Why would things be any different in the final hand of the tournament! With Yoshihiro Tasaka starting to dominate the heads-up match, Shiono opened the betting with a raise to 60,000, Tasaka bumped it up to 196,000 and Shiono moved all-in for 436,000.

With a wicked grin, Tasaka said he was holding his favourite hand, and yelled call. Shiono couldn’t believe his eyes when Tasaka showed 2c-9h, which was way behind Shiono’s As-4c.

The flop came 8h-6d-9d, underlining the genius of Tasaka. Nothing was going to spoil this fairytale – the board ran out Jd 3h and Yoshihiro Tasaka was confirmed the 2008 PokerStars.net APPT Seoul main event.

Check back later tomorrow for our complete wrap-up of the event, including a chat with the man who may be the catalyst for poker to shoot for the stars in Japan.

11.30pm: How’s this for a start to heads-up play? With Yoshihiro Tasaka serving a penalty, Hidenari Shiono took down the blinds and antes uncontested. “Yoshihiro and Hidenari don’t know it, but they’ve just entered the Twilight Zone …”

11pm: Brian Kang eliminated in 3rd place (KRW 51,183,000; USD 44,085.56)

It’s truly been one of the more unusual final tables in PokerStars.net APPT Seoul main event. The last hand before the most recent break again underlined that fact. It started with a raise to 36,000 from Yoshihiro Tasaka, Brian Kang re-raised to 120,000, Hidenari Shiono folded, then Tasaka again signalled for the all-in button. Kang asked for a count, but Tasaka misheard him and slammed down his Ah-Qs.

The Canadian then requested that Tasaka’s hand be declared dead but Danny McDonagh ruled Tasaka’s cards live but penalised him one-round (three hands) at the conclusion of the hand. What a dilemma – armed with all the information he needed, Kang agonised for five minutes before eventually calling. He showed Ks-7c.

But the drama hadn’t ended there. The flop came 6d-4c-9d, then the Kh hit on the turn. The Japanese fans roared “ace, ace, ace”, and sure enough, down sailed the Ac.

That left Kang with just 75,000, and with Tasaka sitting out his penalty, he pushed all in for his last 70,000 but Shiono wasted little time made the call.

Kang held 10c-3c, trailing Shiono’s Ks-4s. The board fell 6d-9d-7c-Kc-7d, pairing Shiono’s king and, unbelievably, sending Kang to the rail. Saab, Schreiber, Kang – all big chip leaders, all eliminated on the road to the title. Tasaka leads Shiono 965,000 to 700,000 as they prepare to go heads-up.

10.15pm: Players from Japan have flocked to Walker-hill this weekend not just for the APPT Seoul main event, but for side events as well. One of those events was the APPT Auckland one-table satellite.

This morning, the Japan Poker League (JPL) hosted a tournament that took five hours. Yasuki Shino played in this, but also found the strength to play in the afternoon’s KRW 500,000 APPT Auckland satellite.

Where most players would be begging for a nap, Shino showed amazing stamina and concentration to seal himself a seat in Auckland. He has only been playing poker for one year and until now worried more about making sure everyone had a good time at the table than he did about winning tournaments

However, he had his fill yesterday when he dropped out of the APPT Seoul main event with no prize or status to show for it. It was then that he decided to play winning poker.

With that mindset Shino went over his play during the past two days and came into the JPL event with a new-found confidence. This time he made it to the final table and finished in fourth place. Still not satisfied, he spent his free time between the two events once again reflecting on his game. This time it paid big. He made it to heads-up on the one-table satellite and had more fun than he ever has on the felt.

“There were a lot of Japanese players at this event. I really think that this will be a big turning point in the Japanese poker boom," Shino said, his excitement obvious. You can find him playing in regularly in JPL and on PokerStars.net. When he’s not playing poker, you can be sure he’s at the arcade playing Mahjong Fight Club (which features our very own Japanese blogger, Jenn Barr).

Shino works a desk job in a company, but after work turns his eye to the growing poker culture in Japan. After winning this tournament, he’s voiced his gratitude to PokerStars for holding events like APPT. His final comment was, “PokerStars, please spread the joy of poker throughout Japan.”

9.30pm: The Japanese are starting to cut away at Brian Kang’s stack as the former chip leader stumbles to about 300,000. Kang has already cautioned his table-mates about speaking Japanese at the table and is raising more than his share of pots to stop the steady flow of chips across the table.

But it isn’t working that well – Kang just raised to 36,000 pre-flop and Yoshihiro Tasaka matching it from the big blind. The flop came Qd-Qh-10c, Tasaka checked, Kang bet 40,000, Tasaka check-raised to 120,000 and Kang got out of the way (perhaps for the best as Tasaka flashed the Qs. Tasaka (560,000) is now only marginally behind his countryman Shiono, who leads with 620,000.

And we’ve just discovered that Hidenari Shiono isn’t the only player at the table with some interesting quirks. Rather than pushing all his chips into the pot in a recent pot, Yoshihiro Tasaka indicated that the dealer should throw the all-in button in his direction. That could catch on. One time, Yoshihiro!

9pm: The pattern of raise, re-raise, fold was broken in stunning fashion and, as a result, there’s a new chip leader – Hidenari Shiono. He’s an interesting character to watch at the table – the 39-year-old counts out his chips in his hands before committing them to the pot with both hands; he contorts himself into a myriad of shapes and methodically looks at his cards and the flop at each round of betting.

It’s obviously working – Shiono just called a raise to 30,000 by Brian Kang and they saw the flop come J-8-3 (all clubs). Shiono bet 50,000 and Kang called. The turn was the 6s, Shiono again checked, Kang bet 85,000 and instantly Shiono announced he was all-in for a total of 265,000.

Kang inquired whether he could show his cards, but was warned he would incur a hefty penalty by APPT Tournament Director Danny McDonagh. Kang agonised before making the call and showing As-Jh. But Shiono was ahead with pocket queens, and the 3s on the river ensured him a pot worth 700,000.

