August 2007
31 August
EPT Barcelona: Three tables
Apologies for the lack of colour -- and for the "u" in that word, American blog readers -- but we're reaching the business end here in Barcelona and I expect more people are interested in cold, hard chip counts rather than life histories. (And on the "u" point, I'm English.)So,...more
EPT Barcelona: More chips with that?
As the players take another 15 minute break, we get a chance to dance around the railbirds and check a few chips.There are 24 players remaining -- we play down to eight tonight, remember -- and among them are the following stacks:Niklaus Jedlicka - 170,000Adam Junglen -- 325,000Sander Lylloff --...more
EPT Barcelona: Latest chips
The players are back from their day three dinner break. Same old buffet, but more to go around.There are 34 of them left chasing that million-plus top spot, and they're posting blinds of 2,000 and 4,000 with a 400 ante.Among those challenging:Greg Dyer - 145,000Patrick Bruel - 168,000Aditya Agarwal -...more
EPT Barcelona: Eliminations
They're being swatted out of this tournament like drunken flies. Here are the fallers so far:41 - Stefan Mattsson (Sweden) €12,55042 - Andrey Zaichenko (Russia) €12,550 (PokerStars Qualifier)43 - Tutev Yovor (Bulgaria) €12,55044 - Mika Puro (Finland) €12,55045 - Daniel Dodet (Belgium) €12,55046 - James Higgins (UK) €12,55047 - Katja...more
EPT Barcelona: It all goes wrong for Wong
Michael Wong is smiling. But really, after what's happened to him today, few could blame him for being crouched in the corner, head in hands, cheeks moistened by torrents of tears and a mutilated effigy of the poker gods kicked into the trash.The PokerStars qualifier from San Diego, California, hit...more
EPT Barcelona: Huge pots
A monstrous pot just went the way of Mika Paasonen on the feature table.Patrick Bruel was the victim of the coldest of decks and, holding A-10, must have thought he was ahead on a flop of Q-10-10.Patrick Bruel in happier timesBut there was some very suspicious checking and flat-calling through...more
EPT Barcelona: Katja undone
And so it ends for Team PokerStars in Barcelona.Katja Thater, who had clung on and clung on late yesterday to end the night as the only Team PokerStars player to make the money, was always going to have to make a move early today.Katja Thater stands and prepares to leaveBut...more
EPT Barcelona: Early casualties
Vultures and reporters share a lot in common -- it would be difficult to contest that they're not pretty much the same thing -- and an innate attraction to carnage and carrion is probably their most pronounced similarity.So it was that I, and nine or ten others, gathered around Ryan...more
EPT Barcelona: Lights, camera, action
Welcome back to the Gran Casino Barcelona for day three of the PokerStars.com European Poker Tour.There's one thing on everyone's minds today: money. And while it's fair to say that the subject hasn't exactly been too far from most minds for the preceding three days, this time it's not a...more
EPT Barcelona - Day 3 chip counts
Here's how they finished day two in Barcelona. This bunch will return tomorrow, where they're all in the money.Payouts follow.Chip counts:Mohamad Kowssarie (Sweden) - 332,200Mark Teltscher (UK) - 300,600Patrick Bruel (France) - 267,000Pete Giordano (USA) - 253,900Adam Junglen (USA) - 227,800Mika Paasonen (Finland) - 213,600Christopher Ulsrud (Norway) - 197,000Michael Wong...more
EPT Barcelona: The bubble bursts
And that's it, the bubble has burst. The unfortunate player is also nameless: after seeing his move with Q-8 picked off by Martin Wendt's A-K, he disappeared into the Barcelona night. It would have been imprudent to follow him, notebook poised.Cameras and chaos follows the announcement of "All-in, called!"The bubble-boy...more
EPT Barcelona: Prodding at the bubble
It's bubble time in Barcelona. Fifty-seven players remain, 56 will get paid. As ever, vultures are circling above the poker room as we await the most unfortunate cadaver.Thomas Wahlroos, from Finland, was out in 58th. He pushed with 10-7c and was called by 9-9. The flop gave hope: J-Q-K but...more
30 August
EPT Barcelona: Thater doubles up, others suffer worse fortunes
Already we're down to 67 since the last update, and chips are flying in, out, left and right.One of those profiting from this free-for-all is Katja Thater, with the distinct help of the dealer, it must be said.Katja ThaterThe Team PokerStars star, a bracelet winner at this year's World Series,...more
EPT Barcelona: Nearing the money
The Gran Casino, Barcelona, resembles Bedlam at the moment. Thomas Kremser has just banished the media to the rail, while 77 players retake their seats for the beginning of level 12.The tournament director has also just announced that we'll be playing to the money tonight. Twenty-one of these contenders will...more
EPT Barcelona: Another one bites the dust
