Thursday, 28th March 2024 20:05
Home / Uncategorized / APPT Seoul: Schreiber stays on top in race for Seoul crown

By Sean Callander

The dreams of winning the first APPT Seoul trophy have ended for more than three-quarters of the 186 players who started day one here at the Walker-hill Casino.

Appt Seoul: Day One

On the heels of last night’s cocktail party and nine tough hours over the felt, there are plenty of weary souls – 48 to be exact – ready for a long night’s sleep.

One who’s been through the wringer is Jacques Zaicik, a player that has featured a number of times in our blog today. After KOing Team PokerStars Pros Vanessa Rousso and Joe Hachem, the Frenchman found himself short-stacked and all-in against Adam Kagin. Worse still, Zaicik’s pocket queens were in trouble after Kagin showed pocket kings.

Unbelievably, the flop came Kd Qs Qc, giving Kagin a full house but Zaicik made quads. “There’s something for you to write about,” he said, so Jacques, here it is!

Young Kiwi James Honeybone, who won the first event ever held by the APPT (the Manila Cup at last month’s APPT event in the Philippines), has also clawed his way back after being down to less than 2000 in chips early in the day.

He’s since steadily built up his stack to more than 50,000, well above the average of 38,000. “I pushed in with K Q and was called by a player with A K. I flopped two pair, won the hand and it’s just escalated from there for me,” the affable New Zealander said.
At the same table as Honeybone was Alex Fitzgerald, a 19-year-old poker pro from Seattle, Washington. Playing in just his second live tournament, the youngster wasn’t overawed despite earning the ire of 2005 world champ Joe Hachem.

“I was just playing common tournament strategy. At one point I realised he was getting angry so I knew if I raised him again I’d need a hand. But it was pretty cool to mix it up with Joe, he’s a nice guy and a top player,” Fitzgerald said.

At day’s end, South Korean-based player and Team PokerStars member Daniel Schreiber, originally from Commack, New York, holds the chip lead on 164,500.

Other players prominently placed at the end of the day’s play included Canadian PokerStars online qualifier Jason Min (83,900) and Germany’s Uwe Brauckhoff (who won his seat in a free tournament on PokerStars, 85,900).

Chip count at the end of day 1 (approximate):

  1. Dan Schreiber (USA) 164,500
  2. Uwe Brauckhoff (Germany) 85,9000 – PS Qualifier
  3. Jason Min (Canada) 83,900 – PS Qualifier
  4. Zhiwei Ang (Singapore) 74,100
  5. Jozef Berec, (Australia) 71,000

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