AU$2,200 Main Event
Day 2 Started
2018 WSOP International Circuit The Star Sydney
AU$2,200 Main Event
Day: 2
230 Players Return for Day 2 of the WSOP International Circuit Sydney Main Event
The 230 players remaining in the 2018 WSOP International Circuit Sydney Main Event will take to their seats today as they continue their quest at capturing the title as well as the coveted WSOP gold ring on offer, as well as earning themselves a ticket to the 2019 WSOP Circuit Global Championship, an invitation-only tournament with a minimum prize pool of $1,000,000 USD.
After four opening flights the players will join together at 12:30pm local time, with Day 1C chipleader Michael Spencer returning with 545,000 with blinds at 2,500/5,600/500. Alongside him will be Matthew Pongrass (494,500), Day 1B chipleader Ali Aflatounian (430,500), Alex Lynskey (404,000) and Michael King (400,000) rounding out the top five stacks and the only players above 400,000.
Also returning after a successful week off include Luke Martinelli (334,000) who was victorious in the High Roller event and Huss Hassan (260,500) who took down the six-max event. Last year's main event champion and runner-up Michael Kanaan (126,000) and Michael Fraser (160,000) are also still alive and will be looking to make another deep run.
The prize pool has also been announced early this morning. 135 players will guarantee themselves a minimum payday of $3,549 with the top five earning themselves a six-figure score. The eventual champion will pocket a cool $422,796 for their efforts.
Today’s plan is to play ten 60-minute levels or stop at the final three tables, whichever comes first.
Stay up-to-date with all the action here at The Star all day with the PokerNews live reporting team.
Level: 15
Blinds: 2,500/5,000
Ante: 500
And They're Off
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
The dealers have been advised to shuffle up and deal as play get's underway.
Don't Look Twice
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Alex Lynskey raised to 11,000 from middle position before Jerome Tan re-raised to 27,000 from the hijack. The action folded around to Martin Comer in the big blind who called. Lynskey mucked instantly.
The flop came 
and Comer checked. Tan continued for 22,000. Comer then moved all in for 151,000. Tan asked for a count and deliberated for a minute. He eventually looked down at his cards before mucking his hand.
"When you have to look again you have nothing," stated Comer, before he raked in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
245,000 | |
|
160,000 | -50,500 |
Overmire Doubles Through Dunwoodie
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
William Overmire moved all in for 34,000 from middle position. Sean Dunwoodie raised and sent out a stack of 5,000-chips. The rest of the table folded and the cards were shown.
William Overmire: 
Sean Dunwoodie: 
The board ran out 
to see Overmire hold with his pocket pair resulting in and early double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
325,000 | -35,000 |
|
|
80,000 | 26,500 |
Laidlaw Doubles Through Blight
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
The action started with Rahul Rastogi raising to 11,000 from middle position. Huss Hassan then re-raised to 33,000 from the next seat over. Craig Blight then opted to three-bet to 55,000 from the hijack before the decision fell on Daniel Laidlaw in the big blind. He moved all in for 198,000 which saw Rastogi and Hassan quickly fold.
Blight deliberated for over a minute and looked like he was really agonising over a call. He nearly talked himself out of calling but committed the chips.
Daniel Laidlaw: 
Craig Blight: 
The board ran out 
to see Laidlaw double with the higher two pair and leaving Blight with just 14,000.
A few hands later Blight was seen at the registration booth buying in for his next event.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
447,000 | 246,500 |
|
Busted |
Fester Gets Rivered
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Mark Fester raised to 12,000 from middle position and was called by the player in the big blind.
The flop came 
and the big blind checked. Fester continued for 12,000. The bet was called.
Both players checked the 
before the completed the board.
Here the big blind tossed out 17,000. Fester thought for a moment and called.
The player in the big blind then tabled 
for trip tens and took down the pot after Fester mucked his hand.
"Lucky river," said Fester, following the hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
245,000 | -46,000 |
Martino Lays it Down on the River
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
There was over 80,000 already in the pot and the board showed 
.
Franky Martino was in the big blind and bet out 32,000. His opponent in the hand was seated in middle position and pondered over his decision for a minute. He finally let out a sigh before moving all in for 130,000.
The bet took Martino by surprise and he began asking his opponent a series of questions which found little response.
Martino eventually folded and exposed his in the process.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
240,000 | -78,000 |
Kempson and King Clash
Level 15
: 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
On a flop of 
Michael King checked from the big blind. Corey Kempson was in the hijack and bet 12,500. King then re-raised to 36,000. Kempson called.
The turn brought the and King fired out 70,000. Kempson stared King down and called.
Both players then opted to check the on the river.
King tabled 
for ace-high before Kempson revealed for a pair and the winning hand.
In the following hand Kempson opened to 10,500 from middle position and was called by Michael Fraser in the cutoff as well as King in the big blind.
The three checked the 
flop as well as the 
on the turn.
The completed the board and King tossed out 35,000. Only Kempson made the call.
King then tabled his 
and took down the pot with a higher flush then the board was showing after Kempson mucked his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
475,000 | 120,000 |
|
390,000 | -10,000 |