After amassing a huge stack at the expense of Dan Schreiber, Kang is now down to 400,000 while Yoshihiro Tasaka holds 450,000.

7.30pm: Finally an update without an elimination! With Brian Kang content to sit back and watch the two Japanese players go after each other’s stacks, Yoshihiro Tasaka has picked up the baton and pushed all-in three hands in-a-row.

The move finally paid dividends when he reraised all-in for 174,000 over the top of a raise from Hidenari Shiono. After a long deliberation, Shiono made the call and showed Ah-10h, but Tasaka was ahead, holding As-Qh. And that’s where he stayed as the board fell 9s-5c-5d-Jc-3s.

Players are just about to head to enjoy their final taste of the sumptuous Walker-hill buffet with the chip count reading Brian Kang on 770,000, Yoshihiro Tasaka 418,000 and Hidenari Shiono 375,000. With the blinds at 5000/10,000 (1000 ante), there’s still plenty of poker to be played.

Watch APPT Seoul 2008: "Brian Kang Finalist" on PokerStars.tv

7pm: Fam Yat eliminated in 4th place (KRW 37,224,000; USD 32,062.22)

The final table may have started slowly, but players have made up for it in the past hour, with Fam Yat the latest to join the exodus. Yuji Masaki was still being congratulated at the rail when Fam Yat pushed all-in under-the-gun for 85,000. Hidenari Shiono thought long and hard before making the call with pocket sixes, while Fam Yat showed Ad-Ks. But the board stayed low – 8d-8h-3h-9d-8c – and that was that for Fam Yat.

6.45pm: Yuji Masaki eliminated in 5th place (KRW 30,244,500; USD 26,050.56)

The short stack entering the final table, Yuji Masaki had scratched his way into the top five before the massive stack of Brian Kang put an end to his tournament. His last 22,000 went in with Qh-6h, which wasn’t in a great spot against Kang’s Kd-6c. Masaki picked up a flush draw on the flop of 7h-10d-4h but the turn (Ac) and river (2d) brought no joy for the PokerStars qualifier from Hiroshima.

6.30pm: Dan Schreiber eliminated in 6th place (KRW 23,265,000; USD 20,038.89)

The rail is still in shock after the dramatic elimination of PokerStars Sponsored player Dan Schreiber in a huge pot against Brian Kang. Schreiber called Kang’s pre-flop raise of 18,000 and they saw a flop of Jd-9h-8c. Schreiber checked, Kang bet 25,000, Schreiber added an extra 45,000, Kang pushed it up another 100,000, Schreiber moved all-in and Kang called. What the hell??

Schreiber showed 10c-7c for a flopped straight while Kang showed pocket jacks for top set. But Schreiber’s hopes of going all the way after finishing eighth in last year’s APPT Seoul main event evaporated when the 8h landed on the turn, giving Kang a full-house.

Watch APPT Seoul 08: Daniel Schreiber Final Table on PokerStars.tv

6.15pm: David Horvath eliminated in 7th place (KRW 18,612,000; USD 16,031.11)

After a quiet start, play is becoming more aggressive with the short stacks feeling the pinch. PokerStars qualifier David Horvath was the latest victim when he pushed all-in for 31,500 and Brian Kang thought for a moment before calling, and finding himself well placed with As-10h against Horvath’s 10d-9h. There was no help on a board of 5c-7d-6c-7c-2c for Horvath.

6pm: Dan Williams eliminated in 8th place (KRW 13,959,000; USD 12,023.33)

Sam Faqiryar hadn’t left the tournament area when Dan Williams was all-in for 13,000, with calls coming from Yoshihiro Tasaka and David Horvath. They checked it all the way as the board ran out 6c-10c-5s-Kd-Qc. Williams missed everything with Ad-7c with Tasaka’s pocket eights the winning hand (Horvath mucked).

Watch APPT Seoul 08: Dan Williams - Family Affairs on PokerStars.tv

5.30pm: Sam Faqiryar eliminated in 9th place (KRW 9,306,000; USD 8015.56)

The writing was on the wall for the young Canadian PokerStars qualifier after he lost a massive pot to Dan Schreiber. Faqiryar opened for a raise to 16,000 from early position, Schreiber made it an extra 23,000 and Faqiryar called.

The flop showed 2s-2h-5h, Faqiryar bet just 5000, Schreiber raised it 48,000, Faqiryar declared he was all-in and Schreiber called, showing pocket jacks. Faqiryar held Ah-Jh for a flush draw but the 9d and Kd brought no joy. That pot took Schreiber to more than 400,000 while Faqiryar was down to just 25,000.

To rub salt into the wounds, Schreiber then KOed Farqiryar when he made a straight with As-7s on a board of 5d-9h-4c-8s-6c against Farqiryar’s 4h-6s. It was great to see Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer chatting with the downcast Farqiryar for several minutes after he was eliminated.

Watch APPT Seoul 08: Sam Faqiryar Final Table on PokerStars.tv

4.45pm: Apologies for the delay in updating the final table action – at all other APPT events, the final table has been recorded for TV. For the first time in APPT history, this event is not being filmed so there wasn’t much of a break between Wooka Kim’s elimination and the start of the final table.

The final table has been set-up in an intimate enclave between the poker room and the main gaming floor. It’s easy to forget that there are some parts of the world that allow smoking, but there’s a pipe smoker in the audience that is adding a distinctly unique flavour to proceedings.

As to the action, it’s been incredibly quiet given the carnage of the past three days. Only Yuji Masaka has been noticeably active – with 13,500 in chips coming into the final table he had only one move and made it with pocket kings against David Horvath’s Kh-Qh.

The sizeable Japanese contingent leapt to their feet and cheered Masaka as the board ran out 9c-2s-9h-8c- Jd, which helped his stack improve to 34,500.