Daniel Negreanu is OUT.He raised from the small blind and his neighbour moved all in for about 70,000 which, as Daniel noted, is a strange bet. The blinds at the time were 600-1,200 so this was strange indeed.But Daniel had pocket queens, thought, and called. His adversary showed A-K.OK, so...more
EPT Barcelona: worth watching
Forgive me for stating something obvious: poker is quite popular these days. One need only take a cursory glance around the Gran Casino Barcelona to judge how it's erupted in the public interest in recent years.If people aren't playing poker here (there are juicy side games aplenty), they're railbirding it....more
EPT Barcelona: Chaos continues
The craziness continues in Barcelona -- as well as the eliminations that usually follow.Some of those eliminations:Moments ago, Noah Boeken bit the dust. He was all in on a flop of K-8-10 rainbow. Noah had 7-9 for the open-ended straight draw, but he was called in two spots; one player...more
EPT Barcelona: Watch event live on the web
The last thing we at the PokerStars Blog would ever do is actively encourage you to go somewhere else for your coverage of this EPT event. We like to think we provide the best and most in-depth coverage of all the European Poker Tour action. That said, we can't really...more
EPT Barcelona: Ups and downs, ins and outs
There are few things less surprising in poker than the all-in fest that ensues early on day two.Having spent much of their respective first days clinging on to however small a stack they might be left with, most of the players towards the lower end of the chip ladder decide...more
EPT Barcelona: Big names in waiting
Without question, one of the most exciting things about the European Poker Tour is the continued emergence, and subsequent rise to prominence, of the PokerStars qualifiers. There's a seemingly limitless source of top quality players in cyberspace who come blinking out of their bedrooms and studies to take their place...more
EPT Barcelona: Day 2
After our two day ones, day two proper will begin at the Gran Casino Barcelona at 5pm, central European time.The following 204 players made it, some with significantly more than others. Join us for the early all-in fest, followed by some first-rate battling.Day 2 chip counts:Daniel Stern (USA) - 101500...more
EPT Barcelona: Day 1B wrap
The bagging up has begun here in Barcelona, and the usual end-of-night chaos has ensued. Through the clattering and chattering, it's just about possible to discern that 112 players have made it into day two, where there'll be joined by the 99 from yesterday.Here's what they'll be playing for:1 €1,170,700...more
EPT Barcelona: Inching to the end
Day 1B is drawing to a close - and there are some very big stacks developing.Daniel Stern, from the United States, is probably top of the pile still, sitting behind about 115,000 or so (if my tired chip-counting eyes aren't deceiving me.)There's also a nice little battle developing on another...more
EPT Barcelona: KidPoker starts to play
After an uncharacteristically quiet opening few levels -- both in terms of chatter and play -- Daniel Negreanu is moving into gear. And it's a joy to watch.Daniel Negreanu: the moment KidPoker woke upAlways the entertainer, for the poker connoisseuer and the amiable railbird alike, KidPoker has snapped into action...more
EPT Barcelona: Hits and misses
We're just about to enter level seven, meaning blinds at 200-400 and a 50 ante. There are 162 left from the 279 who started today and, predictably, some a faring better than others.In the happy category, we find the likes of Daniel Stern, from the United States, who is not...more
29 August
EPT Barcelona: Big pots and bigger flops
Big pots draw big crowds, even in this relatively early stage of the tournament. And it's always amusing, for the railbirds at least, to see a player turn over a hand like 5c-7c when they've just shoved their entire stack -- of close to 13,000 -- in the middle.In this...more
EPT Barcelona: Fossilman extinct
Ask any poker player what is their least favourite hold 'em hand, and it's likely that a fair number will answer J-J. Unless there's been some crazy action before it reaches you, allowing a fairly simple pre-flop fold, pocket hooks usually present one of those rock/hard place decisions. If you...more
EPT Barcelona: State of play
There's been mixed fortunes for the big names in the tournament so far, with the likes of Dario Minieri bludgeoning his way out of the tournament, while Greg Raymer just doubled up his meagre short-stack courtesy of an ace flopping for his A-4 to outdraw an opponent's 10-10.Elsewhere, Daniel Negreanu...more
EPT Barcelona: Crippled
That's the word that applies to both Greg Raymer and Dario Minieri after they each got involved in the early skirmishes.Dario, never one to hang around, moved all in on a flop of 4s Ks 5h, a 10,000 re-raise of another player's meagre 2,000 bet. That other player thought for...more
EPT Barcelona: Unknown now. But by Saturday...?
