By Sean Callander

The journey started in the steamy Philippines capital of Manila in late-August, swept through the bustling metropolis of Seoul in South Korea, made a stop in the world’s gaming capital Macau before culminating in Australia’s biggest city, overlooking some of the world’s most recognisable landmarks.

The first season of the PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour has ended with the crowning of the APPT Grand Final champion at Star City Casino in Sydney.

Grant Levy, a teacher from Sydney’s outer-west has become the first Australian player to a $1 million prize on home soil after he outlasted Jeremiah Vinsant from the USA in a marathon heads-up battle that went 67 hands (and a final table of 226 hands).

The 28-year-old father of two had plenty of support at the final table from friends and fellow local players, while his family (and students) kept a close eye on his progress via this blog.

A former rugby league coach, Levy has stamped himself as the hottest property on the local tournament scene. He was third at the PokerNews Cup in Melbourne, outlasting a field of 428 players to finish third (winning $131,800) and has taken down two significant online tournaments in recent months.

Vinsant, who had already planned to dedicate himself to 12 months of major tournaments in 2008, has built himself a handy start bank in claiming the second prize of $621,540.



Another local player, Lei He, captured third place while the other Australian at the final table, Jai Kemp, finished fifth.

Players from more than 30 countries converged on Sydney for the $6000 buy-in event: many of them making their first trip to Australia.

The field of 561 for the APPT Grand Final was the second largest for a big buy-in event in Australian poker history, and generated a prize pool of $3.336 million.

Despite a field that included four world champions (Team PokerStars Pros Chris Moneymaker, Greg Raymer and Joe Hachem, plus PokerStars player Scotty Nguyen), fellow Team PokerStars Pros Lee Nelson and Isabelle Mercier and WSOP bracelet winner Jeff Lisandro, it was a relative newcomer who conquered the field – continuing a tradition established in earlier APPT events this year.

The winners of the respective events have underlined the diversity of people who’ve been swept up by the excitement and drama of tournament poker in recent years.

Brett Parise: a young student from the USA who won his way to the Philippines via a freeroll on PokerStars and won $180,000; Ziv Bachar, an aspiring 25-year-old poker pro from the Israel who took out the APPT Seoul title and took home $140,000; and Dinh Le, born in Vietnam, living in the UK and etched in poker history as the winner of the first event on Chinese soil as APPT Macau: Asian Poker Open champion.

The APPT has also brought poker to a new audience. Team PokerStars players like Joe Hachem, Daniel Negreanu, Isabelle Mercier, Vanessa Rousso, Lee Nelson and ‘ElkY’ Grospellier have been great ambassadors for the APPT and poker in general over the past four months

In 2008, the PokerStars.net APPT will return. More stops, more innovations, more players, bigger payouts. On behalf of the team who’ve worked tirelessly to bring you all the news from the PokerStars.net over the past four months, thanks for your support and see you in 2008!

Results: PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final, Star City Casino, Sydney, Australia

• 1 Grant Levy (Australia) $1,000,000
• 2 Jeremiah Vinsant (USA) $621,540
• 3 Lei He (Australia) $322,280
• 4 Sol Bergren (Canada) $230,200
• 5 Jai Kemp (Australia) $158,830
• 6 Barry Kohlhoff (USA) $115,100
• 7 John Matwey (USA) $92,080
• 8 Vijayan Nagarajan (Malaysia) $69,060
• 9 Larry Wright (USA) $46,040

PokerStars Video Blog
Grant Levy winner interview:

2.45am – Grant Levy (Australia) wins $1 million, Jeremiah Vinsant (USA), eliminated in second place for $621,540. We have a winner. The final hand was dealt at 2.45am, the 226th of the final table and the 67th of heads-up play when Levy raised to 300,000 on the button and Vinsant made the call. The flop came 6h 3s Qd. Levy bet 400,000, Vinsant raised all-in and Levy insta-called. The Australian showed Qs 6s for two-pair, while Vinsant was in strife with Qh 10c. The turn was a 6d, giving Levy a full house however another queen would have given a Vinsant a chop. But the river is the Ah, and Grant Levy is confirmed as the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final.

2.40am -- Flop hits both players…PokerStars qualifier Jeremiah Vinsent swung back in his chair as he received the bad news on the river, after calling a 1 million dollar bet fired out by Grant Levy on a board of 9d Kd 7h 2s 9s. Jeremiah announced to Grant that he had the King (top pair), but it wasn’t enough as Grant revealed the bad news holding 9-Jack for trip nines.

2.35am -- Blinds are now 100k/200k with 30k ante.

2.30am -- The crowd has been stirring and becoming a little boisterous after half an hour of “walks” and very brief “raise-fold” exchanges between these two solid players. With the raising alternating, and the chips moving back and forth across the table, there are no immediate signs of this battle speeding up or either of these players (who have maintained their concentration) making a loose play. The reality of the 1million dollars prizemoney has certainly hit these two players and neither is giving an inch. Perhaps a new blind level may change things?

2.00am – Levy regains his chip lead on hand 199 – he makes it 475,000 pre-flop and Vinsant calls. The flop is 5c Kh Ks and both players check. The turn is 3c, Vinsant checks, and Levy bets 700,000. Vinsant re-raises to 1.4 million and Levy instantly announces that he is all in. Vinsant folds and Levy shows Kc Jd to rakes in a huge pot.

1.45am – 1.52am actually, and on hand 192 (the 43rd of heads-up play), Vinsant pushes it up to 480,000 pre-flop and Levy calls. The flop shows 8d 2d 4d, Vinsant checks but Levy says he’s prepared to put his opponent all-in. “I call,” Vinsant says in an instant, and shows 8c 7c but Levy (who is actually the all-in player) has a chance to win the hand with any diamond (8h 7d). The turns is 6s and the river 10h, meaning a split pot after some anxious moments for the American.

1.30am --– It’s hand 181 and Jeremiah Vinsant has put Grant Levy to a decision for his entire stack. In the first hand after the break, Levy limped, Vinsant raised from the big blind to 450,000 and Levy called. The flop read 4c 10d Kc, and Vincant got on the front foot with a bet of 500,000. Levy again called, and the turn came 9h. This time Vinsant checked, Levy bet out 1.5 million and Vinsant came over the top for an extra 1.85 million. Eventually, the Australian folds and Vinsant drags in more than 4.8 million in chips. That leaves the chip count at Vinsant 6.3 million; Grant Levy 4.2 million.

PokerStars Video Blog
Larry Wright busts in 9th place



PokerStars Video Blog
Grant Levy leads head-up



Sol Bergren (Canada) busts at 4th place:



1.15am -- Blinds are now 80k/160k with 20k ante and the players have taken a 15 minute break. Australian Grant Levy has been very active since losing a 1.5million pot to Vinsant and is controlling the heads-up action.

Chip Counts:

• Grant Levy – AUS – 6.2 million
• Jeremiah Vinsant – USA – 4.3 million (PokerStars Qualifier)

1.00am -- Jeremiah not dead yet…

On a flop of Kh Jh Js, Jeremiah led out with a bet of 150k and Grant calls instantly.

The turn is a 5 of hearts and Jeremiah doesn't slow down, this time betting 400k.

Grant then announces raise and is met with applause, raising to a total of 1 million dollars.

With little hesitation Jeremiah announces “re-raise all-in”, and Grant goes away.

A much needed pot for the American who recovered some of the chips lost early in this head-up battle.

12.45am -- Chip Counts:

• Grant Levy – AUS – 5.7 million
  
• Jeremiah Vinsant – USA – 4.8 million (PokerStars Qualifier)

No big hands as yet, but Grant Levy has marginally had the edge early in the heads-up battle, as has been the case since the resumption after dinner hours ago. Australian Levy is looking good and the call coming from the crowd and some of his cocky support base is “pretty to watch” and “money for jam!”.

12.30am -- Lei He, Australia, eliminated in third place for $332,280

How much a game can swing in just 15 minutes. In Lei He’s final hand in the APPT Grand Final, their was action aplenty. Local player Grant Levy opened with a raise to 375k, but didn’t last long in the hand when PokerStars qualifier Jeremiah Vinsant raised a million more. It was then over to short stack Lei He, who pushed his last 1.2 million chips in the middle and the original raiser Levy was squeezed out of the all-in pot.





The cards were rolled over:

Lei He: 9c 9h

Jeremiah Vinsant: Js Jd

The board filled out: 5c Qh 8h 3s 8c, sending Lei He from Sydney home with over $300k.

We now have a most intriguing heads-up battle, with the chip counts nearly dead even after Lei He’s elimination. The button will be on Jeremiah Vinsant for the first hand of heads-up action.

12.15am – Very little to report from the final table. The action has been raise – fold – fold in the early stages of this level. The rich are getting richer, with Grant Levy continuing his domination with up over 6 million in chips, while Lei He is pushing the last of his 1.2 million in the middle, but getting no action.

12.05am -- Blinds are now 60k/120k with 15k ante.

The chips are circulating with more folds than bets, but Grant Levy appears to have the ascendancy in this three-handed game, with Jeremiah Vinsant fighting back strongly this level to jump ahead of local player Lei He, who has been very quiet for the past half an hour.

Chip Counts:

• Grant Levy – AUS – 4.6 million
• Jeremiah Vinsant – USA – 3.2 million (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Lei He – AUS – 2.76 million

11.45pm -- Chip Counts:

• Grant Levy – AUS – 3.97 million
• Lei He – AUS – 3.72 million
• Jeremiah Vinsant – USA – 2.85 million (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Sol Bergren OUT

11.30pm – Sol Bergren, Canada, eliminated in fourth place for $230,200. The short stacks had sized each other up on hand 135 in a battle for tournament survival when Jeremiah Vinsant shov ed all-in from the small blind. Bergren called, turning over Ac 4c, while Vinsant (who has Bergren covered) showed Ad 8d. The board didn’t improve either hand (6s 5d 10s 2h Qd). Bergren, who has just arrived in Australia for six months, might be bale to upgrade from youth hostels to some five-star establishments after pocketing more than $230,000.





11.15pm – Whatever Grant Levy ate for dinner, it had the desired effect. In the past two hours, Levy has charged to the chip lead and is monstering the small stacks into submission. Jeremiah ‘Believer82’ Vinsant is now the short stack and has been reduced to all-in bets to pick up even the blinds and antes each round to stay within touch. Play has progressed beyond hand 130 (surpassing the 97 and 105 hands that it took to decide the APPT final tables in Seoul and Macau respectively). But we’re a long weay shiort of the 232 hands it took Brett Parise to conquer the final table in Manila. Players are about to take a 10-minute break, with blinds to resume at 50,000/100,000 and an ante of 10,000.

Final 4 Chip Counts:

• Grant Levy – AUS – 4.1 million
• Lei He – AUS – 3.1 million
• Jeremiah Vinsant – USA – 1.6 million (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Sol Bergren – CAD – 1.1 million (PokerStars Qualifier)

PokerStars Video Blog
Dinner Break Update


11.00pm -- Sol Bergren committed his last million chips and has doubled through at the APPT final table. Bergren shoved from the button and Lei He asked for a count and thought hard before calling.

The cards were rolled over:

Sol Bergren: Qh Jd

Lei He: Ah 9s

The Flop Arrived: Qc Ks 2c, giving Sol Bergren top pair and a genuine lifeline.

Turn: 10c gave Lei an extra opportunity, with a Jack or Ace to make a straight.

"This is torture! torture", said Bergren laughing as the dealer delayed the river.

The River blanked with a 2 of hearts and resulted in a much needed double up for Bergren at the expense of former chip leader Lei He.

Just a hand later, action man Lei He was again asking the dealer for a count, this time he wanted to know how many chips Vinsant had left after his all-in push. Lei He mucked on this occasion but made it clear to his opponents that he is not going to be afraid to put his chips on the line.

