Victorian State Championships

Payouts

Place	Name	Prize
1	Phil King	$4000 + MAIN EVENT seat
2	Sid Bansal	$2200 + MAIN EVENT seat
3	Archie Logan	$1300 + MAIN EVENT seat
4	Jennifer Camilleri	$1000 + MAIN EVENT seat
5	Peter Matthews	$800 + MAIN EVENT seat
6	Shane Peart	$700 + MAIN EVENT seat
7	Pauline Kennedy	$600 + MAIN EVENT seat
8	Dean Schneider	$500 + MAIN EVENT seat
9	Anthony Burton	$500
10	Robert Young	$400
11	Alan Hogg	$400
12	Robert Glavan	$300
13	Pat Dillon	$300
14	Dean Martin	$200
15	Jeremy Duynhoven	$200
16	Judy McKenzie	$150
17	Kirra Clark	$150
18	Brian Carey	$150
19	Jayden Turpin	$125
20	Colin Marriott	$125
21	Tuncay Irtem	$125
22	Jo Seed	$125
23	Les Albutt	$125
24	Doug Berry	$125
25	Michael Johns	$100
26	Gary Devereux	$100
27	Darren Wood	$100
28	John Esera	$100
29	Greg Norton	$100
30	Cameron Huynh	$100
31	Aaron McGuire	$100
32	Robert Kemner	$100

Phil King wins Victorian State Championship

Phil King has beaten 519 players to win the Vic State Champs. The 23-year-old warehouse supervisor had plenty of support on the rail, and held plenty of chips throughout play during the final table. Along with the title, Phil collects $4000 and a MAIN EVENT seat. Congratulations to the players from around the state who all earned their spots in today’s field.

In the final hand, Phil raised pre-flop and Sid Bansal jammed and was called. Chip counts were close but Phil was slightly ahead. Phil tabled 10h-10s and Sid Jh-Qh. The board then came 7c-8h-As-Ah-Kc to send Sid out in second place and officially crown Phil King the winner!

Archie Logan eliminated in 3rd place

The combination of even stacks, three reasonably skilled players and the capping of the blinds brought the Victorian State Championship to a stalemate with three players – Sid Bansal, Archie Logan and Phil King – chasing victory. Hand after hand, the blinds watched a flop with a min-raise generally enough to secure the pot.

But steadily, Archie Logan leaked chips and finally announced all-in with calls from both Phil and Sid for the extra 350k each. The flop came 3c-9h-7s and both checked. The turn fell 10h, and they both checked again. The river was 9d and again, it went check-check. Upon turning the cards over Archie held Kh-4h, Phil Jc-Kc and Sid Qc-10s. Sid’s 10s made a pair, knocking Archie out for a well deserved third place, $1300 and a MAIN EVENT seat.

Latest chip count

Phil King 4,100,000
Sid Bansal 3,700,000

Justine Camilleri eliminated in 4th place

The end has come for Justine Camilleri, who chipped up at the right time of the tournament to carry her stack deep into the final table. Her last stand came with all-in shove after Phil King had opened for 480,000. He called and showed Ah-3d while Camilleri looked in good shape with Ad-10c. But the flop of 2s-3s-Kc, turn As and river 4h sent her to the rail after King paired his 3. She earns a MAIN EVENT seat in addition to $1000 in cash.

Peter Matthews eliminated in 5th place

The gallant run of Peter Matthews (pictured below) has ended in fifth position after finding himself all-in from the big blind. Phil King, Sid Bansal and Archie Logan all went along for the ride, with Logan’s 9-2 connecting the turn 9s to make two-pair and take the pot.

Latest chip count

Sid Bansal 2,800,000
Archie Logan 1,900,000
Phil King 1,850,000
Justine Camilleri 650,000

Shane Peart eliminated in 6th place

Shane Peart (pictured below) has departed in sixth position ($700 plus a MAIN EVENT seat) after pushing all-in with Kd-Jh only to find a call from Sid Bansal, who showed Ah-10s. The board fell six-high, shipping the pot of 3.2 million to Bansal while Peart and his posse hit the road.

Matthews on the mend

Blinds are up to 100,000/200,000 with an ante of 20,000 and are capped at that level until the Victorian State Champs winner is decided. Peter Matthews is grimly hanging to his tournament survival after losing the bulk of his chips to Sid Bansal (J-10 v A-9 on a board of 2-2-10-K-2). Matthews has since doubled twice, most recently when he turned a straight with A-4 on a board of 6-7-5-3-J against the pocket kings of Shane Peart.

Pauline Kennedy eliminated in 7th place

Archie Logan continues his steady climb up the chip count after KOing Pauline Kennedy (pictured below) in seventh place (good for $600 and a MAIN EVENT seat). Logan’s As-Jh was in a race against the pocket sixes of Kennedy, but an ace in the window was enough for him to add her last 250,000 to his stack of 1.35 million.

