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By Rachel Healey

Adding more celebrity glamour to the tables today in the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final is Nobuyuki Tanaka, known around Australia as simply ‘Nobbi’. A contestant in reality television show Big Brother, Nobbi is a regular online poker player who won his entry to the APPT Grand Final through a satellite on PokerStars (he actually won two seats).

His interest in poker began three or four years ago through casual games with his mates "using shrapnel" (or small change) and progressed to regularly playing in live and online tournaments.

His enjoyment of the game led him to a job as a dealer at Crown Casino in Melbourne where he worked until he took his place on the 2008 Big Brother series. As one of the most dynamic characters on the show, Nobbi is remembered for spending two months banished outside the house in a Kombi Van and his constant clashes with the eventual winner, 53-year-old grandmother Terri Munro.

With the threat of his television personality making him a target for other players, Nobbi is has been playing slowly but aggressively when the cards are good. "I hope they target me. It wouldn’t be such a bad thing," he said. Sitting on 30,000 just before dinner, Nobbi will be one to watch this evening. At least he can't get voted out of this game!

It’s a long way to come from London for four hours of poker, but Peter Eastgate has proved a popular visitor to Sydney for the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final.

The 2008 WSOP main event winner didn’t really get much going today and the final nail was delivered when he pushed pre-flop with Ah-8s, only to find Jarred Grimshaw wake-up with pocket aces.

Despite his short stay at the tables, a round of applause from the other players in the room showed they appreciated the appearance of poker’s newest ambassador.

Another PokerStars Sponsored player Bryan Huang has had his hot streak put on hold after bowing out during level four. Huang, who cashed in a record breaking three APPT events this season, made his last stand with K-10 but the board brought no assistance against his opponents pocket queens.

It’s been a case of mixed fortunes for the two Team PokerStars Pros in the past few minutes, with the elimination of Joe Hachem and a double-up for Chris Moneymaker.

However, Moneymaker can consider himself lucky after he found himself all-in with pocket jacks against pocket kings on a flop of 10-4-8, only for a tournament-saving jack to appear on the turn, taking him to 45,000 in chips.

Hachem’s tournament ended almost immediately after that hand was played when his pocket nines came up against Marcus Bechara’s A-K, with an ace on the flop sending the 2005 WSOP winner and Aussie poker icon to the trail.

We’re coming up to the dinner break on day 1C, with 144 of the 197 who started play still in their seats. Blinds are currently at level 5 (200/400 with a 25 ante). Wang Che Jung (108,000) and Jay Huxley (104,000) to have cracked the six-figure barrier today.

The key numbers have just been confirmed for the final event of the 2008 PokerStars.net APPT, and for the second year in-a-row, players in the APPT Grand Final will be playing for a first prize of AUD $1 million.

The field of 197 players today takes the total to 477, meaning a total prize pool is AUD $2,862,000. The top 48 players will be assured a payout.

One of the players who’s been quick to put up his hand for a slice of that prize pool is Jay Huxley. Just three levels into day’s play, Huxley’s stack is just under 100,000 after he took down a massive pot against Brad Milinkovic when their chips went in on a flop of 10d-Qd-7c. Huxley showed pocket 10s, Milinkovic had pocket sevens and the champagne corks were cracking when the final 10 sailed down the river.

To rub salt into the wound, Milinkovic was sent to the rail just a few hands later when he ran A-K into pocket nines on a flop of 9-A-8. Sometimes, it’s just not your day.

Tony Hachem appears to have purchased a loop ticket for his roller coaster ride today, and recently tested the tolerance of the tournament staff with an expletive-filled rant when his opponent rivered a flush. The PokerStars player is down to just 3000.

Meanwhile, Tony’s older brother Joe isn’t faring much better and is down to just 7000 after a frustrating session at the feature table for the Team PokerStars Pro.

Another set of brothers in the field, Perth’s Nik and Petar Lackovic, are travelling much better than the Hachems. The siblings even spent a few minutes sitting together before APPT tournament director Danny McDonagh delivered a tap on the shoulder to separate them. Nik is on 21,000 while Petar has 25,000 in his stack.

