Andrew Zhang Tops Day 1d of the Main Event
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.
and Obst continued for 7,500. His opponent quickly called. 
and Obst gathered 26,000 and slid it forward. His opponent called. 
completed the board and Obst announced all in for around 65,000. His opponent snap-called with more behind. 
for top pair. His opponent flipped over 
for the nut flush and the winning hand.
and the action checked to Portaro who tossed out 7,000. Chahine then moved all in for around 120,000 which had both opponents covered. The under the gun player folded. Portaro deliberated for over a minute before calling off with 82,000 behind. 
then 
to see Portaro hit the rail after not being able to improve. 
and Jason Gilbert checked from the big blind. Alan Zheng then moved all in for around 27,000 from the big blind. Gilbert snap-called. 
on the river changed nothing and Zheng was sent to the rail. 
Mark Rebeira had moved all-in from the small blind for 98,300 and his opponent in the hand Chris 'the crusher' White was waiting for a count of Rebeira's stack. 
turn and 
river were not all that helpful and Rebeira took a big hit to drop to 20,000, while White stacked up to 200,000 with that timely gift.
for two pair.
, improving Xu to a higher pair on the flop, resulting in Campbell's pocket kings being cracked sending the 2019 WSOP POY to the rail early in proceedings.
