Seat 1: Ken Hirosawa, 30 (Japan) - 185,000 in chips

You won't normally find Japan's Ken Hirosawa in tournaments; he works as a restaurant director who primarily plays $2/$5 cash games. However, the 30-year-old told us that he enjoys the challenge of the APPT because "play is more serious than in cash."

He has only been playing the game for a year, having learned from a friend, and he says his poker hero is Japanese player Takaaki Nakayama. This will be his biggest score to date, regardless of where he finishes.

Seat 2: Michael Egan, 26 (Melbourne, Australia) - 354,000 in chips

Australia's Michael Egan is a professional poker player who has been at the game for seven years now. He got his start in online freerolls but these days frequents the $5/10+ online cash tables. Egan's best result so far is a 5th place finish in the EPT Barcelona Super High Roller for $405,162 last August.

The Australian says his favourite thing about the event so far is not busting out, and tells us he enjoys multi table tournaments when he's not grinding cash. Egan also implored us to share that his hero is fellow countryman and poker crusher Alex 'Alextrev1111' Trevallion.

Seat 3: Shenghua Qian, 27 (Shanghai, China) - 771,000

Shanghai resident Shenghua Qian is a 27-year-old gamer and poker player who has been learning the game over the past five years. His biggest live score to date - in fact, his only live score prior to this event - came when he finished 22nd at the $1,600 No Limit Hold'em main event at the WPT National in Sanya, China.

His favourite thing about APPT10 Seoul has been the deep blind structure, while his favourite moment was when his pocket jacks cracked Windsor Nguyen's pocket Kings by spiking a two-outer on the turn for a huge pot.

Seat 4: Tetsuro Tomita, 33 (Tokyo, Japan) - 542,000 in chips

Hailing from Japan, Tetsuro Tomita starts this final table third in chips. He's been playing poker for seven years now and he first learned the game from a friend. Tetsuro usually plays $2/5 stakes and his best result to date was a cash in the 2011 APPT Macau Main Event for $6,591. That means this guaranteed final table finish will be his best ever live score.

Tetsuro says his poker hero is Tom Dwan and he enjoyed the battles on the felt during the bubble this week. He attributes his ability to make big laydowns at crucial points to getting him this far, and when he's not at the poker table he likes to play Mahjong.

Seat 5: Windsor Nguyen, 30 (Vancouver, Canada) - 82,000 in chips

Windsor Nguyen starts the final table as our short stack after a string of bad luck in the later stages of Day 3. The Canadian has been playing poker for a decade now and got his start in casinos. With this final table appearance Nguyen has already eclipsed his best live result so far - a 10th place finish in the West Coast Poker Championship for $8,697.

Aside from poker, his hobbies include basketball and computer games. Nguyen also tells us he has enjoyed the free food here this week, and that his hero is his mom.

Seat 6: Satsuki Ochiai, 34 (Tokyo, Japan) - 234,000 in chips

Despite a handful of results from PokerStars events in Macau and Manila, 34-year-old Tokyo resident Satsuki Ochiai is in for his largest live cash here in Seoul. He's not new to the game though, having notched up online results in his three years of playing, including a US$10,000 win in a weekly $2 tournament. His average buy-in in online multi table tournaments is $30.

He says it's his ability to adapt to players with different styles that is the most crucial part of his success in this tournament, and he's excited to keep going. His highlight so far was when he pulled off a river bluff for a big pot with just queen-high. In his spare time, Ochiai enjoys cycling.

Seat 7: Albert Paik, 27 (USA) - 952,000 in chips

Albert Paik has had a great week at the tables here in Seoul, he begins this final table out in front with 952,000. He started playing in high school back in the United States, but after college he relocated to right here in Seoul. Paik learned the game watching training videos and playing online and these days he mainly plays $500-$1,000 cash games. He tells us having only played daily tournaments before this will by far be his greatest result.

Paik says that his poker hero is Phil Ivey and that since he usually plays cash games he had some difficulty staying focused over the eight hour days. Despite leading the charge for this final seven, Paik stays humble, attributing his success to luck and saying that he made many mistakes.

11:45pm: The penultimate day is almost underway!

Only 22 remain in the hunt for ₩119,097,600 (~$101,600) in cash and prizes, the prestigious APPT trophy, and the chance to have themselves etched into Korean poker history.

Potentially another short day as we believe the plan is to play down to a nine-handed final table, before those lucky few return tomorrow to battle down to a champion.

Poland's Daniel Demicki leads the way at the start of proceedings. He finished 3rd in this event last year and has found himself in a good position to make another deep run. Demicki starts the day with 292,000, only just ahead of Day 1a chip leader Albert Paik with 287,000.

