2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific

$2,200 Six-Max No-Limit Hold'em
Day: 2
Event Info

2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
k4
Prize
128,784 AUD
Event Info
Buy-in
2,000 AUD
Prize Pool
486,000 AUD
Entries
243
Level Info
Level
23
Blinds
8,000 / 16,000
Ante
2,000

$2,200 Six-Max No-Limit Hold'em

Day 2 Completed

Phil Hellmuth Headlines Final Table Eyeing 14th Gold Bracelet

Level 16 : 1,500/3,000, 500 ante
Phil Hellmuth
Phil Hellmuth

When it comes to World Series of Poker greatness, Phil Hellmuth is an absolute legend. Since winning his first gold bracelet in 1989 by capturing the WSOP Main Event title, Hellmuth has added 12 more pieces of WSOP hardware to his trophy case, and now just five players stand between him and number 14.

This run for Hellmuth marks his 108th WSOP cash and 51st WSOP final table. Combine that with the most gold bracelets of any player, and it's hard to argue that anyone else comes close. Hellmuth also has the chance to become the third player to win gold bracelets in the three regions the WSOP has been held — US, Europe, and Australia — behind Daniel Negreanu and Jeff Lisandro. Then you've got the fitting story that this year is the 25th anniversary of Hellmuth's 1989 WSOP Main Event win and the year he turned 50 years old.

When Hellmuth sat down with PokerNews' Rich Ryan before the summer, he stated that he was going to win 11 more bracelets in his career. He did say that he felt he'd win more mixed-game bracelets than no-limit hold'em ones in those 11, but nonetheless this is a step in that direction.

Thanks to busting out Kris Nestorovic in seventh place, Hellmuth will take 266,500 in chips into Day 3. While that's technically fifth on the leader board out of the final six players, the top five stacks are separated by less than 50,000 in chips, as the top stack has 315,000.

After play completed for the day, Hellmuth spoke with PokerNews Senior Editor Chad Holloway:

Steven Zhou is the player leading the way, and then you've got Alexander Antonios (278,000), Michael Tran (274,000), and Yu Kurita (269,500) bunched in between Zhou and Hellmuth. Kurita has become the first female player to reach a WSOP Asia-Pacific final table, and she's got just as good a chance as any to grab the gold.

Bringing up the year with 65,000 in chips will be 2014 WSOP November Niner Bruno Politano. When the WSOP Main Event final table resumes in November, Politano will be the shortest stack of the final nine. He'll be able to earn some valuable experience in that position through this event, as he also enters the final table as the lowest on chips. It's a great story that Politano has reached this final table, and he's proving it was no fluke when he made the November Nine.

Day 3 and the final table will begin at 12:10 p.m. local time, and this is clearly a final table you will not want to miss. Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for continued coverage from the 2014 WSOP Asia-Pacific and get ready to watch Hellmuth chase number 14 tomorrow.

Tags: Alexander AntoniosBruno PolitanoDaniel NegreanuJeff LisandroJeffrey LisandroKris NestorovicMichael TranPhil HellmuthSteven ZhouYu Kurita

Kris Nestorovic Eliminated in 7th Place (AU$14,347)

Level 16 : 1,500/3,000, 500 ante
Kris Nestorovic - 7th Place
Kris Nestorovic - 7th Place

It’s all over on Day 2 thanks to the elimination of Kris Nestorovic in seventh place, and here’s how the final hand went down.

From under the gun, Alexander Antonios opened to 6,500. Michael Tran called from the next seat, Nestorovic called on the button, and then Phil Hellmuth called out of the big bind.

“I hate this hand,” Hellmuth said with a laugh after closing the action with his call from the big blind. “Everyone’s raising and stuff — I hate this hand, but can’t fold it here.”

The flop came down {A-Spades}{9-Spades}{4-Clubs}, which must've turned Hellmuth's hate into love as he fired 15,000. Antonios and Tran both folded, and then Nestorovic raised all in.

“How much is it?” Hellmuth asked the dealer, prompting a count of Nestorovic's stack on the shove. The dealer informed Hellmuth that it was 65,500 total.