As ever on the EPT, the Barcelona field is swelled by a sizeable number of PokerStars qualifiers, that significant bunch of "just another internet player" who seem to invite the scorn of the so-called established names, before relieving the contemptuous of their chips, titles and dignity.It's likely to be no...more
EPT Barcelona: Day 1B begins
"It looks like a bit of a tougher field today," understated a PokerStars colleague here in Barcelona. And he's right. One of the common trends during these multi-tiered first days is a tendency for the well-known touring pros to sit out the early exchanges, forsaking a day off in the...more
EPT Barcelona: Day 1A chip counts
The chip counts have been finalised from yesterday's action. Of the 263 who started, 99 made it through to the second day, with Greg Dyer, of the United States, top of the pile.Three Team PokerStars members -- Katja Thater, ElkY and Noah Boeken -- are still in the mix, while...more
EPT Barcelona: Day 1A wrap
Things have just about wrapped here in Barcelona and the players are bagging up their chips and heading to the bar bed.It's been a good day for Team PokerStars, with all four of those who started still breathing at the end of it all. Katja Thater has a little over...more
EPT Barcelona: Sverre versus Supernova
You give action, you get action. It's one of those poker precepts that everyone who's anyone knows and loves -- until it turns around and bites you somewhere unpleasant.Sverre Sundbo, Team PokerStars representative from Norway, gives action. He also gives plenty of chat and usually sports an incorrigible smile. That...more
28 August
EPT Barcelona: Data dump
Players are now taking a 15 minute break before we enter level seven, where the blinds will be 200-400 with a 50 ante. We're playing eight levels only today, meaning a relatively early finish of just after 3am.Play is still racing along. We're down to 136 players of the original...more
EPT Barcelona: An early contender
Jimmy Fricke's destroyer was a player named Cort Kibler-Melby, a PokerStars qualifier from Germany. Kibler-Melby has been destroying pretty much anyone and everyone so far and is the early chip leader here in Barcelona, with close to 70,000 in chips.Cort Kibler-MelbyThat's no mean feat, given that his starting table included...more
EPT Barcelona: Early action. Or inaction.
Chip counting in these early stages of an EPT tournament is a particularly fruitless endeavour. You scan your eyes up and down a variously ordered stack of chips, before deducing that the player in question has more or less 10,000. Or somewhere near what they started with, in other words.Obviously...more
EPT Barcelona: Gobboboy goes up. Then down.
