September 02 2012, Remko Rinkema

The day was rough, tough and most of all, not easy; but nine players managed to secure a seat at the final table of the 2012 PokerStars.net Asia Pacific Poker Tour Melbourne Main Event. The chip leader at Monday’s final table will be Tom Grigg, and he will have strong competition from experienced players like Brendon Rubie and Sam Razavi.

The day began with 44 hopefuls, but within the hour, 10 had left the room. Wayne Bentley was hurting players left and right, and quickly he managed to grab hold of the chip lead. Grant Levy was among the early knockouts when he lost his chips with against Keith Walker’s . Another familiar face left in the field, Oliver Gill, trusted his read but ran into Karan Punjabi’s flopped full house. Gill left empty handed as well.

Tony Hachem looked to be making a comeback after starting the day short-stacked, but that didn’t work out. First he doubled through PokerStars Team Online Roy Bhasin, only to bust to James Bills a few hands later. Hachem ran into aces and his day was done.

With the money within reach, most players decided to take it easy, but not Brendon Rubie. The Aussie Millions side event winner doubled on the bubble and was in serious contention from that point on. Dale Marsland was eliminated in 29th place, just one spot short of the money. Marsland five-bet all in with and ran into Bentley’s kings. The board brought mere blanks, and the money bubble burst.

Benn Skender busted shortly after the money, as did Mishel Anunu, but he didn’t have too much to complain about, with his cash in this securing himself the ANZ Player of the Year award. Anunu had a small sweat, but when Liam O’Rourke busted in 17th place, it was all his. For his prize, Anunu is able to play three APPT Main Events next season, his travel expenses covered, and also a seat into the $10,000 Aussie Millions Main Event.

The final player represented by PokerStars in this event, Roy Bhasin, was eliminated in 25th place worth a $8,455 min cash. Bhasin got his money in on the turn against Bills who had flopped top-two pair. Bhasin was looking for a club to fill up his flush draw, but the river was the three of diamonds.

Halfway through the day there was still a chance for a back-to-back winner, but unfortunately Leo Boxell didn’t manage to survive the day. Boxell took a big hit when he ran his queens into kings, and eventually he ran into pocket aces with his flopped flush draw. In the end, Boxell was sent home in 19th place, giving him a $12,080 cash.

The aforementioned O’Rourke busted in 17th place. Tom Grigg, who began the day with just 15 big blinds, had built his stack up considerably when the following hand occurred. Grigg raised under the gun to 20,000 after which Tam Truong three-bet to 50,000. O’Rourke was in the big blind and opted to four-bet to 120,000. This put pressure on Grigg, who didn’t flinch as he moved all in for right around 600,000 chips. Truong folded, and O’Rourke made the call. Grigg showed and doubled through O’Rourke into the chip lead.

With just 16 players remaining, everyone went on a one-hour dinner break. Following dinner, play slowed down considerably, but Sam Razavi’s play didn’t. In a massive pot he woke up with pocket-kings against Michael Guttman’s pocket-nines. Gunther Hornung was short, and also committed himself, holding . Both players were eliminated and Razavi took the lead.

The final table was within reach with just 14 players remaining, but everyone seemed to realize that. Even the deck seemed to be aware of it, since the short stacks kept doubling up. Billy Argyros, who’s better known as “The Croc,” was eliminated in 14th place followed about an hour later by Vineet Jindal. Ismail Ismail was eliminated one spot from a final table berth. This is how the final nine are looking heading into the final day of play.

APPT Melbourne Final Table

The final table will be in the Crown Poker Room in Melbourne, Australia from 1400 AEST Monday (2100 PST), so make sure to follow the PokerNews Live Reporting page as we continue to bring you all the action from the 2012 APPT Melbourne Main Event!

Follow Remko Rinkema on

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!

July 09 2012, Chad Holloway

On Sunday, the World Poker Tour Season X continued on Fox Sports Network with Part III of the L.A. Poker Classic (LAPC), which originally took place at the Commerce Casino from Feb. 24 through 29, 2012 and featured a $10,000 buy-in Main Event that attracted 549 players and created a $5,270,400 prize pool.

In Part I, the eliminations of Jason Somerville and Jason Burt occurred, while last week Noah Schwartz joined them. It happened when Sean Jazayeri looked down at and raised to 210,000. Kelly made the call with from the button, which prompted Noah Schwartz to move all-in for 1.53 million from the small blind. Jazayeri instantly moved all-in over the top and Kelly snap-folded. The board ran out and Schwartz took his leave in fourth place, good for $355,750.

