2008 PokerNews Cup Championships - Australia

PokerNews Cup Australia: The Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info

2008 PokerNews Cup Championships - Australia

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
aj
Prize
250,000 AUD
Event Info
Buy-in
2,000 AUD
Entries
410
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
10,000

Level: 19

Blinds: 6,000/12,000

Ante: 1,000

Huang and Sayed Go Into Overtime

Just before the break, an innocent looking hand dragged well into the break time.

Sam Sayed had raised to 22,000 from late position before Bryan Huang moved all in for 206,000 from the small blind, sending Sayed into the tank.

"Take a break...you can just fold" quipped Huang.

"It's too much really" said Sayed, "You know it's too much right?"

"C'mon, in the muck..." stirred Huang.

"Why you want me to muck...you scared?" replied Sayed.

"Maybe I am!" laughed Huang.

As the conversation and tanking extended for close to seven minutes, eventually Sayed released his hand and Huang survived and headed to the break.

Tags: Bryan HuangSam Sayed

Jacob Chen Eliminated in 23rd Place ($7,380)

Jacob Chen - 23rd Place
Jacob Chen - 23rd Place
Jacob Chen was eliminated from the tournament by chip leader Harris Pavlou. All of the money went in before the flop -- Pavlou's with {A-Clubs} {10-Spades} and Chen's with {Q-Clubs} {J-Hearts} -- and a nine-high board resulted in Chen's exit.

He'll take home $7,380 in prize money for his efforts. Meanwhile, Pavlou stacked up 850,000 in chips, further extending his lead over the field.

Tags: Jacob Chen

Damm the River

Grant Levy opened the pot with a raise to 24,000 from the button. Kenneth Damm called from the small blind as did Ali Khalil in the big. All three players checked the {10-Hearts} {9-Spades} {10-Clubs} flop, sending things straight to the turn: {4-Hearts}.

Damm passed the first action to Khalil who led out with a 60,000 bet. Levy then kicked it up to 200,000 and when the action returned to Damm, he moved all in. Khalil folded and Levy made the call:

Showdown:
Levy: {J-Spades} {10-Spades}
Damm: {10-Diamonds} {9-Diamonds}

Sitting with the mortal nuts, Damm simply needed to dodge a jack or a nine to rake the pot, but the river delivered the {9-Clubs} giving Levy the same book and the pot was chopped.

Khalil told the table that he folded a nine, meaning the nine on the river was of the case variety.

Tags: Ali KhalilGrant LevyKenneth Damm

Sukkar Surges Past 500k

Ray Sukkar just took down a monster three-way pot in a hand against Peter Kaltzidis and James Broom. Sukkar opened the pot with a raise to 45,000 from late position. Kaltzidis called from the small blind, as did Broom from the big.

The flop came down {5-Clubs} {8-Clubs} {5-Hearts} and Kaltzidis plopped a hefty 80,000 bet into the middle. Broom tanked, but eventually folded and when it was Sukkar's turn to act, he immediately moved all in for 214,000. After a lengthy dwell, Kaltzidis made the call and tabled a pocket pair of jacks; Sukkar show aces.

Running eights on the turn and river put a full house on the board, but Sukkar's aces reigned supreme earning him the pot and he now has 567,000 worth of chips. Kaltzidis is down but not out with 87,000.

Tags: Ray Sukkar

Easy Come, Easy Go

Ali Khalil raised to 27,000 preflop from under the gun and David Saab was the lone caller on the button.

As the flop was spread {A-Spades}{7-Diamonds}{4-Hearts} Khalil asked Saab how many chips he was playing behind. When the answer came 170,000, Khalil bet that amount to put Saab all in.

Saab instantly announced "Call!" and flipped {7-Hearts}{7-Clubs} for a set of sevens! Khalil was in trouble with his {A-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds}.

The turn gave Khalil some hope with the {8-Hearts} but the river was the {Q-Spades} to double Saab up to 290,000 with Khalil now back down to 260,000.

Tags: Ali KhalilDavid Saab

Xiaoyu Xu Eliminated in 24th Place ($7,380)

Xiaoyu Xu - 24th Place
Xiaoyu Xu - 24th Place
John Dalessandri opened the action with a raise from early position to 25,000. Xiaoyu Xu flat called and the action folded around the table to Ali Khalil in the big blind.

Khalil decided to squeeze, making it 110,000 to go. Dalessandri folded but Xu decided to make the call for his tournament life.

Xu: {10-Clubs}{J-Clubs}
Khalil: {9-Spades}{9-Diamonds}

Xu was happy to be racing but the board landed {A-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}{4-Diamonds}{K-Spades}{A-Spades} and the nines of Khalil hold up to eliminate Xu in 24th place for a collect of $7,380.

After hitting some recent rocky patches, Khalil is now heading back in the right direction with 450,000 chips.

Tags: Ali KhalilXiaoyu Xu

Brett Chalhoub Eliminated in 25th Place ($5,740)

Brett Chalhoub - 25th Place
Brett Chalhoub - 25th Place
On a board showing {5-Hearts} {J-Clubs} {J-Hearts}, Minh Nguyen bet out 40,000 and Brett Chalhoub moved all in. Nguyen made the call and tabled {K-Hearts} {10-Hearts}; Chalhoub turned over two red nines.

The {10-Clubs} came on the turn giving Nguyen the lead and a virtual stranglehold on the hand. The {5-Clubs} on the river sealed the deal and Chalhoub settled for 25th place prize money.

Meanwhile, Minh Nguyen now has right around 360,000 in chips.

Tags: Brett ChalhoubMinh Nguyen