The second season of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour is about to begin in Macau and now PokerStars has kicked off satellites for the second stop on the tour.

PokerStars is now running satellites for the APPT event in Seoul, Korea. The event runs September 26-28 at the Paradise Walker-hill Casino.

PokerStars players can win their seat in Seoul in cash and FPP qualifiers starting at $2.20 or 50 FPP credits. Seats are also available in Steps sit-and-go satellites starting at $7.50 or 500 FPP credits.

The APPT Macau prize package is worth $6,000, and includes tournament buy-in, hotel accommodation and money for expenses.

To register for an APPT satellite tournament, open the PokerStars lobby, click ‘Events’ and ‘APPT’.

For more information, visit the APPT Seoul homepage.

The Hebrew word “Tzabra” or “Sabra” is used to describe native Israelis. A tzabra is a tough desert plant that thrives under harsh conditions. Under its thorny exterior, the “Tzabra” protects a softer, less severe interior.

It's a perfect analogy for our first PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour Seoul champion, Israel’s Ziv Bachar (ziviland on PokerStars).

The soft-spoken 25-year-old showed no mercy during the final table at the Sheraton Grande Hotel. He brought the chip lead to the final table, and was rarely threatened on his way to the $139,872 first prize.

Bachar, who works in the real estate industry in his native Israel, continues great year for poker players from the Mediterranean nation of just over seven million people.

At the World Series of Poker earlier this year, high stakes poker pro Eli Elezra captured his first WSOP bracelet in winning the seven-card stud hi/lo event over poker legend Scotty Nguyen (and winning a 10-1 bet from Team PokerStars Pro Barry Greenstein that he would win a bracelet in 2007).

Final Table Summary:

In contrast to the first APPT final table in Manila last month (which lasted well into the early hours), play lasted less than six hours and 111 hands.

Just three players returned after the dinner break – Sid Kim the chip leader on 983,000, Bachar on 740,000 and Jo Berec on 139,000. It wasn’t long until the chips were flying. On hand 97, Berec moved all-in from the big blind for 116,000, and Bachar called instantly. Berec (Ad 6h) was marginally ahead of Bachar’s Qh 10d, and the Australian made two-pair to double through and spark his comeback.

Five hands later, the heads-up line-up was decided after Bachar and Sid Kim watched a flop of Jc 6c 2s. Both players checked and the turn came 3d. Kim bet 50,000, Bachar raised to 100,000, Kim pushed all-in and Bachar couldn’t get the rest of his chips in fast enough.



The Israeli showed 6h 3c for two pair, while Kim’s Qc 4c gave him a flush draw. However, the 2d on the river missed the American, and he was out in third place.

Unlike the 60-plus hand heads-up battle at the APPT Manila event, the duel between Bachar and Berec lasted just nine hands.

With a chip lead almost 10:1 over Berec, Bachar picked his mark and made the call when Berec pushed all-in with Kd 9c.



Bachar had his nose in front with Kc 10c, but the drama wasn’t over. The flop came Qh Qc 6d, meaning Bachar’s 10 was still in play, but a Ks on the turn threw Berec some more lifelines.

But a meaningless 2d on the river gave Bachar kings and queens with a 10 kicker to win the tournament.

“It was a relief to get over Jozef so quickly,” Bachar said as the enormity of his victory started to sink in. “He’d been so aggressive and unpredictable, but I thought I was in with a good shot even though K 10 isn’t a great hand.”



It’s back to work in Tel Aviv for the modest APPT Seoul champion, but we’re hoping to see Ziv Bachar in Sydney for the APPT Grand Final in December. And that’s probably when you’ll next hear from me – on behalf of the APPT Seoul team, it’s “anyonghi gaseyo” or goodbye, from the Walker-hill Casino in Seoul, South Korea.

By Sean Callander

Just three players are still in the running to claim the first APPT Seoul title. Sid Kim is the new chip leader on 983,000, followed by 25-year-old Israeli Ziv Bachar on 740,000 with Australian Jo Berec the short stack on 139,000.
In the latest action, captured in magnificent images on http://www.flickr.com/photos/9871433@N08/sets/72157602206287029/, we went from four to three when Michel St Pierre was first wounded, then finished off by Sid Kim. On hand 84, the Canadian moved all-in for 260,00 from the small blind. Ziv Bachar, who’s stack was down to 193,000 called for his tournament life. St Pierre showed As Kd, and Bachar Qc Qd. Neither player’s hand improved on a board of 8s 6d 3d 7d 10c, as Bachar doubled through.

On the next hand, the charge of the PokerStars online qualifier came to an end after Kim raised to 60,000, and St Pierre threw in his remaining 66,000.

The Canadian was marginally ahead, holding K h 10d against Kim’s Qc Jc, and he looked set to double-up on a board of 7h 4h 2d 8h. But Kim hit a four-outer (the Jd) to eliminate St Pierre in fourth spot (worth $34,968 in prize money, not bad for an investment of $109).

Bachar’s momentum continued in the torrid half-hour before the dinner break, but Berec went from hero to (almost) zero.
On hand 88, the Israeli and the Australian popped it up to 40,000 apiece pre-flop, before the flop came Ah As 9s. Bachar bet 25,000, but Berec came over the top for his entire stack of 495,000. Bachar called the extra 395,000 in his stack.

Battling for the biggest pot of the APPT Seoul main event, Bachar showed Ac Ks for top pair and Berec had a flush draw (8s 6s). But the turn (Jc) and river (4c) missed Berec, putting a major dent in his stack.



When the trio headed for dinner and their final feed of the tournament (a shame, the buffet rocked), there was clearly a spring in the step of Bachar and Kim but Berec seemed to be looking for an answer to his woes somewhere among the tasty morsels on offer. Wisdom in the watermelon; salvation amid the smoked salmon? We’ll find out in the next few hours.

Different strokes for different folks – it was interesting to see the demeanour of the players during the break in the APT Seoul final table. First-time final table participants like Norwegian qualifier Seval “Biffen 1” Hægeland and Michel “MSTP007” St Pierre paced nervously outside the ballroom while Jo Berec and Roger Spets looked relaxed and calm after the first two levels. James Honeybone said he’d been happy to stay under the radar during the first two hours.

