$$ Cash 4 Seat $$

Final table profiles for the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander and Landon Blackhall from SKYCITY Casino in Auckland, New Zealand. The latest chip counts can be found by clicking here.

Seat 1: Jason Brown, Auckland, New Zealand (709,000 in chips): The married father-of-two was as high as 1,000,000 in chips on day three of this event, but had to battle through some tough spots and comes to the final table in second chip position. The 33-year-old Brown makes a living as a property investor but that’s taking a back seat as his poker career takes off, having already scored a number of large cashes online and in live tournaments, including 14th in the USD $5000 event at this year’s PokerStars Caribbean Adventure.

Seat 2: Richard Lancaster, Auckland, New Zealand (568,000 in chips): This 35-year-old local real estate agent and father of one is one of the more experienced players at the final table. He’s played in major tournaments around the world including Macau, Milan and the Aussie Millions in Melbourne. He also harnessed some valuable experience at last year’s SKYCITY Festival of Poker, and qualified for his Main Event here via a live satellite. “I’m very confident heading into the final day - I want to take it for Auckland,” the proud local said.

Seat 3: Ke Sijia, Kantong, China (294,000 in chips): The 42-year-old full-time poker player has been jetsetting between Australia and New Zealand in the past few years. He won his seat into the APPT Auckland Main Event via a $120 satellite here at SKYCITY. He learned the game online, playing under the name eagle_ke and though he’s one of the short stacks, he says it’s “unbelievable” to make the final table. “I’ll still need to wait for good hands,” he said.

Seat 4: Assadour Assadourian, Sydney, Australia - PokerStars Player (231,000 in chips): The surname may be familiar to a lot of people, but this time it’s Assadour, the father of PokerStars.net Team Australia Pro Eric Assadourian that takes his seat on the final table with 231,000 in chips. The 56-year-old lighting company director is relying on his aggression to take down the APPT Main Event and add another trophy to the family pool room. “I’ve been starting short the last two days, but have always doubled up,” says Assadour. “If this keeps going it should help me win!” He cashed 31st in the same event last year.

Seat 5: Simon Watt, Auckland, New Zealand - PokerStars Qualifier (581,000 in chips): A 26-year-old software developer, he was a former chip leader in this event with the size of his stack swinging wildly over the past two days. He is already assured a massive return on investment having qualified via a $22 rebuy event on PokerStars. With five years of experience under his belt, the Auckland local can’t wait to take his seat among the final nine: “I’m very confident going into the final table,” he said.

Seat 6: Gerome Guitteau, Paris, France - PokerStars Qualifier (1,204,000 in chips): Guitteau comes into the final table as our chip leader with more than 1.2 million in chips, a far cry from his early days learning the game of poker on his yacht while sailing the Indian Ocean. The 30-year-old full-time poker player was happy to reminisce about his nautical adventures, but it’s not only Gitteau that’s got game - his wife Claude-Estel is also a keen poker player, having placed ninth in the WCOOP Omaha Hi-Lo event. “It’s nice to do well and get lucky for once!” Guitteau said.

Seat 7: Lance Climo, Hamilton, New Zealand - PokerStars Qualifier (350,000 in chips): Just days before the SKYCITY Festival of Poker Main Event, this bar owner won his spot in a Last Chance Seat Only satellite on PokerStars. The father of two has been playing poker for five years and this is by far his biggest result in the game. And he plans to make the most of the opportunity: “I’m going to be patient at the final table,” he said.

Seat 8: Michael Shinzaki, Los Angeles, California, USA (620,000 in chips): Having made his start five years ago playing college home games, the 22-year-old UCLA sociology graduate has built up a bankroll online and is now travelling the world playing poker full-time. “It feels really nice to make the final table,” Shinzaki said. “I’ve been playing really well and I’m looking forward to seeing more of New Zealand after this event.” He’ll have more than enough spending money, having made his first ever live major tournament cash here at SKYCITY Auckland.

Seat 9: Jens Walther, Germany - Poker Stars Qualifier (335,000 in chips): The story of this PokerStars Qualifier from Germany should give hope to every aspiring pro. After winning an APPT Auckland seat on PokerStars, he decided to take the opportunity to journey to New Zealand to play in his first live event. The 36-year-old, who works in the air conditioning industry, said he was “excited to be in New Zealand and playing at the final table”.

Live updates from day 3, level 20 (blinds 8000-16,000, ante 2000) of the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander and Landon Blackhall from SKYCITY Casino in Auckland, New Zealand. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest selected chip counts can be found by clicking here.