10.45pm -- Blinds are now 50k/100k with 10k ante.

In the final hand before the blinds went up American Jeremiah Vinsant took another hit from Grant Levy when trying to take a stand against the Australian barrage this level.





Levy completed the bet from the small blind and Jeremiah checked his option.

The flop came: 2s 3c 8h

Grant led out with 145k and Jeremiah made the most of his position and called.

The turn was a 2 of clubs and Grant fired another bullet with a bet of 230k.

Jeremiah took his time before making it 550k to go.

After going into the tank, Grant announced all-in and pushed Jeremiah off his hand, shaking his head. Grant was nice enough to show again, flipping over the 8d. The Australians have been relentless this level and both have over 4 million chips, with the two PokerStars qualifiers now with approximately 1 million chips each.

10.30pm -- If a PokerStars qualifier doesn’t take down the $1million first prize in tonight’s APPT Grand Final, then it will be an Australian player, and in the past half an hour it has been a convincing display from the two local Sydney-siders Grant Levy and chip leader, Lei He. Both are raising frequently pre and post-flop, as the two PokerStars qualifiers Jeremiah Vinsant and Sol Bergren continue to muck and watch their stacks dwindle.

10.15pm -- Final 4 Players’ Chip Counts:

• Lei He – AUS – 4.2 million
• Grant Levy – AUS – 2.6 million
• Jeremiah Vinsant – USA – 2.1 million (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Sol Bergren – CAD – 1.4 million (PokerStars Qualifier)

10.00pm – Play has just ticked over 100 hands and with no dominant stack, the four players have – temporarily at least – gone back into their shells. To be honest, Lei He hasn’t really come out of his shell all day. The chip leader coming into the final table, the 19-year-old from Sydney’s northern suburbs has a great demeanour for poker. The only player wearing sunglasses and a cap at the final table, he’s well read on the game and has given kothing asway to his opponents. He’s also just three spots away from becoming the first local player to win $1 million in an Australian poker tournament. Five million-dollar prizes have been available in recent years, and have been taken home by John Juanda, Erick Lindgren, Team PokerStars Pro Lee Nelson, Gus Hansen and Jimmy Fricke. Lei He (or Grant Levy) could join that impressive list of names.





9.45pm – Players have returned from the dinner break with blinds up to 40,000/80,000 with a 5000, taking the value of a single round to 140,000. Despite two Australians remaining at the final table, the popular support is certainly with Grant Levy. The crowd has just erupted after the Sydneysider dodged some serious bullets to double through Sol Bergren. The Canadian raised on the button to 250,000 and Levy announced all in from the big blind for an additional 870,000 chips. Bergren called, showing Kc Qc against Levy’s Ah 6h. The flop hit Levy (8d Ac 10c) but gave Bergren a royal flush and straight draw. The Kh on the turn gave Bergren more outs but Levy pumped his fists in the air when the 7s fell on the river. Levy is now up to 2.3 million chips.





Chip Counts:

• Lei He – AUS – 3.6 million
• Sol Bergren – CAD – 3.4 million (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Jeremiah Vinsant – USA – 2.05 million (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Grant Levy – AUS – 1.4 million
• Jai Kemp OUT
• Barry Kohlhoff OUT
• John Matwey OUT
• Vijayan Nagarajan OUT
• Larry Wright OUT

SEATING:

• Seat 1. Lei He
• Seat 2. Grant Levy
• Seat 4. Jeremiah Vinsant
• Seat 8. Sol Bergren

BLINDS

• 22 12000 / 24000 4000 Duration: 60 min.
• 23 15000 / 30000 5000 Duration: 60 min.
• 24 20000 / 40000 5000 Duration: 60 min.
• 25 30000 / 60000 5000 Duration: 60 min.
• 26 40000 / 80000 5000 Duration: 60 min.
• 27 50000 / 100000 10000 Duration: 60 min.
• 28 60000 / 120000 15000 Duration: 60 min.
• 29 80000 / 160000 20000 Duration: 60 min.
• 30 100000 / 200000 30000 Duration: 60 min.

PRIZES:

• 1 - 1,000,000 AUD
• 2 - 621,540 AUD
• 3 - 322,280 AUD
• 4 - 230,200 AUD
• 5 - 158,830 AUD Jai Kemp
• 6 - 115,100 AUD -Barry Kohlhoff
• 7 - 92,080 AUD John Matwey
• 8 - 69,060 AUD -Vijayan Nagarajan
• 9 - 46,040 AUD-Larry Wright

PokerStars Video Blog
Monday forecast tournament of champions



APPT Sydney Grand Final Final Table intro:



8.15pm -- Lei He regains the chip lead

In a fierce battle of the blinds, Lei He has come up trumps to take over a 1 million dollar pot away from chip leader Sol Bergren and take the chip lead.

Sol completed the small blind. Lei He then Raised to 150k in the big blind, and it was back to Bergren. Bergren announced "Raise" which was initially mistaken as an all-in raise. Sol corrected the floor staff and made it another 400k to go.

Lei He then announced re-raise and "all-in" right on the dinner break. With 2.5 million the additional amount bet by Lei He.

It was then into the tank for chip leader Sol Bergren, who had Lei He covered in chips, but couldn’t call and went away minutes later.

It’s Dinner Time at the Star City Casino in Sydney.

Chip Counts:

• Lei He – AUS – 3.6 million
  
• Sol Bergren – CAD – 3.4 million (PokerStars Qualifier)
  
• Jeremiah Vinsant – USA – 2.05 million (PokerStars Qualifier)
  
• Grant Levy – AUS – 1.4 million
  
• Jai Kemp OUT
  
• Barry Kohlhoff OUT
  
• John Matwey OUT
  
• Vijayan Nagarajan OUT
  
• Larry Wright OUT

Play will recommence in approximately an hour and 15 minutes time.