You can find full chip counts here and the Day 3 table draw here.

The players are now making their way onto the tournament floor with action set to begin shortly. Be sure to keep your browser locked to the PokerStars Blog for all the live updates from right here in Seoul. -- BK

PokerStars Blog reporting team in Seoul: Brad Kain and Jack Stanton. Photos by Kenneth Lim Photography.
The APPT Seoul festival at Paradise Walkerhill Casino runs until Monday, June 27th. Full details are available on the official APPT website page.

12pm: Let's get this show on the road!
Level 9 - Blinds 600/1,200 (100 ante)

Cards are in the air here on Day 2 as we begin to play to the bubble, which bursts at 18 players. --JS

11:45am: Welcome to Day 2

Good morning all! We're back at the Paradise Walkerhill Casino, and in 15 minutes we'll be joined by the 61 remaining players in this APPT10 Seoul main event.

It's Day 2, which sees our Day 1A and 1B survivors merge for the first time. Our champion will be in the room today, but who will it be? Could Team PokerStars Pros Celina Lin and Bryan Huang make the final table together again like they did last year? Will our other Team Pro Chen An Lin make his first Seoul final table? Can the Aussie contingent (made up of talented pros including Michael Egan and Lim O'Rourke) make deep runs? You'll have to wait and see.

The man leading the field right now is Chan Tsuh Ming. He's bringing a huge stack of 169,800 into play today, after a late surge last night saw him shoot up the leaderboards. Here are the biggest stacks in the room today:

Play starts shortly at 12pm local time. The bubble is sure to burst today with 18 players getting paid. You can check out the whole prize pool and payouts here, but know that all players are aiming for the first place prize of ₩119,097,600 ($101,399 US).

In terms of how long we'll play for today, as of right now we really don't know! Stay with us all day to follow the action. --JS

PokerStars Blog reporting team in Seoul: Brad Kain and Jack Stanton. Photos by Kenneth Lim Photography.

The APPT Seoul festival at Paradise Walkerhill Casino runs until Monday, June 27th. Full details are available on the official APPT website page.

Five things from the world of PokerStars heading into the weekend.

1. Sunday Million

We start with the Sunday Million which last week was won by "Koby295" of Germany. His first prize was $188,928.82, thanks to a field of 6,269, which if you were to average out pay-outs would be above average. It makes this a good time to be a Sunday Million player, which you can be this weekend. In the meantime, read about this latest result, courtesy of Kristin Bihr.

2. Marbella

At about the same time the joint UKIPT/ Estrellas festival in Marbella was coming to an end in Spain. Jonathan Schuman ensured his name would adorn the headlines, picking up a first prize of €96,159 ahead of a field of 844. 

Marbella champion Jonathan Schuman

Brazilian player Rodrigo Strong, who won the Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT) Chile Main Event in March 2016, took away the largest amount (€110,653) by virtue of a three way deal. 

Our live reporting team were watching every step of the way, and you can read coverage of that final day on the PokerStars Blog.

3. APPT Seoul

One event usually leads into another in the world of PokerStars, and this week is no different. From Marbella the action travels around the world to Seoul, South Korea, where our reporting team are on the ground with live events through the weekend and the final table on Monday. 

Korea Town, Seoul, home to the APPT this week

At the time of writing play is deep into Day 1B of the Main Event. Jack Stanton and Brad Kain are court side. Follow live coverage on the PokerStars Blog. 

4. Return of the Americas Cup of Poker

Not to be outdone the Americas Cup of Poker is back for it's eighth edition, this time taking place in New Jersey, and featuring the first appearance from a Team USA side since the events of Black Friday.

There will be 12 teams kicking things off today with a series of sit & go's at Resorts Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, with heads up matches tomorrow determining the outcome. 

For the winners some prize money, but also tickets to the Copa America final between Argentina and Chile, to be played on Sunday rather conveniently a short drive away at MetLife stadium.

Read about Team USA here, and get details of the event here, with ACP results available on Monday. 

5. #EPTNotLive

The last #EPTNotLive before the team take a well earned summer break - we'll let them introduce what's coming up. 

"In their last podcast before their six-week summer break, James and Joe pay tribute to an #EPTLive fan who recently passed away, and celebrate Jason Mercier's continued success at the World Series of Poker. Lex Veldhuis joins the boys to talk about the infamous Mercier/Selbst bracelet bet, his Omaha streams on Twitch, and his love/hate relationship with tournaments. Joe recaps some of his recent Vegas shenanigans, which include passing out after a pool party and playing a lot of poker - some of it for charity, and some of it in a glass box. Finally, budding poker commentator James Day gets some tips from the "pros" and competes for prizes in a Survivor-themed edition of 'Superfan vs Stapes'. #EPTNotLive returns on Thursday 11th August 2016."

