The Australian poker community is a very close-knit one, with nearly everyone throwing support behind any player that is running deep in a Main Event.
Two players that call the Star City Casino home - and that have had some great success in this very casino - are still in today's field.
2007 Champion Grant Levy has today peddled his short-stack up to 240,000 while young online gun Brendon Rubie has slipped a bit (mainly courtesy of a Levy double), but still retains a healthy 455,000.
Consequently, we at PokerNews know that there are many Levy and Rubie fanboys out there following along with the coverage, and accordingly we decided to snap a few extra photos for your viewing pleasure!
Jonathan Karamalikis raised from the cutoff seat to 14,000. In the big blind, Stefan Streifeneder made the call and the flop came down . Streifeneder checked and Karamalikis fired 13,000. Streifeneder made the call.
The paired the board on the turn and Streifeneder led with a bet this time. He fired 17,000 and Karamalikis raised to 45,000. Streifeneder called.
The river completed the board with the and Streifeneder led again, this time for 44,000. Karamalikis made the call and tabled the for a rivered two pair saying, "I may have rivered you."
Streifeneder mucked his hand and responded, "Nice river."
Brendon Rubie raised to 13,000 and Ben McLean moved all in for 78,500. Rubie made the call with the . McLean held the .
McLean flopped a set and went on to make a full house to win the hand as the board ran out . He's now up to 160,000 while Rubie slipped back to 620,000.
Eddy Sabat was all in again preflop, this time for 134,000 over the 13,000-chip raise from Brendon Rubie. A call came from Rubie, who held the , and Sabat needed some help with the in his hand.
The flop came down and Sabat picked up a pair of nines to take the lead. The turn brought the and the river the . Sabat doubled up and now about 280,000 chips while Rubie slipped even more. He's down to about 430,000 now.
Andrew Stergiotis shipped all in for 73,000 from the small blind after Jonathan Karamalikis raised to 12,000 from under the gun. Karamalikis made the call.
Stergiotis:
Karamalikis:
The nines held up for Stergiotis, but it wasn't easy. First, he fell behind as the flop came down . The turn brought the though and gave him the lead. He was then able to dodge the river when the hit to secure him the double up.
Stergiotis is up to 150,000 while Karamalikis slipped back to 890,000.
Grant Levy raised to 12,500 from middle position and Jason Brown reraised all in from the cutoff seat for 63,500. Levy made the call and tabled the . Brown held the and was dominated.
Even though he was dominated, Brown spiked an ace on the river as the board ran through to stay alive. He's back up to 140,000 or so while Levy dropped to 260,000.
Brendon Rubie just slipped a little bit further down to 410,000. After Mitchell Carle raised to 16,000 from middle position, Rubie three-bet to 37,000 from the button. Carle then made it 81,000 and Rubie folded. Carle went up to 465,000.
On the flop of , Team PokerStars Pro Daniel Negreanu checked and Konstantin Bücherl checked. Reza Vakili fired 22,000 and only Negreanu called.
The turn brought the and both players checked to see the fall on the river. Negreanu checked and Vakili fired 35,000 into a pot of 92,000. Negreanu tanked for several long minutes and then gave it up, giving Vakili the pot.
Tom Rafferty raised to 14,000 from middle position. He was called by Manuel Hansimikali on the button and the flop came down . Rafferty checked and opted not to fire a continuation bet. Hansimikali checked behind.
The turn added the to the board and Rafferty fired 26,000. Hansimikali made the call.
The river card completed the board with the and both players checked. Hansimikali held top pair with the , but lost to the kicker of Rafferty, who had the . Rafferty moved to 522,000 and Hansimikali dropped to 595,000.
![[user80015]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
. Streifeneder checked and Karamalikis fired 13,000. Streifeneder made the call.
paired the board on the turn and Streifeneder led with a bet this time. He fired 17,000 and Karamalikis raised to 45,000. Streifeneder called.
and Streifeneder led again, this time for 44,000. Karamalikis made the call and tabled the 
for a rivered two pair saying, "I may have rivered you."
. McLean held the 
. He's now up to 160,000 while Rubie slipped back to 620,000.
in his hand.
and Sabat picked up a pair of nines to take the lead. The turn brought the 
and the river the 
. Sabat doubled up and now about 280,000 chips while Rubie slipped even more. He's down to about 430,000 now.
. Brown held the 
and was dominated.
spiked on the turn.
, Team 
. Rafferty checked and opted not to fire a continuation bet. Hansimikali checked behind.
to the board and Rafferty fired 26,000. Hansimikali made the call.
, but lost to the kicker of Rafferty, who had the