EPT players are given 10,000 in chips for their eight grand, with the dealers demanding just 25 and 50 for the blinds in the first one-hour level. But while many players decide to take it easy during the opening exchanges, deciding that survival is the name of the game, others...more
EPT Barcelona: In the field
Even as the Catalonian sun continues to beat down outside, the stars are out in the Grand Casino Barcelona.Among today's 263 contenders, cramming the cardroom to bursting point, are the following names, faces and, indeed, bodies:Click name for player profile from EPT databaseRob Hollink (Holland) - winner of the first...more
Wanted: One EPT player
Here's something you don't hear every day.How would you like to play on the EPT? In Barcelona? Tomorrow?One of the PokerStars qualifiers over here in Spain has managed to lose his passport, meaning he can't register at the Grand Casino Barcelona. But his seat needs filling - and it's yours...more
EPT Barcelona: Begin the begin
Hello and a very warm welcome to beautiful, balmy, beach-side Barcelona and the beginning of season four of the European Poker Tour.The success story for the EPT continues, with 550 players pre-registered for this €8,000 ($10,900 approx) event. To put that into perspective, when the first EPT event began in...more
27 August
PokerStars Sunday Tournament Results (8-27-07)
The end of the month brought some big money to the PokerStars Sunday tournament tables. The biggest winner of the day was the United States' Egar1m who picked up more than $243,000! Congratulations to all the people who pulled in the big cash this week. See you next Sunday!PokerStars Sunday...more
EPT: European Poker Tour Season 3 Coverage Index
Barcelona Final Table Report London Final Report Baden Final Report Dublin Final Report Copenhagen Final Report Germany Final Report Poland Final Report Monte Carlo Final Report...more
EPT: European Poker Tour Season 2 coverage index
European Poker Tour Monte CarloEuropean Poker Tour BarcelonaEuropean Poker Tour LondonEuropean Poker Tour BadenEuropean Poker Tour Dublin European Poker Tour Copenhagen European Poker Tour Deauville...more
26 August
Parise crowned first APPT champion
Filed by Sean CallanderThe name of Brett Parise will be etched in poker history forever as the first winner on the new PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT).Parise, a 22-year-old political science student originally from Indiana in the USA, outlasted a field of 255 players at the Hyatt Hotel and...more
Hands 201 - 210 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallanderHand 201: Ira BlumenthalButton: Ira Blumenthal (seat 5) – Blumenthal all-in and he takes the blinds and antes.Hand 202: Brett PariseButton: Brett Parise (seat 4) – Parise makes it 90,000 from the small blind and hauls in another pot.Hand 203: Brett PariseButton: Ira Blumenthal (seat 5) –...more
Hands 191 - 200 APPT Manila Final Table
filed by Sean CallanderHand 191: Brett PariseButton: Ira Blumenthal (seat 5) – No action in hand 191 as Blumenthal folds from the small blind.Hand 192: Ira BlumenthalButton: Brett Parise (seat 4) – Blumenthal goes all-in and Parise folds after initially calling.Hand 193: Brett PariseButton: Ira Blumenthal (seat 5) – Parise...more
Hand 181 - 190 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallanderHand 181: Ira BlumenthalButton: Ira Blumenthal (seat 5) – Blumenthal raises 100,000 and makes it two hands in a row, just the third hand he’s won of the 11 played so far heads-up.Hand 182: Brett PariseButton: Brett Parise (seat 4) – There’s a raise to 100,000 from...more
Hands 171 - 180 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallanderHand 171: Brett PariseButton: Ira Blumenthal (seat 5) – Brett Parise starts the heads-up showdown with a precise 2:1 chip lead, 1.7 million to Ira Blumenthal’s 850,000. Brett Parise takes the first pot.Hand 172: Brett PariseButton: Brett Parise (seat 4) – Parise pops it to 60,000 from...more
Hands 161 - 170 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallanderHand 161: Brett PariseButton: Ira Blumenthal (seat 5) – Parise raises to 95,000, and Blumenthal folds.Hand 162: Nicholas BammanButton: Brett Parise (seat 3) – No action for Bamman in the big blind.Hand 163: Ira BlumenthalButton: Nicolas Bamman (seat 2) – Bamman raises to 80,000 and gets a...more
