a second ANZPT cash for 2010 after shoving his last 55,000 with A-8 on a flop of 8-10-4. Angelo Hanataj made the call and showed J-10 and watched as the turn 4 and river 2 brought no assistance for...more

7pm: It's Tamara time Tamara Volkoff has been nursing a short stack towards the money and just received a much-needed injection of funds after flopping a set of aces against an opponent's pocket 10s. She's up to 70,000. Michael Guttman's tournament is also over after he ran jacks into...more

4.30pm: 100, and counting We've cracked the top 100 in the PokerStars.net ANZPT Sydney Main Event after less than four hours of play on day two. The atmosphere is heaving once again as friends and family keep close tabs on the players chasing a slice of the AUD $892,000...more

2.30pm: Sally puts on a Shou Sally Snow started yesterday with Jeff Lisandro on her table, and face another testing time today with aggressive online high stakes cash game specialist Tian Shou on her immediate left. But The Poker Star contestant is meeting fire with fire with some big...more

Our regular visits to Sydney for ANZPT and APPT events tend to focus on the host city, but no state in Australia is more diverse than New South Wales. Much of the western half of the state can be consider "outback", ranging from dry eucalypt forests and plains to...more

8.50pm: Nelson nailed on the river PokerStars.net Team Australia's Lee Nelson has quietly amassed chips throughout the day but just shipped a slab of them to fellow veteran Michael Guttman. The board showed Q-J-6-6 when Nelson bet, Guttman shoved and Nelson called. The 2006 Aussie Millions winner revealed 8-6...more

6.40pm: Levy's leavin' Grant Levy is the first PokerStars.net Team Australia pro to be KOed on day 1B. His tournament life was decided by a race - jacks against A-Q - with queen on the river sending the 2007 APPT Grand Final winner and Star City poker ambassador to...more

4.30pm: Better late than never ANZPT commissioner Danny McDonagh has just announced two more entries for the Main Event, almost four hours after the commencement of play. That takes the day 1B field to 283 and the total field to 447. 4.10pm: Typhoon Tyron Tyron Krost is one of...more

One should check the clock before undertaking a morning's walk along the shores of Sydney Harbour unless intending to catch a taxi back to Star City Casino for the start of play on day 1B of the PokerStars.net ANZPT Sydney Main Event. But on such a magnificent morning, who...more

The PokerStars.net ANZPT returned to Sydney for what will almost certainly be the largest and richest event on season two of Australasia's premier poker tour. The first of two day one flights in the AUD $2200 buy-in Main Event attracted 164 players while flight two is expected to be...more

8.20pm: Big names bow out The final hands of day 1A in the PokerStars.net ANZPT Sydney Main Event are being dealt with players content to nurse their way through to day two after almost eight hours at the tables. Eliminations in the final 30 minutes of the day included...more

2.20pm: iRules The iPhone craze has experienced a slight setback here during this event. MP3 players and iPods are permitted at the tables in the Star City Poker Room, but not iPhones. Popular local Ali Khalil just dropped by to snatch an iPod but baulked once he spotted our...more

San Remo is a peaceful place, the 'city of flowers' on the Italian Riviera that comes to life in the summer sunshine then spends the fall and winter waiting for that sun to come back. But once a year it gets an early shot of adrenaline in the form of...more

6.40pm: Neilson x 2 We're starting to see the early signs of some pressure on the short stacks. The news has been good for some; not for others. Daniel Neilson, who final-tabled the opening event of the 2010 ANZPT in Adelaide, has doubled to 23,000 after his pocket 10s...more

4.30pm: The (SEA)BEAST is back After a hectic start to the day's play, things have slowed up in the fourth level, which gave us a chance to catch up with Jay SEABEAST Kinkade. The 2008 Victorian Poker Championships Main Event winner and past number one ranked online player in...more

2.20pm: Familiar territory "This is my house," Aaron Benton declared after a change of fortunes earned him a big pot midway through level two on day 1A of the ANZPT Sydney Main Event. The 2009 APPT Grand Final winner flopped trip aces against an opponent's pocket queens to scoop...more

