Day 1 of the AU$1,650 8-Game Dealer's Choice from the 2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific has come and gone. A total of 89 entries were tallied in this one, the sixth event of the series, and at the end of the day, just 19 remained. Finishing atop the pack was Australian Poker Hall of Fame member Gary Benson with 38,025 in chips.
The first day of play in this one proved to be full of fun and lots of different playing styles. Players had the option to pick one of eight games when it was their turn to do so, and everyone was having a good, competitive time on the felt. After Level 8, the prize pool was announced and it was made known that AU$42,720 would be awarded to the winner, plus the coveted WSOP gold bracelet.
Of those to enter and bust were David Gorr, Jonathan Karamalikis, Mohsin Charania, Ami Barer, Daniel Negreanu, Jeff Lisandro, Scott Clements, Phil Hellmuth, Jackie Glazier, Antonio Esfandiari, and current WSOP Player of the Year leader Brandon Shack-Harris. While Shack-Harris busted from this event, he did retake the Player of the Year lead from George Danzer after finishing sixth in the AU$1,650 No-Limit Hold'em Terminator event earlier in the day. But, Danzer still remains in this one and will be taking 32,275 in chips forward to Day 2 to make a run at jumping back in front of Shack-Harris. That puts Danzer fourth overall.
Some of the notable players remaining are Brian Rast, Jeff Gross, Jeff Madsen, Michael Guzzardi, Frank Kassela, and Jason Gray. They'll be back on Thursday for Day 2 that will begin at 12:30 p.m. local time.
Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews as we'll bring you continued coverage from this event and all others from the 2014 WSOP Asia-Pacific.
Stuart Rutter had the bring-in and Antonio Esfandiari completed before Shivan Abdine raised and both Rutter and Esfandiari both called. On fourth street, Esfandiari bet, Abdine raised, Rutter called and Esfandiari moved all in with both players calling.
Fifth street saw Abdine bet and Rutter call before Rutter led on sixth and seventh with Abdine calling each time.
Rutter: / /
Esfandiari: / /
Abdine: / /
Rutter tabled his for a flush and a seven-six low while Abdine tabled his / for trips.
With Esfandiari holding his , he slowly squeezed out the for just two pair, and consequently was sent to the rail.
"Stupidest poker game in the history of mankind!" announced Esfandiari to the PokerNews reporter before concluding, "you can quote me on that!"
With around 11,000 in the middle and the board reading we found Daniel Levy and Victor Teng checking to Benjamin Benoit who bet out 5,500. Levy snap-called all in for 5,250 and Teng folded.
Levy:
Benoit:
"Don't let me be drawing dead!" announced Levy as he rolled over his set although it was impossible for him to be drawing dead.
With Benoit needing to hit a king to send Levy to the rail, that is exactly what would happen as the completed the board to send Levy to the rail and Benoit up to 46,000.
As Benoit raked in the pot, Teng whispered to Michael Guzzardi that he folded pocket kings.
Brandon Shack-Harris opened to 700 from under the gun and was called by the player on his immediate left before Daniel Levy called in the big blind to see a flop fall.
Shack-Harris moved all in for his lat 1,125 and Levy called to put the current leader in the WSOP Player of the Year race at-risk.
Shack-Harris:
Levy:
The turn and river of the and saw Levy make a runner-runner straight to end Shack-Harris' tournament early as Levy climbed to roughly 10,500.
The prize pool and payouts have been announced for the AU$1,650 8-Game Dealer's Choice event here at the 2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific.
With 89 entries in the event, a prize pool of AU$133,500 was generated. Of that, AU$42,720 will be awarded to the winner plus the most coveted prize in all of poker, a WSOP gold bracelet.
The top nine spots will be paid out, and a min-cash will be worth AU$4,251.
The action folded to Daniel Negreanu on the button and he raised to 600. Jeff Madsen made it 900 from the small blind and Scott Clements called all-in for his last 850. Negreanu committed his final 125 and the cards were tabled.
Negreanu:
Clements:
Madsen:
"S**t hand over there!" jokingly announced Negreanu as he stood up and pointed to Clements' hand.
The board ran out to see Clements make a wheel for the low as Madsen made a flush for the high to send Negreanu out the door.
Following a raise to 450 by Victor Teng, Dylan Hortin raised all in from the big blind for his last 1,525 and Teng made the call.
Hortin:
Teng:
With Hortin the slight favorite, the board saw Teng turn the nut straight to send Hortin to the rail while also motoring Teng's stack up to 25,000 - good enough for the chip lead.
![[user80015]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
/ 
/ 
/ 
for a flush and a seven-six low while Abdine tabled his 
/ 
for trips.
, he slowly squeezed out the 
for just two pair, and consequently was sent to the rail.
we found Daniel Levy and Victor Teng checking to Benjamin Benoit who bet out 5,500. Levy snap-called all in for 5,250 and Teng folded.
completed the board to send Levy to the rail and Benoit up to 46,000.
and 
saw Levy make a runner-runner straight to end Shack-Harris' tournament early as Levy climbed to roughly 10,500.
.
to see Clements make a wheel for the low as Madsen made a flush for the high to send Negreanu out the door.