5.30pm: Smith out, final table decided

The final table for the 2009 PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event has been decided after the elimination of Shilton Smith in 10th position, for NZD $11,046. Chip leader with less than 20 players remaining, Smith endured a combination of killer blows.

In a battle of the locals, Richard Lancaster shoved over the top of Smith’s pre-flop raise of 40,000, with Smith calling for what appeared to be most of his stack. Lancaster showed [ad] [jd] while Smith fancied his chances with [kc] [kh]. But his pulse was racing when the flop fell [9d] [8d] [4s], the turn was [9s] and the river a heart-breaking [10d] to make Lancaster’s flush.

That left Smith with just over 50,000 in chips, and they were quickly committed with [10s] [9s] against the [kd] [9h] of Jens Walther. The German PokerStars Qualifier hit top pair on the flop of [9d] [6s] [2h], Smith picked up a flush draw on the turn [2s] but it was all over with the river [8h].

In a remarkable day of poker, it took just over four levels to slash the field from 32 to the final nine. Six of them were in the top 10 chips counts at the start of day three.

The chip leader is French Poker Stars Qualifier Gerome Guitteau on 1.2 million ahead of Jason Brown (710,000), American Michael Shinzaki (620,000), NZ PokerStars Qualifier Simon Watt (580,000), Richard Lancaster (570,000), another local PokerStars Qualifier Lance Climo (350,000), German PokerStars Qualifier Jens Walther (335,000), Australian-based Chinese player Ke Sijia (295,000) and PokerStars Player Assadour Assadourian (230,000).

We’ll be back, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, for tomorrow’s PokerStars.net APPT Auckland AKA SKYCITY Festival of Poker Main Event at SKYCITY Casino from 12.15pm tomorrow.

5pm: Action aplenty at SKYCITY

As day three of the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event winds down, the action is only just cranking up in the SKYCITY Casino poker room. The first hand has just been dealt in the NZD $220 SKYCITY Festival of Poker Ladies Event, which will be followed later this afternoon by the NZD $10,000 APPT Auckland High Rollers event.

Players in the Main Event have just taken their seats after the second break of the day, with 10 players vying for a spot at the final table of nine. There’s no short stack under immediate attack, with Assadour Assadourian’s 260,000 the smallest stack in play.

German PokerStars Qualifier Jens Walther had looked under threat until he doubled through Simon Watt with [js] [jd]. He looked in a world of hurt against the Kiwi’s [ac] [kh] but the board ran out [5d] [ks] [10d] [7d] [ad] to make him a flush.

Live updates from day 3, level 19 (blinds 6000-12,000, ante 2000) of the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander and Landon Blackhall from SKYCITY Casino in Auckland, New Zealand. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest selected chip counts can be found by clicking here.

4.30pm: Butcher shuts shop

Day three has almost been consigned to history after the elimination of Ben Butcher in 11th. The Australian liked his [ks] [10c] on a board that ran out [3s] [2d] [3c] [kh] [4d] until Jason Brown called his all-in and showed [ah] [5d] for the rivered straight.

Spectators are packed around the remaining two tables of five players awaiting the final table of nine to be decided. It’s taken less than four hours to slash the field of 32 down to 10, and we suspect it won’t be long until the final player is eliminated for the day.

Approximate chip counts

Gerome Guitteau 900,000
Jason Brown 750,000
Michael Shinzaki 600,000
Jens Walther 500,000
Simon Watt 380,000
Assadour Assadourian 380,000
Richard Lancaster 370,000
Shilton Smith 360,000
Ke Sijia 300,000
Lance Climo 300,000

4.15pm: Father and son

Assadour Assadourian is assured one fan if he makes the APPT Auckland final table - his son, PokerStars.net Team Australia Pro Eric Assadourian:

Watch APPT Auckland 09 : Eric & Assadour Assadourian on PokerStars.tv

4pm: Guitteau gets going

Gerome Guitteau has stolen a break on the rest of the field with just 11 players still seated in the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event at SKYCITY Casino. On a flop of [qh] [10c] [5d], Guitteau bet 70,000, Jason Brown pushed all-in and the French PokerStars Qualifier called.

It was Guitteau’s [as] [qd] against the [7h] [6h] of Brown, and the turn [3h] and river [9c] brought no help to the former chip leader, who now appears in freefall. He’s down to 330,000, while Guitteau is outright leader on 900,000.

