$2,200 No Limit Holdem Main Event Day 1a | 2009 PokerNews Cup Australia

10-02-2009 11:19 UTC+10

Welcome To The 2009 PokerNews Cup Australia Main Event!

[user90534]

Welcome to the PokerNews Cup Australia Main Event!

A cloudy and cool spring morning has greeted us here in Melbourne, but the action (and the central heating) is about to heat up to boiling point in the Crown Poker Room as we get set for the 2009 PokerNews Cup Australia Main Event!

Up to 200 of Australia's best poker players are expected to take to the felt for today's Day 1a flight, each ponying up AUD $2,200 for a shot at fame, fortune and glory.

Should anyone bust out of today's flight, they have the option of buying back in tomorrow - as well as taking new entrants, Day 1b is also a repechage.

Be sure to keep up with the Live Reporting updates here at PokerNews when the Main Event gets underway in 30 minutes's time. See you then!

10-02-2009 12:08 UTC+10

Two-Minute Call

[user67765]

The players are scrambling to find their seats as the two-minute call has been given. The cards will be in the air shortly!

Level: 1

Blinds: 25/50

Ante: 0

10-02-2009 12:11 UTC+10

Cards Are In The Air!

[user90534]

Crown's Director of Poker Operations Jonno Pittock has given the order to shuffle up and deal and the PokerNews Cup Main Event is underway!

10-02-2009 12:27 UTC+10

Who's Here?

[user67765]

It's a quiet start to the 2009 Main Event as the players slowly trickle in and take their seats, with many tables kicking off short-handed.

On our first lap of the room we've spotted the following notables:

Daniel Neilson, Steve Topakas, Jai Kemp, Andrew Jeffreys, Tony Dunst, Nik Lackovic, Chris Chronis, Dennis Huntly, Kenneth Damm, Michael Pedley, Dave Lee, Damien Elsing, Michael Guzzardi, Ben Savage, Raj Ramakrishnan, Peter Aristidou, Dean Nyberg, Sam Khouiss, Karl Krautschneider, Rayan Nathan, Grant Levy and Kristian Lunardi.

10-02-2009 12:35 UTC+10

Dong Races Out of the Blocks

[user67765]

After a raise in late position, Jonathan "xMONSTERxDONGx" Karamalikis made it 450 to play from the big blind. His opponent made the call and they saw a flop of {4-Spades}

.

Karamalikis fired 525 and his opponent called. The turn brought the {6-Spades}

and Karamalikis fired again for 1,200, and again was met with a call.

On the {4-Clubs}

river Karamalikis released a third barrel worth 3,000 and again his opponent looked him up, however Karamalikis tabled {A-Hearts}

for a full house which was good to scoop the pot. He's up to 25,000 in the early goings.

Tags: Jonathan Karamalikis xMONSTERxDONGx

10-02-2009 12:43 UTC+10

Dunst Moving Chips Early

[user67765]

Tony Dunst is another player off to a good start, after moving all his chips into the middle in an early hand.

On a flop of {5-Hearts}

the action was bet, raise, re-raise before Dunst shipped it all in for his last 15,000 chips. His opponent gave it up and Dunst jumps to 32,000.

His table is a solid one as it features the likes of Jonathan Karamalikis, Sean Keeton and Martin Cardno.

Tags: Tony Dunst

10-02-2009 12:55 UTC+10

Doria Can't Budge Kondevski

[user67765]

Todor Kondevski raised to 250 from the cutoff with Stewart Scott making the call before [Removed:415] popped it up to 750 from the big blind. Both opponents called and they saw a flop of {J-Diamonds}

.

Doria led out for 1,500 and both again both opponents came along for the ride as a healthy pot was brewing.

The turn was a repeat {A-Hearts}

and Doria fired again for 2,000. Kondevski called as Scott decided to step asidee. The river was the {2-Spades}

and Doria checked over to Kondevski who fired a bet of 2,500. Doria gave it up and the 2009 Melbourne Championships Main Event winner Todor Kondevski takes the pot to move up to 24,000 chips.

Tags: Todor Kondevski

10-02-2009 13:00 UTC+10

Khouiss Rises Up Early

[user90534]

Sammy Khouiss has gone up to 30,000 in chips early on in this tournament after taking down a sizeable pot.

With the flop reading {2-Diamonds}

, an unknown opponent led out for 400, only to find another player in middle position raise it up to 1,200. Khouiss called, the initial bettor folded and it was off to the turn which came down the {A-Spades}

.

The opponent fired out another 1,200, Khouiss raised it to 3,200 and the opponent called. He then check-folded to Khouiss' bet of 7,000 on the river {Q-Clubs}

.

"Not so easy to call now, is it?" barked Khouis as he flashed {5-Hearts}

for the made straight.

Tags: Sammy Khouiss

10-02-2009 13:07 UTC+10

Fazz Fills Up

[user67765]

Catching the action on a flop of {2-Diamonds}

, the blinds checked to Antonio Fazzolari who fired 600 into the pot. His opponents, Kent Hunter and Milan Gurung both made the call.

The turn was the {K-Spades}

and Gurung checked to Fazzolari who fired again for 1,200. Hunter again called as Gurung stepped aside. The river was the {J-Spades}