You need luck to win a poker tournament, and the talking point among players as they fly to the four corners of the world after the PokerStars.net APPT Manila main event will undoubtedly the luck that carried Van sirens Marcus to the title at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino.

But it’s an unfair assessment of his performance. Sure, he won a disproportionate number of hands when chasing the board, but this is a player who was overdue for a breakthrough victory.

The young poker pro from Melbourne (he’s still a young man in his mid-20s) has been chalking up consistent results on the green and virtual felt for several years.

This was his third APPT cash for this PokerStars Sponsored player, and all had been final table finishes. He was fifth in this event last year, and finished ninth in the 2008 APPT Macau High Roller.

Forget the rivered sets or quads (who could forget that one-out three he hit to make quads on day two) – this win was about grit and determination against the odds. As his stack was under constant attack from the trio of Korea players at the final table, Marcus maintained his composure and ensured he was in a position to win the event. The harder he works and prepares, the luckier he gets.

Watch APPT Manila 08: We have a WINNER! on PokerStars.tv

As much as it was a breakout event for Marcus, it was also an important event for players from the Philippines and Korea.

The performance of the Filipino players in their home event cannot go without mention. Of the 32 players who cashed, 10 were form the Philippines with Ramil Tandoc’s fifth-place surpassing the performance of Derick Hernandez (ninth) in the 2007 APPT Manila main event.

With the PokerStars Filipino Poker Tour going from strength to strength, the Philippines can rightly claim to be one of the strongest poker markets in Asia, with the quality and quality of players to prove it.

They also added a unique brand of colour to the tournament – from larger-than-life characters like Melvin “The Miracle” Matibag and Wally “The Dream” Sombero to former models-turned-poker players Sunshine Samson and Priscilla Meirelles and full-time pros like Neil Arce and Franco Mabanta, the local players made the APPT Manila main event (which doubled as the Filipino Poker Tour Philippine Championship) their own.

The three Korean players at the final table – Tae Jun Noh, Hyoung Jin Nam and Chang Yong Suk – showed that Korean poker no longer needs to hang its name on ex-pats like Team PokerStars Pro Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier. They were bold, loose, aggressive and put on a show that made this the most dynamic final table in APPT history.

It was also great to see Team PokerStars Pro Lee “Final Table” Nelson again underlining how he earned that nickname, with a solid sixth – his third APPT cash and first APPT final table.

Amid the fears of a global economic recession, the tally of 285 players (up from 255 in 2007) was rightly regarded as an excellent turnout for the penultimate event on the 2008 APPT. And has been the case in Macau and Seoul, the ratio of Asian players to internationals again increased. Slowly but surely, poker is gaining a foothold in Asia.

We now turn our focus to Sydney, Australia for the 2008 PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final. It’s hard to believe that 12 months has passed since a quietly spoken schoolteacher by the name of Grant Levy won a life-changing $1 million.

Held at Star City Casino on the shores of Darling Harbour in the heart of Australia’s largest city, the tournament is played in full view of a poker-loving public and with a backdrop of one of Australia’s most recognisable icons – Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Last year, poker-mad locals and players around the country, combined with hundreds of PokerStars online qualifiers to create a field of 561 players and a massive prize pool of AUD $3.336 million.

Having set such a high bar, how could the APPT possibly soar higher in 2008? Firstly, another AUD $1 million first prize has been guaranteed. In addition to the $6300 buy-in main event, the APPT Tournament of Champions has again been scheduled. Featuring APPT season two winners and a selection of Team PokerStars Pros, this event offers a $50,000 prize, to be donated to the winner’s charity of choice.

A popular addition to other APPT events has been a big buy-in High Rollers event. Logically, a $15,300 High Roller event will be played in Sydney on the penultimate day of the main event.

There’s even a chance to chat with the champions at a Meet and Greet session on Sunday, December 7, or join Joe Hachem and Lee Nelson at their World Poker Seminar (date and time to be confirmed). Team PokerStars Pros set to be front and centre at Star City are Joe Hachem, Greg Raymer, Lee Nelson, Chris Moneymaker, Isabelle Mercier, Gavin Griffin, Raymond Rahme, Vanessa Rousso and Chad Brown.

Watch APPT Manila 08: Lee Nelson on Sydney on PokerStars.tv

On behalf of the blogging and digital media teams here in Manila, we hope you enjoyed our coverage of the 2008 PokerStars.net APPT Manila main event. We look forward to seeing you in Sydney.

And then, just like that, it was over. Van Marcus is the 2008 APPT Manila main event champion, taking home PHP 8,037,000 or USD $162,856.98.

On the final hand, Marcus completed, and Tah Jun raised to 210,000. Marcus called and they saw a flop of 8s-3c-6s. Tah Jun bet 200,000, and Marcus pushed all-in. Tah Jun called, and revealed Jd-8d, for top pair, while Marcus has 9-7, for an open ended straight draw.

As was the custom at this final table, Marcus was all-in with the worst hand, and needed to hit a 5, 9 or 10 on the turn or river to win the hand and the tournament. Sure enough, Marcus hit the 10d on the turn. The river was Jd, which gave Tah Jun two-pair, but this was not good enough to take down Marcus’ straight. A gallant runner-up, Noh Tae Jun takes home PHP 5,090,100 or USD $103,142.75.

This is officially a record APPT final table – we’re into the 14th hour of the final table and the 11th hour of actual play. Play has also reached level 27, which has never been reached in any other APPT event.

The audience is getting decidedly silly (yes, there’s a still an audience here), judging by the chants that are regularly starting up and the slow hand-clap. Last year’s winner Brett Parise and his brother Rob have barely missed a hand all day.

And best of all, it shows absolutely no sign of ending. APPT tournament director Danny McDonagh just announced that PokerStars Sponsored player Van Marcus and his Korean opponent Noh Tae Jun were dead-even in chips.

And it’s not like they’re playing small pots – 400,000 in chips is regularly being shuffled from one end of the table to the other, but there hasn’t been an all-in bet that’s been called. The local time is 4.15am – many of the APPT staffers have 9am flights out of Manila and given the horrendous traffic that clogs the roads each morning, some are looking nervously at their watches. Sleep? Lol.

Hyoung Jin Nam eliminated in 3rd place (PHP 2,679,000, USD $54,285.66): Steadily chipped away since losing that big pot to Van Marcus just before the last break, Nam made his final stand with 4h-5h, and needed help against the Ac-6h. The board runs out an anti-climactic 8d-2d-Js-Qh-3d, and Nam is eliminated.

The chip leader heading into the final table, the Korean can count himself dreadfully unlucky not to proceed further but the 34-year-old has stamped himself as a player to watch. The heads-up battle started with Marcus holding a significant lead – 1,670,000 to Noh Tae Jun’s 1,100,000.

In their first significant tussle, Tae Jun min-raised preflop to 80,000, and Van Marcus called. The flop was 10h-7s-Qd, and both players checked. The river was 8h, and Marcus led out for 115,000, and Tae Jun called.

The river was 7h, pairing the board and opening flush possibilities. Marcus bet out again to the tune of 220,000, and Tae Jun slowly made the call with 10-8 for two pair. Marcus mucked, and this was enough to take the 850,000 pot.

11.30pm: Tae Jun has raised from the button, and Van Marcus has pushed all-in over the top. Hyoungjin Nam exclaims "Oh my god" and the crowd is excited to see some emotion from their heroes. He requests a count of Van Marcus' chips, and he's clearly in two minds about whether to call or fold. He's very animated now, knowing that his decision may cost or earn him tens of thousands of dollars. He eventually calls, with Ad-Kc.

Van has Kh-Tc, and is now dominated and in a lot of trouble. Everyone wonders if he can pull out yet another mircale card, and the crowd is shouting for cards to come. The flop comes out 8c-9c-9s, which is a flop with an awful lot of pips which look like a ten on the screen, but not far enough.

The turn card is a Td, and the crowd cheers with delight for Van. He's pulled out yet another miracle card, and continues to play great after he's all-in. There's no doubt that once the players are all-in, Van Marcus is able to pull sensational cards out of the deck.

The river is the 9d, which completes a full house for Van, nines full of 10s. He is challenging Melvin "The Miracle" Maitibag for his title, and there's talk that we'll have to rename him "Miracle Marcus".

11.15pm: We might be coming to the end of the APPT Manila main event, but there are plenty of choices for players seeking another dose of tournament poker before the holiday season. On December 13-14, the PokerStars Filipino Poker Tour wraps-up at the Bravio Club in Cebu. Or why not journey to PokerStars Macau at the Grand Waldo Casino in Macau for the final edition of the Macau Cup for 2008 from December 12-14. Check out www.filipinopokertour.com and www.pokerstarsmacau.com for more information.

11.00pm: The pace of action has really slowed down, with so much money at stake. First prize tonight is the equivalent of $US162,856.98, with second place receiving $US103,142.75 and third place receiving $US54,285.66. In other words, every place is worth around $US50,000, and no player wants to be the next one out. The tempo of this tournament has really changed from a fast paced action centre, to a slower, more analytical game where every decision is worth thousands of dollars of equity in tournament prizes.

10.45pm: Back after the break, and the players are shuffling chips back and forth like a children's see-saw. Tae Jun may win a pot, only for Van Marcus to win the next pot, and then Hyoungjin Nam. This is a tight battle between three evenly matched poker minds. They're being watched by famed APPT tournament director Danny McDonagh, who is wearing one of his trademark brilliant orange ties. He's really a beacon of fashion in a poker room, and he's clearly commentating on the action for the huge crowd to follow what's happening.

10.15pm: We're now on break here with the final three players, and these players are continuing to battle for the huge prizes on offer. They're now playing very quickly, although also very tightly. This has really dried up the big action, but it certainly adds to the excitement for the crowd here who are enjoying this battle of the mind. There is no admission fee to come along and watch an APPT event, so if you're in Sydney from December 2-7, come on down to the Star City Casino watch some high stakes live poker anytime.

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10pm: Following Tae Jun's recent big bluff, it looks like Van Marcus has taken it personally and wants to re-assert his strength at the table. He has successfully pulled off a pre-flop re-steal with Q-6 which he showed – Marcus wants Tae Jun and Hyoungjin Nam to know that he's able to play a wide range of cards and can be unpredictable too.

Tae Jun and Van Marcus have been contesting many pots, with neither player obtaining a clear advantage, while Hyoungjin Nam maintains a solid chip lead by avoiding the contested situations. Nam has a commanding chip lead with over 1.5million chips, while Van Marcus trails with 700,000, ahead of Noh Tae Jun with 540,000.

