APPT Macau: Tough start for PokerStars qualifiers

Plenty of chips, generous structure, no pressure ? but players still can?t wait to get their chips into the pot as the eliminations continue early on day 3 of the PokerStars.net APPT Macau main event.

PokerStars qualifier Tom Carter from the US chased an early double-up to energise his short stack and got it in ahead with K-Q against Jung Hyun Choi?s J-10, but a jack on the turn sent Carter packing.

Swedish PokerStars qualifier Olle Lindberg followed soon after ? again, he was ahead pre-flop with As-Jh against the Qh-5h of Irishman Mark Walsh but the board (3s-Ah-2c-4h-10d) gave Walsh the wheel and the pot.

The tournament of Denmark?s Michael Lindstrom ended when Adrian Mills? A-K stayed in front of Lindstrom?s A-10 on a board of 8-2-5-Q-Q, while the last remaining female player Daisy Wain was scored in 35th position after Charles Chua made a set of sevens on the river to overtake Wain?s two-pair, aces and deuces.

Tyler Cornell?s elimination was soon followed by George Vassilopoulos after Carter Gill improved his pocket aces to a set against the Aussie?s two-pair nines and fours.

We can still hear PokerStars qualifier Michael Doodson bemoaning his poor fortune from the next level of the Grand Waldo Casino after he committed his short stack with pocket kings against Taneli Tiikkaja?s Qc-Jd. Doodson watched in horror as the flop came Qd-Qh-10h, with the board running out 9d-Ad. Yes Dorothy, they have bad beats in Macau too!

The Finn Tiikkaja just added another scalp to his belt when his nines won the race against Ming Chak Phil Lau?s K-J, the board falling 7s-10d-6d-Ah-6h.

With the clock ticking down to the end of level 15, already 10 of the 39 players have been eliminated. There will be a re-draw when 24 players remain.

Recent eliminations & payouts

30 James Bunner (Canada) HKD $63,215
31 Ming Lau (Hong Kong) HKD $63,215
32 Michael Doodson (Australia) HKD $63,215
33 George Vassilopoulos (Australia) HKD $50,570
34 Tyler Cornell (USA) HKD $50,570
35 Daisy Wain (USA) HKD $50,570
36 Michael Lindstrom (Denmark) HKD $50,570
37 Olle Lindberg Sweden) HKD $50,570
38 Tom Carter (USA) HKD $50,570
39 Ricky Lui (Australia) HKD $50,570

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APPT Macau: Eddie, set, go on day 3

The cards are in the air on day 3.

Players have taken their seats in the tournament area at the Grand Waldo Hotel and Casino for day 3 of the PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour main event.

The 39 remaining players are seated in one corner of the tournament area, allowing family, friends and more than a few interested spectators the best opportunity to see the players in action.

Our chip leader, PokerStars qualifier Ed Sabat, looked very relaxed as he took his seat on table one, where his stack dwarfs those of the other six players.

Sabat has enjoyed a successful year on the live circuit, with a best finish of third in the WSOP Circuit Series event at Harrah?s Rincon in San Diego, worth $70,680, back in February. He also cashed in the PokerStars.net LAPT event in Brazil last month, and finished in-the-money twice at the 2008 WSOP.

He recently completed his accountancy studies at USC but considers his new classroom the Commerce Casino in Los Angeles where he is a regular in the cash games.

With a chip average heading into day 3 of 136,538 and an average of 34 big blinds per player, Sabat and the other 38 players have plenty of chips and time to pick their spots. The structure for today?s play is:

Level 15: 2000/4000 (500 ante)
Level 16: 2500/5000 (500 ante)
Level 17: 3000/6000 (500 ante)
Level 18: 4000/8000 (1000 ante)
Level 19: 5000/10,000 (1000 ante)
Level 20: 6000/12,000 (2000 ante)
Level 21: 800/16,000 (2000 ante)

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