By James Potter

Mike Comer is one of the more interesting personalities in the poker world. He was involved in the creation of the first Australian poker room many years ago in Adelaide but now calls Africa home. He has set up casinos and card rooms in Sierra Leone and Liberia and is currently setting up shop in Ghana.

“Sydney is still technically home, I suppose but poker is really the only thing I ever come back for. I like it in Africa,” he said.

Mike’s brother Martin is also one of Australia’s most successful poker players but he busted out on the first hand of play on day 1A. “I can’t comment on that, I wasn’t here and it’s too close to home,” Mike joked.

Joseph Moussa doesn’t boast the glamourous travel lifestyle of Mike Comer, but Sydney’s own could be keeping his travel agent should he continue the start he’s made today.

Moussa only entered the event at the last minute and has already run his stack up to 50,000. He’ has been playing poker for two years and describes it as his passion, along with supporting his much loved rugby league team St George Dragons.

“I travelled to Macau earlier this year and didn’t really like it as much. I love Sydney, it’s home and everyone is really friendly and the food is more to my liking,” Moussa said.

It’s not possible to win the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final during level one of the opening day, but your chances can sure end.

Sadly, we’ve just spotted a forlorn Brian McFadden wandering by after tangled with Gursel Ali shortly before the first break. In three-way action and with the board showing K-8-5-2, Ali bet 10,000, McFadden pushed all-in, the third player folded and Ali called.

The former Westlife singer showed A-K for top-pair, but Ali’s pocket eights (for a set) meant an end for the PokerStars Sponsored player before track one had even finished.

In contrast, Carter Gill could easily have followed McFadden to the rail but made a stellar move on a flop of A-J-6. With an opponent all-in, Gill folded pocket sixes and celebrated when the other player showed pocket sixes.

But pocket jacks did Tony Hachem no favours as he lost three-quarters of his stack in the early going today. Three players saw a flop of 7c-7s-3h, Brendan Edmonds bet 600 and both players called. The turn was Jd, Edmonds bet 1200 after Hachem checked, the third player folded and Hachem called.

The river was 9s, Edmonds bet 12,000, Hachem pushed all-in and Edmonds called, and showed pocket jacks for a full-house. Hachem showed pocket threes for a smaller full-house, leaving him just over 5000. However, the smile is back on the face of the affable PokerStars Sponsored player after his pocket aces just grew into quads, pushing him back over the 12,000-chip mark.

By James Potter

American young guns Carter Gill and Eddy Sabat are two of the new breed of poker superstars and both are playing on day 1C of the PokerStars APPT Grand Final. Both these likable guys have already sipped from the cup of success during season two of the APPT. Carter won the high roller tournament at APPT Auckland and Eddy, a PokerStars Sponsored player, took out the APPT Macau main event.

For some reason, the boys are still not satisfied with their results and have a side bet not to shave or cut their hair until they get another big result. In a twist of fate they have landed on the same table today, which will certainly lead to some interesting interaction between the two best mates but fierce competitors.

Gill and Sabat will head home to the USA for a home-cooked Christmas meal but will be straight back on the plane to the Aussie Millions after attending the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. It’s a tough life for this new breed of poker playboy!

Seated just across from the boys is David Gorr. You hardly call the 60-something gent from Melbourne a poker playboy (he may have once been a poker playboy), but he certainly qualifies as one of Australia’s national poker treasures. He has been playing tournaments for longer than anyone can remember and is both feared and respected by his peers.

A month ago he bought a new laptop and won a package on PokerStars, making him one of the most experienced PokerStars qualifiers in the field.

“I have had to change my game over the years. You can’t just sit there nursing a short stack like we all did in the old days. You have to look for a spot and push it in,” he said, a strategy that steered him to the final table of the recent PokerNews Cup.

He’s hoping to have similar good fortune here in the coming days: “It’s a really nice place to play cards. This is a good tournament and it’s great to get the opportunity to travel to other good poker destinations in Australia. I think the thing that I most like is the fact that (APPT tournament director) Danny McDonagh runs such a tight ship. You always know that the tournament gets run properly if he is in control.”