9.45pm: Thanks to the generous structure in all the APPT events, the players are all relatively deep-stacked. By having very deep stacks (on average, the remaining three players have 50 big blinds each) there are lots of opportunities for more elaborate plays with plenty of flops and raises. Relatively few of the pots here this evening have been determined all-in preflop, and this cements the reputation of the APPT as one of the most player-friendly tournament circuits in the world.

The players continue to joust, wanting to play pots and win, but not wanting to put their tournament lives at risk. One such hand saw Marcus raise preflop, and Tae Jun called. The flop was 9c-Qs-Qc, which Jun checked. Van bet out for 65,000, and Tae Jun check-raised to 165,000. That put Marcus to a tough decision, because he's seen Tae Jun push all-in with draws in similar situations here – he could have T-J for a straight draw, or a flush ... or he could have a Queen for trips.

After much deliberation, and wanting to know exactly how much Tae Jun had behind, Marcus decided to fold. Tae Jun flips over his hand of 3d-5s - almost the nut low hand at that situation. With sick bluffs like this, Tae Jun is clearly able to play with the best players in the world.

9.30pm: The three remaining players – PokerStars Sponsored Player Van Marcus of Australia, Noh Tae Jun of Korea and Hyoungjin Nam, also of Korea – are some of the finest players here. They have combined a mix of luck and skill to come this far.

Watching these three players tangle is an impressive feat – their carefully considered bets and raises probe each other's strengths, wigth all the excitement of a live, high stakes poker game. Even now, late in the evening, the room is packed, and the crowd continues to be on the edge of their seats as every pot has the potential to knock another player out.

Following Chang's elimination, the play has been much more timid - the escalating prizes on offer are intimidating, and everyone aspires to the ultimate prize.

9.15pm: Play is getting incredibly fast and aggressive, and the runaway pace has claimed another victim. It started when Nam raised to 35,000, Chang re-raised to 125,000, then Nam pushed all-in and Chang was more than happy to call with his As-9d.

He found himself ahead of Nam’s Qc-Jh, but not for long as the board ran out 3c-Jd-3h–5h-6d to send one of our former chip leaders out in fourth. However, Chang has stamped himself of a player of considerable promise, and it wouldn’t surprise us to see him running deep in another APPT event before too long.

9pm: Just when it seemed that the torch was being turned up on Noh Tae Jun, he’s doubled through chip leader Hyoungjin Nam. Noh started the action with a raise to 35,000 with Nam and Chang calling. The flop is 5h-As-8d, Nam and Chang check, Noh bets 100k, and Nam calls.

The river is 6c, and Nam checks, only to see Noh push all-in. Nam leans back in the chair – briefly – and calls the all-in bet of 248,000. Noh shows A-K while Nam has 6-7 and a load of outs. But the 10d isn’t one of them, and Noh is up to 750,000. Nam still leads on 1.2 million, Van Marcus is on 590,000 and Chang is now the short stack (300,000).

8.45pm: It’s called the Aussie fighting spirit, and Van Marcus is turning on an impressive display of it at the APPT Manila main event final table. After raising to 42,000, Noh called and the flop came 10h-5d-8s. Marcus bets 60,000, Noh calls and the turn shows 4h.

Noh pushes all-in and gets an insta-call from Marcus who shows Ac-10c, well ahead of Noh’s Ah-5h. The river is Ad, and suddenly Marcus is back in the game with 520,000 – his highest chip tally since the final table started. Noh is down to 400,000.

8.30pm: Hyoungjin Nam has picked up where he left off before dinner by taking down a big pot early in the evening session. After Noh raised to 32,000, Nam re-raised to 64,000 and Chang came over the top for 148,000.

Nam made the call and they saw a flop of 5c-Qs-Jh. Nam checked, Chang bet 150,000, and Nam pushed all-in. Chang declined the offer, and is suddenly down to 310,000. Nam leads on 1.5 million, with Noh on 700,000 and Van Marcus on 270,000.

8pm: After a final feast at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino buffet (kudos to the staff, who’ve made our stay so enjoyable over the past week), the four remaining players in the PokerStars.net APPT have returned to the table. The chip count reads Hyoungjin Nam 1,037,000, Chang Yong Suk 701,000, Noh Tae Jun 721,000 and Van Marcus 316,000.

7pm, Ramil Tandoc eliminated in 5th position (PHP 1,446,660, USD $29,314.26): 7pm: The last 89,000 chips of Ramil Tandoc are in the middle, with Noh Tae Jun making the call. Tandoc shows Kh-2h, but isn’t in bad shape against Ac-Jc. The flop comes 3d-2c-7c, and the crowd erupts. But they’re silenced when Noh fills his flush on the turn (4c).

As the last Filipino player in the field, Ramil surpasses Derick Hernandez’s ninth place finish last year. Players are now on a 70-minute dinner break and when we return, blinds will be at level 21 (8000/16,000 with a 2000 ante).

6.45pm: It’s a big call, but this is quickly developing into the most action-packed final table in APPT history. And we spoke too soon about the fortunes of Hyoungjin Nam! With more than 250,000 in the pot, Nam and Chang saw a flop of 2s-Qc-8s. Nam bet 45,000, Chang re-raised to 225,000, Nam pushed all-in for an additional 150,000 and Chang calls.