8.00pm -- It’s all about Sol!

PokerStars qualifier Sol Bergren has taken a big chip lead and is enjoying the short-handed play. In a hand just minutes ago, Sol made it 175k to go. Lei He then pumped it up to 475k total.

The action was back to our chip leader who announced “All-In” after deliberating. Bergren has Lei He covered in chips and Lei folds gifting Sol a million dollar pot and the Canadian continues to accumulate at the top of the chip leaderboard. Sol Bergren is sitting pretty with over 4 million in chips, while little is going the way of Lei He in the past 15mins who has been very busy raising many pots.

Meantime, World Champion Scotty Nguyen has been gracious enough to take time out to walk around the floor with microphone in hand to congratulate all of the players, organisers and dealers, with the local crowd in hysterics. Team PokerStars Pro Isabelle Mercier has also graced the tournament floor and the atmosphere with their presence has picked up noticeably.

7.45pm -- Steal gone wrong?

On the very first hand of the evening former chip leader Lei He and Grant Levy mixed it up with Lei He the victor with an all-in push. Come hand 74 and the roles have reversed. The action folded to Lei He on the button who raised it to 170,000. Grant Levy in the small blind then quickly re-raised the minimum to 350,000 with Lei He calling the extra.

The flop came: Qc 10h 5d with both players checking to the turn, where the action heated up…

The turn paired the board, with a 5 of spade.

Levy checks and Lei He bets out 300,000 into the pot. Levy then announced he was all in for 785,000 total. Lei He went into the tank and eventually folds his hand and the crowd goes up when Levy takes down the 1.5 million pot.

7.30pm – After a slow and cautious level 24, things have certainly alive in level 25 with the finish line firmly in sight. The Canadian Sol Bergren has just scooped a massive pot of 2 million. On the button, Jeremiah Vinsant raised to 175,000 and Bergren called from the small blind. Both players checked the flop of 3c 4d Jd, then Bergren bet 250,000 when the 9d hit on the turn. Vinsant called, and watched the 7h land on the river. This time, Bergren popped it up an extra 500,000 and again, Vinsant called. Bergren showed pocket threes for a flopped set, taking down a huge pot.

7.15pm -- Jai Kemp, Australia, eliminated in fifth place for $158,830.
Two players have been eliminated on consecutive hands (20 minutes apart due to filming commitments). The father-of-four pushed all-in from the cut-off for 370,000. Grant Levy called, making the pot worth about 800,000. Kemp was ahead with Ah 7s while Levy showed As 2h. The flop (Kc 2c 6h) gave Levy bottom pair, but the turn (Ad) gave Kemp more outs. The river (4s) missed him – Levy is now up to more than 1 million in chips. However, Kemp was more than happy to have turned an $11 on PokerStars into more than $150,000. “I might have a drink to celebrate, then sleep for four days,” he said. Four players remain: two Australians, one American and one Canadian.



7.00pm – Barry Kohlhoff, USA, eliminated in sixth place for $115,100



The tournament has lost PokerStars qualifier Barry Kohlhoff from the USA.

Kohlhoff eliminated Team PokerStars Pro Joe Hachem yesterday and put up a good showing to finish 6th after tripling up earlier.

Sol Bergren made it 180k to go from the button, and Barry came over the top from the small blind. Sol asked for a count, with Barry all-in for 570k

Sol then calls and shows down pocket 9's.

Sol: 9s 9h

Barry: A-8 of hearts

The flop came: 6d 9d Ts, no hearts, giving Sol a set, with Barry now looking for a 7 for a straight.

The turn was a blank 4 of clubs and the river a 3 of hearts and Kohlhoff’s tournament is over. Barry Kohlhoff had promised his daughter he would take her shopping this week in Sydney, before going deep. Barry now grins as he has over $100k to go to town with!

6.45pm – Chip Counts:

Players have taken a 10 minute break…

• Jeremiah Vinsant – USA – 3.47 million (PokerStars Qualifier)
  
• Lei He – AUS - 3.37 million
  
• Sol Bergren – CAD - 1.825 million (PokerStars Qualifier)
  
• Grant Levy – AUS – 855,000
  
• Barry Kohlhoff – USA – 640,000 (PokerStars Qualifier)
  
• Jai Kemp – AUS – 385,000 (PokerStars Qualifier)
  
• John Matwey OUT
  
• Vijayan Nagarajan OUT
  
• Larry Wright OUT

6.30pm -- Action slows

The play has slowed considerably this round since the elimination of John Matwey in a 3-way all-in confrontation. Levy has pushed his stack around enough to put him among the chip leaders, and as the player previously offering the most action, he has since steadied. Very little post-flop play this level, with no player keen to commit their chips at this final table. With all of these young players deep in concentration, it appears that it will take an action flop or two big hands to spark up the play any time soon. PokerStars qualifier Jeremiah Vinsant appears to be making the best moves at the moment, and has moved to a clear chip lead.



6.15pm -- Blinds are now 30k/60k with 5k ante.
The price of poker is about to get very expensive with each round costing 120,000. The all-in play is becoming more prevalent, but there are few takers in return. On hand 52, Sol Bergren reraised Vinsant’s pre-flop raise of 105,000 to 330,000. Vinsant called, the flop showed 2s Qh 4c, and then added an extra 500,000. Bergren thought for a moment then declared all-in but both players showed A Q for a rare moment of levity at a final table that’s been lacked much in the way of friendly banter, aside from the affable Barry Kohlhoff.

6.00pm – After a slight hiccup on hand 46 (when Barry Kohlhoff discovered he had three hole cards instead of two), Lei He picks up where he left off with a series of aggressive moves to take down three of ther last five hands. Jeremiah Vinsant, the young online standout from Tennesee has caught up to local hope Lei He and now holds an almost identical stack. Seventh-place finisher John Matwey has just popped by our desk for a quick chat and said he favoured Vinsant to go all the way to victory, but that Levy would be a danger if he chipped up. Let’s see if the New Yorker is on the money!