After a quiet level 17, we’re expecting some fireworks during level 18, especially with Seval Haegeland (107,000) and Sid Kim (96,000) being chipped away.

Hands 36-40: Spets takes the first hand (36) after the break with 20,000 pre-flop raise, and Kim pushes all-in to claim the blinds and antes in hand 37. On hand 38, Berec raises to 24,000 and gets no action. Bachar and Berec check it down to the river on hand 39, and ace-high is enough for Bachar to take the pot on a board of Jh 9h 8c 8d Jd. Hægeland makes his move with an all-in bet on hand 40, but gets no love.

Hands 41-45: Berec takes the blinds and antes in hand 41 with a pre-flop raise of 25,000. Sid Kim is again all-in on hand 42 and after a few moments to deliberate, Roger Spets folds. Berec pumps it up to 26,000 to take hand 43, while St Pierre’s pre-flop raise of 25,000 is enough to take down hand 44. We see a flop on hand 45 between Berec and Haegeland. It comes Qc 10c 5d, and the pot goes to the Norwegian when he pops it up 25,000.

Hands 46-50: Bachar scoops hand 46 with a raise to 20,000 pre-flop. Hand 47 is a carbon copy with Honeybone taking the blinds and antes. Haegeland, Berec and Honeybone see a flop on hand 48 – it comes Qc 10c 5d, and Haegeland takes it down with a bet of 25,000. On hand 49, it’s a three-way pot between Berec, Kim and Spets. The flop reads Js 8s 2h. Kim pushes all-in, and scoops the pot. The Canadian St Pierre gets a walk on hand 50.

Hand 51: Ziv Bachar
Button: Kim (seat 7) – in one of the biggest pots of level 17, Bachar raises to 20,000 and gets a call from St Pierre. The flop is Qd Js 5h. Both players check. The turn is the Jd, St Pierre bets 25,000 and Bachar calls. The river is 5c. St Pierre checks, and Bachar bets 30,000. St Pierre folds and Bachar wins pot of more than 100,000.

Hands 52-54: The pattern resumes on hand 52, with Haegeland raising all-in after St Pierre calls on the button, and everyone folds. On hand 53, Berec bumps it up to 45,000 and gets a call from Kim. The flop is Ad Ah 7c, and it goes check-check. The turn is Qs, Berec requests a count but Kim mucks before he has a chance to take a nice pot. Bachar and Spets butt heads on hand 54 after the Israeli’s raise to 25,000. The flop reads Ac 7h 5d, Bachar bets 20,000 and takes it down. Blinds have just gone up to 5000/10,000 with an ante of 1000.

Hand 55: Sid Kim
Button: Berec (seat 3) – Roger Spets pushes all-in from the small blind with 2d 4h and gets an immediate call from Sid Kim with Ac 7s. The board comes 6h 3h 9h 7d Jd, and Sid Kim doubles through Spets, who is down to just 11,000 in chips.

Hands 56-59:St Pierre takes hand 56 from Kim with a bet of 15,000 after a flop of Kh 8c 3c, and makes it two out of two on hand 57 with a pre-flop raise of 30,000. St Pierre raises to 35,000 on hand 58, but Bachar’s reraise to 95,000 send the Canadian’s cards into the muck. Hægeland takes hand 59 with a pre-flop raise to 25,000. Honeybone gets away from it on hand 60 after his pre-flop raise of 32,000, which Berec reraises all-in. The Aussie shows pocket eights.

Hand 61: Ziv Bachar (Roger Spets eliminated in seventh position, $17,484)



Button: Honeybone (seat 2) – Bachar and Berec call, and Spets is all in for 5500 in the big blind. It’s checked down to the river with the board showing Ad 4h 2c 8h 7s. Bachar shows king-high to win the pot, eliminating Spets Js 5h. However, Roger Spets will go down in APPT history as the first player to reach two final tables.


Latest chip count (final table) Approximate:

• Ziv Bachar 620,000


• Jozef Berec 580,000


• Michel St Pierre 250,000


• James Honeybone 148,000


• Sid Kim 248,000


• Seval Haegeland 26,000

Hands 62-63: On hand 62, Berec raises to 25,000 and Kim calls. The flop reads Qh 8s 7c, Kim bets 25,000 and Berec raises enough to put Kim all-in. He doesn’t take the bait, leaving Berec in the chip lead on 580,000. St Pierre takes hand 63 with a bet of 20,000 when the board of Js Jh 2h 9h 7h is checked to the river.

Hand 64: Sid Kim
Button: Kim (seat 7): Kim raises to 25,000, Hægeland calls and the flop reads Js 8h 3c. Hægeland checks blind, Kim pushes all-in and the Norwegian calls. Kim shows 10s 9s, and Hægeland Jd 8d. The turn is 6h, but Kim hits the Qs on the river for a straight, crippling Hægeland.

Hands 65-70: Hægeland moves all-in from the small blind and gets a call from Bachar. It’s Qd 10h v Qs 7c, and Hægeland’s kicker plays to keep him alive after hand 65. Sid Kim scoops the blinds and antes with a raise of 40,000 on hand 66. Hægeland hangs on again in a chop (Ac 9h v Ad 9d) with Honeybone on hand 67. Sid Kim bets 25,000 on a flop of Kh Qs 2d, forcing Berec and Honeybone to fold on hand 68. St Pierre then gets a walk on hand 69, and Kim takes hand 70 with a bet of 20,000 on a flop of Ks Jh 6s.

Hand 71: Michel St Pierre (Seval Hægeland eliminated in sixth position, $21,855)

Button: St Pierre (seat 8): Hægeland pushes all-in for his last 19,000, and gets a call from Bachar and St Pierre. It’s checked all the way on a board of Kd 10s 9h 10d 2s. Haegeland shows Ks 3c but St Pierre has 10h 7d for a set, eliminating the Norwegian who won his way into the APPT Seoul main event for $1.

At the break, the latest chip count reads

• Ziv Bachar 562,000


• Jozef Berec 547,000


• Michel St Pierre 321,000


• Sid Kim 290,000


• James Honeybone 142,000

Hand 73: Sid Kim
Button: Bachar (seat 1) – Fireworks straight out of the break with the biggest hand of the tournament so far. Kim raises to 28,000, Berec re-raises to 112,000, Kim re-raises all-in and Berec calls. Kim shows Ks 10s and Berec Qc Qd. The flop hits Kim (As Kc 4h) and there’s no help for Berec on the turn (9c) or river (8s). Sid Kim is our new chip leader on 587,000, and Berec is down to 280,000.

