APPT Grand Final | 2008 PokerStars.net APPT Grand Final - Sydney

12-07-2008 20:06 UTC+11

Gray's Sense of Humor Intact

[user75032]

Supporters of Jason Gray, excited after Gray took down a small pot with a bet on the turn against Martin Rowe, have started chanting, "Let's go Jason!" Gray grinned, then shouted back at them, "I want to stay!"

Tags: Jason Gray

12-07-2008 20:03 UTC+11

Rowe and Gray Circling

[user75032]

The two remaining players, Martin Rowe and Jason Gray, have traded chips the first few hands of heads-up play. Rowe has a slight edge after betting 150,000 on the river of a board of {4-Diamonds}

that was checked down on the flop and turn. Gray called the river bet and was shown {2-Spades}

by Rowe for two pair, fours and deuces.

Tags: Jason Gray Martin Rowe

12-07-2008 20:00 UTC+11

Heads-Up Chip Counts

[user75032]

Martin Rowe - 7,805,000
Jason Gray - 1,595,000

12-07-2008 19:59 UTC+11

Tony Basile Eliminated in 3rd Place (AU$266,000)

[user75032]

Talk about action! The dust had barely settled on the elimination of Antonio Fazzolari then Martin Rowe and Tony Basile went to war. Rowe opened the pot from the button for 150,000. Jason Gray folded his small blind before Tony Basile reraised out of the big blind to 450,000.

It took Martin Rowe about three seconds to shove all of his chips into the middle, more than 5 million. He had Basile well covered.

"Wow," said a shocked Basile. He peeked at his cards a second time and then went into the tank. After about a minute, he made the call. With a total of 5.2 million chips in the middle, it was the largest pot of the tournament.

Rowe: {K-Clubs}

Basile:

Basile picked up a three-handed monster, but was up against an even bigger monster. The board bricked out {J-Diamonds}

to send a stunned Tony Basile to the rail in third place. He collected AU$266,000 before heading off to the APPT closing party upstairs.

Tags: Martin Rowe Tony Basile

12-07-2008 19:54 UTC+11

Faces in the Crowd

[user75032]

Lee Nelson has just arrived to the feature table gallery, flanked by two world champions -- 2005 WSOP Main Event champion Joe Hachem and 2008 WSOP Main Event champion Peter Eastgate.

12-07-2008 19:52 UTC+11

Antonio Fazzolari Eliminated in 4th Place (AU$182,000)

[user75032]

After his last hand, Antonio Fazzolari had only 470,000 chips left. With blinds at 30,000 and 60,000, he was extremely short. Fazzolari looked down at {A-Hearts}

and shipped his chips into the middle. Martin Rowe squeezed his cards and quickly called, showing {A-Spades}

. The board ran out {7-Clubs}

, no help to either player. Fazzolari was therefore eliminated in fourth place. He walks away with AU$182,000.

Tags: Antonio Fazzolari Martin Rowe

12-07-2008 19:49 UTC+11

Basile Chips Up at Fazzolari's Expense

[user75032]

We've seen lots of limped pots here today. They've all resulted in huge pots, and this one was no exception. Tony Basile and Antonio Fazzolari limped to a {9-Hearts}

flop. Basile bet 60,000 and Fazzolari called.

On the {3-Diamonds}

turn, Basile bet 125,000. Again Fazzolari called. He finally surrendered after Basile bet 200,000 on the {2-Hearts}

river, flashing the {Q-Hearts}

as he did. Basile flashed the {J-Hearts}

back at him.

Tags: Antonio Fazzolari Tony Basile

12-07-2008 19:43 UTC+11

A Challenging Environment

[user75032]

The air conditioning in the casino was turned up while everyone was at dinner. There are vents right over the table above Martin Rowe and Jason Gray. Condensation is forming on the vents and dripping down onto the floor. Neither player has noticed yet.

Level: 25

Blinds: 30,000/60,000

Ante: 5,000

12-07-2008 19:33 UTC+11

Fazzolari Staggering

[user75032]

Tony Basile has taken a shot at the now-reeling Antonio Fazzolari. Basile opened for 110,000, then called a button raise to 250,000 from Fazzolari. Both players checked the flop after it came down {2-Spades}