Short-stacked Japanese pro Wooka Kim moved all-in from the button and received a call from Canadian Sam Faqiryar, who held just 7h-4h while Kim had him dominated with Ac-4c. The flop was good for him (7h-9s-2d) and he stayed ahead with the turn (3s) and river (4d) missing Kim.

Earlier Kwok Yeung was eliminated in 11th when he pushed in his last 21,000 chips, with David Horvath making the call. Yeung was ahead (Ah-Kc) to Horvath’s As-10d but the board ran out Qd-7d-8d-Jd-9c to give the Hungarian a flush.

PokerStars.net APPT Seoul main event final table profiles

Seat 1: Dan Williams, Canada (42,000 in chips): This trip has been an emotional experience for the 29-year-old father of one. Not only has he had the chance to catch up with a brother he hadn’t spoken to for three years, he’s cashed in the first live poker tournament he’s ever played after qualifying on PokerStars for less than $9. “And a shout out to all the boys at TDL!”

Seat 2: Daniel rekrul Schreiber, Seoul, South Korea (253,500 in chips): Having won the 2007 WSOP $5000 Heads-up event, at the age of 22, this PokerStars Sponsored player arrived in South Korea in 2004 to compete as a professional StarCraft gamer. He reached the final table of the APPT Seoul main event last year, and finished eighth.

Seat 3: Yoshihiro Tasaka, Osaka, Japan (226,500 in chips): This 49-year-old father of one has been playing poker for many years (30 in fact) and got swept up in the Hold’em craze last year. An employee in the service industry, this is his first live tournament ever into which he bought-in directly.

Seat 4: Fam Yat, Singapore (66,500 in chips): This 28-year-old is a primary school maths tutor and has been playing poker for barely 12 months. He qualified for the APPT Seoul main event via a live satellite in Macau, and is looking forward to emulating the finishes of his countrymen Ivan Tan and Bryan Huang from Macau.

Seat 5: David Horvath, Szodliget, Hungary (124,000 in chips): A poker player for the past five years, the 29-year-old brings plenty of tournament experience to this final table. He qualified for this trip to Seoul on PokerStars and is enjoying his first trip to this part of Asia and the PokerStars.net APPT.

Seat 6: Yuji Masaki, Hiroshima, Japan (13,500 in chips): A relative veteran with more than a decade of poker experience under his belt but has only been a serious player for the past year. A 45-year-old pharmacist, he won a satellite on PokerStars to play here in Seoul and is looking forward to breaking the duck for Japanese players on this tour.

Seat 7: Sam Faqiryar, Calgary, Alberta, Canada (185,000 in chips): Just 20 years of age, the full-time poker player had a taste of APPT action in Macau before qualifying for this event via a 10-seat Guarantee on PokerStars. This is just his second live tournament, but he’s harnessed plenty of experience online where MTTs are his game of choice.

Seat 8: Brian Kang, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (394,000 in chips): Born in Canada of Korean heritage, this 29-year-old is looking forward to sharing his success with father Jang Suk Kang, who accompanied the finance analyser to his former homeland. “But his too scared to come out of the room,” Brian said. A poker player for three years, he plays mostly online cash games at PokerStars and brought in directly for this event.

Seat 9: Hidenari Shiono, Tokyo, Japan (269,000 in chips): The president of a hardware company, this 39-year-old saved a little each week (beer and cigarettes were the two vices of Shiono to suffer) so he could buy-in directly. He’s earned an immediate return on investment, assured a payout of USD $8013, but has bigger plans at this final table.

Two players were eliminated on the opening hand – the first being US PokerStars Qualifier Robert Campitiello, who started the day with 20,900 in chips.

He was delighted to look down and find Ah-Ks on the opening hand and wasted little pushing his stack into the centre, only to find Hong Kong’s Ken Yeung holding pocket aces (the board ran out 3c-Qh-4c-7s-7h.

Across at table 15, Western Australia’s Terry Gardiner also decided to make a stand on the first hand with Jh-3c but Fam Yat was in a strong position holding pocket 10s. Again, the board (2d-6s-9d-8c-Kh) did the short stack no favours as Gardiner bowed out in 15th position.

One of the six Japanese players still in contention for the title Michiyuki Kondo was next to fall – again, Singapore’s Fam Yat was the beneficiary.

The players watched a flop of 10d-2h-Kd, Kondo bet 5000 and Yat called. The turn came 8h – Kondo checked, Yat bet 6000 and Kondo called.

On the river (4d), Kondo moved all-in and Yat made what proved to be a brave call with Qc-10c, which had Kondo’s As-5d beaten.

The next elimination didn’t follow the script at all. PokerStars Sponsored player Bryan Huang from Singapore kicked it off with a raise to 8000, chip leader Brian Kang made it 25,000 and Huang called.

The flop was 4s-3s-Js, Kang bet 25,000, Huang pushed all-in and Kang called. The words “cookie” and “jar” spring to mind after Huang showed Kh-Qh while Kang held pocket aces, including the As for the nut flush draw. The board bricked out for Huang, who collected his second cash in successive APPT event (he was third in the APPT Macau main event).

Hori Katsuyoshi was next to leave the tournament area after he found himself in a race with pocket sevens against the Ac-Ks of PokerStars Sponsored player Dan Schreiber. The board hit Schreiber on the flop – 6c-Ad-Qs – and ran out 5c Qd to give the quiet achiever another scalp.

Play is now at level 14 (1500/3000 with a 500 ante), and judging by the rate of eliminations, the final table line-up shouldn’t be too far away from being decided.

The 16 players still in contention for the PokerStars.net APPT Seoul main event title have started arriving for the final day’s play. Everyone’s still talking about the dramatic end to day 2 in which David Saab went from chip leader to the bubble finisher in two hands.

Three PokerStars qualifiers are still in contention – David Horvath, Daniel Williams and Robert Campitiello – while PokerStars Sponsored players Bryan Huang (third in the recent APPT Macau main event) and Dan Schreiber (eighth in last year’s APPT Seoul main event).