Hands 72, 74-75: Berec raises to 36,000 on hand 72 to take the blinds and antes. Bachar’s raise to 36,000 is enough to take hand 73, as is Honeybone’s all-in push on hand 74.

Hand 76: Jozef Berec (James Honeybone eliminated in fifth place $28,412)

Button: Sid Kim (seat 7) – Honeybone moves all-in and Berec re-raises all in for 271,000. Honeybone shows Ad 10d and Berec 8h 8c. The flop comes 10h 4h 2s Qs, but Berec hits the 8d on the river for a set, KOing the young New Zealander.

Note: We’ll no longer be filing hand-by-hand reporting from the final table of the APPT Seoul main event, but keep an eye out for the final results in the coming hours.

A few nervous poker players have just made their way into the TV studio for the final table of the APPT Seoul main event in the Walkerhill Sheraton Grande Hotel on the outskirts of the South Korean capital.

It’s drizzly and gloomy outside, but the lights are shining bright here at the final table – we’ve actually relocated upstairs to one of the Sheraton Grande ballrooms from the Walker-hill Casino. Once again, the 441 team have done a great job with the set: it promises to be one of the finest televised poker products you’ll ever see.

Paul Adams, an American who lives just to the north of Seoul, has added a distinctly East Asian feel to the final table by discarding the suit and tie he’s worn in the past two days for a traditional Korean outfit called a hanbok. In terms of final table fashions, Adams is already a clear winner.

Like the APPT Manila final table, we have a league of nations battling for the title: an Israeli, an Australian, a New Zealander, a French-Canadian, a Swede-based in Malaysia, a Norwegian and a trio of Americans who all make their home in South Korea.
The 25-year-old Isareli Ziv Bachar is our chip leader on 415,000, with Australian Jo Berec close behind on 350,000. The remaining seven players are covered by 70,000 in chips, so it promises to be a fierce battle for the title. Blinds are starting at 3000/6000 with a 500 ante, and the dealer button will start with Michel St Pierre in seat eight.
Keep an eye on our blog throughout the day for regular updates.

• Seat 1: Ziv Bachar (ziviland on PokerStars, 415,000 in chips)


• Seat 2: James Honeybone (nzvr4poker on PokerStars, 171,500 in chips)


• Seat 3: Jozef Berec (jbjeoli on PokerStars, 350,000)


• Seat 4: Daniel Schreiber (rekrul on PokerStars, 185,500 in chips)


• Seat 5: Paul Adams (zadignose on PokerStars, 184,000 in chips)


• Seat 6: Roger Spets (titantilts on PokerStars, 168,000 in chips)


• Seat 7: Sid Kim (110,500 in chips)


• Seat 8: Michel St Pierre (MSTP007 on PokerStars, 149,500 in chips)


• Seat 9: Seval Hægeland (Biffen 1 on PokerStars, 127,500 in chips)

Previous APPT Posts:

APPT Seoul: Last nine decided in battle for APPT Seoul glory

• APPT Seoul: Qualifiers have a tale to tell to folks back home


• Was there something in the food?


• Chinese Poker, it's anyone's game


• A Case of Tae Kwon Woe


• Schreiber stays on top in race for Seoul crown


• ‘Rekrul’ rules late on day one


• Mercier makes her move


• Quality field takes aim at Team PokerStars


• Who are those masked men?


• Seoul Tournament Kicks Off

By Sean Callander

The field for tomorrow’s APPT Seoul final table has been decided. Play wound up shortly after 12.30am when PokerStars qualifier Ulf Martensson was eliminated in 10th spot.

After a raise from Jozef Berec, Martensson pushed all-in from the big blind with Ah 5h. Berec showed Jh 10h, and made a straight when the board came Kd 9d 8s 2d Qs. The Swede departed, but was more than happy to collect $6557 for his $109 investment in a PokerStars qualifying tournament.

For the record, Kent Justice (USA) finished 11th, another American Michael Collins bowed out in 12th position, Norway’s Heige Vatne was 13th and Hong Kong player Elton Tsang was 14th. We also crowned the inaugural Chinese Poker champion, with PokerNews marketing director Gareth Edwards taking the chocolates over another Australian, James Potter.

Final table profiles

Seat 1: Ziv Bachar (ziviland on PokerStars, 415,000 in chips): For such a small nation, Israel has an impressive two-from-two record at APPT events. Following on from Maor Feldinger’s final table appearance in Manila (he finished fifth), his countryman Ziv Bachar has emulated that feat by making the last nine in Seoul. The 25-year-old from Tel Aviv, who works in the real estate industry, started his own business 18 months ago. He brings considerable poker experience to the final table, having finished ninth in the 2006 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in the Bahamas (worth $95,000) and was victorious in the € 500 No Limit Hold'em Event at last year’s PokerStars EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo (worth €54,400). Bachar, who won a Sunday Warm-up on PokerStars just a fortnight ago, won his way into the APPT Seoul main event visa a $109 satellite on PokerStars. He is the chip leader heading into the final table.

Seat 2: James Honeybone (nzvr4poker on PokerStars, 171,500 in chips): This 23-year-old from Hamilton on New Zealand’s North Island is one of poker’s true believers. He’s a real student of the game, and loves talking hands and poker folklore at every opportunity. Just about to wrap-up a business management course, Honeybone’s poker education is also coming along in leaps and bounds. After cashing for more than $US80,000 in the 2006 Barcelona Poker Classic, he has continued that solid form with cashes in the 2007 NZ Poker Championships and the 2007 Victorian Poker Championships. He’s also etched a permanent mark in the APPT record books, by winning the first tournament ever held as part of the new tour: the PHP5000 Manila Cup at last month’s APPT event in the Philippines. His girlfriend Jacqui will be the first to congratulate him if he gets over the line.