Chip Counts:

• Lei He – AUS - 3.3 million
• Jeremiah Vinsant 3.3– USA – 3.3 million (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Sol Bergren – CAD - 1.7 million (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Jai Kemp – AUS – 700,000 (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Barry Kohlhoff – USA – 650,000 (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Grant Levy – AUS – 900,000
• John Matwey OUT
• Vijayan Nagarajan OUT
• Larry Wright OUT

Poker Stars Video Blog
Day two Wrap-up


Catch up with PS blogs on APPT.com
PS blogs APPT Sydney Archive


6.00pm -- Chip Counts:

By Sean Callander

The sunny skies of the past few days have given way to grey skies outside, but the spotlights are beaming inside the Star Theatre at Star City Casino in Sydney, Australia, where the PokerStars.net APPT has taken over the stage of this massive room.

It’s the business end of the first PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final, which started four days ago with 561 players but just nine players remain in the race for the $1 million first prize.

No Australian player has even won a $1 million prize on home soil before, but a trio of hometown heroes – Grant Levy, Jai Kemp and Lei He – will be hoping to become the first to do so. Lei He is best placed, holding the chip lead on 2,623,000.

Next chip position, just 22,000 behind Lei He, is Sol Bergren from Saskatchewan in Canada on 2,601,000. The final table also includes four Americans – John Vinsant, Larry Wright, John Matwey and Barry Kohlhoff, who promises to be a real livewire at the final table. Vijayan ‘VJ’ Nagarajan from Malaysia makes up the final nine players.

Star City Casino in Sydney is the final venue on the first APPT, which has been a resounding success. More than 1300 players have participated in the four tour events – Manila, Seoul and Macau – putting poker on the map in these countries and introducing millions of Asians to the thrill of tournament poker. Today’s final table and the crowning of the APPT Grand Final champion promises to be yet another highlight for the tour. We look forward to brining you all the action over the next few hours.

• Seat 1: Lei ‘oshapimasian’ He (Australia) 2,623,000
  Seat 2: Grant Levy (Australia) 1,052,000
  Seat 3: Larry ‘ldw1971’ Wright, (USA) 376,000
  Seat 4: Jeremiah ‘Believer82’ Vinsant (USA) 1,649,000
  Seat 5: Vijayan ‘the_rotter77’ Nagarajan (Malaysia) 641,000
  Seat 6: John ‘wymat’ Matwey (USA) 498,000
  Seat 7: Jai ‘Sydney St@r’ Kemp (Australia) 461,000
  Seat 8: Sol ‘shahmat’ Bergren (Canada), 2,601,000
  Seat 9: Barry ‘coolbear’ Kohlhoff (USA) 647,000

Payouts:

• 1 $1,000,000
• 2 $621,540
• 3 $322,280
• 4 $230,200
• 5 $158,830
• 6 $115,100
• 7 $92,080
• 8 $69,060
• 9 $46,040

Seat 1: Lei He, Sydney, Australia (oshapimasian on PokerStars, 2,623,000 in chips): Born in China but now living in Sydney’s northern suburbs, this 19-year-old is so serious about his poker that he considers it a full-time occupation. He’s been a keen poker aficionado for the past three years and won his seat to the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final via a live satellite at Star City Casino. Mainly a cash-game player, he enjoys playing poker with his friends. He enters the final table as chip leader

Seat 2: Grant Levy, Sydney, Australia (1,052,000 in chips): A teacher from Sydney’s outer-west (Penrith), this 28-year-old father of two became a teacher after graduating with a Bachelor of Heath Science and a Diploma of Education (some of his students have been keenly following his progress through the tournament on the PokerStars Blog). He’s also coached rugby league at state schoolboys level. He burst onto the poker scene earlier this year when he finished third at the PokerNews Cup in Melbourne, outlasting a field of 428 players to finish third (winning $131,800).

Seat 3: Larry Wright, Montgomery, Alabama, USA (ldw1971 on PokerStars, 376,000 in chips): This roof contractor qualified for his once-in-a-lifetime APPT Grand Final trip via a $22 direct qualifying satellite on PokerStars. He initially had little interest in poker until a friend (who happened to be a professional poker player) moved in with 36-year-old and shared the secrets of the gamed with him. Work does not allow him much time to play, but he keeps a toe in the water playing small and medium buy-in tournaments online.

Seat 4: Jeremiah ‘John’ Vinsant, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, USA (Believer82 on PokerStars, 1,649,000 in chips): He may not have made much of a splash on the live scene (he placed 482nd in the 2005 WSOP main event), but he’s an emerging star online with more than $600,000 in winnings to his name. The 25-year-old has been playing professionally for two years (and five years in total) and is ranked in the world’s top 35 online players by PocketFives. His online CV includes victory in the 25k Guaranteed event on PokerStars.

Seat 5: Vijayan Nagarajan, Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia (the_rotter77 on PokerStars, 641,000 in chips): One of the more polished players at the final table, this 44-year-old will be representing Asia at the final table of the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final. The sales manager for a software company from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpar has cashed in some of the world’s biggest tournaments. He was 22nd in the 2007 PokerStars EPT European Poker Championships in London and cashed in five events (including three final tables) at the 2006 Festa Al Lago V at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. He also final-tabled in the $1000 No Limit Hold’em event at the 2006 WSOP, finishing ninth.

Seat 6: John Matwey, New York, New York, USA (wymat on PokerStars, 498,000 in chips): A former risk manager in the finance industry, this 45-year-old qualified for the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final just last week. He flew in directly from the Doyle Brunson Five-Diamond Classic where he’d picked up a 10th in the $2000 No Limit Hold’em event. His tournament record also includes a sixth in the $500 No Limit Hold’em tournament at the 2007 Borgata Poker Open, and he cashed (268th) in the 2007 WSOP main event.

