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Home / Uncategorized / APPT Macau: Hachem lops the legs off ‘Final Table’

By Landon Blackhall

It’s still been tough going in the PokerStars.net APPT Macau Main Event with some of the PokerStars contingent finding it hard to gain traction. Team Asia’s Celina Lin and PokerStars Pro Lee “Final Table” Nelson have been struggling to find hands, down to 12,500 and 6000 in chips respectively.

However the brothers Hachem from Team Australia are settling in nicely – Tony Hachem waiting for his sandwiches and coffee while sitting comfortably with 42,500 in chips while Team PokerStars Pro Joe Hachem has recovered and now holds 38,000.

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Joe Hachem: Hmmm … 38k, not too shabby

Not long after we checked on Nelson, he headed to the rail after moving all-in with A♣ Q♣ only to be called down by Tony Hachem who held pocket tens. Despite two clubs appearing on the flop, the board blanked out and that was the end for the 2006 Aussie Millions Main Event champion.

“It’s just been one of those days – the best hand I had was pocket eights before the A-Q,” Nelson lamented.

Seated on the same table as Joe Hachem, Australian PokerStars Qualifier and ANZPT Queenstown runner-up Andrew Hinrichsen, was recently eliminated at the hands of French PokerStars Qualifier Patrick Hanoteau.

Hinrichsen was in excellent shape after some heavy pre-flop betting and subsequently moved all-in with pocket queens against Hanoteau’s A-5 – that is, until the dealer turned up 5♣ 5♥ 6â™  giving Hanoteau trip fives.

“I can’t believe it, I set him up and that happens,” Hinrichsen shrieked. There would be no love for the ladies as the turn and river bricked out 7♥ 3♣ . Hinrichsen made the handover to Hanoteau and walked away.

Andrew Scott, who placed second in last year’s APPT Macau High Roller event, has fared better in this level after managing to take a chunk of change from PokerStars Qualifier Theo Tran.

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We’re seeing a steelier Andrew Scott in action today

On a flop reading 5♦ A♦ 7♥ , Tran opened for 1600 from the hijack and Scott called from the button. Tran would then check fold to Scott’s bet of 4000 when the J♣ appeared on the turn. With that Scott moved up to 37,500 while Tran fell to 67,500.

Just before the end of level five, there was a huge commotion next to media row where we found short-stacked PokerStars Macau satellite winner Hyung Sun Jung (Korea) all-in with A♠ A♥ ; Nico Kuan (Netherlands) holding K♠ K♣ and Paul Chen (Taipei) with Q♦ 5♥ .

The flop was 3♥ 5♦ 10♣ which kept Jung well ahead. He jumped up and pumped his fists when the A♣ fell on the turn, then sat back down after the 5♠ spiked on the river. With that, Chen was happy to still take the sidepot while Jung tripled up, leaving Kuan reeling on 5000 in chips. He would be eliminated on the next hand.

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Hyung Sun Jung is back in the game after a timely triple-up

The latest chip count reveals Theo Tran back in the lead on 98,000 ahead of Sida Yuen (75,000), Chong Wing Cheong (67,000), Michael Woo (60,000), Corwin Cole (55,000), Joe Hachem (45,000), David Chiu (42,000), Richard En (42,000) and Josh Ang (40,000).

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