Hands 151 - 160 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallanderHand 151: Brett PariseButton: Ira Blumenthal (seat 5) – Blumenthal raises to 70,000, Bamman folds and Parise reraises to 330,000. Blumenthal folds.Hand 152: Nicholas BammanButton: Nicholas Bamman (seat 2) – This time it’s a raise of 71,000 from Bamman, Parise folds and Blumenthal calls. The flop comes...more
Hands 141 - 150 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallanderHand 141: Nicholas BammanButton: Ira Blumenthal (seat 5) – Bamman gets a free pass in the big blind.Hand 142: Van MarcusButton: Van Marcus (seat 9) – Marcus bumps it up to 48,000, Bamman gets out of the way and Parise passes.Hand 143: Brett Parise eliminates Van Marcus...more
131 - 140 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean ParisiHand 131: Maor FeldingerButton: Ira Blumenthal (seat 5) – Feldinger pushes all-in from the small blind and Marcus folds. Feldinger shows 3 5 offsuit.Hand 132: Brett PariseButton: Maor Feldinger (seat 6) – Parise raises to 110,000 and gets a call from Blumenthal. The flop is 7s 3s...more
Hands 121- 130 APPT Manila FInal table
Hand 121: Ira BlumenthalButton: Ira Blumenthal (seat 5) – No interest from anyone as Marcus takes the blinds and antes.Hand 122: Van MarcusButton: Maor Feldinger (seat 6) – Marcus raises to 60,000, and that’s enough to claim the pot.Hand 123: Van MarcusButton: Maor Feldinger (seat 6) – Once again,...more
Hands 111 - 120 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallanderHand 111: Maor FeldingerButton: Ira Blumenthal (seat 5) – Feldinger raises to 55,000 from the small blind and gets a pass from Marcus.Hand 112: Nicholas BammanButton: Maor Feldinger (seat 6) – Marcus, in the small blind, makes it 60,000 and gets an all-in call from Bamman in...more
Dinner Break Update : APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallanderThe race to find the first Asia Pacific Poker Tour champion is down to five after seven hours and 100 hands of the final table at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino in Manila.The players still in contention for the APPT Manila crown are Australia’s Van Marcus, US...more
Hands 101 - 110 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallendarHand 101: Van MarcusButton: Maor Feldinger (seat 6) – Marcus calls from the small blind and Bamman checks. It’s checked all the way on a board of 7s 8d 8h 2c Kc, and Marcus takes it down with kings.Hand 102: Nicholas BammanButton: Van Marcus (seat 9) –...more
Hand 101 - 104 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallanderHand 101: Van MarcusButton: Maor Feldinger (seat 6) – Marcus calls from the small blind and Bamman checks. It’s checked all the way on a board of 7s 8d 8h 2c Kc, and Marcus takes it down with kings.Hand 102: Nicholas BammanButton: Van Marcus (seat 9) –...more
Hands 81-90 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean Callander Hand 101: Van MarcusButton: Maor Feldinger (seat 6) – Marcus calls from the small blind and Bamman checks. It’s checked all the way on a board of 7s 8d 8h 2c Kc, and Marcus takes it down with kings.Hand 102: Nicholas BammanButton: Van Marcus (seat 9)...more
Hands 81-90 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallanderHand 81: Van MarcusButton: Brett Parise (seat 4) – Marcus raises to 42,000 under the gun and takes the blinds and antes. He shows pocket aces.Hand 82: Maor FeldingerButton: Ira Blumenthal (seat 5) – Spets bets 35,000 on a board of Ks Jc 3s and gets a...more
Hands 71-80 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallendarHand 71: Nicholas BammanButton: Maor Feldinger (seat 6) – Marcus raises to 36,000 from the small blind and Bamman calls. The flop is Ks Ac 9s, Marcus bets 35,000, Bamman reraises 65,000 and Marcus folds.Hand 72: Roger SpetsButton: Van Marcus (seat 9) – Feldinger calls, Marcus raises...more
Hands 61 - 70 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallendarLatest Chip Counts: Seat 2: Nicholas Bamman (349,000)Seat 3: Roger Spets (580,000) titantilts on PokerStarsSeat 4: Brett Parise (460,000) Mr.BlueDuck on PokerStarsSeat 5: Ira Blumenthal (350,000)Seat 6: Maor Feldinger (490,000) jusepe236 on PokerStarsSeat 9: Van Marcus (318,000) sirens on PokerStarsHand 61: Maor Feldinger eliminates Bas Van Liere...more