Seat 7: Jai Kemp, Sydney, Australia (Sydney St@r on PokerStars, 461,000 in chips): What a dream debut for this business owner from Sydney’s south, who set up his own importing company seven years ago. The father of four (who first started watching poker on TV two years ago) is playing in his first poker tournament and will be one of the three Australian players hoping to become the first to win a $1 million tournament poker prize on home soil. Kemp is assured plenty of support from his family, especially his 11-year-old son who is a massive poker fan and can’t get enough of the pics being sent from the Star City poker room via dad’s mobile phone.

Seat 8: Sol Bergren, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada (shahmat on PokerStars, 2,601,000 in chips): This 27-year-old, who runs a web-based business (he formerly taught computer science), has cashed in two World Series of Poker main events – 252nd in 2005 and 562nd in 2006. He also placed 25th in the $6000 No Limit Hold’em event at the Caribbean Poker Classic in St Kitts last month. A poker player for the past four years, he’s planning to spend the next six months travelling around Australia, and has earmarked surf lessons in Byron Bay as his first stop. He qualified via Steps tournaments on PokerStars.

Seat X: Barry Kohlhoff, Wisconsin, USA (coolbear on PokerStars, 647,000 in chips): The man who claimed the scalp of Team PokerStars Pro Joe Hachem midway through day 2 of the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final is having a great time on his first visit to Sydney. The married father of one has worked in the flooring business for 16 years and has run his own business for the past five years. He’s been a serious poker player for about four years, and plays about 20-30 hours online. A huge NFL fan, he earned a seat to Sydney via an $11 rebuy event on PokerStars and said a top-three finish would make a big difference to life at his home in the northern US state of Wisconsin.


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By Heath Cram

Mitchell Price is the latest eliminated from the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final Sydney.

Price shoved his dying stack in the middle with Ace-King suited but it was just unfortunate for him that PokerStars qualifier Barry Kohlhoff woke up with pocket aces in the big blind. Obviously Kohlhoff insta-called and the aces held up on a board of 10h 8d 2s 3h 7c.

116 players took the floor for Day 2 of the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final in Sydney, with 9 survivors after over 12 hours of play. A lot of anticipation filled the room as Team PokerStars Pro Lee Nelson, along with World Champions Scotty Nguyen and Team PokerStars Pro Joe Hachem took their seat, but it was the online qualifiers and lesser known players that dominated proceedings.

Almost half the field on tomorrow’s table found their way to the final via online qualification at PokerStars.

No Australian has ever won half a million dollars playing in a poker tournament on home soil, but two will get their chance tomorrow as the tournament pays out $1million to the winner, and over $620k to the runner-up. Australians will fill one third of the final table, with Lei He, Grant Levy and PokerStars qualifier Jai Kemp all local players vying for the top spot.

The final chip counts and seating assignments have been finalised and are as follows:

Seat 1 Lei He 2,623,000
Seat 2 Grant Levy 1,052,000
Seat 3 Larry Wright 376,000
Seat 4 Jeremiah Vinsant 1,649,000 (PokerStars Qualifier)
Seat 5 Vijayan Nagarajan 641,000
Seat 6 John Matwey 498,000
Seat 7 Jai Kemp 461,000 (PokerStars Qualifier)
Seat 8 Sol Bergren 2,601,000 (PokerStars Qualifier)
Seat 9 Barry Kohlhoff 647,000 (PokerStars Qualifier)

Tomorrow's final table will commence at 2pm (local time) in the Star Theatre, at Sydney's Star City Casino.

By Heath Cram

Tournament directors are re-balancing the tables as we are down to 10 players. The difference between 10th and 9th for these players is a touch over 11.5k, a good night’s sleep and an appearance in the Sydney Star City Casino’s theatre tomorrow for the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final, FINAL Table.

Official 11th place finisher is Mark Walsh from Ireland.

Chip leader, PokerStars qualifier Sol Bergren completed from the small blind with the blinds at 15k/30k. Irish player Walsh sensed weakness and pushed the last of his chips from the big blind, but Walsh didn’t have enough chips to get the chip leader Bergren off his hand, as he quickly called and flipped over a weak 7-4 offsuit. Walsh then showed his Ace-8.

Despite the build up from tournament announcers, the section was over on the flop as the cards fell 3 5 6, giving Sol Bergren the stone cold nuts.

A typically emotionless Bergren gave a wry smile, as the turn and river blanked and he raked in the pot.

By Heath Cram

Gary Diamond is eliminated in 12th place after pushing his last 90k into the pot with Queen-Ten of diamonds. Diamond raised all-in, and PokerStars qualifier Jai Kemp called from the small blind. No sooner had Kemp called and he was mucking his cards, after fellow PokerStars qualifier Sol Bergren re-raised to isolate diamond. An isolation with Pocket Kings.

The flop came: 8h Jd 3h giving diamond a gutshot straight draw, but the 5 and 8 on the turn and river ended his night.

PokerStars qualifier Sol Bergren is the tournament chip leader with over 2.5million chips.

By Heath Cram

After half an hour of very little action, Rabii Maatouk has put his money in ahead only to be dealt a cruel blow on the river.

Maatouk got his last 200+k in with Ace-King suited and was relieved to get a call from table big stack, PokerStars qualifier Jeremiah Vinsent who turned over King-Jack offsuit.

Maatouk looked good until the river with the board filling out Qs 3h 5h 9c and a horrendous Jack of hearts on the river. Maatouk pocketed $23,020 AUD for his effort.

The big survivor this level has been Gary Diamond. Diamond has nursed a stack of under 100k for half an hour, including a double-up and is now guaranteed a minimum of $34,530 AUD that is paid out for places 12th to 10th.

Updated Chip Counts:

• Sol Bergren 2.2 million (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Lei He 2.1 million
• Jeremiah Vinsent 1.3 million
• Grant Levy 900k
• Larry Wright 700k
• Jai Kemp 680k
• Vijayan Nagarajan 470k
• John Matwey 420k
• Barry Kohlhoff 370k
• Mark Walsh 230k
• Mitchell Price 190k
• Gary Diamond 140k

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By Heath Cram

The final 2 tables has lost its first player with the elimination of Karib Karib. Karib’s ran into PokerStars qualifier Sol Bergen when re-raising his stack. Sol Bergen with AQ suited against Karib’s hapless 5-6 off suit.