Earlier Germany’s Oleg Epp was busted in 12th after committing the last of his 115,000 chips with [ad] [jh]. China’s Ke Sijia made the call with pocket jacks, stealing some of the outs for the PokerStars Qualifier. The board showed [10h] [8c] [10c] [4c] [10d], ensuring Epp a payout of NZD $11,046.

Live updates from day 3, level 18 (blinds 5000-10,000, ante 1000) of the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander and Landon Blackhall from SKYCITY Casino in Auckland, New Zealand. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest selected chip counts can be found by clicking here.

3.30pm: Tight at the top

A brief respite from the carnage on the tournament floor gives us a chance to review the action at the other end of the chip count. There are now four players separated by less than 100,000 in chips - Frenchman Gerome Guitteau (680,000), Shilton Smith (620,000), Jason Brown (610,00) and Michael Shinzaki (600,000).

All have occupied the chip lead at some stage today but have been unable to break clear from the rest of the field. Highlights of recent action have mostly focussed on Assadour Assadourian, the father of PokerStars.net Team Australia Pro Eric Assadourian.

Shilton Smith has been Assadour’s main target, and after twice doubling through the New Zealander, he was lucky to escape a third beat when they chopped a pot on a board of [4h] [3h] [7h] [2s] [5c] - Smith holding [as] [jc] and Assadourian [ad] [ac].

3.15pm: Swan grounded; Hill flattened

They continue to tumble … another short stack Charlie Swan was quick to get his remaining chips into the middle with [7s] [7d], and found a willing caller in fellow PokerStars Qualifier Oleg Epp with [ad] [9h]. The flop hit Epp - [2h] [3s] [9c] - with the board running out [qd] [kd] to send Swan on his way in 14th.

Next out was Sam Hill, another player who’d nursed a short stack up the pay scale. In three-way action, Hill was all-in pre-flop before Gerome Guitteau and Ben Butcher built a big sidepot. Guitteau’s all-in on the river finally shook off Butcher, and the Frenchman showed [qd] [10c] for a flopped full-house on a board of [qc] [10d] [10h] [3s] [3c]. Hill tabled his [jc] [jd] before heading for the rail.

3pm: Take a breather

Here’s our preview of day three … better watch it quick as the day might be over fairly soon!

Watch APPT Auckland 09 : Day 3 Introduction on PokerStars.tv

2.45pm: King dethroned

This has the potential to be a very short day, with just five players to be eliminated to decide the final table for the 2009 APPT Auckland Main Event.

Michael Shinzaki continues his climb up the chip count after ending Rob Toleafoa’s tournament. It was the American’s [ac] [10h] against the New Zealanders [ah] [7h], with the 10 proving a tiebreaker on a board of [6h] [2s] [9h] [as] [kc] with betting on every street.

That left the field at 16, and the remaining players were redrawn into two tables of eight. Holding just 15,000, Ray Cook was next to go when his [jd] [3d] found Ke Sijia waiting with [ad] [ac] - a board of [qd] [7d] [ks] [6h] [qs] brought no love and the Aussie was out 16th.

Shortly after, Kiwi comedian Mike King was confirmed as the 15th-place finisher after he ran [ad] [3d] into the pocket sixes of Robert Lancaster. King’s gallant run finally ended on a board that came [10c] [jh] [5s] [8s] [jd] and he was off to the cage for his NZD $8679.

Live updates from day 3, level 17 (blinds 4000-8000, ante 1000) of the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander and Landon Blackhall from SKYCITY Casino in Auckland, New Zealand. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest selected chip counts can be found by clicking here.

2.30pm: Last Team pro tumbles

The tournament is over for the final PokerStars.net Team Australia Pro remaining, Sydney’s Eric Assadourian. Nursing a short stack, he chased a straight with [7d] [6h] on a flop of [qc] [8d] [9c] against the [as] [ac] of Jason Brown. The chip leader’s hand improved to a set on the turn of [as], and the river [8c] had Assadourian out of his seat. As always, he departed with a smile and wished the remaining players all the best for the remainder of the event.

Next to go was Kani Edwards, who found his [kc] [10c] narrowly behind the [kh] [qd] of Shilton Smith on a flop of [kd] [2d] [3d]. The turn [ah] and river [jd] didn’t help Edwards, who left in 18th position for NZD $7101.