“Ugh, I need you to have aces and fours," Hellmuth said, holding his hand up in front of him and staring at it. "I guess I have no choice, I call."

Nestorovic showed the {A-Clubs}{Q-Spades} for top pair with a queen kicker, but he was behind the {A-Diamonds}{9-Diamonds} that Hellmuth had for top two pair.

The turn was the {8-Hearts}, and you could see the anxiousness in Hellmuth as he leaned slightly forward in his chair as the dealer finished off the board.

The final card to the table was the {6-Hearts}. A loud clap of the hands came from Hellmuth, who was clearly excited to have won the hand and made his 51st official World Series of Poker final table. Nestorovic was eliminated in seventh place, taking home AU$14,347, and the remaining six began to bag up their chips for Day 3.

Tags: Alexander AntoniosKris NestorovicMichael TranPhil Hellmuth

Straight for Kurita

Level 16 : 1,500/3,000, 500 ante

From under the gun, Bruno Politano opened to 7,000 and Yu Kurita called in the big blind to see a {J-Diamonds}{Q-Spades}{10-Hearts} flop fall.

Kurita bet out 9,000 and Politano raised to 23,500 with Kurita calling. The {J-Spades} and {7-Hearts} on the turn and river went check, check with Politano tabling his {K-Spades}{Q-Hearts}.

However, it would be Kurita's {K-Hearts}{9-Spades} for a straight that would see her collect the pot.

Tags: Bruno PolitanoYu Kurita

Hellmuth Draws First Blood

Level 16 : 1,500/3,000, 500 ante

On the first hand of the unofficial final table, Phil Hellmuth opened to 6,500 and Alexander Antonios called next to act to see the dealer spread a {3-Hearts}{4-Diamonds}{2-Spades} flop.

Hellmuth continued for 10,000 and Antonios called as the {A-Clubs} landed on the turn and Hellmuth tossed in 12,000. Antonios folded and Hellmuth flashed the {A-Hearts}.

Tags: Alexander AntoniosPhil Hellmuth

The Final Seven

Level 16 : 1,500/3,000, 500 ante
SeatPlayerChips
1Steven Zhou303,500
2Phil Hellmuth150,000
3Alexander Antonios309,000
4Michael Tran280,000
5Yu Kurita230,000
6Bruno Politano110,000
7Kris Nestorovic77,000
Player Chips Progress
Alexander Antonios au
Alexander Antonios
309,000 34,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Steven Zhou au
Steven Zhou
303,500 28,500
Michael Tran au
Michael Tran
280,000 30,000
Yu Kurita jp
Yu Kurita
230,000 -10,000
Bruno Politano br
Bruno Politano
110,000 5,000
Kris Nestorovic
Kris Nestorovic
77,000 37,000

David Lim Eliminated in 8th Place (AU$14,347)

Level 16 : 1,500/3,000, 500 ante
David Lim - 7th Place
David Lim - 7th Place

David Lim raised all in for 36,500 from the button, and Kris Nestorovic called all in from the small blind for 35,500. Lim had the {4-Clubs}{4-Diamonds}, and Nestorovic had the {A-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds}.

The {K-Spades}{K-Diamonds}{3-Clubs}{A-Clubs}{7-Spades} board gave Nestorovic the winning hand and left Lim with just 1,000 in chips.

Then, Lim was all in on the next hand for 500. Phil Hellmuth limped in from the small blind, and Alexander Antonios raised to 7,500 from the big blind. Antonios' raise knocked Hellmuth out of the pot, as the 13-time World Series of Poker gold bracelet winner folded, and Lim was left to try and survive against Antonios.

Lim had the {10-Hearts}{7-Clubs}, and Antonios had the {K-Clubs}{Q-Spades}. The board ran out {A-Spades}{3-Diamonds}{3-Clubs}{Q-Hearts}{5-Clubs}, and Lim was sent to the rail in eighth place. The remaining seven players will now redraw to one table of seven, and we'll post the seating order and chip counts for you shortly.

Player Chips Progress
David Lim au
David Lim
Busted

Tags: Alexander AntoniosDavid LimKris NestorovicPhil Hellmuth