The board filled out 3h 10s 3c Jd 7h

The table assignment and approximate chip counts for the final 2 tables are as follows…

Table 1:

• Seat 1 Karib Karib (OUT)
• Seat 2 Gary Diamond 340k
• Seat 3 Mark Walsh 310k
• Seat 4 Mark Eriksen 760k
• Seat 5 Grant Levy 715k
• Seat 6 Lei He 2.1mil
• Seat 7 Jai Kemp 670k (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Seat 8 Sol Bergen 2.3mil (PokerStars Qualifier)

Table 2:

• Seat 1 Jeremiah Vinsent 690k
• Seat 2 Rabii Maatouk 320k
• Seat 3 Barry Kohlhoff 355k (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Seat 4 Mitchell Price 180k
• Seat 5 John Matwey 165k
• Seat 6 Larry Wright 680k
• Seat 7 Colin Ford 455k (PokerStars Qualifier)
• Seat 8 Vijayan Nagarajan 645k

“These guys are going to build a roof over the top of me!” exclaimed PokerStars qualifier Jai Kemp as he was seated between the two tournament big stacks.

By Sean Callander


We’re only four spots away from the settling the line-up for tomorrow’s PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final at Star City.

With the blinds now at 12,000/24,000 (4000 ante), three players have bowed out since the redraw – Karib Karib in 16th, followed by Colin Ford (15th) and Mark Ericksen (14th).

Ford’s pockets kings looked well placed against the pocket 10s of Jeremiah Vinsant but the flop of Ad Ac 10c gave the Nashville youngster a full house and ended the New South Welshman’s tournament.

Mark Ericksen, the reigning Australian Two-Card Manila champion form the Gold Coast, has also left the tournament area after he was eliminated in 14th. With the board showing 9h 2h 4h, Ericksen moved all in holding pocket sevens but Bergren showed kings. Another king on the turn gave the Canadian a set, extending his chip lead, while Ericksen took home $23,020

By Heath Cram

PokerStars qualifier Jai Kemp has continued accumulating by knocking out Patrick Fletcher in 17th place and subsequently enforcing a break as Tournament Director Danny McDonagh reassigns seats as we move to the final 2 tables.

Fletcher pushed his last 190k into the middle with Ace-Queen but had run into Kemp with Pocket Kings.

The board filled out: 8c 9c 3s 10h 3c and Kemp took down the big pot and progressed to the final 2-tables.

Seat assignments and chip counts to follow…

By Sean Callander

The last remaining Team PokerStars Pro Lee Nelson and last remaining PokerStars player Scotty Nguyen have been eliminated from the PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final.

We’d barely processed Guillaume Patry’s elimination in 21st place, and he was followed in quick succession by the two most accomplished players left in the field.

Nelson’s stack had been decimated earlier in the level when he called Mark Ericksen’s all-in bet (holding As 8h) with Ah Qh after a flop of Qc 7d 8c. Well ahead, Nelson’s body writhed in frustration when the Queenslander hit the 8d on the river for trips.

He bowed out soon after to Lei He when he pushed with pocket eights but the Ac on the flop gave Lei He top pair and stayed ahead in the race. Nelson finished 18th.

Scotty Nguyen has again been the consummate professional but the ever-present smile was nowhere to be seen when Larry Wright called his all-in bet of 300,000 on a flop of 9d 6d 5c.

Wright showed the nuts – 8h 7d – while Scotty flipped over As 6h. The 5s on the turn and 4h on the river confirmed Scotty’s exit from the tournament in 19th place.

Julius Colman’s amazingly consistent tournament record now includes 20th in the APPT Grand Final (to go with fourth in the 2007 Aussie Millions and 30th in the inaugural WSOP Europe main event) after he’d pushed in his last 300,000 in chips with As Qh against Sol Bergren’s pocket fours. The board reads 9d 7d 3h 7c Kd, Colman is out and Bergren assumes the chip lead with 1.9 million.

With Patrick Fletcher’s elimination in 17th, the final 16 players are being redrawn into two tables of eight. The average stack is 620,500 and when play resumes we’ll have 22 minutes of level 21 (10,000/20000 with a 3000 ante) to go.

By Heath Cram

Players have taken a 10 minute break, with level 20 claiming the tournament life of PokerStars player Guillame Patry. Guillame had A6 against his opponent Vijayan Nagarajan’s Ace-Queen, with Vijayan collecting the 200k pot. Leo Boxell has also been eliminated.

With plenty of action right on break time, PokerStars qualifier Jai Kemp doubled through Gary Diamond with pocket jacks against pocket 8’s on a 9-high board and now has over 600k in chips.

Conversely Team PokerStars Pro Lee Nelson lost a huge pot on a horrible beat after the break had officially commenced.



On a board of: Q 8 2, the action was hot after the flop with Mark Ericksen putting Nelson to the tank with an all-in raise.

Nelson went into the tank and had a chat with his opponent before calling for a large part of his stack and was very relieved as the players showed Ace-Queen (Nelson) and Ace-8 (Ericksen).

Relief turned to horror as an 8 peeled off on the river and Nelson plummeted to just 110k in chips and Nelson looks sick.

