Pokerstars Blind Levels
The instructions have been given to shuffle up and deal as Day 3 of the PokerStars.net APPT Sydney Grand Final is now underway. We'll recommence with 48:44 left on the clock in level 15 with the blinds at 2,500-5,000 and a 500 ante. We'll be playing this evening. At the end of March 2019, PokerStars significantly changed the Stars Rewards program.Prior to this change, we wrote an article explaining the original Stars Rewards program.At that time, we naively believed that PokerStars were making a legitimate effort to improve the online poker economy by increasing rewards for losing players at the expense of winning players. You can use the poker clock to set/track the time and blind levels in any poker game, including Texas Hold’em. Whether you’re planning a home game with friends or hosting a small event for a few of the neighbourhood locals, the 888poker clock is the perfect solution.
Shaq attack brings Day 1e to a close as Aman Dhamija claims chip lead
That's it from Day 1e of the Macau Millions Main Event as our field of 191 players have been reduced to a baker's dozen. It ended up being the longest of our opening flights so far as the short stacks fought valiantly for survival.
The big stacks were dominant with Aman Dhamija impressing with some big cards and well-timed moves, while Hung-sheng Lin was the table bully with his big stack. Dhamija claimed a narrow chip lead as the players bagged and tagged.
Final chip counts:
Aman Dhamija (India) - 367,000
Hung-sheng Lin (Taipei) - 317,500
Ramin Lessani (Iran) - 260,000
Robert Parkin (UK) (PokerStars Qualifier) - 195,500
Gaurav Law (India) - 96,500
Hongrui Wang (China) - 96,500
Robert Bow Chow (Hong Kong) - 75,000
Tsung Ming Lin (Taipei) - 74,500
Kai Lee Tse (Hong Kong) - 73,000
Mayumi Kaneko (Japan) - 70,000
Tsun Ming Chan (Hong Kong) - 56,500
Shafiq Barqawi (Jordan) - 43,000
Alexey Ten (Russia) - 25,000
These thirteen will return on Saturday for Day 2 with a guaranteed HK$8,000 in their pocket.
We'll be taking a quick break before returning to bring you the conclusion of Day 1f which is currently running in the Macau Poker Room.
9:20pm: Bubble bursts
It took us a long while as the short stacks were playing cat and mouse with each other for some time while Hung-sheng Lin put his big stack to work to bully his opponents left and right.
In the end he was the one responsible for the bubble burst when he shoved Q♣T♠ from the small blind and the short-stacked Weifeng Xu was somewhat pot-commited with his 5♦4♦ in the big blind.
Pokerstars Blind Levels Level
The board ran out K♠Q♠3♥9♠7♣ to give the pot to Lin and burst the bubble!
9:10pm: Lin ruffling feathers on the bubble
Hung-sheng Lin has been relentlessly pounding on his opponents as they tighten up on the bubble, but that didn't stop Ramin Lessani from open-folded A♦K♦ in the big blind when Lin moved all in from under the gun.
However Lessani got his revenge next hand in a battle of the blinds. Lessani completed the small blind, before Lin popped it to 37,500 in the big blind. Lessani made a defiant call and the flop landed 2♥2♦5♥. Lessani checked to Lin who bet 40,000. Lessani then motioned himself all in for an additional 98,900. Lin tanked and eventually folded as Lassani flashed 8♠5♠.
8:55pm: Double KO puts us on the bubble
For the third day in a row we've just seen a double elimination at the end of the day, but this time we still have one more player to go until we reach the money.
The man responsible was the giant-killing Aman Dhamija who held A♥A♣ against two short stacks with J♦T♦ and K♠Q♦.
There were no surprises as the board ran out 3♠Q♠2♦7♥2♥ as Dhamija sends two to the rail on his way to a stack of 300,000.
Pokerstars Blind Levels High
We're now hand-for-hand and on the money bubble with 14 players remaining.
8:35pm: Rivered quads crack nut flush
With 18 players to go and just five spots from the money, we've just witnessed the biggest pot of the day so far, and boy, was it a doozy!
Hung-sheng Lin started things off with a raise to 18,500 from early position with Shafiq Barqawi making the call in position to see a monotone flop of A♣3♣5♣. The colour may have been boring but the action wasn't! Lin led out for 25,000 before Barqawi came back with a min-raise to 50,000. Lin instantly moved all in and Barqawi snap-called with K♣Q♣ for the stone-cold nuts!
Lin stood from his chair and gave the impression that he was well and truly beat, but he still had some life left as he opened 5♦5♥ for a set! Needing the board to pair to stay alive, the turn bricked the Q♠ but the river unveiled a roar from the rail as the 5♠ fell to give Lin quads! Incredible!
Barqawi was in a state of shock as he quietly paid off Lin and left himself with just 35,000. Meanwhile Lin is our new chip leader, and a strong chance to grab more valuable Asia Player of the Year points, as he moves up to nearly 300,000.
8:15pm: Bryan busts
Bryan Huang has been eliminated at around the same time as last night's flight. Both times he put in a stellar run, only to fall disappointingly close to the money.
Aman Dhamija started things off with a raise to 15,000 and found one call, before Huang was all in for his last 9,200. Bob Chow was on the button and he tried to isolate by moving all in for an additional 18,100. Dhamija got out of the way, but the price was attractive enough for the third player to make the call with A♠T♣. He was dominated by Chow's A♦K♠ while Huang was in good shape to more than quadruple up with his 8♣8♦.