Listen here

Have a great weekend playing on PokerStars. Send us your stories @PokerStarsBlog. 

While the Copa America occupies the sporting screens of the Americas this month, nations of the poker world will come together in New Jersey for the Americas Cup of Poker.

This year the competition has a different look, celebrating the doors opening to online poker in the Garden State. While there will be teams from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela and the "rest" of LATAM, particular attention will gall on Team USA, qualifying online for the first time since Black Friday. 

It all starts today at Resorts Casino in Atlantic City, with a series of Sit & Go's between members of each team culminating in heads-up matches tomorrow to determine the final result. 

We took a closer look at the US team, an eclectic bunch with various poker experience: 

Robert "s.l. halper" Taylor
Frederick "Scooby-D0O" Ferrell Jr
Anthony "pokerkingBx" Garcia
Brian "s3lfreliance" Wood
Ryan Woods

Like Robert Taylor, a graduate of nearby Princeton and now a Certified Civil Trial Attorney. He's been playing poker with family since he was five. 

"Our holiday party is the yearly Festivus tournament," he said, "an all-night poker tournament that is in its second decade."

He began playing poker online in 2005, turning $100 into a part0time poker career that helped him pay his way while working in a law business, and serving as a councilman, before opting to play full time in 2009. 

"I thoroughly enjoyed the freedom of playing poker full time and got a well-needed break from the rigors of the legal world."

In 2011 he went back to law, setting up his own practice in Union, New Jersey. "I intended to practice law and play poker equally, but Black Friday temporarily closed off that possibility."

Then a second chance. 

Online poker returned to New Jersey, and like many players, Taylor walked back into the light. For Taylor was a chance to play cards again and even pay a few bills, not to mention vacations with friends. 

That would include the ACP. 

Freddy Ferrell is another professional player. Aged 29, and known as Scooby-D0O on PokerStars NJ, he's been playing professionally for three years, and while he calls his live poker experience "modest", he still has more than $42,000 in earnings to show for it. 

"I love poker so much because it gives me a very flexible life style and also allows me to be the best father I can be."

"When I read about the PokerStars NJ SCOOP schedule, me and a few friends made a bet on who was going to do the best in the leader board. Once I heard about what the leader board prize was, they gave me the most motivation I have ever experienced.  

"Poker is my life for the time being and I really can't complain about how it has treated me." 

Since PokerStars returned to NJ Ferrell has been making up for lost time, cashing for more than $85,000 and finishing second on the MTT leader board in the first month. Last month he finished first. That and his NJSCOOP leader board finish earned him his place on Team USA.

A philosophy and government major at Georgetown University and a graduate of Harvard Law, Brian Wood is also a pretty decent poker player. 

"I always enjoyed games growing up. When I found poker in high school, instantly I loved it.  The prospect of playing a game and being able to profit based on my skill level kept me consistently intrigued."

Wood played online during breaks in college and law school, playing tournaments, but now, juggling work commitments, he's more of a cash player.

But while for some people poker becomes their central preoccupation, it's clearly just a pastime for Wood, whose obsession lies elsewhere. 

He's the co-founder of an organization called ThinkerAnalytix, which aims to equip students with fundamental reasoning skills to help them thrive in their academic, professional and personal lives. 

More recently he has been working on issues related to preventing child abuse. 

"I plan on dedicating a large part of my career to providing resources for those who are survivors of child abuse and ensuring that every child is protected from the trauma of emotional, physical and sexual abuse."

This weekend though his attention will be back on poker, a lucrative hobby up to now.

"It's a fascinating game psychologically and strategically. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to represent the United States at the America's Cup."

Ryan Woods is from South Plainfield, New Jersey. The 29 year old is a plumber by trade, but combines that with what he calls "an extreme love for the game!" 

Woods won his place in the team in the Americas Cup of Poker Freeroll tournament, outlasting nearly 1,200 players. 

"I am very excited, and honoured to be playing in this tournament and representing Team USA. 

That Woods beat 1,200 players was quite something. But really, he beat 1.2 million players. That's how many entered the competition, to become part of their nation team and head to New Jersey this weekend to play. 

For the winners some $30,000 to share between them and, in keeping with the sporting season, tickets to the Copa America final, to be played on Sunday between Argentina, and Chile at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.  

It's all to play for. Check back on the PokerStars Blog on Monday to see how things turn out.