Seat 3: Jozef Berec (jbjeoli on PokerStars, 350,000 in chips): Barely known outside his native Melbourne, the performance of Jo Berec in the APPT Seoul main event might make the poker world start to sit up and take notice. The 48-year-old pro player has been in a hot vein of form over the past 12 months. He won the $550 No Limit Hold’em title and $74,000 at the 2007 Aussie Millions, and backed-up with victory in the Victorian Poker Championships main event (worth just over $250,000) two months ago. Berec, who led the field for a significant part of day two, emigrated to Australia from Hungary more than 20 years ago and formerly ran a business with his brother before turning his full-time focus to poker.



Seat 4: Daniel Schreiber ("rekrul'member of Team PokerStars, 185,500 in chips): Having won the 2007 WSOP $5000 Heads-up event, at the age of 22, Daniel Schreiber became the fifth youngest WSOP bracelet winner ever. Schreiber, who had never cashed in a prior WSOP event, defeated Mark Muchnik by winning both matches in the finale to earn $425,594. The first match took 79 hands while the second lasted only 11. The field of 392 players was the largest heads-up hold 'em tournament in history. Formerly ranked #1 in the USA for the strategy video game Starcraft, Schreiber moved to South Korea in 2004 from Commack, New York, to compete as a professional gamer. Yet, he found his true calling as an online poker pro while playing on Pokerstars. Daniel Schreiber is a member of Team PokerStars.




Seat 5: Paul Adams (zadignose on PokerStars, 184,000 in chips): It’s been an unforgettable two days for 39-year-old Korean-based American Paul Adams. Originally from New York City (where he earned a degree in film and TV production from New York University), Adams has not only qualified for his first major final table, he found out during a break on day two that his wife is pregnant with their first child! Adams learned to play poker as a youngster and fondly remembers his first experience of Texas Hold’em at the Bullwhackers Casino in Blackhawk, Colorado. An English teacher at a private academy, he has lived in Korea for 18 months.



Seat 6: Roger Spets (titantilts on PokerStars, 168,000 in chips): This 40-year-old Swede burst onto the APPT scene with an impressive showing in the opening event in Manila. After leading at numerous times on day two, he eventually bowed out in sixth position (worth $26,966). Not bad for a player making his first live tournament appearance. Spets, who runs a wealth management company in Malaysia, joined the APPT Seoul field along with fellow final table participants from Manila, Japan’s Kazuhiro Sato and runner-up Ira Blumenthal. However, Spets enters the record books as the first player to feature at two APPT final tables. Spets has been playing poker for only two and a half years, starting out in home games before turning his focus to cash games and sit ‘n’ goes on PokerStars.



Seat 7: Shinhan Sid Kim (110,500 in chips): No Korean players are permitted to play in the Walker-hill Casino, but Shinhan Sid Kim comes as close to a local as anyone in the APPT Seoul field. Kim was born in Korea but moved to the USA as a four-year-old. After growing up in Ventura, California, he returned to Korea 10 years ago. Now 38, he’s turned more than 20 years of poker experience into a final table berth in his first major tournament appearance. Kim, who battled a short stack for much of the event but struck when it mattered, operates a chain of hagwons (or private schools) throughout Korea and also provides opportunities for Koreans to learn English through his own radio show and his own line of books.



Seat 8: Michel St Pierre (MSTP007 on PokerStars, 149,500 in chips): The sole North American to make the final table of the APPT Seoul main event, Michel St Pierre is originally from Repentigny in Quebec, Canada but now resides in Montreal. A contractor who works in property development, he has been playing poker for about three years and has considerable experience in a number of major Canadian poker tournaments. The 29-year-old qualified for the long trek from the east coast of Canada to East Asia via a $109 buy-in tournament on PokerStars, where he holds Goldstar status. St Pierre is hoping the “jouissance” (or enjoyment) he’s been experiencing in South Korea will continue all the way to the APPT Seoul title.



Seat 9: Seval Hægeland (Biffen 1 on PokerStars, 127,500 in chips): It’s been a massive month for Norwegian poker after 19-year-old Annette Obrestad won the 2007 WSOP Europe main event. Seval Hægeland is hoping to follow in her footsteps with victory in the APPT Seoul main event. A native of Lyngden in southern Norway, the father-of-two qualified for his trip to South Korea via a $1 buy-in tournament on PokerStars for Nordic players, outlasting a massive field of more than 800 players. The 40-year-old bricklayer has been a lifelong poker player, and first picked up on Texas Hold’em about four years ago. He’s hoping to use the experience he picked up in last year’s PokerStars EPT event in Barcelona to steer him to victory in Seoul.

By Sean Callander

“There are eight million stories in the naked city; this has been one of them” was the tagline to the classic 1948 movie of the same title. There aren't exactly eight million PokerStars qualifiers at the APPT Seoul, but there are eight in the final 16, chasing the APPT title at the Walker-hill Casino tonight.

One of those players is Seval Hægeland, a bricklayer from the town of Lyngden in the south of Norway. After conquering a field of more than 800 players to qualify for a trip to South Korea via a $1 buy-in tournament, Hægeland has steadily amassed chips throughout the tournament to be perfectly poised for a shot at the final table. He’s currently fourth in chips, on 200,000.

And even better yarn is emerging with the performance of young Israeli Ziv Bachar. A final table finisher at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in 2006 (he won $95,000) and victor in the € 500 No Limit Hold'em Event at last year’s EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo (worth €54,400), Bachar is the new chip leader on 430,000. He won his way to Seoul on the back of a $109 satellite on PokerStars.



However, the dream has ended for another PokerStars qualifier, Germany’s Uwe Braukhoff. The freeroll winner grimly hung on after losing much of his stack to Hægeland just prior to the last break, then pushed all-in with pocket 10s.
The call came from another PokerStars qualifier, Swede Ulf Martensson, with Ah Kh. Martensson missed his overcards but rivered a flush on a board of Jh 9c 7s 5h 3h. Braukhoff takes home $4371 for his 15th placing, not bad for an investment of $0.



Braukhoff can also claim that he outlasted the final member of Team PokerStars Pro still in the running for the silverware, Isabelle ‘No Mercy’ Mercier. Short-stacked for much of the day, Mercier endlessly searched for opportunities to double up, but they proved few and far between. Eventually she ran into, you guessed it, James Honeybone. She pushed in for her last 40,000 and received an insta-call from the New Zealander.



He showed pocket aces against Mercier’s pocket eights, and just to rub salt into the wound, Honeybone hit an ace on the flop to send the French-Canadian glamour to the rail.


