WPPT Gold Coast Main Event top three placegetters (from left) Minh Nguyen (second),
winner Tristan Bain and Kelsey Hendriks (third) – pic: www.wppt.co
Tristan Bain turned in one of the most dominant displays in recent Australian tournament poker history with his wire-to-wire victory in the World Professional Poker Tour (WPPT) Gold Coast Main Event.
After starting the day with a narrow chip lead over Minh Nguyen, the same two players contested the heads-up duel but it took Bain only 10 hands to dispatch his rival.
On a flop of 4d-9h-10h, Nguyen bet 175,000, Bain re-raised to 435,000, Nguyen pushed all-in and Bain, who had him covered, called. Bain turned over 10d-9d for two pair while Nguyen was looking for a jack to make a straight or better two-pair. The turn 6s and river 2c were no help sending Minh to the rail as runner-up. Bain pocketed $84,032 and a place in poker history as the first Aussie WPPT champion while Minh Nguyen earned $54,944 for second place.
Bain’s charge to victory, which started with a dominant display on day 1A, started impressively after he claimed the scalp of Mick Glen. The pocket nines of Bain prevailed over the A-K of the Tweed Heads player, who took home $11,312 for ninth.
Next to go was Jack Drake, who committed the last of chips with Ac-9d. Bain called, and while his Js-6s started behind, a J on the flop was enough to take the pot and send Drake home in eighth ($14,544).
Duncan McKinnon then collected $17,778 after being knocked out in seventh place. Attempting to steal the blinds and antes with 8h-4s, McKinnon found Leo Boxell holding pockets queens, which improved to a full-house on the flop.
Graeme Putt added another big payout to a long and decorated tournament CV, winning $21,008 for sixth. Putt moved all in with As-Js and was called by Minh Nguyen holding 6c 9s. The flop ran out 6d 5s 4s putting Minh in the lead. The 7c on the turn and the river was the 8c making Nguyen a straight.
Bain also claimed the next two scalps – Australian Poker Hall of Fame member Leo Boxell was eliminated in fifth ($24,240) while Brian Peak departed in fourth ($30,704) after rivering two-pair against Peak’s top-pair, top-kicker.
Kelsey Hendriks earned $37,168 for third after coming out on the wrong side of one of the biggest pots of the tournament. He raised to 60,000 pre-flop, Nguyen made it 155,000, Bain called then Hendriks announced all-in for an additional 553,000. Nguyen made the quick call and Bain folded. It was pocket kings for Nguyen against Hendriks’ pocket eights. The board flowed 7x-3x-6x-6x-Jx to decide the top two finishers.
PMA would like to thank Mitch Caton for his reports from Jupiters Hotel and Casino over the past five days, and we’d also like to congratulate WPPT CEO Serge Mazza on a successful event after weathering plenty of criticism for the opening WPPT tournament in Goa. Here’s hoping the momentum continues when the WPPT reconvenes at the Perla Hotel and Casino (Europe’s largest) for the €2200 WPPT Nova Gorica Main Event from April 4-8.
WPPT Gold Coast Main Event payouts
1 Tristan Bain $84,032
2 Minh Hau Nguyen $54,944
3 Kelsey Hendriks $37,168
4 Brian Peak $30,704
5 Leo Boxell $24,240
6 Graeme Putt $21,008
7 Duncan McKinnon $17,778
8 Jack Drake $14,544
9 Mick Glen $11,312
10 Eric Sclavos $8080
11 Hung Tu Wang $6464
12 Kent Hunter $6464
13 Nicholas Nicolaou $6464
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