We're approaching the money now.
Today has seen hours of fast paced action with players flying out the doors but as the bubble looms play seems to have slowed down significantly. There are only 63 places paid in this ANZPT Melbourne Main Event and everyone seems desperate to lock up that $3,200.
Subscribe to our newsletter. Get the latest poker news, poker strategies, and special offers sent directly to your inbox. Genting Cruise Lines could steer Singapore's 'cruises to nowhere' Erik Gibbs. The final table was stacked with talent, players like Errolyn Strang with over $400,000 in tournament earnings, Jim Psaros who took down the 2015 ANZPT Sydney Championships Main Event and Marc Liddell who has over $200,000 in tournament earnings and an impressive final table appearance at the 2016 Sydney Championships.
Last season's ANZPT Melbourne bubble was a brutal affair. It's natural that players tighten up as a return on their dividends is only one elimination away, but Mike Fraser had the one hand you can't throw in the muck.
He moved all in with A♣A♠ and was in great shape to double up after Michael Chrisanthopoulos called it off with A♥Q♥. The flop brought the 8♦J♠10♦ and with it came imminent danger. Chrisanthopoulos had improved to a double-gutter, needing to find a king or nine to burst the bubble. The 6♦ turn didn't help but the K♠ river completed Broadway and saw Fraser bust with aces one shy of a payday.
Last year's bubble popper Michael ChrisanthopoulosThe last ANZPT event in Sydney, much as today likely will, saw the bubble pop on the final hand of Day 2. That time it was Sean Lannon falling short after losing a flip with A♠10♥ against the pocket deuces of an opponent in the big blind.One player who looks in no danger of bubbling today is the winner of that very event, Jim Psaros. The Season 7 ANZPT Sydney champion started today with 57,800 in chips but has but has gone on a tear this afternoon. He now looks like our overwhelming chip leader with a whopping 340,800 in front of him. No player has even won two ANZPT Main Event titles so a back-to-back victory would be an amazing achievement.
Current chip leader and ANZPT Sydney Champ Jim PsarosAlso having a great Day 2 is start-of-day chip leader Hyeong Wook Choi. He began the action with 131,100 in chips and has run it up even further to 295,000 now to maintain one of the top spots. Unfortunately for the chip boss from Day 1A, Min Jae Park, the same can't be said. He found the exit during Level 12 and won't be seeing a return on his investment.We'll see who else falls short with only around 85 players remaining now and 63 spots paying. Who will be this stop's bubble boy or girl? Stay with us as all the action unfolds to find out!
After another 11 long hours of action here in the Star Poker Room, play has come to an end for the day with 67 of the 231 players that started remaining.
Leading the way is Mick Fraser – who sits with a very respectable 285,200 – while Dejan Boskovic and Kahle Burns aren't far behind.
He will join a total of 122 players to progress from the two Day 1 flights when they return tomorrow, all of them with eyes on the $297,203 first prize thanks to a record Sydney Championships Main Event field of 428.
The top 5 stacks from Flight 2 are …
Mick Fraser – 285,200
Dejan Boskovic – 269,500
Kahle Burns – 261,300
Daniel Hameir – 252,400
James Lampropoulos – 217,400
Matt Rolfe didn't last long after the break, shoving with and running into the of Josh Barrett.
No help arrived and he is off to ponder what may have been.
Mick Fraser 245,000
Tom Rafferty 235,000
Yibo He 200,000
Sam Capra 170,000
Kahle Burns 160,000
Josh Barrett 150,000
Suzy Khoueis 145,000
Warwick Mirzikinian 125,000
Corey Kempson 122,000
Jason Pritchard 110,000
Jimmy Tran 92,000
Nick Polias 85,000
Peco Stojanovski 80,000
James Camilleri 80,000
Tam Truong 68,000
Michel Bouskilla 66,000
Dean Blatt 60,000
Jamal Ishac 55,000
Karam Bahi 47,000
Daniel Laidlaw 44,000
Joseph Alvaro 40,000
Bruno Portaro 38,000
Matt Rolfe 35,000
Chris Ayoub 24,000
Emanuel Seal 18,000
Michael Addamo 8,000
David Sanis 0
Laurence Hall 0
Tony Kondevski 0
David Gorr 0
Jimmy Ghobrial 0
Khac Tran 0
Mark Iskander 0
Jim Psaros 0
Tobin Marsh 0
Patrick Healy 0
Graeme Putt 0
Mayra Ramos 0
Craig Blight 0
We're into our final level of the night with blinds now at 800/1,600 with a 200 ante.
