Live updates from day 2, level 10 (blinds 800-1600, ante 200) of the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander and Landon Blackhall from SKYCITY Casino in Auckland, New Zealand. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest selected chip counts can be found by clicking here.
3.15pm: Hachem’s set upset
Players crowded around Team PokerStars Australia Pro Tony Hachem as he announced he was all in. New Zealand’s Chris Tau and Shilton Smith made the call, going to a flop of 5♥ 4â™ 8â™ .
Tau insta-shoved and Smith mucked; Hachem turned over 5â™ 5♦ but reeled when Tau revealed 8♥ 8♦ . Needing a load of help to stay alive, the turn and river ran out 2♥ 3â™ and Hachem’s tournament life came to an end.
Angie Fitzgerald’s run came to an end after being eliminated by Hungarian PokerStars Qualifier Tamas Lendvai. The money was in the middle pre-flop and it was a race between Fitzgerald’s pocket fours and Lendvai’s A♣ 7♥ .
The flop of 3♠9♣ 6♣ and the turn of the 6♣ saw Fitzgerald tapping the table and pre-emptively calling the pot hers, but the river 7♥ spiked, shipping the pot towards Lendvai and Fitzgerald out of the APPT Auckland Main Event.
3pm: Putt sunk, Raj removed
Graeme “Kiwi G” Putt has been sent to the rail at the hands of fellow New Zealander Shilton Smith. With the board reading 10-6-5-9, Putt led out for 10,000 on the big blind, Smith moved all-in over the top and Putt called, rolling up A-10 against Smith’s 7-6. However the river eight gave Smith the straight and Putt was busted.
Raj Ramakrishnan has also been added to the casualty list after moving the last of his stack into the middle with 4♠4♥ , only to be called down by Filipino PokerStars Qualifier Mike Tyler who tabled K♥ Q♥ . The flop and turn of J♦ 5♥ 8♠7♣ kept Ramakrishnan in front but he lost the race and his tournament life when the K♦ appeared on the river.
PokerNews’ reporting chief Garry Gates has also been sent to the rail, now back behind the laptop duties after getting the money in the middle with A-Q on a queen-high board, but ran into an opponent’s set of jacks.
2.45pm: Taking refuge in the Buddha
When it comes to Zen at the poker table, it’s hard to go past PokerStars Player Dennis Waterman (no, not the actor). The celebrated writer and poker player from the USA was here in Auckland last year and made a welcome return this year. A Buddhist, Waterman has written several books on spirituality and meditation, both of which come in handy picking your way through volatile tournament fields. He’s up to 88,000 and well placed after two levels of play today.
Another larger-than-life character who’s started day two strongly is PokerStars Player Assadour Assadourian. The father of PokerStars.net Team Australia Pro Eric Assadourian, Assadour cashed in this event last year and with 85,000 in his stack, looks every chance to make it successive APPT Auckland in-the-money finishes.
2.30pm: Dan eyes the double
The moves are coming thick and fast – defending champ Daniel Craker remains in contention to go back-to-back after called the all-in of Raj Ramakrishnan with 6♥ 6â™ on a board of 9♦ 6♣ 7♦ J♥ against the Aussie’s Jâ™ 8â™ . The river fell Q♣ , and Craker climbed to more than 110,000 while Ramakrishnan was down to less than 20,000.
Meanwhile, the majority of the chips that once belonged to Gerome Guitteau now reside in the stack of local PokerStars Qualifier Simon Watt after the Frenchman called the Kiwi’s all-in with air – A♦ 2♥ against J♥ 10s] on a flop of 10♣ 7♣ 6♦ . The board ran out 2â™ 9♣ , and Watt was our new chip leader. Guitteau climbed back to 100,000 on the next hand when he made a set of jacks on the flop against the pocket aces of compatriot Herve Gael. All aboard the French funship!
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