Nam shows pocket queens for top set, but Chang has 10s-7s for a flush draw. The turn is the Jh, and Chang makes his flush on the river – unfortunately, it’s the Js and makes a full house for Nam. As Noh said earlier, “wow”. That puts Nam in the chip lead (1 million), ahead of Chang (700,000), Noh (640,000), Marcus (346,000) and Tandoc (80,000).

6.30pm: He's done it again. Marcus pushed all-in for 158,000, and this time it’s Hyoungjin Nam who makes the call. The PokerStars Sponsored player shows pocket sevens and is again behind another pocket pair (queens). Sure enough, there’s a seven on the flop (3c-7s-Ah), and the board runs out Kc Ac to double Marcus to about 330,000. When the cards are hot, they’re hot. That pot leaves Nam (400,000) in a clear third behind Chang Yong Suk (1,250,000) and Noh Tae Jun (650,000), with Ramil Tandoc (150,000) the short stack.

6.15pm: He rivered a miracle three to make quads yesterday (and has shown pocket aces twice today), now another gift from above has ensured the survival of Van Marcus in the APPT Manila main event. Marcus pushed all-in from the small blind, with Chang make an insta-call. He showed A-10, while Marcus (Q-10) needed big help. The flop (Qc-7d-Ah) hit both players, before Marcus found a two-out Qh to take the lead. The PokerStars Sponsored player said his thanks to the heavens and, relieved, took his seat.

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Watch http://www.pokerstars.tv/movies/4CJ/appt-manila-08-van-marcus.html">APPT Manila 08: Van Marcus on PokerStars.tv

6pm: Now everyone’s awake! We’ve just witnessed a massive hand involving Nam and Chang, who kicked it off with a raise to 25,000 with Nam making the call. The flop was 9d-7s-3s, Nam bet 65,000, and Chang called. The turn is 8s, Nam bets 150,000 and again Chang just calls. The 2h falls on the river, Nam bets just 10,000, Chang slams over the top all-in and Nam folds. Chang is now up to 1.3 million and a big chip leader.

5.45pm: Hope we didn’t put a hex on him – the stack of PokerStars Sponsored player Van Marcus is on life support. After Noh Tae Jun raised to 20,000, Marcus made it 60,000 and Noh called. The flop was 4c-3s-Kc. He checked, Marcus bet 65,000 and Noh announced all-in. Marcus agonised but eventually mucked, with Noh showing Jc-10c for the flush draw. Ouch. Blinds have also just tipped up to level 20 (6000/12,000 with a 2000 ante). Marcus is down to just 140,000.

5.30pm: The odds of crowning the first APPT champion from Korea have shortened dramatically over the past three hours. We started with the three Korean players, and we still have three Korean players.

The trio have swapped the chip lead throughout the afternoon – currently Chang Yong Suk (867,000) leads narrowly from Hyoungjin Nam (830,000), with Noh Tae Jun (483,000), Ramil Tandoc (305,000) and Van Marcus (300,000) following.

Remember, Marcus finished fifth in this event last year – it would hurt for the PokerStars Sponsored player from Australia to have come all this way and be KOed in the same spot.

5.15pm, Lee Nelson eliminated in 6th position (PHP 1,071,600, USD $21,714.26)): After pushing all-in on a flop of 5c-5h-10c and getting no call from Van Marcus, Lee Nelson was all-in again two hands later. He raised 30,000 from the button and Nam re-raised to 80,000. Nelson pushed all-in, and Nam called. Tea Team PokerStars Pro showed pocket eights, which were in a flip against Nam’s Ac-Kd. The flop came As-2s-6h, and ran out 7h-5h to send the only Team PokerStars Pro here in Manila to the rail.

5pm: There must have been something in the water at the first break as the six players have been uncharacteristically quiet in the early stages of level 19. A pre-flop raise has been enough to take down most pots, with Team PokerStars Pro Lee Nelson (now the short stack) the most active of the players. The chip count reads Chang Yong Suk 867,000, Hyoungjin Nam 611,000, Noh Tae Jun 483,000, Van Marcus 334,000, Ramil Tandoc 305,000 and Nelson 205,000.

4.45pm, Manish Sansi eliminated in 7th position (PHP 803,700, USD $16,285.70): Manish Sansi moved all-in, and was followed into the pot with an all-in from Filipino player Ramil Tandoc, who shows pocket jacks. Sansi’s pocket nines need help, and it doesn’t come. The flop comes Jh-2c-4s, and the crowd goes wild as their local hero flops top set and is in an almost unbeatable position. The board runs out 2s 3c, Sansi is out and Tandoc is up to 305,000.

4.30pm: Players are returning from the first break, giving us all a chance to catch our breath after an electric opening two levels. Final tables can drift along in first gear, but the three Korean players have ensured that it’s pedal to the metal in Manila. Luckily for Noh Tae Jun, his cry of “wow” wasn’t taken as “call” after Hyoungjin Nam had bet 100,000 into an already raised pot on a flop of 3d-6h-7c. Blinds are now at 5000/10,000 with a 1000 ante.

4.15pm: The short stacks are starting to feel the pressure, as shown by Ramil Tandoc’s second all-in of the day (for 170,000, again there were no callers). Lee Nelson’s stack has also dwindled after losing a big pot to Michael Chang.