There are 72 players remaining.
An UTG raise to 3,000 receives calls in five places, including from Ray Lapitan and Peco Stojanovski.
The flop comes and it is checked around to Stojanovski who bets 7,000. The UTG opener and Lapitan call.
When a lands on the turn, the UTG player checks but Lapitan fires 11,000. Both opponents fold and Lapitan rakes in the pot.
He has 140,000.
Daniel Laidlaw was all-in for his last 25,000 with and in trouble against the of Warwick Mirzikinian.
Luck was on his side, however, as the board ran out to give him an unlikely straight.
He has a touch over 50,000 while Mirzikinian is still strong with 130,000.
We caught the action on a board, with Bruno Portaro deep in thought.
He eventually fired out a bet of 42,000, but Tom Rafferty took barely a few seconds to make the call, his enough to take down the pot as Portaro revealed .
Rafferty is now looking strong with 230,000, while Portaro has 90,000.
Jim Psaros Poker Tour
After another 11 long hours of action here in the Star Poker Room, play has come to an end for the day with 67 of the 231 players that started remaining.
Leading the way is Mick Fraser – who sits with a very respectable 285,200 – while Dejan Boskovic and Kahle Burns aren't far behind.
He will join a total of 122 players to progress from the two Day 1 flights when they return tomorrow, all of them with eyes on the $297,203 first prize thanks to a record Sydney Championships Main Event field of 428.
The top 5 stacks from Flight 2 are …
Mick Fraser – 285,200
Dejan Boskovic – 269,500
Kahle Burns – 261,300
Daniel Hameir – 252,400
James Lampropoulos – 217,400
Matt Rolfe didn't last long after the break, shoving with and running into the of Josh Barrett.
No help arrived and he is off to ponder what may have been.
Mick Fraser 245,000
Tom Rafferty 235,000
Yibo He 200,000
Sam Capra 170,000
Kahle Burns 160,000
Josh Barrett 150,000
Suzy Khoueis 145,000
Warwick Mirzikinian 125,000
Corey Kempson 122,000
Jason Pritchard 110,000
Jimmy Tran 92,000
Nick Polias 85,000
Peco Stojanovski 80,000
James Camilleri 80,000
Tam Truong 68,000
Michel Bouskilla 66,000
Dean Blatt 60,000
Jamal Ishac 55,000
Karam Bahi 47,000
Daniel Laidlaw 44,000
Joseph Alvaro 40,000
Bruno Portaro 38,000
Matt Rolfe 35,000
Chris Ayoub 24,000
Emanuel Seal 18,000
Michael Addamo 8,000
David Sanis 0
Laurence Hall 0
Tony Kondevski 0
David Gorr 0
Jimmy Ghobrial 0
Khac Tran 0
Mark Iskander 0
Jim Psaros 0
Tobin Marsh 0
Patrick Healy 0
Graeme Putt 0
Mayra Ramos 0
Craig Blight 0
We're into our final level of the night with blinds now at 800/1,600 with a 200 ante.
There are 72 players remaining.
An UTG raise to 3,000 receives calls in five places, including from Ray Lapitan and Peco Stojanovski.
The flop comes and it is checked around to Stojanovski who bets 7,000. The UTG opener and Lapitan call.
When a lands on the turn, the UTG player checks but Lapitan fires 11,000. Both opponents fold and Lapitan rakes in the pot.
He has 140,000.
Daniel Laidlaw was all-in for his last 25,000 with and in trouble against the of Warwick Mirzikinian.
Luck was on his side, however, as the board ran out to give him an unlikely straight.
He has a touch over 50,000 while Mirzikinian is still strong with 130,000.
We caught the action on a board, with Bruno Portaro deep in thought.
He eventually fired out a bet of 42,000, but Tom Rafferty took barely a few seconds to make the call, his enough to take down the pot as Portaro revealed .
Rafferty is now looking strong with 230,000, while Portaro has 90,000.
Jim Psaros Poker Tour
Jim Psaros Poker Players
David Gorr
David Sanis
Laurence Hall
Jim Psaros
Michael Tran
Graeme Putt
Jim Psaros Poker Player