We’re just three spots away from deciding the final table line-up for tomorrow.

Chip count, day 2 (approximate)

• Ziv Bachar (Israel) 430,000


• Jozef Berec (Australia) 250,000


• James Honeybone (NZ) 240,000


• Seval Hægeland (Norway) 200,000


• Daniel Schreiber (USA) 140,000


• Paul Adams (USA) 126,000


• Roger Spets (Sweden) 90,000


• Shinhan Sid Kim 85,000


• Ulf Martensson (Sweden) 75,000


• Kent Justice (USA) 70,000


• Michel St-Pierre (Canada) 60,000


• Michael Collins (USA) 50,000

Previous APPT Posts:

• Was there something in the food?


• Chinese Poker, it's anyone's game


• A Case of Tae Kwon Woe


• Schreiber stays on top in race for Seoul crown


• ‘Rekrul’ rules late on day one


• Mercier makes her move


• Quality field takes aim at Team PokerStars


• Who are those masked men?


• Seoul Tournament Kicks Off

By Sean Callander

Normally break time in a major tournament is like holding a red flag to a bull. Players go away and consider their position, and many return with a new found determination to make something happen. Usually, that means it’s time to push.

Well, the remaining 21 players in the PokerStars.net APPT Seoul main event have decided one thing – they want the money. A full level (with blinds at 1200/2400 and 400 antes) has passed without a single elimination.

But that’s not to say there hasn’t been any action – most of which has surrounded the excitable young New Zealander James Honeybone. Former chip leader Daniel Schreiber and Honeybone have butted heads on numerous occasions, but it was Schreiber who dealt a major blow to the Kiwi’s stack.

On a flop of Ad 9h 4h, Honeybone moved all in for 76,500 with Ah 3h. Schrieber made the call with Ac Qd. Honeybone’s nose was in front when a 3s came on the turn, but an unlikely 4c on the river negated Honeybone’s two pair as Schreiber’s queen came into play.

However, he quickly rebounded by doubling through Korean-based American Clarence Abrams. All-in pre-flop with pocket aces, Abrams (with pocket 10s) made a set on the flop but an ace on the turn breathed new life into Honeybone’s challenge.

But just when we thought it was safe to back into the water … a massive pot has followed the first two eliminations (Clarence Abrams and Beng Hong Ker) in more than 80 minutes.





On table one, Danny Purkins (pocket fives), Uwe Brauckhoff (pocket eights) and Seval Hægeland (As 10s) were all-in on a board of 3s 5s 8s. Hægeland, who qualified for the tournament via a $1 tournament on PokerStars, hauled in a massive pot when his nut flush held up. Purkins is out, and the German freeroll winner Brauckhoff has lost a substantial slice of his stack.





Meanwhile on table two, the charge of PokerNews marketing manager Cory-Ann Joseph ended in two hands, firstly when her pocket twos ran into Michael Collins’ eights; then her A 5 failed to improve against Bachar Ziv’s nines.



Then suddenly, the bubble burst after just two rounds of hand-for-hand when Haward Speer, a PokerStars qualifier from Germany, was knocked out in 17th position. With 16 players remaining, players have been redrawn into two tables (half of who qualified for their seats on PokerStars). Now it gets serious.



By the way, a quick mention about the great work of our two local photographers Byong Kwan and Jae Hoon. Covering their first major poker tournament, the two young snappers have been doing a terrific job. To check out some samples of their work, check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/9871433@n08. BY the way, if you see a name mispelled, or even see a picture of yourself and we didn't put your name right, please drop a line through Flickr, We'll do what we can to fix it up.

Chip count, day 2 (approximate)

• Jozef Berec (Australia) 400,000


• Bachar Ziv (Israel) 240,000


• Seval Hægeland (Norway) 230,000


• Daniel Schreiber (USA) 195,000


• Roger Spets (Sweden) 145,000

Previous APT Posts:

• Chinese Poker, it's anyone's game


• A Case of Tae Kwon Woe


• Schreiber stays on top in race for Seoul crown


• ‘Rekrul’ rules late on day one


• Mercier makes her move


• Quality field takes aim at Team PokerStars


• Who are those masked men?


• Seoul Tournament Kicks Off

By Sean Callander

The PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour is breaking new ground in this emerging poker region, but it’s a case of back to the future in Seoul thanks to a unique addition to the tournament schedule.

Although Chinese Poker is one of the most popular forms of the game – especially among poker’s top players – the addition of Chinese Poker to the list of events on the APPT Seoul schedule has set tongues wagging all over the poker world.
So why is Chinese poker (sometimes called Russian Poker or 13-card Poker) so popular? Well, it’s easy to play, the rules are basic, luck generally overrides skill (although there is still a significant component of skill to the game) and it’s a great game to play heads-up.

They’re just some of the reasons that you’ll often see a gaggle of pros huddled in the corner of a poker room, in a hotel room or just about anywhere there’s enough space to deal the cards.

Legend has it that Team PokerStars Pro Barry Greenstein provided Phil Ivey with the excuse to attend the 2005 Monte Carlo Millions after agreeing to play Chinese Poker with him high above the Atlantic. Ivey went on to win the tournament and the $US1.6 million first prize. Greenstein is also said to have dropped $US1.5 million to high-stakes rival/friend Ted Forrest in a month-long game of Chinese Poker.

While Chinese Poker returns to the tournament spotlight here at the Paradise Walkerhill Casino, the game experienced a moment in the sun during the mid-1990s. At the 1995 and 1996 WSOP tournaments, two Chinese Poker events were held in each year ($1500 and $5000 buy-ins).
Let’s hope that Chinese Poker is back to stay, thanks to the PokerStars.net APPT.

Meanwhile, it’s chaos in the main event with players still dropping at an astounding rate. Jozef Berec looks almost assured of a final table berth after taking a massive pot against Singapore’s Zhiwei Ang. The Australian said he had a great read on Ang, who pushed all-in after the turn on a queen-high board with A K. Berec called and showed K Q, and made two-pair when a king hit on the river.

Ang has been one of the stories of the tournament. The quietly-spoken but fiercely competitive young student was among the chip leaders at the end of day one before walking into Berec.