Play should be underway in the next few minutes, with blinds starting at level 13 (1200/2400 with a 400 ante).

Watch APPT Seoul 08: Final Day Intro on PokerStars.tv

Overall chip count

Brian Kang (Canada) 302,000
Yoshihiro Tasaka (Japan) 245,000
Sam Faqiryar (Canada) 242,400
Hidenari Shiono (Japan) 154,700
Bryan Huang (Singapore) 131,300 (PokerStars Sponsored Player)
Daniel Schreiber (USA) 125,700 (PokerStars Sponsored Player)
David Horvath (Hungary) 92,500 (PokerStars Qualifier)
Wooka Kim (Japan) 44,900
Fam Kai Yat (Singapore) 41,200
Yuji Masaki (Japan) 39,000
Michiyuki Kondo (Japan) 37,100
Daniel Williams (Canada) 35,500 (PokerStars Qualifier)
Hori Katsiyoshi (Japan) 23,800
Kwok Gi (Ken) Yeung (Hong Kong) 21,800
Robert Campitiello (USA) 20,900 (PokerStars Qualifier)
Terry Gardiner (Australia) 16,100

Seat allocations

Table 14

Seat 1: David Horvath
Seat 2: Daniel Schreiber
Seat 3: Daniel Williams
Seat 4: Kwok Gi (Ken) Yeung
Seat 5: Bryan Huang
Seat 6: Hori Katsiyoshi
Seat 7: Robert Campitiello
Seat 8: Brian Kang

Table 15

Seat 1: Wooka Kim
Seat 2: Yuji Masaki
Seat 3: Sam Faqiryar
Seat 4: Hidenari Shiono
Seat 5: Fam Kai Yat
Seat 6: Yoshihiro Tasaka
Seat 7: Terry Gardiner
Seat 8: Michiyuki Kondo

APPT Seoul main event payouts

1 USD $128,216
2 USD $80,135
3 USD $44,074
4 USD $32,054
5 USD $26,043
6 USD $20,033
7 USD $16,027
8 USD $12,020
9 USD $8013
10 USD $6010
11 USD $6010
12 USD $6010
13 USD $4006
14 USD $4006
15 USD $4006
16 USD $4006

The Walker-hill Casino poker room was packed to capacity for the exciting bubble period, which ended with Saab busting out after two massive hands.

Trying to make the most of the tight play that normally ensues on the bubble, Saab raised to 7000, Hidenari Shiono called, Japan’s Wooka Kim smiled and pushed all-in and both players again called.

The flop was an ominous 6h-7h-9h, Shiono checked, Saab declared he was all-in with Shiono quickly following suit. Kim showed Jh-Js, Shino held 8h-8c and Saab 7c-9d.

The turn was the Qc but Shiono dramatically crashed to the floor (captured brilliantly by our photographer Joe Giron) when the river came the Ah. So Kim had tripled up, Saab was down to 120,000 and Shiono scooped up the massive side-pot to take his stack to 150,000.

The final hand of the day started in familiar fashion with a raise to 6000 from Saab, with Brian Kang making the call before watching the flop come 2d-3h-10h. Saab bet 17,000 and Kang called before Saab said he’d check the turn in the dark.

The turn was the 7d, Kang bet 25,000, Saab pushed all-in and Kang called immediately, showing a set of threes while Saab held 6h-2h for a pair and flush draw. When the 4c landed on the river, Saab’s stunning day had ended and the top 16 players were decided for tomorrow’s finale.

PokerStars Sponsored players Dan Schreiber and Bryan Huang will both be chasing a spot at the final table but the man in the box seat is Canada’s Brian Kang.

Day 2 chip count

Brian Kang (Canada) 302,000
Yoshihiro Tasaka (Japan) 245,000
Sam Faqiryar (Canada) 242,400
Hidenari Shiono (Japan) 154,700
Diwei Huang (Singapore) 131,300 (PokerStars Sponsored Player)
Daniel Schreiber (USA) 125,700 (PokerStars Sponsored Player)
David Horvath (Hungary) 92,500 (PokerStars Qualifier)
Wooka Kim (Japan) 44,900
Fam Kai Yat (Singapore) 41,200
Yuji Masaki (Japan) 39,000
Michiyuki Kondo (Japan) 37,100
Daniel Williams (Canada) 35,500 (PokerStars Qualifier)
Hori Katsiyoshi (Japan) 23,800
Kwok Gi (Ken) Yeung (Hong Kong) 21,800
Robert Campitiello (USA) 20,900 (PokerStars Qualifier)
Terry Gardiner (Australia) 16,100

All photography © Joe Giron/IMPDI

Sam Faqiryar has slipped under the radar today but made his move when it mattered.

Japan’s Yoshihiro Tasaka is the clear leader with 230,000, followed by Brit Sam Faqiryar (190,000), Brian Kang of Canada (165,000) and PokerStars qualifier David Saab (145,000), who briefly held the chip lead when he eliminated James Suen.