2.15pm: Pros’ best hands

As we tick down towards the end of the 2009 APPT Auckland Main Event, Lynn Gilmartin spoke to the local PokerStars.net Team pro contingent about their top hands of the tournament:

Watch APPT Auckland 09 : PRO’s Best Hand on PokerStars.tv

1.45pm: Brown bulldozes through field

Jason Mui’s last stand came with A-J against the A-Q of Gerome Guitteau, and a board of bricks ensured that the US PokerStars Qualifier placed 22nd in the SKYCITY Festival of Poker Main Event.

We’ve also watched the eliminations of New Zealand’s Ronny Wijaya, who shoved with pocket sevens only to find himself behind for good against the pocket aces of China’s Ke Sijia, and another local Chris Tau.

He was confirmed in 20th-place after becoming Jason Brown’s latest victim. Tau was happy to see his pocket queens up against Brown’s [ah] [jh], until the flop fell [jd] [3s] [jc]. The board ran out [10d] [2s], extending Brown’s chip lead.

1.30pm: Even dozen done and dusted

Still chasing our tails after a staggering 12 eliminations in the opening hour of play on day three of the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event. Latest departures have included PokerStars Qualifier Robert Browning, who hails from the Philippines where the next event on the APPT will be held. Browning ran his [ac] [qh] into the pocket kings of runaway chip leader Jason Brown, with the board flowing [3d] [10s] [2c] [7d] [js].

He earned NZD $7101, as did Sal Fazzino who followed in 23rd. It was the Australian PokerStars Qualifier’s [ks] [10s] chasing a straight on a flop of [jh] [8c] [9s] against the made hand of [9d] [8h] for local Richard Lancaster. The turn [4c] and river [10h] were too little, too late for Fazzino.

Live updates from day 3, level 16 (blinds 3000-6000, ante 1000) of the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander and Landon Blackhall from SKYCITY Casino in Auckland, New Zealand. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest selected chip counts can be found by clicking here.

1.15pm: Quick-fire departures continue

Still they tumble - Aussie PokerStars Qualifier Luke Edwards is out in 28th, followed just minutes later by another PokerStars Qualifier, the UK’s Joe Quinton. Chip leader Jason Brown wasted little time calling Quinton’s all-in with [ah] [kd], which had [ks] [jh]. A paint-free board of [8d] [4s] [6d] [2h] [8c] had Quinton off to collect NZD $5523.
PokerStars.net Team Australia Pro Eric Assadourian scored a crucial triple-up with pocket queens against the A-K of Charlie Swan and Rob Toleafoa before Anibal Lee departed in 26th and George Moussa 25th.

1pm: Defending champ bows out

The hopes of a repeat win for Daniel Craker have ended with last year’s winner out in 29th. The 2008 APPT Auckland winner picked a good spot to make his move with [ah] [qs], only to find compatriot Rob Toleafoa holding [ac] [ad]. The seven-high board showed no love for Craker, who received a nice ovation as he headed down to check on the six-handed event that starts soon.

Earlier Frenchman Arnaud Bulle bowed out in 30th after a race of raggy aces - [as] [4c] against Shilton Smith’s [ad] [8h] - where neither hand improved on a board of [jd] [10h] [5c] [6d] [7c].

12.30pm: Two down in two rounds

No shortage of action in the opening hands - PokerStars Qualifier Mathieu Louisy-Gabriel was first to go after shoving with [qs] [8c] only to find his attempted steal caught out by fellow qualifier Sal Fazzino, who held [as] [kh]. The Aussie didn’t need the flush - [10h] [10d] [jh] [4h] [5h] - but he nailed it anyway to send the Frenchman home in 32nd.

Another long distance traveller, Tamas Lendvai followed in 31st after his pocket 10s were overtaken on the flop when Aussie Ben Butcher’s pocket fives improved to a set. The Hungarian PokerStars Qualifier leaves with NZD $5523, which should nicely cover his travel expenses to the South Pacific.

It’s a more relaxed atmosphere in the SKYCITY Casino poker room this morning as players mill about prior to the start of play on day three of the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event.

The 32 players still in the race for the title are all assured a minimum cash of NZD $5523, relieving at least some of the pressure after a typically anxious bubble period leading up to the end of play last night.

However, chip leader Jason Brown has his sights set firmly on the big prize of NZD $209,085, and starts day three in great shape with more than 630,000 in chips.

He shares the top 10 with five PokerStars Qualifiers, including Auckland’s own Simon Watt who lies second in chips, and excitement machine Gerome Guitteau, who kept us entertained with his roller coaster ride up and down the leaderboard yesterday.

