The Asia Pacific Poker Tour Sydney Grand Final (brought to you by PokerStars.net) just keeps growing. The third Day 1 saw 197 competitors register to play - 25 more than Day 1b and 89 more than Day 1a. That means a total of 477 players signed up for the Grand Final, creating a total prize pool of AUD $2,862,000 (nearly $2 million American) and a first prize worth AUD $1,000,000.

The talent playing in the event also appeared to get better and better with Day 1c hosting some of the most exciting players in the game including Joe Hachem, John Juanda, Chris Moneymaker, and World Series of Poker Main Event Champion Peter Eastgate. Of those four only Moneymaker and Juanda survived to battle on tomorrow, with Moneymaker sitting behind the larger of the two stacks.

Chris Moneymaker will be joined by the other 206 survivors tomorrow as he continues towards a money bubble that sits at 48. Other big name players still in that group include Mark Vos, Carter Gil, Lee Nelson, Eric Assadourian, Tony Dunst, Van Marcus, and Gavin Griffin.

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Story by Mark Anderson