Day 2 Approximate Chip Counts:

• Lei He 3 million
  
• Sol Bergen 1.4 million
  
• Grant Levy 900k
  
• Jeremiah Vincent 870k (PokerStars Qualifier)
  
• Colin Ford 695k (PokerStars Qualifier)
  
• Jai Kemp 600k (PokerStars Qualifier)
  
• Karib Karib 575k
  
• Larry Wright 520k
  
• Vijayan Nagarajan 480k
  
• Mark Eriksen 450k
  
• Julius Coleman 350k
  
• Mitchell Price 330k
  
• Mark Walsh 320k
  
• Scotty Nguyen 280k
  
• Patrick Fletcher 280k
  
• Rabii Maatouk 270k
  
• Gary Diamond 220k
  
• Barry Kohlhoff 190k (PokerStars Qualifier)
  
• John Matwey 180k
  
• Lee Nelson 110k (Team PokerStars Pro)
  

20 Players are left.

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By Heath Cram

It’s bad beat o’clock! Australian player Grant Levy came from well behind to hit his two-outer and scoop a million dollar pot at the expense of chip leader Lei He.

All of the money went in pre-flop, with Levy 500k in chips and Lei He more than 3 times that amount. They rolled their cards over…

Lei He: Pocket Kings

Levy: Pocket Jacks

The first 4 cards (7d 8d 7h 5h) were enough for Grant Levy to get up from his chair, but disappointment turned to elation ,with screams and “high fives” in the room, as a jack hit on the river to provide a lifeline to the Australian player.

“How many hands are they going to deal this bloke!”, said Levy referring to Lei He running hot.

“Man, I thought I was in front”, exclaimed Levy as he raked in over 1 million chips and put himself back in the race.

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By Heath Cram

Well known Australian player Sam Kouiss has just witnessed his sister and last lady standing Suzy Kouiss’ final hand in the APPT Grand Final.

Kouiss pushed her remaining chips in the middle with pocket 5’s, but stood little chance of avoiding the call from monster chip leader Lei He with almost 2 million chips and the big blind in front of him, as He turned called and slowly showed Ace-9 offsuit.

Despite being marginally ahead in the hand pre-flop, Kouiss had her fate sealed early with a 9 in the window and no help on the turn on the river. The crowd applauded as the last surviving lady exited the floor.

With 22 players left, the average stack is 480k. One player well clear of this average is PokerStars qualifier Colin Ford, who is playing his first ever live tournament!

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By Heath Cram

The clock has just ticked over into Level 19 with the blinds at 8,000/16,000 (2k ante) and we are left with three 8-handed tables. PokerStars online qualifiers Colin Ford and Jeremiah Vensent are not shirking the task with 600k and 750k respectively.

Team PokerStars Pro Lee Nelson has taken a stack of 320k into the final 3 tables, and Scotty Nguyen is not far behind him with 300k.

Other PokerStars players remaining include Guillame Patry (150k) and PokerStars qualifier Barry Kohlkoff (350k).

Rabii Maatouk gave onlookers an idea of the pressure involved in final-3 table big tournament poker, spilling nearly all of his 500k stack on the felt and floor in front of him, with only a spring water as his side!

Lei He has increased on his monster chip lead, eliminating Davoud Khajeh and now has almost 1.8 million in chips.

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Heath Cram

The exodus of players has continued after the dinner break, as former big stacks Carter Gill and PokerStars player Terrence Chan were eliminated.

On a flop of Ah Tc 9d, Chan led out with a bet of 45k into Australian player Julius Coleman. Both players had similar chip stacks, as Coleman re-raised a further 100k, enough to decide Terrence Chan’s tournament life.

Chan went into the tank and assessed his chip position before calling the raise. Both players rolled over their hands, with Coleman dominating Chan, who was left to rely on backdoor outs.

Chan: Ad 8c

Coleman: As Qc

The turn was a 4 of diamonds and no help to Chan and the river was a King of spades to end the one-time tournament hopeful’s evening.

Julius Coleman has edged closer to his dream of a second final table on home soil. Coleman finished 4th in the 2007 Aussie Millions and until now is still the highest ever prizemoney winner in a single tournament in Australia, winning $400,000. Australians will be looking to eclipse that feat here with a victory (or second placing) in the APPT Grand Final and prize of $1 million for first and over $600,000 for second.

Elsewhere another former big stack has bitten the dust. Carter Gill committed his short stack in the dark, under the gun, and received a call from the last remaining female player, local Suzy Khouiss. Carter revealed his 6-high and was eliminated, with Kouiss’ supporters making a stir as she went to over 100k in chips. Suzy with presently one of the biggest support bases on the rail!

24 players are left in the event.

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By Heath Cram

29 runners remain, as one-time tournament chip leader, Dane Henrik Gwinner lost the biggest pot of the tournament thus far, as he watched 1.2 million chips pushed in the direction of Lei He, the new monster chip leader.

Gwinner’s aggression has brought about his demise, as he committed most of his stack to a nut flush draw.

All of the money went in on a flop of 5s Kh 7h

Lei He: Ac Kd

Henrik Gwinner Ah 2h

The turn (6c) and river (7c) didn’t provide Gwinner with the heart or backdoor cards needed and he was left with under 30k in chips. Just a hand later, Gwinner committed his last 27k with Ace-4 and has been eliminated.

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By Heath Cram

There could be no better book launch for Team PokerStars Pro Lee “Final Table” Nelson, then to live up to his nickname with another final table appearance at the 2007 PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final in Sydney. To do so, Nelson only has to outlast less than 30 players, as the tournament field diminishes.

The cards are in the air after the dinner break, and another player has already been eliminated (short stack Tiffany Williamson), as play resumed with the blinds at 6,000/12,000 (1,000 ante) and Lee Nelson has over $300k and 25 big blinds.

Earlier this week, Nelson was pleasantly surprised when Day 1a resulted in only 30 players remaining.

“It’s much easier to make the last 9 from a field of 90, then a field of 150”, said Nelson, implying that surviving day 1 was a mere formality. And it was.

The Team PokerStars Pro was already focused on another final table before playing his day 1 flight and came into Day 2 with a playable stack of just under 100k. This quickly turned into 200k, then 300, as Nelson began to accumulate chips in typical Lee Nelson fashion.

The 2005 World Poker Open & ’06 Aussie Millions winner certainly looks set to maintain his fitting tag of Lee “Final Table” Nelson in the coming hours.

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