2018 WSOP International Circuit The Star Sydney

AU$20,000 High Roller
Day: 1
Event Info

2018 WSOP International Circuit The Star Sydney

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
96
Prize
356,250 AUD
Event Info
Buy-in
20,000 AUD
Entries
50
Level Info
Level
20
Blinds
10,000 / 20,000
Ante
20,000

Martinelli Shoves on Higgs

Level 12 : 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Catching action on the turn with a board of {5-Hearts}{2-Clubs}{K-Clubs}{5-Spades} Sam Higgs called what looked to be a check-raise from Luke Martinelli for 25,400 creating a big pot heading to the river.

On the {J-Clubs} river, Martinelli just moved all in for 51,000.

"Pocket twos?" Higgs asked. "You're not worried about my flush, aye?"

Eventually, Higgs folded so Martinelli took down the pot to move over 100,000 chips.

Player Chips Progress
Sam Higgs au
Sam Higgs
WSOP 1X Winner
175,000 -25,000
Luke Martinelli au
Luke Martinelli
120,000 38,000

Tags: Luke MartinelliSam Higgs

Spano Doubles Through Higgs

Level 12 : 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
Robert Spano
Robert Spano

Robert Spano raised to 6,000 from the hijack and was called by Sam Higgs in the small blind.

The flop came {a-Diamonds}{q-Spades}{7-Diamonds} and Higgs checked. Spano bet 7,500. Higgs then moved all in relatively quickly having Spano covered.

"Ok," announced Spano, before making the call for his tournament life.

Robert Spano: {a-Clubs}{10-Clubs}
Sam Higgs: {q-Diamonds}{6-Diamonds}

Spano had top pair and was in front against Higgs who was drawing to a flush.

The board would run out the {8-Hearts} and {a-Spades} to see Spano fade the diamonds resulting in a double up.

Player Chips Progress
Sam Higgs au
Sam Higgs
WSOP 1X Winner
200,000 -40,000
Robert Spano au
Robert Spano
101,400 41,400

Tags: Robert SpanoSam Higgs

Level: 12

Blinds: 1,500/3,000

Ante: 3,000

Dhingra Four Bets

Level 11 : 1,200/2,400, 2,400 ante

From the hijack, Ebon Bokody opened with a raise to 5,500. Action folded to the small blind whre Jan Suchanek three-bet, making it 12,000. Gatuam Dhingra was in the big blind and he dropped into the tank.

"Please don't reach for chips, please don't reach for chips," Suchanek pleaded.

But his wish was denied when Dhingra put in a four-bet to 31,000. Bokody quickly folded and Suchanek followed behind with a fold as well.

Dhingra revealed his {A-Diamonds}{A-Hearts} after the hand with a smile.

"I play solid," Dhingra said. "Jonno can vouch for me. "

"It's what you're known for actually," Jonathan Kamaralikis replied.

"I had one of your outs," Suchanek joked.

Player Chips Progress
Gautam Dhingra au
Gautam Dhingra
265,000 15,000
Jan Suchanek nz
Jan Suchanek
240,000 -15,000
Ebon Bokody au
Ebon Bokody
112,000 -3,000

Tags: Ebon BokodyJan SuchanekGautam Dhingra

Graham Applies the Pressure

Level 11 : 1,200/2,400, 2,400 ante

Jarred Graham raised to 5,000 from under the gun and was called by Jason Pritchard in the hijack as well as Luke Martinelli in the big blind. The flop came {9-Hearts}{7-Hearts}{2-Clubs} and Martinelli checked. Graham followed with a check. Pritchard bet 6,500. Martinelli called. Graham then moved all in over the top for 122,000. Both his opponents snap-folded their hands.

Player Chips Progress
Jason Pritchard au
Jason Pritchard
193,000 -22,000
Jarred Graham au
Jarred Graham
WSOP 1X Winner
153,500 19,500
Luke Martinelli au
Luke Martinelli
82,000 55,000

Tags: Jason PritchardLuke MartinelliJarred Graham

Pirzepool Information

Level 11 : 1,200/2,400, 2,400 ante
WSOP Ring
WSOP Ring

The 50 players in this event created a prizepool of $950,000. A total of 5 players will be paid with first place receiving $356,250 as well as a World Series of Poker Circuit ring and 50 points towards the Casino Championship race.

Here's a look at the full payouts:

PlacePrize
1$356,250
2$220,210
3$153,330
4$118,845
5$101,365

Higgs Saves Some Money

Level 11 : 1,200/2,400, 2,400 ante

Sam Higgs raised to 5,400 from the button and was called by Jason Pritchard and Mladen Vukovic in the blinds.

The flop came {4-Spades}{q-Hearts}{3-Spades} and the action checked to Higgs who bet 8,000. Pritchard then raised to 22,000. Vukovic folded. Higgs called.

The turn brought the {5-Diamonds} and Pritchard led out for 27,000. Higgs called.

Both players then opted to check as the {5-Hearts} completed the board.

Pritchard tabled {a-Spades}{k-Spades} for a pair ace-high and took down the pot after Higgs showed {j-Spades}{8-Spades} for a pair with his jack-kicker.

"F***! Lucky the spade didn't come," said a relieved Higgs following the hand, after a flush card didn't appear on the river.

Player Chips Progress
Sam Higgs au
Sam Higgs
WSOP 1X Winner
240,000 75,000
Jason Pritchard au
Jason Pritchard
215,000 10,000
Mladen Vukovic au
Mladen Vukovic
39,000 -86,000

Tags: Sam HiggsMladen VukovicJason Pritchard

Karamalikis Sends Abdine to the Rail

Level 11 : 1,200/2,400, 2,400 ante
Shivan Abdine
Shivan Abdine

Jonathan Karamalikis opened with a raise to 5,200 and Ebon Bokody called next to act. Action folded to the cutoff where Shivan Abdine moved all in for roughly 45,000. Action folded back to Karamalikis who moved all in over the top. Bokody folded.

Jonathan Karamalikis: {10-Clubs}{10-Hearts}
Shivan Abdine: {A-Hearts}{Q-Hearts}

The flop wasn't good for Abdine when it came {J-Diamonds}{10-Spades}{4-Clubs} and the {J-Spades} on the turn ended matter quickly. The river was the {9-Spades} and that was it for Abdine who hit the rail. Karamalikis is up to about 110,000 after taking in the pot.

Player Chips Progress
Jonathan Karamalikis au
Jonathan Karamalikis
110,000 60,700
Shivan Abdine au
Shivan Abdine
Busted

Tags: Jonathan KaramalikisEbon Bokody

Wakeman Doubles Through Laidlaw

Level 11 : 1,200/2,400, 2,400 ante
Matthew Wakeman
Matthew Wakeman

Daniel Laidlaw raised from under the gun before Matt Wakeman moved all in for 39,900 from the small blind. Laidlaw called.

Matt Wakeman: {j-Diamonds}{j-Hearts}
Daniel Laidlaw: {q-Hearts}{q-Clubs}

Wakeman was in trouble until the board ran out {2-Diamonds}{8-Diamonds}{7-Diamonds}{2-Spades}{a-Diamonds} to see him take down the pot after rivering a flush.

Player Chips Progress
Matt Wakeman au
Matt Wakeman
84,000 45,000
Daniel Laidlaw au
Daniel Laidlaw
25,500 -46,500