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Joe-Boy Rahme MonsterStaK Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2025 SunBet GrandWest
Joe-Boy Rahme MonsterStaK Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
2025 SunBet GrandWest
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
Buy-in
15,000 ZAR
Prize Pool
4,334,400 ZAR
Total Entries
344
Level
33
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Entries
125
Players Left
58
Players Left 1 / 344
Filter
Level 9
: Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante
The final SunBet Poker Tour stop of the year at the GrandWest Casino by Sun International on the outskirts of Cape Town has seen a strong turnout for the first of three starting days for the crown jewel on the schedule. On Day 1a of the Joe-Boy Rahme MonsterStaK Main Event, a total of 126 players ponied up the ZAR 15,000 (USD 850) buy-in and upon completion of level nine, the field was essentially cut in half.
During the first break, the life of the local veteran Joe Rahme was honoured after he had suddenly passed away three weeks to send shockwaves through the close-knit South African poker community. The entire field of all ongoing tournaments went on their feet to watch the tribute in silence before returning to the action.
When the dust had settled near midnight local time, the entire top ten on the overall leaderboard was hailing from Africa and Nico Wiechers was the only player to surpass five starting stacks to bag up 524,500. His nearest follower is Yoni Lipshitz, who reached the final two tables in the 2025 The Hendon Mob Championship Cape Town Million with 455,500 followed by Kiran Moodley with 413,500.
Day 1 a Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nico Wiechers | South Africa | 524,500 | 210 |
| 2 | Yoni Lipshitz | South Africa | 455,500 | 182 |
| 3 | Kiran Moodley | South Africa | 413,500 | 165 |
| 4 | Reagan Benjamin | South Africa | 411,000 | 164 |
| 5 | Damon Fine | South Africa | 400,000 | 160 |
| 6 | Adam Katz | South Africa | 392,000 | 157 |
| 7 | Jamie McCarthy | South Africa | 381,500 | 153 |
| 8 | Simon Solomon | South Africa | 367,000 | 147 |
| 9 | Jay Pereira | South Africa | 365,000 | 146 |
| 10 | Jaco Mouton | South Africa | 333,500 | 133 |
Local vlogger Damon Fine had a decent day at the tables and made it through with exactly four starting stacks. Earlier this year, he ran deep in his most pivotal live poker tournament thus far. In the 2025 WSOP Main Event in Las Vegas, he cashed for $35,000 in 471st and that is also his largest cash prize so far.
Wiechers started his rise towards the top of the leaderboard early on when he made trips with jack-nine suited against then big stack Alvin Pillay, who had been responsible for the first elimination of the day. That was none other than Jaco Mouton, who re-entered and bagged up 333,500 while Pillay busted.
Dirk Steenkamp was almost the second player on the rail when he ran his ace-king for top pair and top kicker into a set of aces. Down to a mere 10,000, he went on a wild roller coaster ride and made it through with 262,500. Other notables to advance include Jedd Kossew (254,000), Chad Moolman (220,500), Imran Bhojani (205,000), Robin Kayalsum (138,500), Adrian Andritz (80,000) and Sugen Singh (66,500).
The list of Day 1a casualties included Eben Lottering, Keenan Pienaar, Chris Luyt, Jubal Chetty, Simon Brown, Marko Nortje and Cliton Taliwanth. However, they all have another two starting days to try and run up a stack.
Day 1b with 60-minute levels commences at 11 a.m. local time while the turbo heat 1c follows as of 7 p.m. local time with 40-minute levels.
The late registration remains open for the first four levels on Day 2 on Saturday, November 29. Several duplicate levels are included in the structure to preserve a deeper playing field for everyone.
Stay tuned right here on PokerNews for all of the Main Event action from Cape Town. You can also follow the cards-up coverage and commentary of the ZAR 50,000 High Roller final table alongside Main Event Day 1b as well.
Level 9
: Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
524,500
44,500
|
44,500 |
|
||
|
455,500
19,500
|
19,500 |
|
413,500
46,500
|
46,500 |
|
411,000
31,000
|
31,000 |
|
400,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
392,000
242,000
|
242,000 |
|
381,500
8,500
|
8,500 |
|
367,000
367,000
|
367,000 |
|
365,000
85,000
|
85,000 |
|
333,500
48,500
|
48,500 |
|
332,500
162,500
|
162,500 |
|
325,500
24,500
|
24,500 |
|
323,000
223,000
|
223,000 |
|
320,500
54,500
|
54,500 |
|
315,500
180,500
|
180,500 |
|
309,500
19,500
|
19,500 |
|
289,000
119,000
|
119,000 |
|
275,000
275,000
|
275,000 |
|
272,000
272,000
|
272,000 |
|
|
267,000
107,000
|
107,000 |
|
262,500
12,500
|
12,500 |
|
254,500
64,500
|
64,500 |
|
254,000
9,000
|
9,000 |
|
|
243,500
103,500
|
103,500 |
|
231,000
231,000
|
231,000 |
Level 9
: Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante
Out of a field of 126 entries, fewer than 70 players bagged up chips for the night and assorted counts will be provided shortly. The full counts will likely be published in the morning hours once they have been provided by the SunBet Poker Tour.
Level 9
: Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante
It seems very likely that all of the players below will enter one of the two remaining flights the following day, but they won't appear in the overnight chip counts.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted | |
|
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
Level 9
: Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante
Norways's Jon Persent jammed the 8♥7♦4♣6♥4♦ river for the last 43,500 and was called by the cutoff. Persent tabled his 7♥4♥ for two pair that became a full house and his opponent paid off via two blue T-25,000 chips before sending his cards into the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
180,500 |
Level 9
: Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante
With 15:59 minutes left on the clock, the final hands of the night were drawn and five was revealed. Once all those hands are over, all of the survivors of the 125-entry strong field will bag up their chips. That's also what the last nine are doing in the ZAR 50,000 High Roller as the bubble just burst.
Level 9
: Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante
Jared Luyt squeezed to 28,500 preflop and Daniel Habib called to see a flop of 10♦9♥7♦ on which Habib check-called all-in with a sigh.
Daniel Habib: J♣J♠ 
Jared Luyt: Q♦Q♠
After the 6♥ turn, Habib asked for an eight but instantly said "wait, no". That was moments before the 8♠ came on the river to indeed secure his survival in fortunate fashion. The double was for 114,500 and Luyt took a big hit.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
190,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
65,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
Level 9
: Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante
Rajeev Poonhath raised to 5,500 and was called three ways including by Dirk Steenkamp on the button. It checked to Poonhath on the A♦7♥6♥ flop and he bet 15,000, Steenkamp was the only one to come along.
Poonath bet another 10,000 on the 6♦ turn to receive a call and checked the 10♣ on the river. Steenkamp's bet of 35,000 was called and he revealed the 9♥8♠ for the open-ender that got there, while Poonhath mucked the A♣.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
250,000
155,000
|
155,000 |
|
45,000
185,000
|
185,000 |
Level 9
: Blinds 1,500/2,500, 2,500 ante
Dylan Barnard was aiming to knock out Benji Berman when they goit it in preflop with the latter ahead in the following showdown.
Benji Berman: A♣J♠
Dylan Barnard: K♠10♦
Barnard paired up on the K♣10♠5♣ flop and remained ahead with the 4♦ turn. Berman asked for an ace and it came on the A♠ river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
150,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
|
85,000
8,400
|
8,400 |