The two “headliners” back today are PokerStars.net Team Australia Pro Eric Assadourian and Wellington’s Daniel Craker. The only Team Pro still in contention, Assadourian is hoping to continue a rich run of results on NZ soil that includes the 2007 NZ Champs Main Event title and back-to-back NZ Pot-Limit Omaha titles in 2007-08.

Craker is out to emulate his triumph in last year’s APPT Auckland Main Event in which he outlasted a field of 305 rivals to collect more than NZD $250,000 in prizemoney. He is one of 13 New Zealanders still in with a chance of ensuring the SKYCITY Festival of Poker title stays in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Play will be underway in the next few minutes, with blinds starting at level 16 (3000/6000 with an ante of 1000).

Top 10 chip count at the start of day 3

Jason Brown (New Zealand) 632,000
Simon Watt (New Zealand) PokerStars Qualifier 430,500
Jens Walther (Germany) PokerStars Qualifier 349,500
Michael Shinzaki (USA) 346,500
Gerome Guitteau (France) PokerStars Qualifier 317,500
Shilton Smith (New Zealand) 256,000
Rob Toleafoa (New Zealand) 241,000
Lance Climo (New Zealand) PokerStars Qualifier 235,000
Kani Edwards (New Zealand) 157,500
Oleg Epp (Germany) PokerStars Qualifier 145,500

The structure available for today’s play is:

Level 16: 3000/6000 (ante 1000)
Level 17: 4000/8000 (ante 1000)
Level 18: 5000/10,000 (ante 1000)
Level 19: 6000/12,000 (ante 2000)
Level 20: 8000/16,000 (ante 2000)
Level 21: 10,000/20,000 (ante 3000)
Level 22: 12,000/24,000 (ante 4000)
Level 23: 15,000/30,000 (ante 5000)
Level 24: 20,000/40,000 (ante 5000)
Level 25: 25,000/50,000 (ante 5000)
Level 26: 30,000/60,000 (ante 10,000)
Level 27: 40,000/80,000 (ante 10,000)
Level 28: 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000)
Level 29: 60,000/120,000 (ante 20,000)

Here’s the draw and chips as the players rest ahead of day three. If you’d like to see the chip counts only, what better place to go than the, er, chip count page.

PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Day 3 seat draw

Table 6

Seat 1: Daniel Craker (New Zealand) 131,500
Seat 2: Oleg Epp (Germany) PokerStars Qualifier 145,500
Seat 3: Michael Shinzaki (USA) 346,500
Seat 4: Luke Edwards (Australia) PokerStars Qualifier 83,000
Seat 5: Jason Mui (USA) PokerStars Qualifier 88,500
Seat 6: Eric Assadourian (Australia) Team PokerStars Australia 94,500
Seat 7: Ropati Toleafoa (New Zealand) 241,000
Seat 8: Charles Swan (USA) PokerStars Qualifier 104,000

Table 7

Seat 1: Louisy-Gabriel Mathieu (France) PokerStars Qualifier 44,500
Seat 2: Richard Lancaster (New Zealand) 116,000
Seat 3: Sal Fazzino (Australia) PokerStars Qualifier 136,500
Seat 4: Ke Sijia (China) 85,500
Seat 5: Ronny Wijaya (New Zealand) 35,000
Seat 6: Raymond Cook (Australia) 24,000
Seat 7: Jens Walther (Germany) PokerStars Qualifier 349,500
Seat 8: Assadour Assadourian (Australia) PokerStars Player 69,000

Table 8

Seat 1: Gerome Guitteau (France) PokerStars Qualifier 317,500
Seat 2: Anibal Lee (New Zealand) 34,500
Seat 3: Simon Watt (New Zealand) PokerStars Qualifier 430,500
Seat 4: Lance Climo (New Zealand) PokerStars Qualifier 235,000
Seat 5: Mike King (New Zealand) 81,000
Seat 6: Kani Edwards (New Zealand) 157,500
Seat 7: Sam Hill (New Zealand) PokerStars Qualifier 56,000
Seat 8: Robert Floyd Browning (Philippines) PokerStars Qualifier 111,000

Table 9

Seat 1: Ben Butcher (Australia) 118,000
Seat 2: George Moussa (Australia) 105,000
Seat 3: Arnaud Bulle (France) 82,000
Seat 4: Tamas Lendvai (Hungary) PokerStars Qualifier 64,000
Seat 5: Shilton Smith (New Zealand) 256,000
Seat 6: Joe Quinton (United Kingdom) PokerStars Qualifier 58,000
Seat 7: Jason Brown (New Zealand) 632,000
Seat 8: Chris Tau (New Zealand) 79,000

The final 32 players have been decided after a tense and fiercely contested day two in the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event. SKYCITY Casino was packed with a wine o’clock crowd for the latter stages of play, which added plenty of atmosphere to the race for the money.