Here’s how things stacked up at the start of Part III:

WPT LAPC Final Table

First Hand: With the blinds at 50,000/100,000 and a 10,000 ante, 22-year-old Dan Kelly, who won his way into the tournament through a $1,000 satellite, raised to 250,000 from the small blind with and David “Doc” Sands released his from the big.

Dan Kelly Eliminated in Third Place: Sands was first to act and raised to 220,000 with . Jazayeri folded the small blind, Kelly moved all-in for 1.665 million in the big blind with , and after thinking it through for a bit, Sands made the call. Kelly had a 46 percent chance of winning the hand, but that dropped to 38 percent on the flop. Kelly had counterfeit options, but the turn improved Sands to a full house and dropped Kelly’s chance to just 14 percent.

The dealer burned one last time and put out the , putting an end to Kelly’s LAPC in third place for $521,770, not a bad parlay of a $1,000 investment. “I think I played well,” Kelly told sideline reporter Matt Savage after the hand. “Just didn’t win.”

Heads-Up Play: In an interview with Savage before heads-up play began, Jazayeri said: “I’m very fortunate to be here, but if there’s one guy I didn’t want it’s that guy,” Jazayeri said before heads-up play began. “In my experience heads-up is a different game. Luck becomes a much bigger factor. I’m gonna get a lot more aggressive, and let’s just see what happens.”

Likewise, Sands, who had played 12 WPT events and was notching his second cash, was happy to give his take on entering as the 9.4 million to 7 million chip leader: “Definitely a good spot to be in. I’ve got a lot of respect for the guy I’m playing heads-up, but to be totally honest, out of all the people that made the final table, he’s the guy I’d like to be playing, so it should get pretty heavy, pretty fast.”

In the first hand of heads-up play, Sands raised to 200,000 with and Jazayeri called with . The flop was gin for Sands, and he bet 270,000 after Jazayeri checked. The amateur made the call and then checked the turn, prompting Sands to fire out 570,000. It proved too much for Jazayeri, who quickly sent his hand to the muck.

Ones to Watch: In the latest installment of Ones to Watch, 21-year-old Dylan Hortin was featured. “Ever since I was a kid I watched poker on television. It’s been a dream of mine to win a major poker tournament,” Hortin said of hitting the live circuit after previously cutting his chops online. “I’ve been traveling a little bit more than I’m used to and the buy-ins are more than I’m used to.”

What a Flop: With a 2-1 chip lead, Sands min-raised to 240,000 from the button with and Jazayeri defended from the big with . The flop came down , giving both players trips, though Sands had the inferior kicker. Jazayeri proceeded to check-raise Sands’ bet of 270,000 up to 600,000, and Sands made the call.

The saw Jazayeri slow down with a check, and Sands checked right behind. The river gave both players sixes full, and Jazayeri led out for one million. Sands responded by raising to 2.44 million, Jazayeri moved all-in, and Sands called. Both players smiled upon seeing each other’s six, which also seemed to amuse the crowd.

Queens vs. Big Slick: After playing small ball poker and chopping away at his opponent, Sands looked down at and raised to 280,000. Jazayeri squeezed out , and you just knew there would be fireworks. Sure enough, Jazayeri three-bet to 800,000, Sands four-bet 1.84 million, and Jazayeri moved all in. Sands made the call and was a 56 percent favorite to capture his first WPT title.

Both players shook hands and were out of their seats waiting for the flop. “One time,” Sands said to his girlfriend on the rail. Unfortunately for him, it was Jazayeri’s time to shine as the flop came down . The turn left Sands in need of a “lucky lady,” but it wasn’t in the cards as the peeled off on the river. With that, Jazayeri doubled to 13.95 million.

David “Doc” Sands Eliminated in Second Place: After the blinds went up to 75,000/150,000, Jazayeri raised to 400,000 with and then called Sands’ 2.495-million shove with . Jazayeri was a 60 percent favorite to take down the title, but not after the flop. Sands paired his king and became the 80 percent favorite, which improved to 89 percent on the turn. Amazingly, and much to the shock of Sands’ supporters, the spiked on the river to give Jazayeri trip fives and the LAPC title.

Jazayeri shot his arms up in the air in victory, shook hands with everyone, and then told Mike Sexton in his winner’s interview: “I don’t think words can describe how I feel. This is a fantasy you dream about. I really have to check, am I awake right now or not.”

Tune in Next Week: Next Sunday an all-new episode of the WPT Season X will air on FSN, so be sure to check your local listings. If by chance you miss it, check back next week for the latest recap of all the action right here on PokerNews.

Past WPT L.A. Poker Classic Champions

Get all the latest PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook now!

*Picture courtesy of World Poker Tour.

Follow Chad Holloway on

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to post one!