Hands 51-60 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallendarHand 51: Ira BlumenthalButton: Maor Feldinger (seat 6) – Blumenthal raises to 35,000 in the small blind and takes down the pot.Hand 52: Maor FeldingerButton: Bas van Liere (seat 7) – Feldinger, Marcus call, Bamman checks and the flop is Qc 9d 8d. Marcus bets 25,000, Feldinger...more
Hands 38-50 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallanderCurrent chip count (after 38 hands)Seat 2: Nicholas Bamman (200,000)Seat 3: Roger Spets (510,000) titantilts on PokerStarsSeat 4: Brett Parise (360,000) Mr.BlueDuck on PokerStarsSeat 5: Ira Blumenthal (270,000)Seat 6: Maor Feldinger (170,000) jusepe236 on PokerStarsSeat 7: Bas van Liere (200,000) beerround on PokerStarsSeat 8: Kazuhiro Sato (210,000)Seat...more
Hands 31 to 37 APPT Manila Final Table
Filed by Sean CallendarHand 31: Brett PariseButton: Nicholas Bamman (seat 2) – Spets calls from the small blind and Parise checks. The flop is Ac 6s 6c, Spets bets 10,000 and Parise calls. The turn is a 5d, Spets checks and Parise bets 25,000. Spets folds.Hand 32: Brett PariseButton: Roger...more
Hands 21- 30 Manila APPT Final Table
Filed by Sean CallanderHand 21: Maor FeldingerButton: Kazuhiro Sato (seat 8) – Feldinger raises to 18,000, Marcus calls from the small blind and the flop comes J 10 6. Marcus checks in the dark, Feldinger bets 20,000, Marcus folds.Hand 22: Van MarcusButton: Van Marcus (seat 9) – actions folds to...more
Hands 11 - 20 Manila APPT Final Table
Filed by Sean CallendarHand 11: Roger SpetsButton: Feldinger (seat 6) – Roger Spets raises 15,000 on a board of Qd Jc Qs Js Ad, the callers Blumenthal, Feldinger and Marcus fold.Hand 12: Van MarcusButton: Bas Van Liere (seat 7) – Spets, Blumenthal, Feldinger and van Liere call, Marcus in the...more
Hands 1 - 10 : Manila APPT Final Table
Filed by Sean CallanderBlinds: 3000/6000 with 1000 anteHand 1: Roger SpetsButton: Blumenthal (seat 5) – Nicholas Bamman raises to 17,000 from late position, Roger Spets raises to 55,000. Bamman folds.Hand 2: Roger SpetsButton: Feldinger (seat 6) – Hernandez calls, Rogers Spets raises to 35,000, the blinds fold and Hernandez folds.Hand...more
We’re in the starters’ hands in Manila
We’re just about to welcome players to the final table in the race for the first Asian Pacific Poker Tour event in Manila, Philippines.Play moves to a purpose-built TV table and studio, which looks absolutely spectacular. TV crews are just completing their final preparations before the nine players are introduced...more
25 August
Final table decided for race to APPT crown
Filed by Sean CallanderThe nine players for tomorrow’s APPT Manila final table have been decided after a marathon second day in the opening event of the new PokerStars-sponsored tour.Chip leader is Australian Van Marcus, best known for his third place in the $1500 Pot Limit Omaha w/ rebuys event at...more
Battle for final table spots intensifies
filed by Sean CallanderMore than 90 per cent of the 255 players who started the APPT Manila main event have been eliminated with just 13 players remaining. Roger Spets is the chip leader. The field was redrawn when the field reached 16, with the seating assignments and chip counts comprising:Table...more
Suzuki stalls as the APPT Manila money bubble bursts
Filed by Sean CallanderThe short stack on the bubble of a poker tournament has two choices: sink orswim. After spending much of the last hour sinking like a stone, Norihito Suzuki finally decided it was time for fight for his survival when he pushed all-in with his A 3.Unfortunately, the...more
Saab derailed, Spets steady as the bubble looms
Filed by Sean CallanderThe bubble is rapidly approaching on the day two of the APPT Manila main event, with just 33 of the 255 players that started the tournament yesterday still in the hunt.With the redraw for the final four tables imminent, our new chip leader is Israeli player Maor...more
Next stop: Seoul
Filed by Sean CallanderWe’re down to 46 players at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino in Manila in the race for the APPT Manila crown, with Roger Spets still leading the chip count. It’s worth noting the excellent performance from the Korean contingent, which is particularly relevant given Seoul is the...more
League of nations chases APPT glory in Manila