After a pre-flop raising war, Suen was all-in with Qc-7h but found himself up against Saab’s pocket jacks. The board ran out 5s-9d-4d-6d-4c, and Suen entourage burst into celebrations thinking he’d made a straight. Not so fast boys – the jacks were good and Saab celebrated in, well, typical Saab fashion. With the field down to 24, players were redrawn into three tables of eight:

Table 1

Seat 1: Bryan Huang (PokerStars Sponsored Player)
Seat 2: Kwok Yeung
Seat 3: Yoshihiro Tasaka
Seat 4: Fai Kam Yat
Seat 5: Robert Campitiello (PokerStars Qualifier)
Seat 6: Chanon Phucharoenyos
Seat 7: Hori Katsiyoshi
Seat 8: Robert Vujevic (PokerStars Qualifier)

Table 2

Seat 1: Jae Jung
Seat 2: David Horvath (PokerStars Qualifier)
Seat 3: Daniel Williams (PokerStars Qualifier)
Seat 4: Brian Kang
Seat 5: Terry Gardiner
Seat 6: Hidenari Shiono
Seat 7: Wooka Kim
Seat 8: David Saab (PokerStars Qualifier)

Table 3

Seat 1: Robert Acton (PokerStars Qualifier)
Seat 2: Masayuki Nagata (PokerStars Qualifier)
Seat 3: Sam Faqiryar
Seat 4: Yuji Masaki
Seat 5: Michiyuki Kondo
Seat 6: Mitsuhiro Nakao
Seat 7: Lily Bui
Seat 8: Dan Schreiber (PokerStars Sponsored Player)

Australia’s Lily Bui outlasted her partner Van sirens Marcus but could consider herself unlucky when she pushed in her remaining chips with pocket aces – nice spot – and found herself up against the pocket queens of the final PokerStars Sponsored player in the field, Dan Schreiber.

With a big crowd starting to gather near the table to cheer on rekrul, Schreiber allowed himself a brief celebratory clap when the board landed Ks-Qh-Kh. Bui shrugged picked up her things and headed out to enjoy Saturday night, Seoul-style.

Replacing Davis at the top of the chip count is Yoshihiro Tasaka, and it’s thanks to Davis’ chips that Japanese poker newcomer is leading the way just 16 spots short of the money.

A cash-game veteran, Tasaka started playing Seven-card Stud more than 30 years ago, but took a break from poker until he learned of Texas Hold’em. Two and a half years ago he started playing again and decided to try his luck in the PokerStars.net 2008 APPT Seoul main event, his first live poker tournament.

When asked how he got his big stack, he claimed it was all luck, but his quiet demeanour and aggressive betting at the table suggest otherwise. Tasaka, with yesterday’s chip leader, Hidenari Shiono, give Japan a good shot at beating Kazunori Sato’s (eighth in last year’s APPT Manila) record of the best finish in an APPT event for a Japanese player.

On a board of 2d-3d-7c, Tasaka checked to Davis, who bet 10,000. Tasaka check-raised to 42,000, with Davis committing his remaining 45,000 to the pot. Tasaka quickly called and showed pocket sevens for top set with Davis (Kd-Qd) chasing a flush.

The turn was the Ah and while the river (Ad) gave Davis the nut flush, it filled up Tasaka who leapt from his seat in ecstasy. We knew these Japanese players would fire up sooner or later!

But while Tasaka’s stack is in the ascendant, Jan Van Dyk’s chip tally is in freefall. He lost a big pot when David Saab hit a nine on the river to make a pair against a flopped pair of sixes for Van Dyk, then Robert Campitello hit a two-out eight to make a set against Van Dyk’s pocket jacks. The South African is down to 20,000, and was hardly comforted when David Saab bellowed that “eights were lucky in Asia!”

Play has reached level 11 (blinds 800/1600 with a 200 ante) and we’re watching the player tally to see if play goes beyond level 12 (depending how close play is to the bubble).

Yes, the PokerStars girls have once again been delivering a much-needed energy burst to the 32 players still in contention midway through day two of the PokerStars.net APPT Seoul main event at the Paradise Walker-hill Casino.

In the shadow of the giant wedding ceremony that has just wound up in the theatre adjacent to the casino (we noticed the groom pop in for a few rounds of baccarat), the race for the cash is on in earnest.

One player who’s carefully picked his marks today is the Korean-based Tim Davis, but his stack is now the biggest in the room after he eliminated Justin Jung. The money went in on the river with the board showing 3h-2h-7c-As-Ad, with Davis showing Ac-5c for runner-runner trips, with a frustrated Jung slamming down his pocket kings.

In contrast, two of the most prominent stacks in the room have been riding a roller coaster in the past 30 minutes. David Saab called James Suen’s all-in on a flop of 2h-4s-5c with pocket kings, and looked in good shape against the Singaporean until the 3c landed on the turn to fill Suen’s straight. Saab is down to 52,000.

But not for long. Saab just claimed the scalp of Sid Kim, who placed third in this event last year. On a flop of 10c-5h-Kd, Kim shoved in his remaining chips with pocket queens, but Saab insta-called with pocket 10s for a set and a nice pot.

It’s also been a mixed session for players who featured prominently in the PokerStars.net APPT Macau main event. Champion Eddie Sabat has been sent to the rail but Bryan Huang, who finished third in Macau, has been playing aggressively and is up to 40,000.

Japan’s Yu Kurita has less experience than most of her opponents but has spent the past 18 months honing her skills at Tokyo’s Japan Poker League (JPL). She fell to just 5000 in chips earlier today but just doubled through Sabat to keep her hopes alive of a cash (and maybe more) here in the PokerStars.net APPT Seoul main event.

Our Japanese blogger Jenn Barr says Yu Karita is “beautiful and poised off the felt, but on the felt, watch out. You’ll see her on almost every final table at JPL daily tournaments and she’s almost always in the final few at the league’s satellites and monthly finals.

She appeared on the women’s poker league on Mondo 21 and won the JPL APPT Macau satellite to represent Japan in the main event. Yu learned poker from a friend who was a limit hold’em specialist with cashes in WSOP, when she was a junior in college. At just 22 Yu has ample opportunity to leave her mark on the poker world.

She has already tied her luck on the cash tables in Vegas (her favourite venue was the Wynn), but feels tournaments are more her game.” Karita is hanging in there, but the list of casualties is starting to mount.

At the other end of the chip count, Jan Van Dyk continues to tear a swathe through his table and has broken through the 100,000-chip barrier in taking out two of the small stacks. However, we farewelled two PokerStars Sponsored players in the past level.