However, his countryman Beng Hong Ker, who qualified for this event via a $109 buy-in event on PokerStars, remains in the hunt with more than 45,000 in chips.




Another player to make a move is Seval Hægeland. Amazingly, the Norwegian player earned his trip to Seoul in a special $1 buy-in tournament for players in the Nordic region. He’s sitting above 100,000 in chips. Just 21 players remain, an agonising five spots short of the money with less than an hour until the dinner break.

Chip count, day 2 (approximate)

• Jozef Berec (Australia) 220,000


• Daniel Schreiber (USA) 158,000


• James Honeybone (NZ) 142,000


• Seval Hægeland (Norway) 115,000PokerStars Qualifier


• Cory-Ann Joseph (Australia) 79,000

Previous Posts:

• A Case of Tae Kwon Woe


• Cory-Ann waves the flag for females, felines and the Land Down Under


• Schreiber stays on top in race for Seoul crown


• ‘Rekrul’ rules late on day one


• Mercier makes her move


• Quality field takes aim at Team PokerStars


• Who are those masked men?


• Seoul Tournament Kicks Off

By Sean Callander

If Cory-Ann Joseph’s grin gets any broader, the top of her head is going to snap off! She is one of two female players still in the hunt for the APPT Seoul crown (along with Isabelle Mercier) and one of only two Australians still in the field (there’s also chip leader Jo Berec).

But the main reason for Cory-Ann’s joy is happening thousands of miles away at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia. For sports fans out there, it’s the biggest weekend for Aussie football followers, with the grand final of the Australian Football League being played.

Cory-Ann’s favourite side, the Geelong Cats, haven’t won a premiership since 1963, but they ended the 44-year drought with the greatest winning margin in League history in a one-sided game against the Port Adelaide Power. A quote Cory? “Go the Cats!”

As if to celebrate, Cory-Ann just took down a nice pot against Swedish player Roger Spets, when her pocket kings held firm against Spets’ K 10. She’s now third in chips, trailing only Daniel Schreiber and her countryman Berec.

Other big movers in the first two levels on day two of the APPT Seoul main event include James Honeybone, who’s up to 125,000 after taking a slice of Jo Berec’s stack. However, Berec quickly made amends by eliminating young US player Alex Fitzgerald. Honeybone also claimed the scalp of Isaac ‘The General’ Galazan, who’s K Q failed to improve on a board of Jd 6c 5d 10d Js against the Kiwi’s pocket sevens.



We’ve also lost Jimmy Cha, a local poker icon who proved a popular addition to the line-up for this event. Cha’s pocket kings ran into Ryan Collett’s pocket aces, and the board provided no favours. We’re down to 30 players, just 14 short of the money.

Day 2 chip count (approximate):

• Jozef Berec (Australia) 180,000


• Daniel Schreiber (USA) 132,000


• Cory-Ann Joseph (Australia) 98,000


• Bachar Ziv (Israel) 82,000


• Heige Vatne (Norway) 78,000


• Roger Spets (Sweden) 73,000


• Kent Justice (USA) 70,000


• Ryan Collett (USA) 70,000

Latest placings:

• 37 - Ruizhong Chen (Switzerland)


• 38 - Anthony Rafter (Ireland)


• 39 - Jonny Vincent (Australia)


• 40 - Shannon Hudson (USA)


• 41 - Naohiko Yamazaki (Japan)


• 42 - James Potter (Australia)


• 43 - Tomonaga Masaaki (Japan)


• 44 - Jacques Zaicik (France)


• 45 - Jimmy Cha (USA)


• 46 - Michadel Walker (USA)


• 47 - Paul Roper (Ireland)


• 48 - Karsten Jensen (Denmark)

By Sean Callander


A word of warning for any aspiring poker players out there who plan on crossing a member of Team PokerStars with a poorly timed raise or a horrible suckout on the river. They now have the power; the power to fightback!

Prior to the start of day two here in South Korea for the inaugural APPT Seoul event, Team PokerStars sampled some local culture with a visit to the Korea Taekwondo Tae Jeong Club – their lesson may not have added much to a centuries worth martial arts’ tradition on the Korean Peninsula, but it certainly provided plenty of side-splitting moments for the PokerStars Pro and assembled media.



Joe Hachem, Lee Nelson, Isabelle Mercier, Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier and Tuan Lam suited up in traditional costume, went through some stretching exercises and then it was time to kick some bags and break some blocks!

Taekwondo is the national sport of South Korea and sparring, kyeorugi, is a recognised Olympic sport. Roughly translated, 'tae' means to destroy with the feet; 'kwon' to strike or smash with the hand; and do is the 'path', 'way' or 'method". In English it can be understood as; “the way of the feet and fist”.

Joe Hachem, who has years of karate experience under his belt, certainly showed some fists of fury when he shattered five wooden blocks with a single blow. During last night’s dinner break, Joe warned that he had some steam to let off – indeed, sparks literally flew as the timber shattered into several pieces.

Despite playing through to the end of day one and only catching a few hours’ sleep, Isabelle Mercier was full of energy and used her kickboxing background to deliver some ferocious kicks. ‘No Mercy’ shared an ominous message after the session finished: “I think I’ll break some blocks if I make the final table, that way no-one will ever mess with me.”



Mercier is now back in the Walker-hill Casino poker room battling it out to live up to her promise of making the final table.
The new chip leader is Australian Jo Berec, who just took down a massive pot to move ahead of last night’s chip leader Dan Schreiber to 190,000. Berec, who won the Victorian Poker Championships main event in his home casino Crown in Melbourne, has been in terrific form and will be a tough man to break down today. Only 35 players remain in the race for the title, with the top 16 players chasing the money.

By Sean Callander

The dreams of winning the first APPT Seoul trophy have ended for more than three-quarters of the 186 players who started day one here at the Walker-hill Casino.

On the heels of last night’s cocktail party and nine tough hours over the felt, there are plenty of weary souls – 48 to be exact – ready for a long night’s sleep.

One who’s been through the wringer is Jacques Zaicik, a player that has featured a number of times in our blog today. After KOing Team PokerStars Pros Vanessa Rousso and Joe Hachem, the Frenchman found himself short-stacked and all-in against Adam Kagin. Worse still, Zaicik’s pocket queens were in trouble after Kagin showed pocket kings.