In three-way action, Nelson, Marcus and Chang saw a flop of 9s-Jh-4s. All checked, the turn came 4d, Nelson bet 40,000, Marcus folds and Chang calls. The river is the 6s, Chang bets 90,000 and after a long deliberation, the Team PokerStars Pro mucks.

Noh Tae Jun holds the lead on 720,000 ahead of compatriots Chang (620,000) and Jin (495,000). They are followed by Van Marcus (405,000), Lee Nelson (250,000), Ramil Tandoc (160,000) and Manish Sansi (115,000). The first break is about 15 minutes away, with the blinds set to increase to level 19 (5000/10,000 with a 1000 ante).

4pm, Benjie Lim eliminated in 8th position (PHP 616,170, USD $12,485.70): Tae Jun raises to 26,000, and Benjie Lim has pushed all. Tae Jun needs to call just 30,500 more chips, which he does without much difficulty. Benjie Lim has Ks-Jh, and Tae Jun As-Th.  The crowd is on its feet, desperate for the 53-year old Filipino of four to draw ahead. The flop is Qc-4c-3c which leaves Tae Jun ahead. Qd comes on the turn, and the river is a 4h, and Benjie is eliminated in 8th position.

3.45pm: With his stack getting short, Ramil Tandoc has just made a stand. Hyoungjin Nam and Chang Yong Suk both limped in succession, and Tandoc has pushed all-in for 119,500. Noh Tae Jun has asked for a count of the bet, and rolls his head back as he decides to fold. Hyoungjin Nam and Chang Yong Suk also fold, and to the delight of the crowd, Ramil Tandoc takes down the pot and will continue to fight for the big prizes on offer. He shows A-9.

3.30pm: Talk about adding a touch of glamour to proceedings. We’ve just heard that the local TV crew organised a helicopter to fly in as part of the APPT/Filipino Poker Tour coverage. The players were taken up to the Hyatt Hotel and Casino’s helipad – thankfully, there were umbrellas waiting to shield them from the blazing sun (it’s Vegas hot here in Manila today, with a healthy dose of tropical humidity thrown in).

It’s almost as hot in the tournament area, but Van Marcus is certainly keeping his cool. After barely playing a pot in the first hour, he just took down a nice pot pre-flop with a pair of red aces.

3.15pm: The Koreans have now moved ahead of the other five players to clearly occupy the top three chip positions. We've just watched a hand that was limped four-way, with Jin, Manish, Tae Jun and Nelson all in the pot. The board came out all spades (Ts-3s-9s). Tae Jun and Nelson both checked, and Jin bet 6000. Nelson and Manish fold, but Tae Jun called.

The turn was another spade, Js, and Tae Jun checked to Jin, who bet out 20,000. Tae Jun then checked. The river 3c paired the board, and Tae Jun checked again to Jin, who bet 10,000. Disgustedly, Tae Jun called, obviously with a weak hand but getting great pot odds to call. Jin had Qs-9d, for a strong flush to take down the pot ans close to within 50,000 of chip leader Noh Tae Jun.

3pm: It’s knives at 20 paces for the Koreans so far at today’s APPT Manila final table. The trio can’t be accused of slow playing as they attack each other in the early stages. In a recent hand, the aggressive Tae Jun Noh, opened with a raise to 15,000.

Hyoung Jin Nam and Manish Sansi called, and they saw a flop of Qs-10s-10c. Noh bet 40,000, Nam called and Sansi folded. Both checked the turn of Ks and the river (Qd). Noh showed Ah-5c, which counterfeited the pocket fours of Nam. The Filipinos, plus Nelson and Marcus, seem content to let the Koreans duke it out in the early going.

2.45pm: It’s been a while since we’ve seen Lee Nelson’s lucky final table shirt, but the garish number is being worn with pride by the Team PokerStars Pro today. So, what’s the story Lee?

“It’s have an atrocious shirt. Four years ago (2004) I was playing in the St Maarten Open and I ran out of clean shirts so I bought this one. I played the event with this shirt and wound up winning,” he said.

“Just for fun, I decided to wear the shirt at the Speed Poker event at the Aussie Millions in January 2005. I won that too. A couple of months after, I won the World Open, wearing the same shirt. So from then on, I decided I’d wear the shirt at final tables, including the 2006 Aussie Millions main event, which I also won.

“I’m not superstitious but I don’t see any reason to change the shirt until it loses. I wouldn’t be seen dead in it anywhere except a final table.” Keep an eye on Lee’s progress and that of the other players, via our chip count, which is being updated after every hand.

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Watch http://www.pokerstars.tv/movies/4CH/appt-manila-08-lee-final-table-nelson.html">APPT Manila 08: Lee "Final Table" Nelson on PokerStars.tv

2.30pm, Rainier Aquino eliminated in 9th position (PHP 455,430, USD $9228.56): Noh Tae Jun has been very active in raising when in late position, and he has just knocked out local Filipino hero – and PokerStars qualifier – Rainier Aquino in sensational fashion.

In late position, Noh Tae Jun raised to 16,000, and Rainier Aquino pushed all-in for his remaining 30,000 chips. Hyoungjin Nam called from the big blind, and Noh Tae Jun called as well, now getting over 5:1 on his call.

