Ben McLean knows what it takes to go deep in an Australia New Zealand Poker Tour event, finishing second for an almost $300,000 score at the 2010 ANZPT Sydney Main Event. He is in the field today and looking to have similar success here.
We recently watched McLean take down a handy pot after he called a 1,600-chip bet from one opponent on a board. The aggressor turned over - not strong enough for McLean's .
We recently noticed that Tom "tollgate" Grigg is no longer in his chair and with no chips on the felt where he once sat, it is safe to say that Grigg has been eliminated from the tournament.
We noticed that Michael "WaGe N WaRz" Fadersen was sitting behind the largest stack at his table, so we managed to find out some details about the big hand that got him to the point he is at now.
Apparently the hand in question began when Jesse McKenzie opened the pot with a raise preflop. Another player looked like he tried to raise it on McKenzie's left, but didn't put in enough and so it was a call. Fadersen called out of the small blind and Liam O'Rourke also called in the big blind.
The flop fell and O'Rourke checked and McKenzie led with a bet. The player on McKenzie's left called, along with Fadersen, while O'Rourke got out of the way. A hit the turn and McKenzie checked. The other led with a bet and Fadersen called. With McKenzie out of the way, a brick was dealt on the river. This time the remaining player shoved all in, having Fadersen covered. Fadersen apparently thought for a long time before making the call.
Fadersen:
Opponent:
And with that, Fadersen now site behind a stack of around double the start of the day.
After a raise under the gun, action folded to Matt Wakeman in the big blind who raised enough to put his short-stacked opponent all in for his last 3,050 chips. His opponent made the call with as Wakeman showed .
The board ran out to see the shorty double and leave Wakeman with a stack of around 16,000.
Liam O'Rourke, who finished second in the 2012 ANZPT Sydney Main Event, has been fairly active over at his table. We recently watched him play a couple of small back-to-back hands that played out like this.
An early position player opened up the pot to 600. O'Rourke called out of the small blind, along with Billy Argyros in the big blind. All three players checked on the flop. When the dealer turned over a turn, O'Rourke led for 775 and both his opponents folded as he raked in the pot.
The very next hand and another early position player would be opening it up, this time to 550. The player in the hijack made the call and it was on to O'Rourke from the button. He would three-bet to 1,700 - an amount which would prompt both of his opponents to fold.
On day 1b of this event last year, it was the eventual champion Marcel Schreiner who finished up as the chip leader. A few familiar faces who played that day last year have returned to the tables on Day 1b again this year. Those include Tom Grigg, Ben McLean, Ricky Kroesen, Danny Chevalier and Jesse McKenzie. All of the above players made it through the day and will be looking to do the same this year - except of course for Tom Grigg, who has already found the rail during the early stages of the day.
Is the eventual champion again partaking in Day 1b? Only time will tell, so make sure to keep tuning in to all the action.
Jacky Wang was left with a short stack just a while ago when he ran into an opponent's set. Now Wang's tournament life has come to end during Day 1b, with the back of Wang's head being seen through the exit of the tournament area.
Jonathan Dangio, who finished fifth in the ANZPT Darwin Main Event in 2011, has just won a nice pot off Jesse McKenzie. The hand in question started when McKenzie opened the pot to 500 from early position. Dangio made the call and the the rest of the table got out of the way as the dealer turned over a flop.
McKenzie led for 600 here and Dangio called. McKenzie would again lead on the turn, this time with a bet of 1,500. Dangio opted to call again and a would complete the board on the river. McKenzie continued his aggression here, betting 3,000 - which left him with around 10,000 behind. Dangio thought hard before making the call, eventually flicking out enough chips to send the play to showdown.
McKenzie:
Dangio:
With that, McKenzie is down to just over 10,000 and Dangio is cruising on around 30,000.
![[user162117]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
board. The aggressor turned over 
- not strong enough for McLean's 
.
and O'Rourke checked and McKenzie led with a bet. The player on McKenzie's left called, along with Fadersen, while O'Rourke got out of the way. A 
hit the turn and McKenzie checked. The other led with a bet and Fadersen called. With McKenzie out of the way, a brick was dealt on the river. This time the remaining player shoved all in, having Fadersen covered. Fadersen apparently thought for a long time before making the call.
.
for a set as Wang tossed his cards into the muck.
turn, O'Rourke led for 775 and both his opponents folded as he raked in the pot.
turn, this time with a bet of 1,500. Dangio opted to call again and a 
would complete the board on the river. McKenzie continued his aggression here, betting 3,000 - which left him with around 10,000 behind. Dangio thought hard before making the call, eventually flicking out enough chips to send the play to showdown.