A foggy start has made way for glorious sunshine for the opening day of the 2010 PokerStars.net ANZPT Sydney Main Event. It's last orders at the many restaurants that dot nearby Darling Harbour as players start to head back to Star City for the first of two day one...more

Sydney has a well-earned reputation as the home of the two PokerStars tours that operate in the Asia-Pacific region. Over the past three years, Sydney has hosted the largest and richest events on both the Asia Pacific and Australia New Zealand poker tours. The early signs are positive for...more

by Brad Willis and Change100 Jason Mercier is a winner. If that seems too obvious a statement, we only point it out because it happens so often, we're afraid we're caught in a recurring dream sequence in which Mercier stands there with a trophy and a big smile on his...more

Mercier defeats Stein for NAPT Mohegan Sun Bounty Shootout title Two hands after that last sickening hand, Stein was out. He doubled once to 40,000, and then lost on the next hand when he couldn't make 9♥3♥ beat Mercier's T♠6♣. Jason Mercier's published winnings including bounties,a $25,000 seat in the...more

7:42pm: Dinner break Players are now on dinner break until 9pm ET. Here are the heads-up chip counts Sam Stein: 426,000 Jason Mercier: 449,000 7:36pm: Stein folds to the four-bet Jason Mercier raised to 10,000 from the button and Sam Stein called from the big blind. All hell broke loose...more

5:15pm: And sometimes they have it Our final three players are known for their ruthless aggression and ability to run without the ball, but sometimes they actually have a hand. Samm Stein came in for a raise to 7,900 and Jason Mercier called. The 4♥[Q♥A♣ flop drew a 9,300 bet...more

2:50pm: Jaka folds to Stein's shove Ever the aggressor, Faraz Jaka raised to 3,700 only to have Sam Stein play back at him with a reraise to 10,800. Jaka called and they saw a A♣T♠6♣ flop. Stein check-called a 15,000 bet from Jaka. The turn was the 2♥ and Stein...more

Twenty-five thousand, six hundred dollars. For some, it's a year's salary, for others, a down payment on a nice house in the suburbs. $25,600 could buy you a fully loaded Honda Accord or cover the cost of tuition for one year at some universities. However, for most of this crowd,...more

7:39pm: Jetten eliminated; Vazquez advances to finals Peter Jenn came in for a raise to 2,600, Luis Vazquez raised to 8,200, and Jetten called. On a flop of 2♥Q♦A♣, Vazquez checked, Jetten bet 9,000, and Vazquez called. The turn, 9♠, went check-check. The 3♦ river should've changed nothing, but...more

Level over It is. Back in 15 minutes. 4:35pm: Stein avoids grossness; William Reynolds gone On a flop of K♥8♥6♦, Sam Stein flopped two pair with K♣8♣, which was sort of sick for William Reynolds who check-raised with A♥K♠. They got it all in and Reynolds winced. Scott Seiver walked...more

2:01pm: Break time Players are now on a 15-minute break. 2.05pm: The Vasquez charge Luis Vasquez is our first $10,000 man as he has just picked up his second bounty of this tournament and eliminated Curt Kohlberg. This is one of those hands that was fairly standard pre-flop but then...more

by Howard Swains Late last night, our plans for the penultimate day, NAPT Mohegan Sun report were left in tatters by the final hand played at the tables. Despite seven hours of competition that were all about the dominance of Vanessa Selbst, Mike Beasley inched into the chip lead going...more

5:55pm: Vanessa Selbst wins NAPT Mohegan Sun On the seventh hand of heads up play, Vanessa Selbst came in for a raise to 200,000, Mike Beasley moved all-in with Q♥T♠, and and Selbst snap-called with A♥8♠ The board ran out 3♦6♣K♦7♣8♣. Selbst claimed the NAPT title and $750,000. Mike Beasley...more

4pm: Level over That's the end of level 28; 15 minutes until level 29. 3:55pm: The time is...not now Alistar Melville open-shoved under the gun for 1,425,000. The similarly short-stacked Scott Seiver asked for a count and then said, "We gotta play some time."   But not this time. Seiver...more