The board came 2c-Ad-7d, and both active players checked. The turn Qc also saw both Koreans check, and the river came 7h. Hyoungjin Nam checked, and Noh Tae Jun bet 40,000, which Nam quickly called. Jun flipped over 3-7, for trip sevens, to the dismay of Hyoungjin Nam (who had A-4 for a pair of aces) and Rainier (who had A-T for a pair of aces, better kicker). This was a great result for Rainier who won his entry to this tournament through a freeroll on PokerStars.

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Watch http://www.pokerstars.tv/movies/4CG/appt-manila-08-rainer-aquino.html">APPT Manila 08: Rainer Aquino on PokerStars.tv

2.15pm: Chang Yong Suk has been the aggressor in the opening hands of the PokerStars.net APPT Manila final table. He took the opening hand against Manish Sansi and has just taken down a three-way pot against the two most experienced players at the final table, Team PokerStars Pro Lee Nelson and PokerStars Sponsored player Van Marcus with a bet of 65,000 on a flop of Qs-2h-4s. That pot was worth more than 100,000. Nice way to establish a table image in the early going.

2pm: It’s safe to say that this is the biggest media contingent we’ve ever seen at an APPT final table. The local interest has been tremendous, as evidenced by the coverage of the event on the Manila TV news and in local newspapers.

The press photographers have just been ordered to clear the tournament area. And there’s not an empty seat in the house, with a number of friends and family of the three Filipino players, plus plenty of poker fans eager to watch all the action.

Play should be underway in a few minutes, but then play was supposed to start at 12.30pm. Oh well, we can forgive the locals: it is Sunday! FYI, the blinds have been wound back to level 17 (3000/6000 with a 500 ante).

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Watch http://www.pokerstars.tv/movies/4CE/appt-manila-08-final-day-intro.html">APPT Manila 08: Final Day Intro! on PokerStars.tv

12.15pm: Welcome to the Hyatt Hotel and Casino in Manila for the final table of the PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour Manila main event; the penultimate event for 2008.

Three days ago, 285 players packed the Ballroom at the Hyatt in pursuit of the USD $160,000 first prize but only nine remain. But it’s an intriguing line-up, starting with Team PokerStars Pro Lee “Final Table” Nelson, shooting for his first major title since the 2006 Aussie Millions.

PokerStars Sponsored player Van Marcus has reached two APPT final tables, and finished fifth in this event last year after taking the chip lead into the final table. Will this be the big breakthrough for the young Aussie?

The local fans will be cheering on a trio of Filipinos: Ramil Tandoc, Benjie Lim and Rainier Aquino. All three are short-stacked, but desperate to do the host nation proud, especially as this is the seventh event on the Filipino Poker Tour.

At the other end of the chip count are three Korean players, led by chip leader Hyoung Jin Nam and closely followed by Chang Yong Suk and Tae Jun Noh. Manish Sansi from Hong Kong completes the final table line-up.

We’re still at least 60 minutes away from the first hand with players still being interviewed for the local TV, but the final table atmosphere is electric (helped by the temperature in the studio area). We look forward to bringing you all the action from today’s APPT Manila main event final table.

Final table participants

Seat 1: Tae Jun Noh, Korea (466,000 in chips)
Seat 2: Lee Nelson, New Zealand (238,000 in chips)
Seat 3: Van Marcus, Australia (438,000 in chips)
Seat 4: Benjie Lim, Philippines (115,000 in chips)
Seat 5: Rainer Aquino, Philippines (40,000 in chips)
Seat 6: Hyoung Jin Nam, Korea (561,000 in chips)
Seat 7: Manish Sansi, Hong Kong (192,000 in chips)
Seat 8: Michael Chang (Chang Yong Suk), Korea (539,000 in chips)
Seat 9: Ramil Tandoc, Philippines (184,000 in chips)
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Watch http://www.pokerstars.tv/movies/4CI/appt-manila-08-final-table-profiles.html">APPT Manila 08: Final Table Profiles on PokerStars.tv

Final table payouts

1 PHP 8,037,000 (USD $162,856.98)
2 PHP 5,090,100 (USD $103,142.75)
3 PHP 2,679,000 (USD $54,285.66)
4 PHP 1,875,300 (USD $37,999.96)
5 PHP 1,446,660 (USD $29,314.26)
6 PHP 1,071,600 (USD $21,714.26)
7 PHP 803,700 (USD $16,285.70)
8 PHP 616,170 (USD $12,485.70)
9 PHP 455,430 (USD $9228.56)

Structure

Level 17: 3000/6000 (ante 500)
Level 18: 4000 /8000 (ante 1000)
Level 19: 5000 /10,000 (ante 1000)
Level 20: 6000 /12,000 (ante 2000)
Level 21: 8000 /16,000 (ante 2000)
Level 22: 10,000/20,000 (ante 3000)
Level 23: 12,000/24,000 (ante 4000)
Level 24: 15,000/30,000 (ante 5000)
Level 25: 20,000/40,000 (ante 5000)
Level 26: 25,000/50,000 (ante 5000)

Seat 1: Tae Jun Noh, Korea (466,000 in chips): One of three Korean players at the final table, the story of this 24-year-old is not dissimilar to his compatriot and final table rival Michael Chang. He is a computer IT student from Seoul and has been playing poker for two years, mainly online. He journeyed to Manila for the APT event earlier this year and returned to the Philippines, wiser and ready to make his mark. He used FPPs to buy-in, and sits in fourth chip position.

