AU$5,000 Challenge
Day 1 Started
2018 WSOP International Circuit The Star Sydney
AU$5,000 Challenge
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
2018 WSOP International Circuit The Star Sydney
Buy-in
5,000 AUD
Entries
205
Level
21
Blinds
20,000 / 40,000
Ante
40,000
The $5,000 Challenge at WSOPC Star Sydney Begins Today
The $5,000 Challenge at the World Series of Poker International Circuit stop in Sydney, Australia begins Wednesday on December 5, 2018 at 2:15 p.m. local time which is just a few hours away.
Last year's $5,000 challenge brought out a total of 229 entrants, creating a prizepool of over $1,000,000. Topping the field was Brendon Rubie who locked up the first place prize of $271,952 and his first World Series of Poker Circuit ring. This finish marked Rubie's second deep run in this event after coming in second in 2016 as well. Only time will tell if he'll be back to defend his title once again.
The $5,000 Challenge will feature a big blind ante and will be a two-day event. Players will start on Day 1 with 25,000 chips and levels starting at 100/200 with a 200 ante from the big blind. This event also features a guarantee of $1,000,000 matching last year's guarantee. The plan for Day 1 is for players to play 14, 45-minute levels with a break after every three levels and a 30-minute extended break after level 9. Players will have the option to re-enter until the start of level 10.
PokerNews will be here throughout the day with coverage from the event so make sure to stay tuned so you don't miss a thing.
Level: 1
Blinds: 100/200
Ante: 200
Shuffle Up and Deal!
Level 1
: 100/200, 200 ante
Cards are now in the air for Day 1 of the $5,000 Challenge at World Series of Poker International Circuit at The Star Sydney.
The Early Birds
Level 1
: 100/200, 200 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
||
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
|
||
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
|
||
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
|
25,000 | |
Blatt Chipping Up Early
Level 1
: 100/200, 200 ante
Action folded around to the blinds and Dean Blatt raised to 600 from the small blind. The player in big blind called and it was heads up to the flop between the two blinds.
On the 
flop, Blatt decided to check. The player in the big blind followed up with a bet of 800. Blatt called.
The turn was the 
, putting four hearts on the board. Blatt continued to check and the big blind checked behind this time.
The 
came on the river pairing the board. Blatt decided to lead out, making it 2,200. The big blind didn't think for too long before folding his hand. Blatt took down the pot and chipped up to just under 30,000, starting off well and moving over the 25,000 chip starting stack.
Blatt is well known on the Australian circuit and has nearly $1,000,000 in lifetime recorded winnings.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
29,000
4,000
|
4,000 |
Graham Cripples Colman, Eliminated Shortly After
Level 1
: 100/200, 200 ante
Jarred Graham and Julius Colman committed all their chips in on the turn with the board showing 
.
Graham held 
and had taken the lead with a set against Colman's 
.
The river produced the 
and Graham doubled up.
Colman was left with just 600 in chips following the hand and was eliminated several hands later.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
50,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
A Near Double For Bain
Level 1
: 100/200, 200 ante
Action was on the turn with nearly 4,000 already in the pot and the board showing 
. Samuel Higgs was in early position and he put out a bet of 3,300. Tristan Bain was on the button and he raised making it 9,000. Higgs tanked for a bit then called.
The river was the 
and Higgs checked. Bain then put out a bet of 13,000. Higgs tanked for quite some time but eventually called, putting in most of his stack. Bain then showed his 
for a flopped flush draw that turned into a straight on the turn. His straight was good enough and he was able to take down the big pot to nearly double up, putting him right around 50,000 chips. Higgs was left with a short stack after the hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
49,000
24,000
|
24,000 |
|
6,000
6,000
|
6,000 |
Defending Champion Chipping Up Early
Level 1
: 100/200, 200 ante
Michael O'Grady raised to 500 from middle position before the defending champion of this event, Brendon Rubie, re-raised to 1,700 from the cutoff. O'Grady called.
Both players checked the 
flop before the dropped on the turn.
O'Grady checked. Rubie reached for his chips and bet 1,400. O'Grady mucked shortly after.
Broom Takes From Rafferty
Level 1
: 100/200, 200 ante
James Broom raised to 500 from the cutoff before Tom Rafferty raised to 1,600 from the button. Broom called after the blinds got out of the way.
The flop came and Broom checked. Rafferty bet 1,100. Broom called.
Both players checked the on the turn before the 
completed the board.
Broom then tossed out 5,100 in chips. Rafferty thought for a minute and called.
Broom then confidently tabled 
for two pair and took down the pot after Rafferty mucked his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
27,200
2,200
|
2,200 |
|
12,300
-12,700
|
-12,700 |