AU$500 Opening Event
Day 3 Started
AU$500 Opening Event
Day 3 Started
The final nine players in the Opening Event will be returning today at 4pm to play for not only the $112,171 first prize but also the prestigious WSOP gold circuit ring.
The first event of the WSOP International Circuit series here at The Star in Sydney will be giving a minimum of $11,118 to the final table and a pay jumps will be happening after every elimination, with the top three getting a $50,000+ payday.
The final table has two recognizable names in Zhi Ma and Chad Awerbuch, who both have a wealth of tournament experience and results to show. Even as two of the three shortest stacks, they will be hard to beat. Ma has over $320,000 in tournament earnings with his best result coming this year at the Sydney Championships where he finished in second place in the $5k challenge for $120,000. Awerbuch has a dozen five-figure scores to his name, his best coming when he finished fourth in the $5,000 NLHE Main Event during the Star Poker Series in Sydney in 2012 collecting $54,506. A top-two finish today will see him top that.
But everyone will be chasing one man, chip leader Jun Wang. The relatively unknown Wang had a dominant Day 2 eventually bagging the chip lead after taking out 10th place finisher Stan L. in the final hand of the evening.
Final Table Seat Draw
Seat | Player | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Malcolm Trayner | 4,535,000 | 45 |
2 | Johnathan Hargrave | 1,945,000 | 19 |
3 | Chad Awerbuch | 1,350,000 | 14 |
4 | Zhi Ma | 1,025,000 | 10 |
5 | Jun Wang | 5,425,000 | 54 |
6 | Shan Jiang | 1,485,000 | 15 |
7 | Alex Falon | 3,340,000 | 33 |
8 | George Mitri | 1,190,000 | 12 |
9 | Chu Ong | 1,490,000 | 15 |
Final Table Payouts
Place | Prize (AUD) |
---|---|
1 | $112,171 |
2 | $69,528 |
3 | $50,950 |
4 | $38,734 |
5 | $29,487 |
6 | $22,710 |
7 | $17,694 |
8 | $13,944 |
9 | $11,118 |
The PokerNews team will be covering this and every other event of the WSOP series. So get ready for some rail fun today.
Level: 27
Blinds: 50,000/100,000
Ante: 10,000
The final players have taken their seats and have begun play.
Zhi Ma moved all in on the first hand for 1,015,000 from under the gun plus one. The action folded around to Malcolm Trayner in the small blind who raised to 2,050,000 forcing a fold from Chad Awerbuch in the big blind.
Zhi Ma:
Malcolm Trayner:
The flop fell giving Trayner the lead with a set of queens and putting Ma at risk.
Ma then watched as the board ran out the then to give him a straight on the river to double up.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Zhi Ma | 2,220,000 | 1,195,000 |
Malcolm Trayner | 2,210,000 | -2,325,000 |
George Mitri moved all in for 1,300,000 from middle position before Malcolm Trayner came over the top announcing all in from the hijack. The button and blinds folded before the cards were tabled.
Malcolm Trayner:
George Mitri:
The board ran out to see Trayner extend his lead to a pair on the flop resulting in him winning the pot and taking out his second opponent of the day.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Malcolm Trayner | 4,850,000 | 2,640,000 |
George Mitri | Busted |
Johnathan Hargrave raised to 225,000 from under the gun before Chad Awerbuch moved all in for 1,120,000 from middle position. Shan Jiang was in the cutoff and he re-raised all in for around 2,000,000 in chips. Hargrave folded his hand when the action fell back on him.
Shan Jiang:
Chad Awerbuch:
Awerbuch was in the lead until the board ran out to see Jiang spike a jack on the turn giving him a set of jacks and the winning and sending Awerbuch to the rail in 8th place.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Shan Jiang | 3,600,000 | 2,115,000 |
Chad Awerbuch | Busted |
Chu Ong raised to 250,000 from the hijack and was called by Zhi Ma in the small blind.
The flop came and Ma checked. Ong bet 225,000. Ma then moved all in for 1,150,000 in chips.
Ma thought for a moment then moved his cards forward, which looked like a fold, before dragging them back.
The table spoke up about the angle-shoot as Ong still kept his option.
"Is that not cool?" asked Ong.
The dealer and tournament director had a word to Ong before he finally opted to fold.
"That was not an angle-shoot," pleaded Ong after the hand. He apologized to Ma and the rest of the table before receiving a caution moving forward.
Jun Wang raised to 225,000 from the button and was called by Alex Falon in the small blind.
The flop came and Falon checked. Wang bet 300,000. Falon raised to 600,000. Wang called.
The turn brought the and Falon moved all in and was quickly called.
Jun Wang:
Alex Falon:
Falon had made a move and was caught by Wang. He was live to the river but the only improved Wang's hand to a flush resulting in Falon being eliminated.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jun Wang | 7,500,000 | 2,075,000 |
Alex Falon | Busted |