Level: 32
Blinds: 120,000/240,000
Ante: 240,000
2019 WSOP International Circuit The Star Sydney
AU$2,200 Main Event
Day: 4
Zhou Bests Zwaine
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
John Zwaine raised to 400,000 from under the gun. Steven Zhou called from the big blind.
The flop came 
and Zhou checked. Zwaine continued for 400,000. Zhou called.
Zhou checked dark before the 
dropped on the turn. Zwaine fired out 750,000. Zhou snap-called.
Both players then opted to check after the 
completed the board.
Zhou tabled 
for two pair, and took down the pot, after Zwaine showed 
for a lesser two pair.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
12,300,000 | 2,600,000 |
|
4,000,000 | -3,400,000 |
The Deal
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
The four remaining players have come to an accord, deciding on an ICM chop of the remaining prize pool and are now just playing it out for the World Series Circuit Ring, and of course the all-important bragging rights of becoming the 2019 WSOPC The Star Sydney Main Event champion.
The original top four payments were as follows:
| Place | Prize (AUD) | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 410,264 AUD | $280,650 |
| 2 | 253,395 AUD | $173,340 |
| 3 | 188,292 AUD | $128,805 |
| 4 | 141,624 AUD | $96,881 |
After crunching the numbers, the four remaining players decided upon the following payouts, regardless of where they finish:
| Name | Prize (AUD) | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Edwin Chiu | $269,550 | $184,215 |
| Steven Zhou | $260,904 | $178,305 |
| John Zwaine | $239,007 | $163,340 |
| Lior Segre | $224,114 | $153,170 |
Chao Duan Eliminated in 5th Place (AU$107,837/~$73,768)
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Five became four midway through the first level back from the dinner break, with Chao Duan moving all-in for 2.3-million from the cutoff and finding a customer in small blind Steven Zhou.
Chao Duan: 
Steven Zhou: 
Duan was behind and at risk and found no help on the 
runout to hit the rail in fifth place for AU$107,837.
With just four players remaining the big blind ante has been halved, coming in at 100,000.
The rest of the players began discussing the possibility of an ICM deal following Duan's exit and as a result we have some accurate chip counts for you:
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
10,725,000 | -300,000 |
|
|
9,700,000 | 2,700,000 |
|
|
7,400,000 | 2,035,000 |
|
6,050,000 | -50,000 |
|
Busted |
Zhou Trips Up Duan
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Chao Duan raised to 425,000 from the button. Steven Zhou called from the big blind.
Both players checked the 
flop before the 
dropped on the turn.
Zhou bet 675,000. Duan called.
Zhou then checked dark before the dealer produced the 
on the river.
Duan had sat motionless for about a minute before realising that the dealer was waiting on him to act.
"Did he check?" asked Duan, who hadn't noticed the check. He then fired out 1,200,000. Zhou snap-called.
Duan tabled 
for two pair. Zhou then flipped over 
for trip nines and the winning hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,000,000 | 2,400,000 |
|
|
2,300,000 | -3,385,000 |
Segre Doubles Through Chiu
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Lior Segre has climbed back into contention with a timely double-up through chip leader Edwin Chiu.
It was Segre the man in the driver's seat, moving all-in from the button for 2,875,000 in total. After asking for a count, Edwin Chiu slid out the call to put Segre at-risk and the two tabled their cards.
Lior Segre: 
Edwin Chiu: 
Segre had the best of it, his big slick dominating Chiu's suited ace, though the latter gave him a sweat on the turn with a possible backdoor diamond draw on the 
runout.
However, Segre's hand held and he doubled to 6.1 million, although Chiu still comfortably holds the lead with a stack of just over 11 million.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
11,025,000 | -2,875,000 |
|
|
6,100,000 | 2,515,000 |
Zhou Doubles Through Chiu
Level 31
: 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Edwin Chiu raised to 425,000 from under the gun. Steven Zhou moved all in for 2,050,000 from the cutoff. John Zwaine tanked for over a minute from the button before releasing his hand. Chiu asked for a count then made the call.
Zhou: 
Chiu:
Both players had the same hand. However, the board ran out 
, improving Zhou to a flush and the winning hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
13,900,000 | -2,790,000 |
|
|
4,600,000 | 1,940,000 |
Level: 31
Blinds: 100,000/200,000
Ante: 200,000
Extended Break; Updated Chip Counts
Level 30
: 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
The remaining five players are on an extended 30-minute break.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
16,690,000 | 1,290,000 |
|
|
5,685,000 | 1,785,000 |
|
|
5,365,000 | -625,000 |
|
|
3,585,000 | -215,000 |
|
|
2,660,000 | -340,000 |
Zhou Active Before Break
Level 30
: 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
Steven Zhou upped the aggression just before the break, opening several hands in a row.
The first saw Zhou pop it up to 375,000 from the button with Lior Segre defending from the big blind to bring the pair to a flop of 
, which Zhou took down with a 375,000 continuation bet.
The next hand saw Zhou make it 400,000 to go from the cutoff, with Segre moving all-in from the small blind for 2,865,000. After asking for a count Zhou decided to pick a better spot and mucked.
The following hand saw Zhou make it 400,000 from under-the-gun with Edwin Chiu calling from the big blind to take play heads-up to a flop of 
, with Zhou taking down the pot with an all-in shove when Chiu checked the action over.
Duan Chao won the next hand, opening to 325,000 on the button, with Zhou calling from the big blind to take play heads-up to a flop of 
. Zhou check folded to Duan's 225,000 continuation bet.
The last hand before the break saw Edwin Chiu make it 350,000 to go from the button with Zhou and John Zwaine calling from the small and big blind respectively.
All three players checked the 
flop, with Zhou taking a stab for 425,000 on the turn. Chiu called and both players checked the 
river, with Chiu taking down the pot with 
after Zhou showed down .