The numbers have just been confirmed for the 2009 PokerStars.net APPT Macau Main Event at the Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino, with a field of 429 players. That’s down from last year’s figure of 538 but with a buy-in HKD $15,000 higher than 2008, the prizepool of more than HKD $16 million is well up on last year. The winner will take home HKD $4,194,000 with 48 players ensured a payout.
So let’s make it official: this is a new record prizepool for a poker tournament in Asia – congratulations to all involved.
One player who won’t be making a trip to the cashier’s cage is David “Chino” Rheem. Moving all in on a flop of 3-4-9, an opponent with pocket fives called him down. Rheem was in great shape with pocket fours for a set until the turn and river ran out 6♥ 7♦ to make his opponent’s straight. Rheem splashed his remaining chips into the pot angrily and muttered, “Good luck to you,” before storming out of the poker room.
JJ Liu has been a regular visitor to Macau, and sadly her schedule has been freed up after being KOed early in level three. The pot was already stacked when her opponent moved all-in on a board showing A♣ 10♠7♠J♣ J♥ . After a long deliberation, Liu called but her opponent showed 7♣ 7♦ for the full-house. Liu flashed a jack, flashed a grin and headed for the door.
The 2009 WPT Championship winner Yevgeniy Timoshenko was also spotted heading for the exit after shipping his last 800 in chips on a board that came A♦ 9♣ 8♦ 8â™ K♣ . Timoshenko showed an ace, but mucked at the sight of his rival’s rivered set of kings. Tony bond18 Dunst has also been eliminated in the early going today.
The form that took Tony Hachem to the overall ANZPT points title has helped PokerStars.net Team Australia’s Tony Hachem to an early double-up. The board of 10♥ 3♥ J♣ 6♦ 9♣ was bet all the way, with Hachem’s opponent moving all-in for his last 11,000 on the river. The Aussie called and tabled Q♥ J♥ , and top-pair was enough against K♥ 2♥ for Hachem to drag in the pot.
Sida Yuen continues his charge with a stack of 75,000 after the opening three levels, with Michael Woo (55,000), Richard En (40,000), Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand Grospellier (35,000), Tony Hachem (35,000) and Kenny Ng (35,000) holding the biggest stacks after the first three hours of play.
Watch APPT Macau 09: Bryan Huang, Day 1C on PokerStars.tv