2.45pm: Level up That's the level up. Join us on the other side. 2:44pm: Woods takes some from Selbst Vanessa Selbst came in for a raise to 145,000 ad got the call from Mike Woods. On a flop of 2♦7♦T♥, Woods checked, Selbst bet 245,000, Raymond folded, and it was...more

Poker tournaments are funny. Staring at one long enough is like looking directly into the sun. When you turn away, there is nothing but a giant orange circle in your eyes. You're blind to anything else. Today Vanessa Selbst is that giant orange circle and Mike Beasley is that anything...more

9.35pm: Raymond slays Hall, sets final table And then there were eight. Derek Raymond made it 120,000 from the button and Mike Beasley called in the small blind. Brandon Hall moved all in from the big blind, but this was a squeeze too many. Although he thought about it for...more

7.20pm: Dinner Yum, yum. Back in 75 minutes. 7.15pm: Chop chop This could have been the end of Cliff Josephy. It was actually a chopped pot. Here's what happened: Josephy raised to 105,000 from early position and Derek Raymond called from the big blind. The flop came Q♣T♦8♦. Raymond checked,...more

5:47pm: Players are on a 15-minute break 5:46pm: Bax and Beasley chop Cliff Josephy opened for 75,000 and Mike Beasley three-bet to 250,000. Josephy quickly moved all-in and Beasley insta-called, turning over A♥A♣ to Josephy's A♦K♥. Beasley looked like he wanted to die when the board ran out T♦8♦Q♥K♦J♠, both...more

4:15pm: Level 23 complete Our 14 remaining players are off on a 15-minute break. 4:05pm: Jonathan Aguiar doubles through Scott Seiver Scott Seiver opened for 50,000 from under-the-gun, Jonathan Aguiar three-bet to 140,000 from the cutoff, Seiver moved all-in and Aguiar called. Seiver A♣Q♥ Aguiar Q♠Q♦ Seiver did not improve...more

2:35pm: Players on 15 minute break 2.30pm: Polomo busts, can't outrace Selbst Ian Palomo has gone, the latest victim of Vanessa Selbst. Selbst made it 48,000 from the button and Palomo announced that he was all in for about 500,000 from the small blind. Selbst snap called and they were...more

1:08pm: Players take a 15-minute break 1:06pm: Michael Sedore Eliminated in 22nd place Michael Sedore managed to double the 57,000 he started the day with, then double it again, but the third time was not the charm for our tournament short stack. Sedore open-shoved for 260,000 holding Q♦T♦ and Michael...more

by Howard Swains Some time this afternoon, the staff at the convention center of the Mohegan Sun Casino set up a marketing stall for Big Game Fishing Journal. It provided a strangely appropriate juxtaposition for what was going on in the neighboring Uncas Ballroom, namely the kind of day in...more

10:21pm: Level 20 done and dusted We'll see you in 15 minutes. Vanessa Selbst is still the chip leader with 2.6 million, closely trailed by Scott Seiver. 10:20pm: Clint Keown eliminated by Michael Woods Clint Keown opened, Michael Woods three-bet to 51,000 and Keown shoved for 225,000. "I guess you...more

7:50pm: Chow time Players are headed off for some grub. When we come back, we'll be looking to empty nine seats before breaking for the night. While we go to find a crust of bread, gaze upon chip leader Scott Seiver. 7:35pm: Todd Terry eliminated Play folded around the chip...more

6.20pm: Another shambles comes to an end Yep, that was another technical disaster. The computer gremlins were back for that past level, so let's write it off and pretend it never happened, huh. Back for level 19 in 15 minutes. 6.15pm: Standard Luis Nargentino is out in about as standard...more

4.40pm: Level over That's another one down. We have just heard that we'll be going on a one-hour dinner break at the end of level 19. For now, it's a 15-minute break. 4.40pm: The rivered ace Mike Beasley has worn a cap that reads "ACES SUCK" for this whole tournament,...more

3.16pm: Level over It is. We're going to head on into level 17. 3.15pm: Pahuja breathes again Vinny Pahuja thought he had played his last hand. He was all in and called by Michael Sedore and the latter's K♥K♣ was looking strong against Pahuja's A♣K♠. The flop brought no help:...more

