$3,300 APO Main Event Day 1fg | 2025 Australian Poker Open

04-24-2025 14:14 UTC+11

Classic Hold'em Cooler Leaves Diab With Crumbs

Dan O'Hair

Level 2 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Elliot Esca was already all in preflop from under the gun for about 50,000 against Michael Diab, who had Esca covered by just 1,000 on the button.

Elliot Esca: A♥A♣ All in
Michael Diab: K♣K♦

"That's three times that's happened so far this series!" Diab said of running pocket kings into pocket aces.

It was rotten luck for Diab, who received no help on the 10♥J♣7♠3♣9♣ runout and was forced to surrender the majority of his stack over to Esca.

Player	Chips	Progress
Elliot Esca	100,000
Michael Diab	1,000 49,000	49,000

Tags: Elliot Esca Michael Diab

04-24-2025 14:18 UTC+11

Growing Field

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Dan O'Hair

Level 2 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Day 1f of the Main Event is already up to 98 entries and is on pace to be the biggest starting flight by a large margin as players take their final shot at securing a Day-2 berth.

Level: 3

Blinds: 300/600

Ante: 600

04-24-2025 14:30 UTC+11

Zhao Doubles Through Lakshmanasamy

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Dan O'Hair

Level 3 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Ram Lakshmanasamy opened to 1,300 on the button and was three-bet to 4,700 by Hankun Zhao in the small blind. It was folded back to Lakshmanasamy, who called.

Zhao continued for 4,000 on the 7♦2♥2♦ flop and Lakshmanasamy immediately put his stack into the middle to put Zhao all in for his last 18,000. Zhao quickly called and hands were tabled.

Hankun Zhao: A♣J♠ All in
Ram Lakshmanasamy: 8♦5♦

It was a good call from Zhao but he would need to fade flush and pair outs from Lakshmanasamy.

The 7♠A♥ runout improved Zhao to aces-up and he was awarded the double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Hankun Zhao	47,000 3,000	3,000
Ram Lakshmanasamy	35,000 35,000	35,000

Tags: Hankun Zhao Ram Lakshmanasamy

04-24-2025 14:45 UTC+11

Recent Counts From the Field

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Dan O'Hair

Level 3 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael O'Grady	150,000 150,000	150,000
Yan Yan (AU)	120,000
Farnaz Bahrehbar	80,000 30,000	30,000
Craig Tetley	75,000 25,000	25,000
Zihao Chen	70,000 20,000	20,000
Cooper Shapkaris	68,000 18,000	18,000
Reece Bedot	65,000 10,000	10,000
Gavin Ogilvy	55,000 55,000	55,000
Masahide Ito	53,000 3,000	3,000
Sam Ioannov	47,000 3,000	3,000
Rahim Muhammed	45,000 10,000	10,000
Uno Uka	43,000 25,000	25,000
Roni Hakim	24,000 21,000	21,000

04-24-2025 14:55 UTC+11

Ogilvy Forces a Fold From Bansal After Lengthy Tank

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Dan O'Hair

Level 3 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Gavin Ogilvy raised to 1,300 from the hijack and was three-bet to 5,500 from the small blind. Ogilvy called.

Ogilvy called a 5,800 bet from Bansal on the 7♦9♥K♦ flop and a 13,700 bet from Bansal on the 6♠ turn; however, Bansal checked after the 8♣ river brought four to a straight on board.

Ogilvy then announced he was all in for approximately 30,000 — sending Bansal deep into the tank.

Bansal pondered his decision for over five minutes and said, "That was a bad one," while pointing to the river.

Eventually, Bansal laid his hand down and Ogilvy collected the pot without showing.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gavin Ogilvy	95,000 40,000	40,000
Pawaan Bansal	70,000 70,000	70,000

Tags: Gavin Ogilvy Pawaan Bansal

04-24-2025 15:00 UTC+11

Break Time

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Dan O'Hair

Level 3 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Players have been sent on a 15-minute break.

The field is now up to 139 entrants. Of those, 124 remain.

Level: 4

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 800

04-24-2025 15:32 UTC+11

Two Barrels Take it for Marsland; Platinum Players Champion Takes His Seat

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Dan O'Hair

Level 4 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Dale Marsland opened to 1,600 on the button and Van Mai defended his big blind.

Mai check-called a 1,000 bet from Marsland on the 6♠A♣2♥ flop, but check-folded facing a 2,500 bet from Marsland on the turn.

Elsewhere, Johan Lees, who won the Platinum Players Championship a couple days ago, took his seat with a fresh stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Dale Marsland	60,000 60,000	60,000
Johan Lees	50,000 50,000	50,000
Van Mai	32,000 32,000	32,000

04-24-2025 15:46 UTC+11

Rubimski Off to Hot Start

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Dan O'Hair

Level 4 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

James Rubimski is off to a great start in Day 1e, having tripled up earlier in the day with a straight versus two pair and a set, according to Rubimski.

In a recent hand, Rubimski opened to 2,000 in the hijack and was called by Elliot Esca in the cutoff, the player on the button, and Yan Yan in the big blind for a four-way pot.

Everyone checked on the A♥10♠2♣ flop and Yan checked again on the 4♠ turn. Rubimski bet 3,500 and only Esca called.

The river brought the 4♣ and Esca fired 9,000 into the middle. This time Esca let his hand go and Rubimski further padded his stack.