We’re 90 hands into the PokerStars.net APPT Macau: Asian Poker Open and the battle for this historic title has come down to three players – PokerStars’ online qualifier Sangkyoun Kim from South Korea; Dinh Le from England and Ivan Tan of Singapore.

It will be interesting to see how the event unfolds as three relatively inexperienced players exercise the sweet science that is short-handed poker. Sangkyoun Kim and Ivan Tan have clearly struck up a good friendship, and have struck up a chat at every opportunity.

In contrast, Dinh Le is only slowly coming to grips with the spotlight and has been content to slip away out of sight when he can.

And of course, how fitting is it to have three Asian players battling it out for the honour of being the first PokerStars.net APPT Macau: Asian Poker Open champion in the first No-Limit Texas Hold’em poker tournament ever held in the People’s Republic of China.

Hand 90: Dinh Le

Button: Tan (seat 9) – Dinh le opens up with a raise of 140,000, and Kim calls from the big blind. The flop is 10h 8d 4h, Dinh Le shoves in all his chips and Kim says “adios”.

Hand 89: Ivan Tan

Button: Kim (seat 8) – Tan completes his blind and Dinh Le checks. The board of 7c 10c 5s 2d 3c is checked all the way, and Ivan Tan’s king-high is enough to take it down.

Hand 88: Dinh Le

Button: Le (seat 6) – Dinh Le raises 130,000 and there’s no action from either player.

Hand 87: Ivan Tan

Button: Tan (seat 9) – Tan says “100,000” – Dinh Le and Kim say “fold”.

Hand 86: Ivan Tan

Button: Kim (seat 8) – Tan calls from the small blind and Dinh Le checks. The flop is 10h 7h 2d, Tan bets 60,000 and takes down the pot.

Hand 85: Sangkyoun Kim

Button: Le (seat 6) – Kim opens up with raise of 75,000 and Tan calls from the big blind. The flop is Ah 9d 8s. Kim checks, Tan bets 60,000 and Kim calls. The turn is 7d, Kim again checks but this time Tan makes it 200,000 and gets another call. The river is a 4s, and it goes check-check. Kim shows J 9, and his pair of nines is good, ensuring a huge pot.

Hand 84: Dinh Le

Button: Tan (seat 9) – Dinh Le is again in the action, raising to 130,000 from the small blind and taking it down.

Hand 83: Dinh Le

Button: Kim (seat 8) – Dinh Le extends his chip lead with a raise of 100,000 after Tan calls from the small blind. Tan folds.

Hand 82: Guillaume Patry eliminated by Sangkyoun Kim in 4th position ($56,672)

Button: Patry (seat 7) – Patry follows the example of his good friend and former roommate ElkY and pushes all-in for 235,000 and he gets a call from Kim. Patry is again trying his luck with 9 2, but Kim is way ahead with pocket queens. The flop comes As 5s Kc, the turn is 6c and river Jd, ensuring Guillaume Patry fourth position.

After play had limped along for almost 90 minutes since dinner, two players have gone out in as many hands and the three most inexperienced players at the final table are chasing the first prize of $US222,460.

Ivan Tan, who’s here in Macau on holidays with his wife, won his way into the PokerStars.net APPT Macau: Asian Poker Open via a Mega Satellite last Thursday while Sangkyoun Kim won his way here via a $11 rebuy tournament on PokerStars. Both players are ensured a massive return on their investment!

Hand 81: Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier eliminated by Dinh Le in 5th place ($56,672)

Button: Le (seat 6) – ElkY is all-in – again – but finally there’s some action with a call from Dinh Le. It’s ElkY’s Ah 2s versus Dinh Le’s Jh 9d. Both players make a pair on the flop of 2h 9s 10c, turn comes Kh and the river 8h, meaning ElkY is our fifth-place finisher.



Hand 80: Dinh Le

Button: ElkY (seat 4) – Tan makes it 90,000, Dinh Le announces reraise and adds 150,000 more and Tan folds.

Hand 79: Dinh Le

Button: Tan (seat 9) – Dinh Le gets a walk in the big blind.

Hand 78: Dinh Le

Button: Kim (seat 8) – Dinh Le’s raises an extra 50,000 from first position and wins the pot.