Celina Lin committed her remaining chips pre-flop and received a call from Canadian Brian Kang. It proved an astute call from Kang, whose pocket nines and Lin’s pocket eights dominated. The board of 5h-Qc-10d-Qd-7d brought no joy for Lin but helped Kang leap to more than 75,000 in chips.

Fresh for his final table finish in the APPT Macau High Roller event, Singapore’s Ivan Tan also a free afternoon on his hands after getting it in with Ac-Ks against Patrick Carron’s pocket queens. Tan hit a K on the flop but Carron found a two-out Q on the turn, eventually filling up on the river.

And we’ve just witnessed the most poorly timed bet of the tournament. Hori Katsuyoshi watched a flop come Qh-Qs-9h when his opponent declared all-in. Hori couldn’t get his money in quick enough and showed the other two queens. Bad time to make a move.

With play about to head into level 9 (500/1000 with a 100 ante), the top five stacks are Jan Van Dyk (108,000), Brian Kang (76,000), Hidenari Shiono (70,000), David Saab (69,000) and Patrick Carron (61,000).

In a four-way pot and the flop reading Ac-7c-7s, Nick Lackovic bet 2000, Osawa Masahiro made it 8000, ElkY pushed all-in for approximately 16,000, Lackovic folded and Masahiro called.

ElkY showed Qd-7h, but Masahiro had him out-kicked with Kd-7d, and a pair of bricks (3d 6c) meant the final Team PokerStars Pro was headed for the rail.

Not known for being a big table talker, ElkY’s behaviour at the table has been mirrored by most of the Asian players who go about their business with a minimum of fuss. Thankfully, they haven’t picked up on the habit of jumping from their seats and screaming “one time” or bemoaning even the slightest of bad beats.

Watch APPT Seoul 08: Elky Day 2 WCOOP on PokerStars.tv

Aussie Van Marcus was another player to leave the tournament area in the first level of play after he called the all-in of Michael Bang on a flop of Qc-3c-Qs. In hand eerily similar to that which eliminated ElkY, Marcus showed Qd-10s but Bang revealed Qh-Js.

There was no help for Marcus, as Bang celebrated his second KO of the day as his stack approached 50,000 and the chip lead.

Speaking of the chip leader, Jan Van Dyk missed the first 30 minutes of play (“slept in,” he said with a sheepish grin) but he looks well rested and wasted little time winning a couple of pots to make up for the blinds he’d already contributed.

At table 12, David Saab has shaken off yesterday’s hangover and his back to his normal chatty and sociable self. However, Randy Propson has taken exception to Saab’s incessant chatter, which should make for an interesting afternoon especially with their table unlikely to be broken until later in the day.

Watch APPT Seoul 08: Sam and Eric Day 2 on PokerStars.tv

APPT Tournament Director Danny McDonagh has just informed us that play may end once the bubble (top 16) has been reached. As this event is not being filmed for TV, the final table will take much less time than previous APPT final tables.

APPT Seoul main event payouts

1 USD$128,216
2 USD$80,135
3 USD$44,074
4 USD$32,054
5 USD$26,043
6 USD$20,033
7 USD$16,027
8 USD$12,020
9 USD$8013
10 USD$6010
11 USD$6010
12 USD$6010
13 USD$4006
14 USD$4006
15 USD$4006
16 USD$4006

After a relatively comfortable six one-hour levels yesterday, the pace will be hotter than a plate of kimchi when the 83 remaining players return to the Paradise Walker-hill Casino for day two of the PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour Seoul main event.

But South Africa's Jan Van Dyk is still to make an appearance at his table as players prepare for the start of play. It's amazing how hard it can be for poker players to find their way from a hotel room to a poker room, even when they're in the same building!

Players returning today include Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand ElkY Grospellier, PokerStars Sponsored players Ivan Tan, Dan Schreiber, Bryan Huang and Eddie Sabat. Cards will be in the air in the next few minutes, with the blinds at level 7 (300/600 with a 75 ante).

Top 10 chip counts

Jan Van Dyk (Sth Africa) 51,375
David Saab (Australia) 47,850
Hidenari Shiono (Japan) 47,175
Justin Jung 44,500
Tim Davis 42,875
Michael Young Jeun Song (USA) 39,500
Samad Razavi (UK) 36,100
Larry Pashak (Canada) 36,025
Hori Katsiyoshi (Japan) 33,475
Shunchi Ogiwara (Japan) 29,425

Day 2 table draw

Table 3

Seat 1: Mitsuhiro Nakao (Japan) 8950
Seat 2: Masayuki Nagata (Japan) 11,150 PS Qualifier
Seat 3: Van Marcus (Australia) 19,150
Seat 4: Andrey Alekseev (Russian Federation) 3100
Seat 5: Yoshihiro Tasaka (Japan) 13,050
Seat 6: Eivind Leknes (Norway) 15,200 PS Qualifier
Seat 7: Michael Hyong Gue Bang 21,225
Seat 8: Nobuyuki Okuda (Japan) 5225

Table 4

Seat 1: Chris Iat Seng Wa (Macau) 15,900
Seat 2: Paul Kim (USA) 23,500
Seat 3: Hidenari Shiono (Japan) 47,175
Seat 4: Raymond Wu (Taiwan) 20,800 PS Qualifier
Seat 5: Daniel Schreiber (USA) 16,450 PokerStars Sponsored
Seat 6: Susumu Toge (Japan) 4050
Seat 7: Aaron Tearne (China) 17800
Seat 8: Jae Jung 11,950

Table 5

Seat 1: David Lee (USA) 16,550 PS Qualifier
Seat 2: Bernard Lim (Malaysia) 18,100
Seat 3: Wooka Kim (Japan) 23,075
Seat 4: Daniel Williams (Canada) 13,825 PS Qualifier
Seat 5: Ivan Tan (Singapore) 12,150 PokerStars Sponsored
Seat 6: Robert Campitiello (USA) 9075 PS Qualifier
Seat 7: Bryan Huang (Singapore) 19,550 PokerStars Sponsored
Seat 8: Alec Milam (USA) 21,450 PS Qualifier

