How do you score?
You will notice that we display two scores, one for overall chip gain or loss and one for the team points won. The latter is the one which is determining the eventual ranking, but the chip count can come into play as a tie breaker.
For every hand played, a team will have played all 6 positions and will compare their net chip gain or loss as a team against the other teams. The winner of the hand will be awarded 8 points, 2nd place 7 points and so forth. The team with the worst performance in the hand will be awarded 1 point. If two or more teams get the same chip result they will share the points in play, i.e. if three teams share 2nd place they will share 6+5+4 points, giving them each 5 points.
Standings after 30 hands:
| Position | Nation | Chips | 1st Session Points | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Mongolia | +26132 | 149 | ▲ |
| 2nd | Australia | +318 | 147.5 | ▼ |
| 3rd | China | -8854 | 139 | ▲ |
| 4th | India | -8703 | 138 | = |
| 5th | Singapore | -3043 | 132 | ▲ |
| 6th | Israel | -4846 | 129.5 | ▼ |
| 7th | CPG | -839 | 125 | ▼ |
| 8th | Japan | -164 | 120 | = |
It is For Real Now!
As the scores have started to count and the tally has started to run on the monitors displayed throughout the playing area, the participants have started out quite concentrated. The scope of this grand championship is making an impact on most. One exception seems to be at Table 6 where Singapore’s Jacky Wang and India’s Sangeeth Mohan are chatting it up and spreading laughter around the felt. At table 3 Australia’s Queenie Kwan Yee Kim called a river bluff by Japan’s Tsuneaki Takeda and has likely added to a positive score for the Aussies.
Here are the current standings after 20 hands:
| Position | Nation | Chips | 1st Session Points | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Australia | +8243 | 103.5 | = |
| 2nd | Mongolia | +50232 | 102 | = |
| 3rd | Israel | -2621 | 95 | ▲ |
| 4th | India | -5928 | 94 | ▲ |
| 5th | China | -13379 | 86.5 | ▲ |
| 6th | CPG | -9439 | 82 | ▼ |
| 7th | Singapore | -18568 | 82 | ▲ |
| 8th | Japan | -8539 | 75 | ▼ |
Asian Nations Cup started
Players have had a healthy practice session, and the competition is now underway, 6-handed on 8 tables. Play has been swift and smooth and Robert Huxley is optimistic about getting through all 120 hands without delay. We will be updating you throughout the session with updates every 10 hands.
Here are the current standings after the first 10 hands:
| Position | Nation | Chips | 1st Session Points | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Australia | +19675 | 58 | = |
| 2nd | Mongolia | +21868 | 49 | = |
| 3rd | CPG | +3736 | 46 | = |
| 4th | Israel | -12332 | 44 | = |
| 5th | Japan | +4950 | 42 | = |
| 6th | India | -7778 | 42 | = |
| 7th | China | -10750 | 41 | = |
| 8th | Singapore | -19368 | 38 | = |
While some of the participants may be unknown to the public, a good handful will be worth mentioning for their previous results in other poker events. We have already highlighted Julius Colman and David Borg – of the entire field the two of them have cashed for almost $1,5 million. From India Abhishek Goindi will remember a heads’up battle for almost $300,000 against China’s Nicky Jin, a fight he lost to the Chinese pro back in 2012 – and here they are now, competing for their nation’s pride and participation in the Nations Cup Final!
Hand 86, Table 1:
Table 1, hand #109.
As a relatively new format and technology the Match Poker concept is under constant scrutiny and always in the process of improving. After a hectic start to the day we found a more relaxed “COO” Joe Barnard in the corner of the room with a bottle of water in his hand, catching a moment for himself. Guess we ruined that moment when we asked him a couple of questions:
Play has concluded and data has been processed by Joe Barnard. Team captains have received hand histories and stats on all 120 hands played and it is now up to them to analyse and interpret and perhaps make adjustments to their play and strategy.
MVP of the first four sessions of play: