Main Event
Day 3 Completed
2015 ANZPT Melbourne
Main Event
Day: 3
Top
Chip Counts
Chip Counts
Peter Matusik Leads Final Nine
Level 24
: 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante
The last final table ever on the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour was set with nine players remaining in the ANZPT Melbourne Main Event. Those nine players will return to action on Tuesday to play for the title and the AU$261,200 top prize.
Leading the way was none other than Peter "Chewing Gum Pete" Matusik. He dominated the penultimate day of action, finishing up with 2.43 million in chips. His stack was well ahead of Lin Shi with 1.865 million and Manny Stavropoulos on 1.57 million.
Matusik has been a regular of the Asia-Pacific poker scene for several years, amassing a résumé which includes well over $230,000 in tournament results. His most accomplished result was taking down the 2011 ANZPT Gold Coast Main Event for AU$145,100.
Matusik will be looking to win his second ANZPT title this week, but will have to overcome a tough final table including players such as reigning Aussie Millions Main Event champion Manny Stavropoulos and 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event third-place finisher Mile Krstanoski.
Here is how the final table stacks up:
| Seat | Name | Chips |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manny Stavropoulos | 1,570,000 |
| 2 | Kenn Langcake | 650,000 |
| 3 | Mile Krstanoski | 525,000 |
| 4 | Carl Knox | 860,000 |
| 5 | George Balandinos | 990,000 |
| 6 | Erich Stadler | 490,000 |
| 7 | Peter Matusik | 2,430,000 |
| 8 | Lin Shi | 1,865,000 |
| 9 | Nikolce Trajkovski | 800,000 |
There were 63 players to begin Day 3, and 54 of those were eliminated throughout the action. Of those players, it was perhaps Adam Monaghan who ended up the most disappointed when he was deemed the final table "bubble boy."
There were a steady stream of notable eliminations with Rory Young (60th), Liam O’Rourke (55th), Sam Rotar (47th), Aleks Brkovic (46th) Tien Pham (33rd), Jim Psaros (30th), Ben Savage (28th), Team PokerStars Pro Chen-An Lin (25th), Sam Higgs (23rd), [Removed:415] (22nd), Ivan Zalac (18th), and Charles Caris (14th) all falling throughout the day.
It didn’t take long for 10 to become nine, when Monaghan, a local player, found himself all in holding the 
against Kenn Langcake’s 
. Monaghan would flop a pair to take the lead, but an ace on the turn gave it straight back to Langcake. No help came on the river and Monaghan would have to settle for 10th place and AU$11,725 in prize money.
Each player at the final table has guaranteed himself at least AU$19,120, but they'll all be hoping to ride the pay waves up to a six-figure victory. Play kicks off at 12:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday, so make sure you return PokerNews then to find out who wins.
Updated Counts (full)
Level 24
: 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
2,430,000 | 920,000 |
|
1,865,000 | 415,000 |
|
1,570,000 | 70,000 |
|
|
990,000 | 190,000 |
|
860,000 | -25,000 |
|
|
800,000 | -40,000 |
|
|
650,000 | 120,000 |
|
525,000 | 65,000 |
|
490,000 | 80,000 |
Adam Monaghan Bubbles The Final Table
Level 24
: 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante
Adam Monaghan moved all in for 195,000 from the button before Kenn Langcake moved all in over the top from the small blind. Peter Matusik folded the big blind before the cards were turned.
Monaghan:
Langcake:
The board ran out 
to see Monaghan take the lead on the flop before Langcake regained the lead on the turn with a higher pair. The river was no help and Monaghan was out in 10th.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Carl Knox Doubles Through Adam Monaghan
Level 24
: 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante
Carl Knox raised to 80,000 from the button before Adam Monaghan moved all in for just over 600,000 from the big blind. Knox snap called with less behind and the cards were shown.
Knox:
Monaghan: 
The board ran out 
to see Knox hold with his pocket pair as he doubles to 885,000 in chips.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
885,000 | -55,000 |
|
|
219,000 | -731,000 |
Play Resumes; Hand-For-Hand
Level 24
: 15,000/30,000, 5,000 ante
The remaining players have returned and will play hand-for-hand till one more player is eliminated.
Players will then bag up for the night and return tomorrow to a nine-handed final table.
Level: 24
Blinds: 15,000/30,000
Ante: 5,000
Break Time
Level 23
: 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
The remaining 10 players have all been sent on another 10-minute break.
Sam Nee Aik-Chuan Eliminated By George Balandinos
Level 23
: 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
George Balandinos raised to 60,000 from the button before Sam Nee Aik-Chuan moved all in for 175,000 from the small blind. The big blind folded and Balandinos called.
Balandinos: 
Aik-Chuan: 
Aik-Chuan was at risk but held the best hand until the board ran out 
. Balandinos had flopped a king then turned trips to take down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Busted |
Danny Boxell Eliminated By Mile Krstanoski
Level 23
: 12,000/24,000, 4,000 ante
Danny Boxell's main event has come to an end after nursing a short stack for a good part of this level.
The action started with Boxell limping into the pot from middle position. Sam Nee Aik-Chuan called from the small blind before Mile Krstanoski moved all in from the big blind for more then his opponents.
Boxell called which forced Aik-Chuan out of the hand.
Krstanoski:
Boxell: 
The board ran out 
to see Krstanoski improve to a set on the turn resulting in Boxell being eliminated in 12th place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
460,000 | 250,000 |
|
|
Busted |