Unbelievably, the flop came Kd Qs Qc, giving Kagin a full house but Zaicik made quads. “There’s something for you to write about,” he said, so Jacques, here it is!

Young Kiwi James Honeybone, who won the first event ever held by the APPT (the Manila Cup at last month’s APPT event in the Philippines), has also clawed his way back after being down to less than 2000 in chips early in the day.

He’s since steadily built up his stack to more than 50,000, well above the average of 38,000. “I pushed in with K Q and was called by a player with A K. I flopped two pair, won the hand and it’s just escalated from there for me,” the affable New Zealander said.
At the same table as Honeybone was Alex Fitzgerald, a 19-year-old poker pro from Seattle, Washington. Playing in just his second live tournament, the youngster wasn’t overawed despite earning the ire of 2005 world champ Joe Hachem.

“I was just playing common tournament strategy. At one point I realised he was getting angry so I knew if I raised him again I’d need a hand. But it was pretty cool to mix it up with Joe, he’s a nice guy and a top player,” Fitzgerald said.

At day’s end, South Korean-based player and Team PokerStars member Daniel Schreiber, originally from Commack, New York, holds the chip lead on 164,500.

Other players prominently placed at the end of the day’s play included Canadian PokerStars online qualifier Jason Min (83,900) and Germany’s Uwe Brauckhoff (who won his seat in a free tournament on PokerStars, 85,900).

Chip count at the end of day 1 (approximate):

1. Dan Schreiber (USA) 164,500


2. Uwe Brauckhoff (Germany) 85,9000 - PS Qualifier


3. Jason Min (Canada) 83,900 - PS Qualifier


4. Zhiwei Ang (Singapore) 74,100


5. Jozef Berec, (Australia) 71,000

Daniel Schreiber is as close to a ‘hometown’ player battling it out for the APPT Seoul title.
Like fellow Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier and Team PokerStars member Guillaume Patry, Schreiber relocated to Korea (from his home in Commack, New York) to compete as a professional Starcraft player. Yep, that’s right, a video game.

The trio are treated like celebrities here, and can’t go out without being swamped by fans of the game. Like Grospellier and Patry, Schreiber turned his focus to poker and quickly built a reputation as one of the top high stakes online players.
He turned that online practise to immediate live success when he captured the $5000 Heads-up championship at the 2007 World Series of Poker, becoming the fifth youngest WSOP bracelet winner ever.

“I've played for a while now. I started out playing ring games or the six-handed but then I started testing myself with heads-up,” Schreiber said.

“I learned a lot from the players who had more experience and who were probably better than me. I took that experience and used that to improve my game to the point where it is today.”

But for a player who honed his skills on a video game, did Starcraft offer any preparation for the cut-throat world of poker?

“You’d be surprised, StarCraft and poker are similar games. I like to say they are both games of missing information. You have to figure out what your opponent is doing, then use that information against them. If you're good at StarCraft, you’re likely to be good at poker.”

With a chip stack pushing 120,000 (the first player to break through 100,000), we’re more than happy to declare Schreiber a “good” player!

But good players sometimes have bad days, like the one Joe Hachem is slowly dissecting beside our blogging base in the Walker-hill Casino poker room.



The 2005 WSOP champion had his hands full with a 19-year-old American Alex Fitzgerald for much of the day, the youngster ignoring reputations and raising Hachem’s bets at every opportunity.

However, it was Jacques Zaicik who eventually took Hachem down. The player who had also eliminated Vanessa Rousso earlier today called Hachem’s all-in with A K. Holding pocket threes, Hachem found himself in a coinflip, but Zaicik hit a king on the flop, which proved enough to send the Aussie favourite to the rail.

Latest chip count (approximate):

Dan Schreiber (USA) 120,000
Joe Berec (Australia) 75,000
Isaac Galazan (Thailand) 61,000
Ziv Bachar (Israel) 60,000
Cory Ann Joseph (Australia) 56,000

By Sean Callander

One-third of the field have already been eliminated barely four levels into the APPT Seoul main event.

After a strong start, Team PokerStars Pro Lee Nelson joined the growing list of casualties when his stack received a mortal blow at the hands of Ariel Bronstein. Nelson pushed all-in on a flop of Jh 6h 2c with his pocket queens but found himself trailing Bronstein’s pocket jacks.

Down to barely 1000 in chips, Nelson coughed up the remainder to PokerStars sponsored player Jimmy Cha, who has charged to more than 40,000 to be among the leaders.

Two other players on the charge are Team PokerStars players Isabelle Mercier and Masa Kagawa. Mercier just took a huge pot against Gareth Edwards to break through the 50,000-chip barrier.



Kagawa called an all-in of 25,000 with pocket aces, which had his opponents A K dominated. The flop of Qc 8c 5d 3c Jc gave the popular Japanese player the nut flush and shot him up to almost 40,000 in chips.



While Kagawa is no stranger to casinos, he is still a relative newcomer to poker. In contrast, his countryman Yoshio (Yosh) Nakano has earned his stripes in poker and was a popular addition to the entry list for this APPT Seoul event.

Now residing in California, this Team PokerStars player is best known as one of the most popular poker room hosts in the US after a long stint at the Bicycle Casino in Los Angeles. On the other side of the felt, Nakano placed 14th in the 2002 WSOP main event (won that year by Robert Varkonyi). He also cashed in the 1989 and 1994 main events.



The Japanese ‘team’, many of who are regular players in the Japan Poker League, are among the largest here at the Walker-hill Casino – a great sign for the future of poker in the region.

It’s worth noting that due to regulations allowing only non-Korean players to enter the Walker-hill Casino (home to Korea’s only legal poker room), the APPT Seoul field consists entirely of international visitors and foreign ex-pats living in Korea.

Unusually for a major poker tournament, the main event is being contested inside the casino poker room, which is operated by Mike Kim and the Korean Professional Poker Tour. As such, there’s a great vibe and presence in the room. It’s also a great showcase for poker, which is still in its infancy in this country.

By Sean Callander

Official numbers have been confirmed with 186 players battling it out for the inaugural APPT Seoul title. The total prize pool is $437,100, with 16 players set to share in the spoils. The winner will pocket $139,872.

Shortly into level three, already 20 players have been sent to the rail including Team PokerStars’ Tuan Lam (runner-up in this year’s WSOP main event) and Team PokerStars Pros Vanessa Rousso and Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier.