It’s not everyday you get to take a shot at the world champ, and Shane Moran didn’t waste any time taking a swing – metaphorically – at the new WSOP world champion Peter Eastgate. Barely minutes after Michael Carr had packed away his guitar after delivering another stirring rendition of the APPT Grand Final anthem, Moran decided to test the mettle of the London-based Dane.

In two-way action, Moran bet 500 on a flop of 3d-Ks-Ac. Eastgate called and the turn showed Jc. Another 500, another call and the river comes 3s. This time Eastgate made it 1000, and Moran decided that there might be a better time to butt heads with the PokerStars Sponsored pro, who took down a nice early pot.

And it's good to see that the USD $9.1 million hasn't gone to Eastgate's head, with his buffet voucher for dinner tonight sitting conveniently next to his stack.

There’s an addition to the star-studded line-up we previewed earlier. Seated two spots to the right of PokerStars Sponsored player Bryan Huang is Nobuyuki Tanaka. No, he’s not a Japanese high stakes baller, rather a contestant from the latest Australian version of Big Brother. Forget Hachem or Eastgate, Nobby is the genuine A-lister in today’s field.

We also omitted to mention Brooke Howard-Smith, who works along side Team PokerStars Pro Lee Nelson on the New Zealand version of the Celebrity Joker Poker TV series. An ambassador for SKYCITY Auckland (which hosted the APPT Auckland event two months ago), Howard-Smith will be able to swap some celeb gossip with PokerStars Sponsored player Brian McFadden, seated at the same table.

And an early vote for fashion statement of the day goes to reigning PokerNews Cup champion Nali “Iraqi Nick” Kaselias. Fresh from his cash in the APPT Manila main event, Kaselias is wearing a Rocky-like sleeveless hooded top. Pretty menacing Nick.

There’s a dash of Hollywood (sorry, there’s no real Australian equivalent to Hollywood) about today’s day IC field in the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final. Welcome back to Star City Casino in Sydney for the final flight on day one of the final event for the APPT in 2008.

Today’s feature stars Team PokerStars Pros Chris Moneymaker and Joe Hachem, the world champions from 2003 and 2005. It co-stars Peter Eastgate, making his premiere after taking out the 2008 WSOP main event.

In charge of the soundtrack is Brian McFadden, the former Westlife singer and now successful solo performer. He’s being sponsored by PokerStars for this event. The Irishman took his seat in the WSOP main event and PokerStars EPT Dublin tournaments in 2006, so is no newcomer to the game.

The supporting cast includes a long list of PokerStars Sponsored players including Singapore duo Ivan Tan and Bryan Huang, Aussies Tony Hachem, Emad Tahtouh and Van Marcus, Japanese pair Masa Kagawa and Yoshihiro Tasaka, APPT Macau main event Eddy Sabat and APPT Auckland winner Daniel Craker.

And expect cameos from four-time WSOP bracelet winner John Juanda, top local pros Dory Zayneh, Julius Colman and David Gorr, APPT Manila runner-up Tae Noh Jun and popular Kiwi player James Honeybone.
Our producer is APPT president Jeffrey Haas, with APPT tournament director Danny McDonagh in charge on the floor.

Enough of the silliness, it promises to be a terrific day of poker with the field expected to surpass 200 (taking the tournament total close to 500). There will be seven 75-minute levels played today, with the structure Level 1: 50/100; Level 2: 100/200; Level 3: 100/200 (25 ante); Level 4: 150/300 (25 ante); Level 5: 200/400 (25 ante); Level 6: 250/500 (50 ante) and Level 7: 300/600 (75 ante).

Watch APPT Sydney S2: Day 1c Intro on PokerStars.tv

The chips are bagged and on their way to the lock-up after a highly entertaining day of play in the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final at Star City in Sydney, Australia.

Of the 172 players who heard Michael Carr pump out his unique version of Waltzing Matilda/The Gambler at the start of play, only 83 will be back here on Friday for day 2.

That line-up will include two of the three Team PokerStars players in action today: Gavin Griffin and Lee “Final Table” Nelson. The fortunes of that pair contrasted – Griffin flew out of the stalls and cruised through the evening to finish near the top of the chip count on around 130,000.