1.20pm: Level done That's the end of that shambolic level. Let's hope for better in level 16. It couldn't be much worse. 1:15pm: Recent eliminations Paul Wasicka was down to one big blind after running his pocket kings into Anton Talle's pocket aces. He busted a few hands later, his...more

For the last two days, images of sporting events have been flickering across an expanse of beige wall space here in the Uncas Ballroom. Yesterday it was the Spurs and the Suns on the court followed by the Yankees and the Red Sox on the field. You'd find a player...more

9:00pm: End of Day 3 Play has ended on Day 3. Jordan Morgan has finished with the chip lead at 705,100. We'll have a full wrap-up in just a few minutes. 8.40pm: Lipman levels Weisner Here's another prominent elimination in the last level of the day: Melanie Weisner has gone....more

7:31pm: Break time Players are now on break. 7:18pm: Right call, wrong result Paul Zito came in for a raise from the small blind to 7,000 and Melanie Weisner called in the big blind. The flop came out J♠2♣T♠. Zito bet 9,000 and Weisner called. When the 6♠ fell on...more

5:58pm: Break time Players are on break. They'll be back in 15 minutes to play another couple levels. 5:46pm: Levesque redux Moments after we spoke of Eric Levesque's silence, one of his now-famous monologues began. It happened when somebody bet 21,300 into him on a T♠5♥A♣8♠J♠ board. Levesque was dying...more

4:26pm: Kessler's end, level's end Our third level of the day has ended with the always tenacious Allen Kessler busting. Players are now on a short break. 4.25pm: Phil, Tiger, Tiger, Phil Phil "Tiger Woods" Ivey is still feasting his eyes on Tiger "Phil Ivey" Woods playing at Augusta. (There's...more

2.50pm: Level over That's that. Two levels done, 10 in total. We're going into level 11. 2:46pm: Front row seat Looks like I'm in the front row! The Eric Levesque Show has been moved to the one-seat of the table directly next to Blogger Central. He announced his presence with...more

1.25pm: Level over That's the end of that. We're now going into level 10. 1:20pm: Ruh-roh, Rory LAPT Mexico champion Rory Cox has left the building after his opponent called his all-in with A-2 and turned a wheel. 1:19pm: Canuck-on-Canuck violence Canadian qualifier Joshua Biedak open-shoved for his last 6,800...more

"It's possible to get really lost in here," said a member of our team today. That was a wide-eyed way to say Mohegan Sun is gigantic. It's like a small city. Inside, you can see the stars on the ceiling, a giant waterfall against a back wall, and enough...more

9.15pm: Pre-wrap mini-wrap That's your lot, and these are the big stacks at the end of the day: David Williams 230,900 Vanessa Selbst 214,700 Lars Bonding 177,100 A full wrap is on its way. Go nowhere. Or go somewhere and then come back. But do come back. 9:10pm: Cada,...more

6:36pm: Break Players are now on their final break of the night. They will come back and play two more levels before breaking for the night. 6:28pm: Eric Levesque, part deux Montreal's Eric Levesque can't stop smiling. His tablemates are still laughing. All but one anyway. He came in...more

4:05pm: And the final number is... The NAPT Mohegan Sun census has finished and the final number of players is...716. Now, to work our way down to one. 3.45pm: Holy grail The Holy Grail of poker reporting has been located: a full player list, with seat numbers and everything....more

2:03pm: break time Players are now on a 15 minute break. 1:50 pm: Well, we don't need Babelfish for that one "Horrorstart, kan ingenting 17.000. Lockdown nu," twittered Lars Bonding (aka @1623poker), who is seated at a tough table alongside Shaun Deeb and Gavin Smith. 1:45pm: The "Big Game"...more

by Howard Swains Don't get me wrong, I like a blog post about bucolic towns, pastoral prints and Mystic Pizza as much as the next guy, but that was yesterday and this is today. Moments ago in the Convention Center of this mighty complex, the 60-plus dealers received their...more

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Whenever you try anything new, even under the auspices of something so well-established as the European Poker Tour, there's always some element of risk. But rather like in poker itself, where the most skilled players reduce the influence of chance to its bare minimum, the wily operators of the EPT...more