Table 6

Seat 1: Yuji Masaki (Japan) 23,275
Seat 2: Shunchi Ogiwara (Japan) 29,425
Seat 3: Jan Lodewyk Van Dyk (Sth Africa) 51,375
Seat 4: Tadashi Yachida (Japan) 16,450
Seat 5: Larry Pashak (Canada) 36,025
Seat 6: Naoki Komoda (Japan) 4900
Seat 7: Michiyuki Kondo (Japan) 11,800
Seat 8: Kwok Gi (Ken) Yeung (Hong Kong) 20,750

Table 9

Seat 1: Bertrand "Elky" Grospellier (France) 14,550 Team PokerStars Pro
Seat 2: Nick Lackovic (Australia) 25,300
Seat 3: Fam Kai Yat (Singapore) 20,725
Seat 4: Chanon Phucharoenyos (Thailand) 19,975
Seat 5: Alexander Ståhle (Sweden) 12,125
Seat 6: Osawa Masahiro (Japan) 28,225
Seat 7: Sam Faqiryar (Canada) 23,900
Seat 8: Tim Davis 42,875

Table 10

Seat 1: Miho Kikuchi (Japan) 4950
Seat 2: Ronald Kluber (USA) 20,050
Seat 3: Justin Jung 44,500
Seat 4: Patrick Carron (USA) 27,025 PS Qualifier
Seat 5: Lily Bui (Australia) 13,925
Seat 6: Ira Blumenthal (Thailand) 12,975
Seat 7: Samad Razavi (UK) 36,100 PS Qualifier
Seat 8: Takashi Shiono (Japan) 15,900

Table 11

Seat 1: Chintana Blumenthal (Thailand) 9875
Seat 2: Robert Acton (Canada) 24,150 PS Qualifier
Seat 3: Tony Kinder (Australia) 18,650 PS Qualifier
Seat 4: Hui Chen (Kitty) Kuo Taiwan 8450
Seat 5: Takeya Sugie (Japan) 11,750
Seat 6: Randy Lee 10,750
Seat 7: Rene Richard Salazar 28,725
Seat 8: Michael Young Jeun Song (USA) 39,500

Table 12

Seat 1: Jimmy Cha (USA) 14,075
Seat 2: Elton Tsang (Hong Kong) 12,675
Seat 3: Randy Propson (USA) 22,800 PS Qualifier
Seat 4: Hori Katsiyoshi (Japan) 33,475
Seat 5: Christian Wolf (Germany) 13,625 PS Qualifier
Seat 6: Shinhan Sid Kim (USA) 20,400
Seat 7: James Suen (Singapore) 19,500
Seat 8: Kenichi Takarabe (Japan) 16,350 PS Qualifier
Seat 9: David Saab (Australia) 47,850 PS Qualifier

Table 14

Seat 1: Matthew Seabrook (UK) 8775 PS Qualifier
Seat 2: Horaud Pierre (Guadeloupe) 6150 PS Qualifier
Seat 3: David Horvath (Hungary) 18,700 PS Qualifier
Seat 4: Neelesh Vithal Chudasama (UK) 14,875
Seat 5: Yu Kurita (Japan) 14,625
Seat 6: Eddie Sabat (USA) 19,550 PokerStars Sponsored
Seat 7: Eric Wai Yeung (USA) 14,800
Seat 8: Joseph Morrow (USA) 21,350
Seat 9: Alan Heather (USA) 10,950

Table 15

Seat 1: Ofer Assabi (South Africa) 17,800 PS Qualifier
Seat 2: Ayumi Okano (Japan) 450
Seat 3: Robert Vujevic (Germany) 14,675 PS Qualifier
Seat 4: Lance Lee Yuen (Taiwan) 23,450
Seat 5: Allan Drake (Canada) 24,850 PS Qualifier
Seat 6: Terry Gardiner (Australia) 12,550
Seat 7: Itara Kaneko (Japan) 10,600
Seat 8: Celina Lin (Australia) 14,850
Seat 9: Brian Kang (Canada) 24,500

And then there was one – Bertrand ElkY Grospellier is the only Team PokerStars Pro still standing after the first day’s play in the PokerStars.net APPT Seoul main event at the Paradise Walker-hill Casino.

A total of 165 players took their seats in pursuit of the biggest tournament prize on the Asian mainland this year, and just half (83) will be back for day two.

After Team PokerStars Pro Hevad Khan was eliminated in level five of six played on a relatively short day, Raymer followed on the final hand of the evening. Perhaps not surprisingly, the player who claimed Raymer’s scalp was David Saab.

The pair had been engaged in banter – all friendly – for most of the afternoon after Raymer was moved to the seat vacated by JJ Liu to Saab’s left.

In the small blind, Saab made it 1200 and Raymer immediately reached for chips. “Have you even looked at your cards?” Saab inquired. Raymer squeezed a peek and replied, “now I have, and I still raise.”

In went Raymer’s remaining 9000, with Saab beating him into the pot. “I knew you’d try this on the last hand of the night,” Saab said, followed by his infamous giggle as he showed Ac-Js.

Raymer showed Kh-6c and watched the flop come Jd-10s-9d – not bad for the Team PokerStars Pro. But the turn was a brick (4d) and the river no better (6d) as we farewelled the only WSOP main event winner in the field.

It was a mixed day for the PokerStars Sponsored players as well, with Celina Lin, JJ Liu, Daniel Schreiber, Guillaume Patry, Eddie Sabat, Will Cheong and Ivan Tan all taking their seats. Only Lin, Schreiber, Sabat and Tan will return on day two. APPT Macau main event runner-up Charles Chua and APPT High Roller runner-up Andrew Scott were also KOed.

Topping the chip count is Oman’s Jan Van Dyk on 51,375, ahead of Saab (47,850), Japan’s Hidenari Shiono (47,175), Justin Jung (44,500) and Tim Davis (42,875).