Seat 2: Lee Nelson, New Zealand (238,000 in chips): This vastly experienced Team PokerStars Pro has won events across the globe, but the crowning glory of his tournament career came in 2006 when he won the Aussie Millions and the $1.3 million first prize. He has cashed in two previous APPT events, and becomes the first Team PokerStars Pro since Joe Hachem and Bertrand ‘ElkY’ Grospellier to make an APPT final table since last year’s APPT Macau main event.

Seat 3: Van Marcus, Australia (438,000 in chips): This is the third APPT cash for this PokerStars Sponsored player – all final tables. He was fifth in this event last year, and finished ninth in the 2008 APPT Macau High Roller. An accomplished player with an excellent record in live and online play (he is a PokerStars Supernova), his standout result came at the 2007 WSOP when he finished third in the $1500 Pot Limit Omaha w/ rebuys event for more than USD $190,000.

Seat 4: Benjie Lim, Philippines (115,000 in chips): A father of four from San Juan City, this 53-year-old owns a construction materials sales business. He’s been playing poker for three years and won a tournament against a field of more than 200 in Tagatay City not long after he started playing. He bought in directly to the APPT Manila main event. A good friend of Filipino world boxing champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao, Lim will be hoping to harness the champ’s spirit at today’s final table.

Seat 5: Rainer Aquino, Philippines (40,000 in chips): The short stack entering the final table, he is the only PokerStars qualifier at the final table. The 29-year-old hails from Ilocos Sur (about eight hours from Manila) and works as a self-employed poultry supplier has been playing poker, mainly online, for several years. However, this is his first major live tournament and he was thrilled to hang on to reach the final table although he’ll be looking for a quick double-up to ensure a spot further up the payout scale.

Seat 6: Hyoung Jin Nam, Korea (561,000 in chips): A business administrator from Seoul (he also holds a medical science degree), this 34-year-old has been playing poker for less than three years and is celebrating his tournament debut in perfect fashion – with a final table appearance and enough chips to go all the way to the title. He bought in directly to play in the APPT Manila main event, and lies third in chips thanks mainly to a huge pot late on day two.

Seat 7: Manish Sansi, Hong Kong (192,000 in chips): The 32-year-old trader from Hong Kong works as a trader during the daylight hours but at nights has been working hard to improve his poker game since December 2005. His first major poker tournament experience was at the PokerStars.net APPT Seoul main event, but plenty of practise at the Hong Kong Poker House has helped him make the final table in Manila. He bought in directly, and lies seventh in chips.

Seat 8: Michael Chang (Chang Yong Suk), Korea (539,000 in chips): This computer studies student personifies the new style of Korean poker player: young, stylish, aggressive and, as shown by recent performances on the APPT, very successful. He has been playing online poker for the past 18 months and accumulated enough FPPs on PokerStars to enter the APPT Manila main event. A player that gives away very little at the table, this youngster is well placed to become Korea’s first APPT champion.

Seat 9: Ramil Tandoc, Philippines (184,000 in chips): Guaranteed plenty of support at tomorrow’s final table from his wife (with three young sons to be following at home), this 33-year-old only gained a seat to the APPT Manila main event via a mega satellite at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino last Wednesday. The former electric cooperative worker has been playing poker for two years and is in good form as shown by a top-25 finish in the Sunday Million on PokerStars last month.

The PokerStars.Net APPT Manila event has been a hive of activity in recent days, and today was no different with a dramatic finish to the day which saw the last seven players eliminated in just half an hour.

At the start of the day, American PokerStars Qualifier Michael Shell led the field, equal with Korean Chang Yong Suk. Play continued at a frenetic pace with a number of other challengers nipping at their heels.

77 other players were here to play and all sort fame and glory on the final table – at the end of the day, only nine would remain.

Early in the day, PokerStars Sponsored player Van Marcus drove through the field, careening on a one-track path to the final table, running over anyone in his way. He was loud and he was brash as he played solidly and attracted the attention of the other players.

Van never dared to settle in to cruise control, continuing to play an aggressive role that impressed spectators and players alike. Of course, a little luck was helpful, such as his one-outer against Daniel Nordstrom when he rivered the single remaining three in the deck to make quads to defeat Nordstrom's set of tens.

Fireworks erupted on other tables, as the various players continued to clash and confront each other in a desperate reach for chips. Ivan Tan's hopes of a third APPT cash disappeared when he lost a coin flip with A-K.

One of the most frustrating knockouts struck Celina Lin, who got her money all-in on a J-9-4 flop with J-9 and top two pair. Without a hope to get away from the hand (she merely checked from the big button) her chips were swept up by Mike Marvanek who had a set of fours.

Thus, in a quick sweep, we lost another PokerStars Sponsored player and the bubble was burst. In the money, the players managed to knock each other even faster, with Van Marcus continuing to cause damage.

Our overnight chip leaders had radically different fortunes, with PokerStars Qualifier Michael Shell fading in 25th place, and UK Supernova Natasha Ellis surviving until 12th place. Ellis was one of the last seven players to be eliminated in the last 30 minutes as the pace of the tournament continued to climb faster than ever before, and is the first woman to cash in both a Season 1 and Season 2 APPT event.