On a board of Ad 10s 2c Kd, Lam pushed all-in for his last 6000 and received a call from Steven Gunter, who showed Ah 10c for two-pair against Lam’s Ac Jd. A 5s on the river didn’t improve either hand, ending the Canadian’s APPT experience.
Most of Rousso’s stack ended up in the possession of Kelly Flynn, an American who cashed in last month’s APPT Manila event but it was Frenchman Jacques Zaicik who delivered the final blow. He made a pair of queens on the river, dominating Rousso’s pocket fours.

In contrast, New Zealander Lee ‘Final Table’ Nelson, who won the 2006 Aussie Millions, is among the early chip leaders. The 64-year-old Team PokerStars Pro has started each morning with a trek up the mountain at the rear of the Sheraton Grande Hotel – he looks in better shape than many players half his age!
Nelson’s table is intriguing – Hong Kong-based high stakes gambler David Streicke is to his left while directly opposite sits Cha MinSoo, better known as Jimmy Cha.

Arguably Korea’s most famous poker player, Cha has excelled in many fields – from poker to martial arts, classical music, and Baduk. He 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 basis for the lead character in the locally produced TV series All-in.

Cha isn’t the only famous face in the Walker-Hill poker room. Isaac Galazan, who won a WSOP bracelet in 2005 (the same year as Joe Hachem captured the main event title) is back after playing in the opening APPT event.
A nightclub owner in Thailand, Galazan outpointed a final table that included David Singer, Antonio Esfandiari and Harry Demetriou to win the $2500 Short Handed No Limit Hold'em bracelet and $315,125.
Speaking of WSOP bracelet winners, word has reached us of an intriguing side game in progress during the APPT Seoul event.
It features 2007 WSOP $5000 Heads-up winner Daniel Schreiber and reigning Aussie Millions heads-up champion David Saab.



The pair are playing a best-of-three heads-up match, with Saab taking honours in the first game yesterday. The stakes are modest, but the gregarious Saab said it was all about national pride: “I’m doing it for the (Australian) flag!” Saab will be able to concentrate on tomorrow’s battle with Schreiber after being eliminated at the hands of Gareth Edwards, who is among the chip leaders.

By Sean Callander

The cards are in the air at the Walker-Hill Casino in Seoul for the first APPT event in South Korea. Even though this is only the second event in the first season of the APPT, a few traditions have already started to emerge.

After a welcome from APPT president Jeffrey Haas and PokerStars.net’s Sarne Lightman, players were greeted to a performance of traditional Korean violin (with a contemporary twist) by the all-girl group Airato.

Players also received a Korean mask, known as Yang Ban. The masks have been used by warriors, in burial rites and in shamanistic ceremonies to drive away evil spirits. Players will be hoping that extends to bad beats!



And for those planning to pull a Phil Laak and cover their faces with the mask, we have bad news – the masks are so small they’d barely cover Mini Me’s face!

The tournament kicked off with a bang on two counts. Firstly, the order to “shuffle up and deal” was given by Yuji Okamoto – a flamboyant Japanese high stakes player who turned up complete with feather boa in the style of former professional wrestler Jesse “The Body” Ventura.

The fireworks continued just minutes later when Japan’s Kazuhiro Sato, who finished eighth in the APPT Manila tournament, doubled up on the first hand.

Sato, holding pocket sixes and his opponent Martin Myles (mupser on PokerStars), holding pocket nines, both made a set on the flop of 6d 9c Qc. Sato couldn’t believe his luck when he made quads on the turn (6c), before being faced with a no-brainer when Myles pushed all-in on the river (Qc), having made a full house.

The Irishman just popped by the share his hard luck story – “what am I going to tell them when I get home?” – but was already scouring the schedule for the next event.

For another player who performed strongly in Manila, Ira Blumenthal, the tournament is over. Blumenthal, a Bangkok-based lawyer from the US, found himself on arguably the toughest table in the initial draw, including Team PokerStars Pro Isabelle Mercier, PokerNews’ Gareth Edwards and top Australian player Jo Berec.

But it was one of the big contingent of Japanese players, Naohiro Ishihama, who delivered the killer blow when he made a flush against Blumenthal’s pocket queens. Another player who made the final table in Manila, Swede Roger Spets (sixth), is also back for another shot at APPT glory.

By Sean Callander

Having celebrated a highly successful debut in Manila last month, the PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) has rolled into the South Korean capital, Seoul.

We’re at the Paradise Walker-Hill Casino, located in the Sheraton Grande Walker-Hill – a magnificent setting that overlooks the Han River. And appropriately for a historic moment in Asian poker history, the property is also the site of the ancient A-Cha fortress, which dates back to the Shilla Dynasty almost 2000 years ago (or so I was told).
What a week for poker – the EPT London event is in full swing, the World Championship of Online Poker has been attracting record numbers and prize pools while here in Korea, we’re about to kick-off the first televised poker tournament ever held on mainland Asia.

The impact that poker is starting to have in the region was reflected at yesterday’s press conference, which attracted media representatives from China, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

APPT president Jeffrey Haas, who hosted the conference along side PokerStars.net Asia/Pacific director of marketing Sarne Lightman, also welcomed players and qualifiers from more than 30 countries, continuing the international flavour established by the APPT in Manila.

Team PokerStars Pros are again out in force, headed by 2005 WSOP champion Joe Hachem. Other Team PokerStars Pros to make the long trek include Vanessa Rousso (who also played along side Joe in Manila), Isabelle Mercier, Masa Kagawa, Lee Nelson and Tuan Lam, the Canadian who finished runner-up in this year’s WSOP main event.

Adding some local flavour to the field is Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier, who lives here in Seoul. We’ll catch up with the members of Team PokerStars in coming days.



Other Team PokerStars’ names to watch in the $2500 main event include well-known high-stakes player Yosh Nakano, Korean legend Jimmy Cha, Japan’s Hiroshi Shimamura, Manlee Wan and a pair of locally-based young guns, Canadian Guillaume Patry and American Dan Schreiber, who won the 2007 WSOP $5000 Heads-up bracelet.

Keep an eye on www.pokerstarsblog.com for regular updates over the next three days from the first major poker tournament ever held in east Asia.