Editor's note: You may or may not know, we have a wild and crazy Brazilian PokerStars blogger here named Maria. She's been trailing the Brazilians around with a fervor that only caffeine and poker passion can produce. Since she writes in her native Portuguese (and I can't understand 95% of it), I've asked her to write a bit about the Brazilian PokerStars players in the field today.

Brazil's Igor Federal and Maria
© Neil Stoddart

by Maria of the Brazilian PokerStars Blog

Today is a big day for Brazil, since it is the first time ever that PokerStars has sponsored two Brazilian players in the World Series Main Event. One of these players is Igor Federal. He is a strong online player (final tabling the Sunday Million with Greg Raymer at the same final table and several other impressive scores that include the 100+R, 50+R and many more). He is also known for his impressive live results. Last year he had the biggest result a Brazilian ever achieved in a WSOP Main Event, finishing in 339th place and cashing for a little more than 38,000. Right now, on Day 1B, Igor is out there holding 26K, after dodging a straight on the river after flopping a set. But hey, we Brazilians are used to dodging bullets...

Federal makes very intimidating faces at the table, (sometimes he even scares me!) and last year even earned the nickname "The Assassin", but truth be told, he is pure butter and that is all a facade for his poker image. So is the beard, which he starts growing in Brazil before coming to Vegas in order to intimidate his opponents! Hey, whatever works.

André Akkari, known online on PokerStars as Aakkari, is another display of how PokerStars is always one step ahead of the game by scouting out Latin American poker players to add to its elite PokerStars team. Akkari has just signed a contract with PokerStars to play under its prestigious banner. This is a huge step for Brazil (Brazilian poker's version of America's first moonwalk). Akkari is a also a player who has put up a series of impressive results, online and live (several 100+R, final table of the Sunday Million, Bellagio Cup final tables with one win, etc.) and is as laid back as a Brazilian can be--except when he is raising you, of course. Aside from being one of my closest friends and one of the nicest guys I've ever met, Akkari is always smiling at the table, and playing with pictures of his wife and 2 lovely daughters next to him, saying "They are the reason why I have to win!"


Andre Akkari
© Neil Stoddart

He is sitting out there currently with 23,000 and growing steadily. Hopefully we can count on good vibes from you to the Brazilians. We're famous for our loud and rambunctious rails (all the other Brazilians here in Vegas are already in line waiting to enter the Amazon room and make some noise -- oh Lord, I hope they don't kick us out). Feel free to scream out "Vamoooooo" anytime you feel compelled to! It is our mantra at the poker tables, which means Gooooooo Brazillllll!!!

Best of Luck to all the Brazilians and all PokerStars players fighting for that Main Event title!