Again Huang wasn't confident, as he stood, packed up his headphones and even pulled out his Day 1f ticket to jump straight into the next flight before the community cards had even landed.
However his hunch was right as the J♣K♦9♦9♥4♥ board hit Chow as he takes the 100,000-chip pot to leave Huang to try his luck again in the Day 1f field.
Pokerstars Blind Levels Meaning
8:00pm: Bye bye Hirotoshi
A big three way all in has crushed the hopes of Hirotoshi Nakabo securing a second cash as Hung-sheng Lin landed the knockout blow.
Lin held A♣K♥ and had both opponents covered, as they tabled 8♥8♦ and J♥J♦.
'Jack on the flop!' yelled Nakabo as he was looking to secure his lead, but the T♠9♥5♠ flop was nearly as good. Unfortunately for him the A♥ turn and A♠ river weren't quite what he was looking for.
'Bye bye!' said Nakabo with a smile as Lin eliminates two players on his way to a very healthy stack of 100,000.
7:55pm: Huang crippled
Bryan Huang has just taken a huge hit to his stack to now be on the verge of elimination. He called from the small blind holding A♠K♥ when a short-stacked player moved all in from early position for 30,200 holding J♦9♥.
The board was unkind to Huang as it landed J♣2♦6♥8♠9♠ to double pair his opponent and leave a stunned Huang with just 11,000 - or just under two big blinds.
7:45pm: Ladies kind to Dhamija
Aman Dhamija is continuing on his merry way with the elimination of a short-stacked player.
Facing the all-in bet of 24,000, Dhamija was quick to call with Q♠Q♦ and had his opponent in trouble with 3♦3♣. The board was a scary one for queens but safe for Dhamija as it ran out A♠K♠8♣J♣5♣.
Another one to the rail as just 28 players remain with Dhamija up to a commanding 140,000 chips.
7:30pm: Barqawi rockets into chip lead
We now have a clear chip leader with Jordan's Shafiq Barqawi winning a monster pot when his slow-played aces paid dividens. After limping in preflop with A♠A♣, Barqawi induced two all ins from K♠Q♠ and A♦K♦, before Barqawi jumped to his feet and snap-called, unveiling his trap!
The flop of 3♣9♠2♠ did bring a sweat with a flush draw for one player, but the 3♥ turn and Q♥ river were spade-less, to leave Barqawi to rake in a monster pot worth around 170,000!
7:20pm: Nakabo on the edge
Pokerstars Tournament Blind Levels
Hirotoshi Nakabo has been living life on the edge. But that's the way he likes it as the flamboyant Japanese player has been jumping to his feet regularly over the past hour with multiple double ups to stay alive.
He's just done it again when his A♣6♥ survived against a player holding Q♣J♦ as the board fell A♠K♦3♠7♠2♦. Nakabo is still short-stacked but has about 36,000 to give himself some room against the rising blinds and antes. Can he become the first to cash in two flights of this Macau Millions?
7:10pm: Huang gets some breathing room
Bryan Huang is still alive and kicking after finding another important double up, just as the blinds and antes were about to strangle him. With a player shoving in front of him, Huang followed suit for his last 22,000 or so chips to find his 7♠7♥ racing with K♥J♠.
Huang was again on his feet in anticipation of defeat but once again he had to sit back down after the board was spread A♠6♠Q♥6♥A♥ to double Huang to around 45,000.
7:00pm: Dhamija joins six-figure club as Marlboro is smoked
The first player to crack the six-figure barrier is Indian Aman Dhamija after he just disposed of cult hero Hanbing 'Marlboro' Wang.
Wang certainly gets points for consistency after seemingly going deep every time we see him, but he's yet to secure a cash as Day 1e has added to the missed opportunities.
Wang was down to just 10,000 in chips and moved them in preflop from under the gun with Dhamija calling it off in the big blind with Q♠8♠ as Wang opened 6♦4♦. The board ran out 8♣J♠T♣4♠9♠ to give Dhamija a flush and eliminate Wang. Dhamija is up to 105,000.
Pokerstars Home Game Blind Levels
6:55pm: Lin takes a hit
In this fast-paced turbo format, you've got to take a few chances and win a few races to accumulate a big stack. Hung-sheng Lin just took a chance as he called a shove of 22,600 holding 8♠8♥ to find himself racing with his opponent's K♥Q♠.
The board fell K♠9♠5♥7♠3♥ to pair the king and drop Lin to 40,000.
6:40pm: Play resumes
There are 48 players remaining in the Day 1e field with the cards now back in the air. They'll be playing until we reach the final 13. Our chip leaders include Shafiq Barqawi and Syed Ubhaidilla with about 75,000 apiece, while PokerStars Team Pro Bryan Huang is still alive but a little short-stacked.
The PokerStars Macau Poker Room is buzzing with activity at the moment. Quite frankly, it's a bit of a mad house! Day 1e is heading towards an exciting conclusion, the cash game tables are bubbling over in the far side of the room, while a nice queue has developed at the registration desk for those looking to try their luck again this evening in Day 1f. That flight will kick off at 7:10pm and will overlap the conclusion of the current flight. We'll be sticking with Day 1e until it reaches a conclusion, before we jump over to Day 1f for live updates throughout the evening.