Players will return at 12.45pm tomorrow (Saturday) for the continuation of play. Blinds will start at level 7 (300/600 with a 75 ante) and play will continue until the final table of nine is decided.

All photography © Joe Giron/IMPDI

Watch APPT Seoul 08: James Honeybone on PokerStars.tv

That’s small comfort for New Zealander James Honeybone, who’s free to pursue any meal option he likes after he pushed all-in with A-K and found himself up against pocket nines.

The only remaining nine in the deck landed on the flop, along with a king to rub salt into the big man’s wound. Not one to hide his feeling, a steaming Honeybone stormed from the tournament area as his dreams of emulating his fifth-place here last year evaporated.

A new chip leader has emerged in the opening minutes of level six, and not surprisingly, it’s a member of the Japanese contingent. Hidenari Shiono flopped a full-house (pocket eights on a flop of 8-3-3) to send another player to the rail. Shiono becomes the first player to break the 50,000-chip barrier.

On the adjacent table, Team PokerStars Pro Greg Raymer continues to turn on a world-class display, and his poker’s cruising along nicely too.

Displaying the patience and temperament that is required to win a WSOP main event, Raymer has out-chatted the mechanical voicebox that is David Saab throughout the afternoon. Saab has been reduced to a bit-player in the theatre at table three.

Three seats to Raymer’s left is his PokerStars teammate Bertrand ElkY Grospellier, who has also given Saab a working over this afternoon. ElkY is in third chip position on 37,000 and well placed for a charge towards a final table berth.

But the tournament is over for the other Team PokerStars Pro Hevad Khan after two punches sent him to the rail by TKO. There was already money in the pot before the flop of 2d-3d-9s, which Khan bet 1800. His opponent pushed all-in for 8500 and Khan called, showing Ah-Kd while his opponent held Ad-10d. The turn was safe – 7h – but a diamond (Q) sent the majority of his stack across the table.

Khan made his final stand from the small blind (Qs-8h), and received a call from the big blind, who held pocket kings. The flop (6s-8s-Js) gave Khan plenty of outs but the board ran out Jh 10h to give Khan a run at the buffet before the crowd arrived.

It seems the staff at the Paradise Walker-hill Casino have picked up on the 2005 WSOP champion’s choice of mid-event snack for this year’s visit of the region’s best poker players.

We’re not sure of the benefits that B-group vitamins, carbohydrates and potassium offer to the modern, health-conscious poker player, but we’ll keep an eye on those hoovering up the bananas to see how they fare over the next two and a half days.

Jimmy Cha certainly seemed to enjoy his banana. For the second year in-a-row, Korea’s most famous poker export has returned to play in his ‘home’ event

A consummate professional across his many interests (from poker to martial arts, classical music, or Baduk), Jimmy Cha made his name in Las Vegas during the late 1980s and early 1990s as one of the world’s premier cash players (in a period dominated by Doyle Brunson and Chip Reese). He even provided the inspiration for the lead character in the locally produced TV series All-in.

Cha has survived the first four levels of the day, but PokerStars Sponsored players JJ Liu Will Cheong, APPT High Roller runner-up Andrew Scott and two of the three travelling West Australians, Michael Pedley and Kent Hunter have been eliminated.

We’ve also lost the man who reached the final table of both APPT events in Macau, Charles Chua. Short-stacked, he moved in with Q-8 from the button and Eddie Sabat (the player who defeated Chua in the APPT Macau main event) made the call in the small blind with pocket fours.

Chua looked set for a double up when the flop came 6-8-Q but a 4 on the turn gave Sabat a set and sent the Chuck Truck to the parking lot.

The chip count resembles the United Nations early in level 4 – the leader is Jan Van Dyk from Oman (45,000), with the Korean-based Frenchman and Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand ElkY Grospellier close behind (36,000), with Canada’s Larry Pashak (34,000), Japan’s Wooka Kim (28,000) and American Eddie Sabat (24,000) filling out the top five.

Watch APPT Seoul 08: Khan and Raymer on PokerStars.tv

The three Team PokerStars Pros in action – Greg Raymer, Bertrand ElkY Grospellier and Hevad Khan – have safely negotiated the opening two one-hour levels to be placed on 9500, 12,500 and 11,500 in chips respectively.

Fresh from his PokerStars.net APPT Macau main event victory, Eddie Sabat has bolted from the stalls to be among the chip leaders on 32,000, with fellow PokerStars Sponsored players Dan Schreiber and Ivan Tan (21,000) also solid early.

Incredibly, Sabat is seated next Charles Chua – as if the pair didn’t spend enough time together at the final table of the APPT Macau main event where they filled the top two positions.

David Saab has been his normal erratic self in the early going – wearing a Vancouver Canucks NHL guernsey and nursing a nasty hangover, Saab has been unusually quiet so far today but has been involved in more pots than not and currently sits on 17,000 in chips.

We also just chatted with perhaps the three most jet-lagged players in the room – Aussies Michael Pedley, Kent Hunter and Terry Gardiner. The trio have been on a business trip to Russia but managed to squeeze Seoul into their schedule on the way home.

They flew into Incheon at 11am and made a lightning trip across the city (a challenge that all Seoul taxi drivers relish) to make it here in time for the first hand. Pedley reported they even played a few hands of poker while in Russia despite being in a remote region several hours east of Moscow. Poker knows no boundaries.

In contrast, poker’s latest poster child, PokerStars Sponsored player Celina Lin, is still becoming accustomed to the attention that comes with her celebrity in Asia (a glamorous cover on the Asian Poker Times didn’t hurt her profile one bit).

But a steelier Lin, a Chinese-born player now living in Melbourne, is more focussed on her performance at the tables in this tournament to consolidate her position as one of the rising stars of the game in this region. She’s sitting just above the starting stack of 10,000 and looking solid.