Nelson had a tougher day and didn’t accumulate chips until after the dinner break. However, he finished the day strongly to be above the chip average of 41,445. The New Zealander, who won the Aussie Millions in 2006, is aiming for consecutive APPT final tables.

However, we farewelled South African Raymond Rahme midway through day 1B – the Team PokerStars Pro’s performance mirrored last year’s trip to Sydney where he bolted to a big chip lead early on day 1. Rahme was again among the biggest stacks in the early going but was KOed midway through the day.

Two PokerStars Sponsored players were also in action today – defending champion Grant Levy and Eric Assadourian. Levy just couldn’t get anything going and hit the rail before the dinner break, while Assadourian stayed well under the radar and finished with just under 40,000.

It was another Sydneysider, experienced Australian poker pro Jason Gray who topped the chip count with 180,000. The quietly spoken but fiercely determined Gray built his stack at the expense of Singapore young gun Nathanael Seet. Gray opened with a raise, there was a call, Seet made it 9,000 and Gray was the only caller.

The flop came 10c-9d-7h, Gray called Seet’s bet and the turn was Js. Seet checked, Gray bet 13,000, Seet check-raised all-in for 54,000 and Gray called.

Seet showed pocket queens for an overpair and open-ended straight draw, but Gray had a made hand (8d-5d), and sent Seet to the rail when the river came a repeat 10. That pot gave Gray more than 170,000, and he maintained that stack through the rest of the evening.

With 280 entrants already confirmed for the event, we’re expecting the biggest line-up of the three day 1 flights tomorrow, with the field headed by Team PokerStars Pros Joe Hachem and Chris Moneymaker, 2008 WSOP main event winner Peter Eastgate, PokerStars Sponsored players Tony Hachem, Daniel Craker, Bryan Huang, Ivan Tan, Eddy Sabat, Masa Kagawa, Van Marcus, Yoshihiro Tasaka and Emad Tahtouh. Should be a terrific day, we’ll be back at 12.30pm tomorrow.

By James Potter

Team PokerStars Pro Gavin Griffin is still moving along nicely and seems focussed on the job at hand during day 1B of the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final.

“Sydney has been really nice so far. The weather is fantastic and I even went out to Bondi Beach yesterday, it’s a great beach and lived up to all the hype,” he said.

The only player to have won the so-called ‘triple crown’ of a WSOP bracelet, an EPT event, and a WPT event, the 27-year-old achieved this milestone with wins in the 2007 EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo for almost USD $2.5 million, the $3,000 Pot Limit Hold’em event at the 2004 WSOP (then the youngest player to win a WSOP bracelet) and the 2008 WPT Borgata Winter Open. Incredibly, he’s also finished third in a WSOP Circuit Series event, taking his career tournament earnings to almost USD $4.5 million.

Unfortunately, Gavin and his partner Kristen don’t have the time to stay on in Australia for a vacation but he is expecting to be here over the weekend for a charge at the final table. WPT, WSOP, EPT and APPT titles – how would that be for a record?

Australia is a favourite among tourists from Sweden, especially backpackers, and PokerStars qualifier Alexander Soderlund is manoeuvring himself into a position to fill a pack full of cash after charging to more than 100,000 in chips early this evening.

It is his first time in Australia and he hasn’t seen anything outside of Star City yet, but he is planning to head down to Melbourne and the Aussie Millions after the APPT Grand Final.

“I am really looking forward to travelling around and might even try to catch a little of the tennis when I’m out here even though we (the Swedes) don’t have a good player at the moment,” he said.

Queensland nightclub owner Jamie Pickering has been shaking and grooving his way around many final tables in the last year. He won the Limit Hold’em tournament at this year’s Aussie Millions and had a successful campaign at the WSOP where he had a second-place finish in the $1,500 PLO event and multiple cashes.

Pickering is a man of few words at the poker table but his actions speak louder when he gets on a roll and starts to terrorise his opponents: “I was down to under 6,000 earlier and now am over 50,000. I’m feeling confident,” he said.