We had expected players to grow more timid as we approached the final table bubble, but instead, the pace escalated even further.

It included Josh Pang Ang, who went from chip leader for much of the evening to being knocked out in tenth, leaving the remaining players for the final table.

The Korean contenders, including Chang Yong Suk, Noh Tae Jun and Hyoungjin Nam managed to each amass huge chip stacks, smartly picking their spots and picking up many pots. Similarly, three Filipino players made the final table: Rainier Aquino, Ramil Tandoc and Benjie Lim. This is an improvement for the home team on last year's APPT Manila event, which saw just one.

A large part of the credit for this increased home team representation goes to the highly successful Filipino Poker Tour. The Filipinos will join the Koreans, Team PokerStars Pro Lee Nelson and PokerStars Sponsored player Van Marcus (who made the final table at this event last season) and Manish Sansi from Hong Kong.

Nelson and Marcus have now each made their third APPT cash, and only an elite and small legion of fellow players have achieved this milestone.

After tip-toeing their way through the late-evening session on day 2 of the PokerStars.net APPT Manila main event, the gloves came off in the past 30 minutes with seven of the last 16 players eliminated, meaning the final table has been decided for later today.

It all started when Rudy Lim’s pocket sixes trailed the pocket nines of Dimitrios Pappis from the get-go and never caught up. Lim finished 16th.

Next to go was PokerStars qualifier Rey Tuason of the Philippines, who made his move with the best hand (Ah-10d) against Noh Tae Jun’s Kh-8h but the Korean connected with the board of Jc-Kc-9d-5s-8s. His countryman June Caberoy followed in 14th spot.

The big pot of the evening came when William Te Jr pushed all-in on a flop of 10s-4c-6d, with Pappis and Hyoungjin Nam making the call. Te Jr showed Kh-10h, Pappis held 7d-8d and Nam had the made hand with pocket sixes for a set. Queens on the turn and river gave Nam a massive pot, while Pappis was crippled and Te Jr was out in 13th.

The gallant run of Tasha Ellis ended in 12th when she had the worst of it (Kc-Jc) in a three-way pot with Nam (pocket queens) and Pappis (Ac-Kh), with an ace on the flop giving Pappis brief respite before he bowed in 11th after Chang Yong Suk rivered a jack to make a pair against the Canadian’s As-10d on a board of 5d-10c-8c-8s-Jd.

The big shock of the evening was the elimination of former chip leader Josh Pang Ang in 10th. After calling a raise to 25,000, Pang Ang and Noh Tae Jun saw a flop of 10h-Kh-7h. Ang checked, Jun bet 60,000, Ang re-raised all-in and Jun called, showing Jh-9h for a flush. Ang’s As-10s was in a world of hurt, and his tournament was over when the Qc fell on the river.

This leaves us with a final table comprising three Koreans (Hyoungjin Nam, Chang Yong Suk and Noh Tae Jun), Team PokerStars Pro Lee “Final Table” Nelson, PokerStars Sponsored player Van Marcus, Manish Sansi of Hong Kong and a trio of local players – Rainier Aquino, Ramil Tandoc and Benjamin Lim. We’ll be back at 12.30pm for the start of the 2008 PokerStars.net APPT Manila final table.

Watch APPT Manila 08: Van Marcus on PokerStars.tv

The elimination of Chi Kan Tang in 17th position marks the final redraw of the PokerStars.net APPT Manila main event. Tang had pushed over the top of Hyoungjin Nam all-in with pocket fours before Nam made a loose call with Kd-10c. It paid off when a king landed on the turn, and the Korean contingent had been reduced by one.

The remaining 16 players have just been redrawn into two tables of eight. It’s become an even more interesting tournament to cover, with one table in the adjacent TV studio and one on the main tournament floor. A mixture of SMS and the odd phone call means we’re keeping up to date.

Aside from the recent double-up of Benjamin Lim at the expense of June Caberoy, it’s been a very cautious start for the remaining 16 players.

Redraw with approximate chip counts after level 16

Table 7

Seat 1: Dimitrios Pappis (Canada) 135,000 – PS qualifier
Seat 2: Hyoungjin Nam (Korea) 230,000
Seat 3: Rudy Lim (Philippines) 120,000
Seat 4: Tasha Ellis (UK) 134,000
Seat 5: William Te Jr. (Philippines) 145,000
Seat 6: Manish Sansi (Hong Kong) 302,000
Seat 7: Chang Yong Suk (Korea) 260,000
Seat 8: Lee Nelson (NZ) 205,000 – Team PokerStars Pro

Table 9 (Feature Table)

Seat 1: Rainier Aquino (Philippines) 67,500
Seat 2: Josh Pang Ang (Singapore) 226,000
Seat 3: Ramil Tandoc (Philippines) 164,000
Seat 4: Benjamin Lim (Philippines) 70,000
Seat 5: Noh Tae Jun (Korea) 154,000
Seat 6: Rey Tuason (Philippines) 58,000 – PS qualifier
Seat 7: Van Marcus (Australia) 362,000 – PS Sponsored
Seat 8: June Caberoy (Philippines) 135,000

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Watch APPT Manila 08: Natasha Ellis going deeper! on PokerStars.tv