AU$5,000 Challenge Day 1 | 2019 WSOP International Circuit The Star Sydney

11-28-2019 15:20 UTC+10

Karamalikis Climbing Back

Ben Wilson

Level 3 : 200/400, 400 ante

Jonathan Karamalikis is making a recovery after a less than stellar start, taking down a pot from tablemate Jarrod Thatcher.

The action was picked up on the turn with the community cards spread and over 4,000 in the pot already, with Karamalikis leading out for 2,700 from the big blind.

Thatcher stared him down for a few seconds before tossing in the call and the dealer burned and turned the river, which saw the action go check, check.

First to act, Karamalikis rolled over for trips, which was good for the pot after Thatcher folded.

11-28-2019 15:15 UTC+10

Rubie Eliminated by Kambouroglou

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Level 3 : 200/400, 400 ante

Brendon Rubie raised to 900 from the hijack and was called by Mehta Pratik in the cutoff. Tony Kambouroglou was on the button and re-raised to 3,600. Rubie thought for a minute before announcing all in for just over 10,000. Pratik immediately mucked his hand. Kambouroglou snap-called and had Rubie covered.

Rubie:
Kambouroglou:

No help came for Rubie against the pocket pair, after the board ran out , ending his tournament just before the first break of the day.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tony Kambouroglou	82,000 26,000	26,000
Brendon Rubie	Busted

Tags: Brendon Rubie Tony Kambouroglou Mehta Pratik

11-28-2019 15:11 UTC+10

Blight Takes From Guerin

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Level 3 : 200/400, 400 ante

Didier Guerin raised to 800 from the button and was called by Craig Blight in the small blind.

Both players checked the flop before the dropped on the turn.

Blight tossed out 1,100. Guerin called.

The completed the board and Blight threw out another 2,200. Guerin took a moment before making the call.

"You have the ten?" asked Blight, before revealing for top pair.

Guerin mucked his hand and Blight was awarded the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Didier Guerin	76,000 4,000	4,000

Craig Blight	45,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: Craig Blight Didier Guerin

11-28-2019 15:10 UTC+10

Khoueis Takes Small One from Jiang

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Ben Wilson

Level 3 : 200/400, 400 ante

We caught Sosia Jiang in action, raising to 900 from the button, with Suzy Khoueis defending from the big blind to take play heads-up to the flop, where the action went check, check.

First to act, Khoueis decided to seize the initiative on the turn with a bet of 1,200, which was good enough to end the hand right then and there, with Jiang making a quick fold.

Player	Chips	Progress
Sosia Jiang	32,000 7,000	7,000
Suzy Khoueis	13,500 11,500	11,500

Tags: Suzy Khoueis Sosia Jiang

11-28-2019 14:59 UTC+10

Issa Bests Seymour

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Level 3 : 200/400, 400 ante

Michael Seymour raised to 900 from middle position and found a call from Paul Issa in the big blind.

The flop came and Issa check-called a continuation bet of 800 from Seymour.

Seymour fired out another 2,200 on the turn and was snap-called.

Both players then checked after the completed the board.

Issa confidently tabled for two pair which was enough to take down the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Paul Issa	35,000 10,000	10,000
Michael Seymour	27,000 2,000	2,000

Tags: Michael Seymour Paul Issa

11-28-2019 14:50 UTC+10

Karamalikis Down

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Ben Wilson

Level 3 : 200/400, 400 ante

Things have not started well for Jonathan Karamalikis, who has dropped down to 11,600 from his initial 25k starting stack. It was Brett Murtagh the man to become the beneficiary of Karamalikis' misfortune, leading out from the big blind into a ~8,000-chip pot on the river for 5,000 with the community cards reading .

Karamalikis (cutoff) thought it over but mucked, with Murtagh obligingly flashing his opponent before scooping in the pot to climb to 35,000 in chips.

Player	Chips	Progress
Brett Murtagh	35,500 35,500	35,500
Jonathan Karamalikis	11,600 13,400	13,400

Level: 3

Blinds: 200/400

Ante: 400

11-28-2019 14:44 UTC+10

Attenborough Can't Make The Hero Call

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Level 2 : 200/300, 300 ante

The board showed and 14,000 had amassed in the pot.

Andrew White was in the big blind and moved all-in for over 40,000 which had Adrian Attenborough's 13,700-stack well covered.

"I've got the worst possible hand to hero with," joked Attenborough, as he deliberated over his decision.

Eventually, Attenborough opted to muck his hand relinquishing the pot to White.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andrew White	60,000 6,000	6,000
Adrian Attenborough	13,700 11,300	11,300

Tags: Andrew White Adrian Attenborough

11-28-2019 14:42 UTC+10

Damelian Sets Up Kim

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Ben Wilson

Level 2 : 200/300, 300 ante

A sizable pot played out between Edward Kim and Robert Damelian that saw the latter send the former to the rail.

Action was picked up on the river with the board reading , though according to Damelian (after the hand played out) all the chips went in on the turn.

It proved to be a bit of a set-up hand for Kim who had flopped a set holding , only for the turn to give Damelian, holding a bigger set to send Kim crashing out, while Damelian stacked up to 43,000.

Player	Chips	Progress
Robert Damelian	43,000 18,000	18,000
[Removed:112]	Busted

Tags: Robert Damelian

11-28-2019 14:25 UTC+10

Defending Champion and Karamalikis in the Running

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Ben Wilson

Level 2 : 200/300, 300 ante

The field has grown to 119 and with entry remaining open for another six and a half hours, beating the 216 entries from the 2018 edition looks like a distinct possibility.

Defending champion Matthew Wakeman one of the more recent entries. With over US$1.29m in live tournament winnings, Wakeman is a seasoned player and will be hoping for a repeat of his victory last year, which was good for AU$256,496.

Another veteran in the running is Jonathan Karamalikis, who is another new entry. Currently sitting at #6 on the Australia All Time Money List with over US$4.36m in live tournament winnings Karamalikis will be looking to add to his tally of 12 live tournament titles.

New Zealand's Sosia Jiang is another recent arrival, and the #2 ranked New Zealand player will be looking to add to her US$1.42m in live tournament winnings.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jonathan Karamalikis	25,000 25,000	25,000
Matthew Wakeman	25,000 25,000	25,000
Sosia Jiang	25,000 25,000	25,000

Tags: Jonathan Karamalikis Matthew Wakeman Sosia Jiang