AU$2,200 Main Event
Day 1d Completed
2019 WSOP International Circuit The Star Sydney
AU$2,200 Main Event
Day: 1d
Andrew Zhang Tops Day 1d of the Main Event
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
The fourth and final starting flight of the 2019 World Series of Poker International Circuit The Star Sydney Main Event is in the books and it proved to be the busiest flight by far, with 405 total entries in by the time registration closed at the end level nine.
This brings the total field size up to 1,124, which is 24 more than was needed to reach the AU$2.2M Main Event guarantee. By the time the fourteen 45-minute levels were done and dusted just 64 players were successful in their quest to lock up a Day 2 berth.
The man to climb the highest was Andrew Zhang, who made his play for the top of the podium during the last two levels, with the Christopher Zenonos just one of the many players Zhang gunned down on his way to the top, a flopped king-high flush aiding the latter in his climb to the top of the counts.
Zhang bagged up a sizable 680,500, which puts him second in the overall pecking order, behind Day 1a frontrunner Diarmuid O'Kane, who will be returning for Day 2 with the overall chip lead and a stack of 968,500.
Jo Snell was another man to enjoy the rub of the green, railing Leo Chan in one of the most brutal hands of the day during the last level played. Chan had flopped a set of fours, improving to a full house when an eight paired the turn, which is when all the chips went in. Snell, holding seven-eight, made a bigger boat on the river to sink the unfortunate Chan's tournament and bag up the second largest stack of 505,000.
Vincent Xu rounded out the top three after a stellar day at the feature table, briefly claiming the chip lead by eliminating Saidal Wardak in another sick hand. Xu, holding pocket tens, hit a set on a queen-ten-seven flop, with all the chips going in on the river after running sevens completed the hand. Wardak, holding pocket kings, had also hit a full house, but not as big as Xu's, with the latter concluding play with 473,500.
Other notables to survive included Simon Chahine (314,500), 2018 Main Event finalist Sam Capra (264,000), Aussie Hall of Famer Gary Benson (242,000), Daniel Laidlaw (158,000), High Roller champion Jonathan Karamalikis (115,000), Corey Kempson (83,000) and Adrian Attenborough (78,500).
Familiar faces unable to make the cut included 2019 World Series Player of the Year Robert Campbell, defending champion Alex Lynskey, 2017 Aussie Millions champion Shurane Vijayaram, Mladen Vukovic, Poker Hall of Famers Mel Judah and Leo Boxell and WSOP bracelet holder James Obst.
The 182 Day 1 survivors will unite for the first time for Day 2, which kicks off on Saturday, December 7 at 12:30 p.m. local time, with full coverage available on PokerNews and via the official live stream so join us then.
Notable Chip Counts at the End of the Day
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
680,500 | 60,500 |
|
505,500 | 85,500 |
|
|
473,500 | 73,500 |
|
395,000 | 179,000 |
|
369,500 | |
|
|
340,000 | |
|
323,500 | |
|
315,000 | 235,000 |
|
314,500 | 94,500 |
|
297,500 | -67,500 |
|
293,500 | 130,500 |
|
265,000 | 87,400 |
|
261,000 | 61,900 |
|
246,500 | 91,500 |
|
242,000 | 2,000 |
|
201,500 | 201,500 |
|
|
201,000 | |
|
|
182,500 | |
|
180,000 | |
|
|
162,000 | |
|
161,000 | 83,000 |
|
159,000 | 64,000 |
|
158,000 | 10,000 |
|
153,000 | 73,000 |
|
152,500 | 53,500 |
Last Three Hands
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
The clock has been paused with 10-minute remaining on level 14 and 67 players remaining in the tournament and the last three hands have been announced, with players bagging and tagging after they play out.
Snell Snipes Chan
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Poker can be a cruel game sometimes, a fact that Leo Chan discovered in a rather sick hand against tablemate Jo Snell.
It was Chan who set the ball rolling with an under-the-gun min open, picking up a caller in middle position, Jo Snell on the button and Jonathan Karamalikis in the big blind to take action four-way to a flop of 
.
Not deterred by all those customers, Chan led the flop for 16,000 with Snell the only caller to bring play heads-up to the 
turn.
Chan loaded up another barrel and fired for 35,000 and Snell reached for raising chips, moving a mixed tower of yellow 5k chips and turquoise 25k chips to effectively put Chan all in and the latter called immediately.
Leo Chan: 
Jo Snell: 
It looked to be a dream spot for Chan, who had hit a great flop and the perfect turn, but this quickly turned into a nightmare on the 
river, which gave Snell a bigger boat and sunk Chan's tournament. Snell stacked up to ~420,000 after that timely catch.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
420,000 | 80,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Benson Rockets Up
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
Gary Benson raised to 9,000 from the hijack and was called by the player in the small blind.
The flop came 
and the player in the small blind checked. Benson continued for 10,000. His opponent called.
The turn brought the 
and Benson fired another 15,000 after his opponent checked. The bet was called.
The 
completed the board and Benson was met with a third check in a row. He quickly tossed out 22,000. The bet was snap-called.
"Aces will be good," announced the small blind, after Benson tabled 
, before mucking his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
240,000 | 58,000 |
Obst Gets Flushed
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
James Obst raised to 8,000 from the hijack and was called by the player in the cutoff.
The flop came 
and Obst continued for 7,500. His opponent quickly called.
The turn brought the 
and Obst gathered 26,000 and slid it forward. His opponent called.
The completed the board and Obst announced all in for around 65,000. His opponent snap-called with more behind.
Obst tabled 
for top pair. His opponent flipped over 
for the nut flush and the winning hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted |
Level: 14
Blinds: 2,000/4,000
Ante: 4,000
Zhang On the Rise
Level 13
: 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante
There are some big stacks beginning to grow as the field continues to shrink, with the largest of those belonging to Andrew Zhang who has railed the unfortunate Chris Zenonos to pad out his already ample stack still further.
It was Zhang the man driving the action, min-raising from under-the-gun to 6,000 and picking up callers in the form of Zenonos (small blind) and a player in the big blind.
Both made the call to take the action three-way to a monochrome 
flop, which saw Zenonos and the small blind check it over to Zhang, who continued for 5,000. Zenonos was the only caller.
The turn paired the board and brought another check from Zenonos and another bet from Zhang, this one a slightly larger 11,000, which was again called to bring the action heads-up to the 
river.
Zhang asked Zenonos how much he was playing behind - 55,000 - before pushing out a stack of turquoise 25k chips to put Zenonos all-in. After some time in the tank, Zenonos made the call for his tournament life, and looked distinctly unhappy when Zhang rolled over 
for the flopped flush. Zenonos hit the rail while Zhang stacked up to 620,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
620,000 | 620,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Hall Climbing Back
Level 14
: 2,000/4,000, 4,000 ante
It's getting pushy out on the tournament floor and this has resulted in another double for Bruce Hall; following a short-stacked shove from John Lombardo for 36,000 in the cutoff, Andrian Chin flat called the button before Hall ripped it in from the big blind for 72,000.
That was enough to get Chin to give it up and give Lombardo some protection and the two tabled their hands.
Bruce Hall: 
John Lombardo: 
Lombardo was behind and despite picking up a backdoor spade draw the 
brought his Main Event to a close while Hall stacked up to around 150,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
150,000 | 62,500 |
|
Busted |