AU$500 Opening Event
Day 1a Completed
2018 WSOP International Circuit The Star Sydney
AU$500 Opening Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2018 WSOP International Circuit The Star Sydney
Buy-in
500 AUD
Entries
1,444
Level
33
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
40,000
Michael Hala Bags the Monster Lead at the End of Day 1a
Level 12
: 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
Day 1a of the $500 Opening Event at The Star in Sydney has come to an end. Michael Hala bagged the chip lead as the only player above 300,000. Actually, he was the only player above 200,000 with his nearest rival a staggering 155,000 chips behind. Hala went unnoticed for most of the day, however, a dealer filled the media team in saying that in the stretch of an hour that he was dealing to him he saw at least half a dozen eliminations.
There was a total of 296 entries to take to the felt today, in what was an action-packed day inside the Poker Room. After a long 12 levels of play, only 56 players survived to advance to Day 2 on Saturday. Haoran Zhang (124,200) had a stack hovering around 200,000 towards the end of the day, however he was involved in a big hand against Trevor Saunders (138,000) that saw his pocket tens out-flopped by Saunders’ jack-nine for top two pair.
The top five stacks trailing Hala include Jonathon Maurer (186,900), Laurence Hall (171,900), Russell Thio (163,900) Jie Wu (155,600) and Jun Wang (141,400).
There were many notables fortunate to find a bag at the end of the day, including Kan Liu (137,000) Malcolm Tayner (111,100) Jesse Mason (92,100) Ken Demlakian (67,300), Eric Assadourian (45,000) and Sam Khoueis (22,200).
A few of those that were eliminated throughout the course of the day were Paul Murray, Daniel Laidlaw, Antonis Kambouroglou, Michael O’Grady and Paul Tartak.
A full list of those moving on to Day 2, which will be played on Saturday, December 1, will be posted when it becomes available. The action will resume on Wednesday at 6:15pm with Day 1b of the WSOP Circuit Opening Event in Sydney.
End-of-Day Chip Counts
Level 12
: 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
Final Three Hands!
Level 12
: 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
The tournament clock has stopped with ten minutes remaining in tonight's play. The remaining 62 players will play three more hands before bagging up for the night.
Saunders Doubles Through Zhang
Level 12
: 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
Kan Liu raised to 3,200 from the hijack and was called by Trevor Saunders in the cutoff. The button and Malcolm Trayner in the small blind also called before Haoran Zhang re-raised to 10,500 from the big blind. Only Saunders called leaving the two to battle heads up.
The flop came 
and Zhang continued with a bet of 16,000. Saunders then moved all in for 56,000 and was called.
Saunders: 
Zhang: 
Saunder had flopped top two-pair and took down the pot as the turn and river didn't bring any help to Zhang and his pocket pair.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
160,000 | 4,000 |
|
140,000 | 2,000 |
|
100,000 | -98,000 |
Hamkin's Last Level Antics
Level 12
: 1,000/2,000, 300 ante
The player in the hijack raised to 4,200 and was called by Adam Hamkin in the small blind as well as the player in the big blind.
All three players checked the 
flop before the dropped on the turn. Hamkin bet out 2,000 and both his opponent's called.
The 
completed the board and Hamkin splashed out 6,000. The big blind thought for a minute then mucked his hand. The player in the hijack took a little longer with what seemed like a tough decision.
"You show me if I fold?" asked the hijack.
"One time," replied Hamkin, as he watched his opponent then toss his cards into the muck.
Hamkin then tabled his 
for two pair with an ace-kicker and raked in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
154,000 | 30,000 |
Level: 12
Blinds: 1,000/2,000
Ante: 300
Wong Takes One Out
Level 11
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
The player in middle position raised to 3,500 before Amanda Wong moved all in out of turn from the hijack. The player in-between had not yet acted then opted to move all in for less. The ruling was that Wong could only match the 15,800 by her opponent. It didn't matter as the action folded back around the table before both players tabled their cards.
Wong: 
Opponent: 
The board ran out 
to see Wong hold with her pocket pair and take down the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
66,000 |
Zhang With the Double Knockout
Level 11
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
Two players had moved all in preflop and were waiting as Trevor Saunders took on Haoran Zhang on a flop of 
.
Saunders checked over to Zhang who bet out 12,000. Saunders thought for a minute before opting to fold.
Zhang: 
Opponent #1:
Opponent #2: 
Zhang locked up the pot when the 
dropped on the turn giving him an unbeatable set of kings. The meaningless 
completed the board and two players were sent to the rail.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
198,000 | 48,000 |
|
|
55,000 | -13,000 |
Hall Snaps it Off
Level 11
: 800/1,600, 200 ante
The board showed 
and the big blind bet 3,700 which was matched by Laurence Hall in middle position.
The completed the board and the big blind fired out another 6,600. Hall snap called and showed 
for two pair and the winning hand after his opponent mucked his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
160,000 | 56,000 |