File by Sean CallanderIs everyone in a hurry to get somewhere? Players are falling thick and fastearly on day two in the APPT Manila event as the field is reduced from 72down to the nine that will contest tomorrow’s final table.In the first 30 minutes of play, nine players were...more
24 August
World Cup of Poker: Team Mexico
Over the past couple of weeks, we already introduced you to two of Team Mexico's players in the World Cup of Poker IV finals, CORONABEACH and onasis16. Here are the two other players who make up the foundation of the team from Mexico.elricardomtyMy name is Ricardo Rios Rodriguez. My friends...more
Saab turbos his way to chip lead on day one
Filed by Sean CallanderThe opening day of the historic first event on the inaugural PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) has wrapped up. Appropriately, a player of Asian descent, Australian David Saab, topped the chip count at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino in the Philippines capital Manila.Saab, the reigning Australian...more
Team Guam flying high as Hachem hits the depths
Filed by Sean CallanderOf all the nations represented in the PokerStars APPT Manila event, the highest proportional representation surely has to be the contingent from Guam. The southernmost of the Marianas Islands in the western Pacific, Guam has a population of about 170,000 so to have four players from the...more
APPT Manila: Big guns bow out midway through day one
Filed by Sean CallanderLess than 200 of the 255 players who started the APPT Manila event remaining in the running for the title.Two who won’t be packing the trophy in their luggage are Team PokerStars duo Daniel Negreanu and Vanessa Rousso.The writing was on the wall for Negreanu when he...more
Heading: No bull, it’s a carabao
Filed by Sean CallanderThe final numbers are in for the opening APPT event in Manila, with 255players signing up for the $2500 buy-in main event, creating a prize pool ofjust under $600,000 and a first prize of $179,755.To put that into perspective, the previous biggest prize offered in aPhilippines poker...more
Let's shuffle up and deal in Manila: PokeStars APPT Launches August 24th
This story has been filed by By Sean CallanderThe cards are in the air for the historic first event on the inauguralPokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour.Players from all over the world – including Team PokerStars’ big guns DanielNegreanu, Joe Hachem and Vanessa Rousso – have converged on the Hyatt Hotel...more
23 August
World Cup of Poker: Team Iceland
For the past couple of weeks, we've been introducing you to the World Cup of Poker IV finalists. Here are three members of Team Iceland who are getting packed for Barcelona.FrikkiMy name is Fridrik (Fredrick). I'm 26 years old and called Frikki. I was a sports bar owner but i...more
PokerStars APPT Press conference Manila Hyatt
Story filed by Miriam VerburgAt a media event to mark the official launch of the PokerStars APPT tournament, President Jeffrey Haas, sharing a panel with Director of Marketing for PokerStars Asia Pacific, Sarne Lightman, and Team Poker Stars players Joe Hachem, Vanessa Rousso and Daniel Negreanu introduced, “modern international poker...more
Asia Pacific Poker Tour: Manila Cup
A milestone has been reached today in the evolution of poker as a truly global sport with the launch of the PokerStars Asia Pacific Poker Tour.What’s been described as the birth of poker in Asia began with the Manila Cup, in the five star Hyatt Casino and Hotel, a stone’s...more
22 August
World Cup of Poker: Team Germany
As we continue our look at the World Cup of Poker IV finalists, we now turn our eyes to the members of Team Germany.Sasa "kosa28" KojcinovicAge: 21Location: AugsburgOccupation: student (computer science)I've been playing poker for about one and a half years. During the first half year I played just for...more
21 August
World Cup of Poker: Canada's father and son team
If you never realized how small a world we live in, check out Team Canada. Thousands of people across the entire country played for a spot on the team. Out of the five people who will eventually make their way to Barcelona, Spain, two of them are a father and...more
20 August
World Cup of Poker: Mexico's CORONABEACH