The line-up was decided when the last of Helmut Waicane’s chips were committed with [ac] [js] against the [6s] [6h] of Rob Toleafoa. The dealer showed [7s] [2d] [8s] [7h] [7c], propelling the local to more than 230,000 and sending the New Caledonian out in 34th.

The unlucky title of bubble boy went to China’s Hong Kai Shi, in brutal circumstances. His last 19,600 went into the pot with [kc] [qs] and he started ahead of chip leader Jason Brown’s [kd] [4h]. But the board came [7d] [5c] [9h] [3h] [6h] giving Brown an unlikely straight and Shi nothing for his two days’ effort.

All players returning tomorrow are guaranteed a minimum payout of NZD $5523, although all eyes are on the first prize of NZD $209,085. And the man in the box seat to claim that prize and the title of SKYCITY Festival of Poker Main Event winner is local player Jason Brown. He takes a stack of 634,000 into tomorrow’s day three.

The other big stacks belong to NZ PokerStars Qualifier Simon Watt (430,500), fellow PokerStars Qualifier Germany’s Jens Walther (349,500), American Michael Shinzaki (346,500) and Gerome Guitteau (317,500), who stormed back into contention after leading earlier in the day.

Notables who’ll also return tomorrow include the father-son combo of PokerStars.net Team Australia Pro Eric Assadourian and his father, PokerStars Player Assadour, while last year’s APPT Auckland winner, Daniel Craker, is in good shape for an amazing repeat victory.

New Zealand comedian Mike King, who’s gaining an international reputation for his skill at the poker table rather than his comic talents, will also be back for a shot at the title after his third-place finish in the 2009 NZ Poker Champs Main Event at Christchurch Casino.

With directions in hand to the nearby Angus Steak House and expectations of eating a slab of meat the size of a hubcap, it’s farewell from SKYCITY Casino in Auckland. Join us from 12.15pm (local time) as the 32 remaining players chase a spot at the APPT Auckland Main Event final table.

Last word of the night goes to Dan Craker, the 2008 APPT Auckland champ who is already assured of a successive cash in this year’s event:

Watch APPT Auckland 09 : Daniel Craker on PokerStars.tv

Live updates from day 2, level 15 (blinds 2500-5000, ante 500) of the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event brought to you by Sean Callander and Landon Blackhall from SKYCITY Casino in Auckland, New Zealand. Click refresh to see the latest updates below, while the latest selected chip counts can be found by clicking here.

8.35pm: Off the Marc

A huge rail has packed around the remaining five tables in the APPT Auckland Main Event for the closing hands of day two. Just two players will miss out on a minimum cash of NZD $5523 - a heart-breaking prospect having already outlasted 229 of the 263 players who started the tournament.

One of those to come close was Marc Wittkopf. The local player started the day with just 22,000 in chips and was still standing with 35 players in the field. After pushing all-in with red fives, his hopes were dashed on a board showing [6s] [3c] [3h] [4d] [9h] when Poker Stars Qualifier Gerome Guitteau bet enough to push Lance Climo out of the hand.

The Frenchman showed [6d] [6c] for a flopped full-house, sending Wittkopf on his way. However, he is currently serving a one-round penalty for showing his hand with action pending. Mike King has also just doubled-up through Assadour Assadourian, leaving both players on about 80,000.

8.20pm: Lance on the Climb-o

The hard luck stories of those who’ve been eliminated just shy of the money are mounting. Latest victim was Perth’s Michael Pedley, who made his last stand with [jc] [jd] only to find Lance Climo waiting with [kd] [ks]. The board flowed [qs] [3h] [qd] [9s] [kc], sending Pedley home and Climo, who qualified via a Last Chance Seat Only satellite on PokerStars, up to 260,000.

Aussie PokerStars Qualifier Sal Fazino has worked his short stack almost into the money, and scored a timely double-up through Tim Macbeth with pocket aces against the A-J of the local. We’re just two short of the bubble and the end of play on day two of the PokerStars.net APPT Auckland Main Event.