AU$2,200 Main Event
Day 3 Completed
2018 WSOP International Circuit The Star Sydney
AU$2,200 Main Event
Day: 3
Alex Lynskey Makes Final Table in the WSOPC Sydney Main Event, Rastogi Leads
Level 29
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
The massive 1,191-strong WSOP International Circuit Sydney $2,200 Main Event field has been whittled down to just nine players, all vying for the lion's share of the $2,382,000 prize pool and the gold ring. In addition to the desirable piece of jewellery, the winner will also walk away with the $422,976 top prize.
With the elimination of Ricky Kroesen, who ran pocket jacks into the ace-nine of Luke Martinelli to depart in 10th place after an ace spiked on the flop, the Final Table is now set. Leading the way is Rahul Rastogi with an impressive stack of 7,935,000, almost a million more than his nearest rival.
Rastogi has a stack of live cashes on his Hendon Mob totalling $85,234. He is now guaranteed at least $41,733 which passes his highest previous cash of $30,619 and will return tomorrow to battle it out for the $422,976 first prize money and the coveted WSOP ring.
Alex Lynskey sits in third with $5,520,000 and his poker resume stacks up with the best of them. Lynskey has earned more than $3,400,000 in live tournaments with the bulk of that coming earlier this year when he finished 7th at the WSOP Main Event pocketing $1,500,000 for his efforts.
Also still in the hunt is recent WSOPC $20,000 High Roller champion Luke Martinelli. Martinelli was active for most of Day 3 and will return with 5,245,000 and his sights set on a second WSOP circuit ring in the space of one week.
Also making the final are Matt Pongrass, Cameron Chen, Barry Forrester, Sam Capra, Justin Layden and John Sormi.
The final nine WSOPC Sydney Main Event players will return on Monday, 17 December, at 12:30pm local time in the poker room at The Star to resume play on the Main Stage. If the Day 3 action was any indication of what's in store there should be some scintillating poker left to be played out at the Final Table and the PokerNews live reporting team will be on hand to bring you all the action.
Coverage will be brought to you from the delayed stream so as to avoid spoilers of the action.
*The table draw will be done overnight and posted first thing in the morning*
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
7,935,000 | -20,000 |
|
6,950,000 | -100,000 |
|
5,520,000 | 490,000 |
|
5,245,000 | 395,000 |
|
3,150,000 | -140,000 |
|
3,105,000 | 1,200,000 |
|
2,155,000 | -20,000 |
|
1,815,000 | -220,000 |
|
1,550,000 | -20,000 |
Ricky Kroesen Eliminated in 10th Place ($33,634)
Level 29
: 60,000/120,000, 20,000 ante
Luke Martinelli raised to 250,000 from under the gun before the action folded around to Ricky Kroesen in the big blind. He moved all in for 1,275,000. Martinelli thought for a minute and called to put Kroesen at risk.
Luke Martinelli: 
Ricky Kroesen: 
The board ran out 
to see Martinelli spike an ace on the flop and improve to two pair on the turn.
Kroesen would fall one place short of the final table collecting $33,634 for his 10th place finish.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Level: 29
Blinds: 60,000/120,000
Ante: 20,000
Updated Chip Counts at the Break
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,955,000 | 435,000 |
|
|
7,050,000 | 350,000 |
|
|
5,030,000 | -1,195,000 |
|
|
4,850,000 | 1,925,000 |
|
|
3,290,000 | 280,000 |
|
|
2,175,000 | -1,025,000 |
|
|
2,035,000 | -195,000 |
|
|
1,905,000 | 160,000 |
|
|
1,570,000 | 1,120,000 |
|
|
1,565,000 | -215,000 |
Break Time
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
The remaining ten players are on another 10-minute break.
Pongrass and Kroesen Battle
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
On a flop of 
Alex Lynskey checked from the big blind. Matt Pongrass bet 450,000. Ricky Kroesen thought for over a minute and called. Lynskey got out of the way.
The turn fell the 
and Pongrass bet 425,000. Kroesen called.
The 
completed the board and Pongrass bet 550,000. Again Kroesen went into the tank before eventually calling.
Pongrass tabled 
for two pair and took down the pot after Kroesen tossed his cards into the muck.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,700,000 | 3,200,000 |
|
|
1,780,000 | -2,125,000 |
Lior Segre Eliminated in 11th Place ($33,634)
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
On a flop of 
Lior Segre checked from the big blind. Rahul Rastogi bet 150,000 from the cutoff. Segre called.
Both player checked the 
on the turn before the 
completed the board.
Segre bet 575,000. Rastogi thought for a minute before announcing all in. Segre called a moment later with less behind.
Rastogi flipped over for a straight.
Segre looked shocked tabling 
for a set before accepting his fate.
The field is down to ten. One more elimination before a final table of nine is set.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,520,000 | 1,620,000 |
|
Busted |
Layden Doubles Through Sormi
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Justin Layden moved all in for 1,455,000 from the cutoff before the decision fell on John Sormi.
"Squeeze time," he announced, before he picked up his cards.
He was happy with the first card before he peeled the card behind and snap-called.
Justin Layden: 
John Sormi:
"Good lucky buddy," said Sormi genuinely, before the dealer produced the 
flop sending Layden to the lead with a set.
"There you go," Sormi added, before the board ran out the 
and to see his aces get cracked dropping him to 450,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,010,000 | 1,035,000 |
|
|
450,000 | -2,125,000 |
Martinelli Pressures Pongrass
Level 28
: 50,000/100,000, 10,000 ante
Matt Pongrass raised to 225,000 from the cutoff and was called by Luke Martinelli in the big blind.
Both players checked the flop before the dropped on the turn. Martinelli bet 275,000. Pongrass called.
The 
completed the board and Martinelli immediately reached for his chips and bet out 825,000.
Pongrass shook his dead in disgust before mucking his hand a moment later.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
3,500,000 | -100,000 |
|
|
2,925,000 | 615,000 |