The World Cup of Poker IV live finals in Barcelona are only a few weeks away. As the date draws closer, we're taking a look at some of the players who will be fighting for their country. Here is Team Mexico's CORONABEACH in this own words.My name is Jonathan Stoker...more
PokerStars Sunday Tournament Results (8-19-07)
You never know who you'll see show up on the Sunday Tournament leaderboards. This week, for instance, the High Stakes showdown featured none other than barryg1, aka Team PokerStars' Barry Greenstein. Greenstein took down that event while the other three big tournaments of the day featured players from all over...more
17 August
World Cup of Poker: Team Portugal's Guto
We continue our look at the players who are headed to Barcelona, Spain for the World Cup of Poker IV finals with an introduction from Team Portugal's Guto in his own words.I am a business lawyer based in Lisbon, Portugal. Originally from Brazil, I have been living here in Lisbon...more
15 August
World Cup of Poker: shaundeeb
This week, we're highlighting players who will be representing their home countries in the World Cup of Poker IV finals. Today, we offer an introduction that likely doesn't need to be made--PokerStars player shaundeeb.I would think it's gotta be hard running around in the poker world with a name like...more
14 August
World Cup of Poker: Conno!!y
This week, we're intriducing you to some of the more colorful characters from this year's World Cup of Poker live finals in Barcelona. Forty players from around the world will be headed to Spain in just a few weeks. Today's player is from Team Ireland and goes by the name...more
13 August
World Cup of Poker: Meet onasis16
Among the fascinating stories coming out of the World Cup of Poker finals is that of onasis16. His background is as international as the World Cup of Poker itself. With the Barcelona live finals still several weeks away, it seems like a good time to start introducing you to some...more
PokerStars Sunday Tournament Results (8-12-07)
How many times will zangbezan24 win the PokerStars High Stakes showdown? One guess has it at, "All of them." How many people can you fit in a deal on the PokerStars Sunday Hundred Grand? This week the answer is five. Who won more than $188,000 in this week's Sunday Million,...more
Romania wins final World Cup of Poker live event spot
Team Romania has snagged its spot in the World Cup of Poker IV finals. Last Sunday, Teams Romania and Hungary played to a tie in the Division finals. Today, PokerStars hosted a heads-up match to decide which of the two teams would head to Barcelona. Team Romania's captain took a...more
10 August
PokerStars World Cup of Poker: Memories Pt. 2
When the finals of the World Cup of Poker III started, I was in Las Vegas for the World Series. PokerStars.net Blog writer, Jo, took over for me in Barcelona--somehow I keep missing those trips...--and did a bang up job. I asked her to take a look back at her...more
7 August
PokerStars World Cup of Poker: Memories
With seven of the final eight teams already planning their trips to the PokerStars World Cup of Poker IV finals in Barcelona, Spain, I found myself thinking today about the first time I saw the World Cup of Poker take place on a live stage.In 2005, I started doing blogging...more
6 August
PokerStars Sunday Tournament Results (8-5-07)
In just four tournaments on Sunday, PokerStars awarded more than $2 million. The Sunday Warm-Up, Hundred Grand, High Stakes Showdown, and Million have all become appointment poker for the online community and the $2 million prize money is just another indication of how strong the poker world continues to be....more
5 August
PokerStars World Cup of Poker IV Finals Nearly Set
For eleven hours on Sunday, national poker teams from around the globe fought it out in the Division Finals of the PokerStars World Cup of Poker IV. At stake--more than money. The winners were guaranteed to have a seat at a televised poker table. They were guaranteed a free trip...more
PokerStars World Cup of Poker IV Division Finals Live Blog
Note: This is the all-day live blog of the PokerStars World Cup of Poker IV Division Finals. Click refresh to see the latest updates below.5:46pm--Stay tuned for a recap of the day.5:41pm--Well, after nearly eleven hours, all the matches in the Divison Finals are finished. Seven out of eight teams...more