Jonathan Karamalikis remains in contention for successive Star Poker December titles
Two tables of nine players will return to the Oasis Room at The Star tomorrow with all eyes on the $270,000 first prize in the Star Poker Summer Series Main Event.
It took almost 10 hours of play to reduce the 121 day two participants down to the final 18, with Andy Lee (who won the $660 buy-in Pot Limit Omaha title earlier in the week) in the box seat with 670,000.
Last year’s champion Jonathan Karamalikis is still in the hunt for a remarkable back-to-back victory but faces stern opposition from big stacks Matviy Bilenky, reigning ANZPT Sydney champion Michael Kanaan and Peter Skouteris while Tom Rafferty is chasing an astounding third final table after finishing ninth in this event in 2008 and third last year.
The list of day two departures included Star Poker ambassadors Grant Levy and Aaron Benton, Australian Poker Hall of Fame members Leo Boxell and Mel Judah, 2011 Aussie Millions champion David Gorr, dual ANZPT Player of the Year Tony Hachem (who fell just three spots short of the money) along with Daniel Laidlaw, Ricky Kroesen, Andrew Scarf, bubble boy Steve Leonard, Jesse McKenzie, Matthew Pearson, Sean Dunwoodie, Jeff Rossiter, Sam Khouiss, Ben Delaney, Graeme Putt, Aleks Brkovic, Daniel Neilson and Joel Dodds.
The sporting and celebrity contingent of Dan Ginnane (Triple M), Benn Robinson (Waratahs) and Robbie Farah (West Tigers) also bowed out on day two. Play resumes at 12.30pm tomorrow in the Oasis Room here at The Star.
Star Poker Summer Series Event 8: $5000 No Limit Hold’em Main Event (164 players; 18 players paid; total prizepool $1 million) day 3 chip count
Andy Lee 670,000
Matviy Bilenky 567,000
Michael Kanaan 474,000
Peter Skouteris 457,000
Jay Malig 389,500
Toby Ryall 374,500
Jonathan Karamalikis 369,500
Mark Wright 332,000
Nick Polias 243,000
George Karageorge 215,000
Dien Nguyen 156,500
Tom Rafferty 150,000
Antonis Kambouroglou 143,500
Michael O’Grady 127,500
Ali Khalil 100,000
Lawford Edwards 60,500
Matt Rolfe 84,500
Joseph Alvaro TBA
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