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PokerNews Cup Australia: The Main EventDay 3 completed
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Mon Oct 20 2008 23:36 GMT+11 | Posted by donpeters
Nali Kaselias - 2008 PokerNews Cup Champion!Congratulations to Nali Kaselias, 2008 PokerNews Cup Main Event Champion! ($250,000 AUD)
The 2008 PokerNews Cup Main Event began with 410 entrants and plenty of notable players in the field. After a long three days of intense tournament poker, including a final table that lasted just 10 hours, we're left with one man standing.
Nali Kaselias, or better known as "Iraqi Nick" around Melbourne, bested the likes of Dory Zayneh, Joe Hachem, Lee Nelson, Tony G, David Saab, Tony Dunst, Jamie Pickering, Julian Powell, Grant Levy, and James Obst among many others in the field. Coming into the final table second in chips, Kaselias slowly climbed up the leaderboard and despite a few blunders, used his skill and gut instincts to make all the right plays at the right times.
Heads up play began with Kenneth Damm leading the way. The two chipped away at each other in a bunch of small pots before Kaselias made a big call with just a pair of fours to snap off Damm's bluff and turn the tides. Once he took the chip lead, Kaselias never looked back.
After the final hand, Iraqi Nick was swarmed by his friends and family that railed him all day long. This is Kaselias' biggest cash to date as he takes home a whopping $250,000 AUD and the title of 2008 PokerNews Cup Champion! -
Mon Oct 20 2008 23:18 GMT+11 | Posted by FerricRamsium
Kenneth Damm - 2nd PlaceNali Kaselias Eliminates Kenneth Damm in 2nd Place ($120,000 AUD) to Claim 2008 PokerNews Cup Main Event Title!
Hand #219 -
Nali Kaselias has the button in Seat 5.
He raises to 510,000. Kenneth Damm moves all in, and before the words are even out of his mouth, Kaselias says firmly, "I call!" With Damm's tournament life now hanging in the balance, the cards are turned up.
Showdown:
Damm:
Kaselias:
Both players stand up to await their fate as the dealer suspensefully spreads out the flop:
. The massive crowd of Kaselias' supporters break into a riotous frenzy of cheering, rushing to the very edges of the ropes to embrace the man who now has a virtual hammer lock on the title.
There are still two cards to come though.
Turn:
. Well, that ends the drama right there! Kaselias improves to a full house, ending Damm's hopes altogether. The river is a meaningless 
. As a throng of people flood into the final table area, Kenneth Damm hangs his head and lopes over to his own cheering section, in a startling contrast to the scene unfolding at the other end of the table.
Kenneth Damm came into the final table as the short stack, and he put on a remarkable performance both today and in the entire PokerNews Cup. He carved his way through the final table today with surgical precision, and managed to out-wit all but one man. For his work, he will take home a check for $120,000 AUD; not too bad for a consolation prize! -
Mon Oct 20 2008 23:16 GMT+11 | Posted by donpeters
Hand #218 - Kenneth Damm
Kenneth Damm has the button in Seat 7.
Damm moves all in and takes down the pot. -
Mon Oct 20 2008 23:06 GMT+11 | Posted by FerricRamsium
Hand #217 - Nali Kaselias
Nali Kaselias has the button in Seat 5.
He raises to 460,000, earning him the pot right there. -
Mon Oct 20 2008 23:06 GMT+11 | Posted by donpeters
Hand #216 - Kenneth Damm
Kenneth Damm has the button in Seat 7.
Damm announces all in from the small blind. Nali Kaselias checks his cards and then places a chip back on top of them. "You had to give me ace-three right now," says Kaselias. He thinks for a few more moments and then folds his hand. -
Mon Oct 20 2008 23:04 GMT+11 | Posted by FerricRamsium
Hand #215 - Nali Kaselias
Nali Kaselias has the button in Seat 5.
He raises first in to 420,000, and Kenneth Damm folds. -
Mon Oct 20 2008 23:03 GMT+11Round: 29 Blinds: 80000/160000 Ante: 10000
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Mon Oct 20 2008 23:03 GMT+11 | Posted by donpeters
Hand #214 - Nali Kaselias
Kenneth Damm has the button in Seat 7.
Damm limps in from the small blind and Nali Kaselias shoves all in. Damm folds and Kaselias shows the
to the crowd. -
Mon Oct 20 2008 23:03 GMT+11 | Posted by FerricRamsium
Hand #213 - Nali Kaselias
Nali Kaselias has the button in Seat 5.
For the first time in ages, he completes from the small blind, and Kenneth Damm checks, setting up a friendly flop.
It comes
, and both men check.
Turn:
. Damm checks, and Kaselias pauses before counting out and betting 300,000. Damm wastes no time reaching for his towers of chips, sliding out a reraise to 850,000. Kaselias doesn't hesitate for long either; he calls.
River:. Damm keeps the heat on, betting a cool 1,000,000 chips in two tidy stacks. Kaselias lays his head in his hands, seemingly pondering a tough decision. Of course, any decision that could earn a man $250,000 AUD is a tough decision, one would think.
Finally, after maybe four or five minutes, Kaselias snags his chips and forcefully slides in the call.
Showdown:
Damm:
Kaselias:
As soon as Kaselias moved into the pot, Damm nodded his head in acknowledgment of the good call. When Kaselias turned his cards over, the whole audience got to see just what a good call it was. Missing his flush draw, Kaselias was able to call Damm down with just fourth pair.
With that win, Kaselias has vaulted up to 5,860,000, while Damm is knocked back to 2,355,000.
Started 17th Oct, 2008