Latest chip count

Phil King 1,600,000
Archie Logan 1,600,000
Shane Peart 1,100,000
Peter Matthews 1,000,000
Sid Bansal 1,000,000
Justine Camilleri 500,000
Peter Matthews 250,000

Dean Schneider eliminated in 8th place

Dean Schneider’s short stack has been picked off, confirming him as the first of the eight players to earn a MAIN EVENT seat, along with $500. In three-way action, it was Schneider’s Kc-Jd up against the Ah-Kc of Pauline Kennedy and Ah-Qd of Shane Peart. The board flowed 8c-8s-Qc-10d-5c sending Schneider on his way and a nice pot to Peart.

Latest chip count

Justine Camilleri 1,775,000
Archie Logan 1,300,000
Peter Matthews 1,000,000
Phil King 900,000
Sid Bansal 600,000
Pauline Kennedy 500,000
Shane Peart 305,000
Dean Schneider 250,000

Anthony Burton eliminated in 9th place

The MAIN EVENT bubble has been busted with the elimination of Anthony Burton in ninth spot, meaning the top eight finishers will all take part in the Full House Group’s marquee event in September. Burton was all-in for his last 75,000 when Archie Logan bumped it to 250,000 with Peter Matthews making the call.

The flop came Qh-Ks-2d, Logan checked, Matthews bet 250,000 and Logan called. The duo then checked down the turn 3s and river 5c, with Logan showing pocket aces for the pot, while Matthews A-8 and Burton’s A-10 went into the muck. Blinds are now up to 50,000/100,000 with an ante of 10,000.

Robert Young eliminated in 10th place

It didn’t take long for the chips to start flying at the final table, with Phil King taking a big slab of chips from Peter Matthews after betting 500,000 into a board that showed Jc-7c-5s-8d, with Matthews electing to keep his powder dry.

On the next hand, Robert Young (pictured above) shoved all-in with calls from Matthews and King. The flop fell 3h-10s-Qd, Matthews declared all-in and King called. It was Ah-Qc for Matthews, Qh-Jd for King and Young showed Ad-5h. The board ran out 9s 2h, sending the chips back to Matthews he lost the previous hand while Young departed in 10th.

Final table decided

The final table for the first Victorian State Championship of 2012 has been decided, and comprises:

Seat 1: Phil King 1,465,000
Seat 2: Justine Camilleri 1.95 million
Seat 3: Sid Bansal 660,000
Seat 4: Archie Logan 555,000
Seat 5: Peter Matthews 1,305,000
Seat 6: Shane Peart 355,000
Seat 7: Anthony Burton 55,000
Seat 8: Pauline Kennedy 810,000
Seat 9: Dean Schneider 510,000
Seat 10: Robert Young 135,000

Alan Hogg bubbled the final table in 11th (for $400) while Robert Glavan earned $300 for 12th. When the final table kicks-off, the blinds will be at 40,000/80,000 with an ante of 5000. The average stack is just over 645,000.

Dillon is done in 13th

Pat Dillon (pictured below) has achieved another banner result in an 888PL/APL/Pub Poker event after nursing his short stack deep into the money and placing 13th in the Victorian State Championship. He departs the Dingley International with $300. He joins Dean Martin (14th) and Jeremy Duynhoven (15th) as the most recent eliminations, both of who earned $200.

Camilleri comes from the clouds

Justine Camilleri has staked her claim for the Victorian State Championship title having just acquired the chips of former frontrunner Brian Carey. To our best estimates (a non-ninja count) Camilleri holds 1.7 million and pole position for a spot at the final table. We’re down to 15 players after the recent eliminations of Kirra Clark (16th), Judy McKenzie (17th) and Carey (18th).

KOs continue at a rapid rate

Congratulations to our latest departures Jayden Turpin (19th), Colin Marriott (20th), Tuncay Irterm (21st), Jo Seed (22nd), Les Albutt (23rd), all of who take home $125 for a long day’s work. Brian Carey is the chip leader on 1.1 million ahead of Dean Schneider (740,000), Phil King (645,000), Justine Camilleri (625,000), Sid Bansal (620,000) and Pauline Kennedy (600,000). Play will continue until the final table of 10 is decided. Blinds have just ticked up to 30,000/60,000 with an ante of 5000, and the average stack is now above 450,000.

Taking care(y) of business

And just like that, the player who has dominated the day’s play, John Esera, has been sent to the rail by Brian Carey. It took Carey just two hands to acquire all of Esera’s chips, propelling his stack to more than 1.2 million. Esera departed in 28th, and joined other recent departures Greg Norton (29th), Darren Wood (27th), Gary Devereux (26th), Michael Johns (25th) and Doug Berry (24th), who became the first player to take home $125. With 23 players remaining, blinds are now up to 20,000/40,000 with an ante of 5000. The average stack is more than 335,000.

Bubble blows, and we’re in the cash

Joanne Campbell-Dyer (pictured below), representing the Roxburgh Park Hotel, earned the unwanted title of the bubble finisher in the Vic State Champs. She committed the last of her chips pre-flop and received two callers, including chip leader John Esera.

The flop fell K-10-7, Esera declared all-in to the frustration of his opponent, who folded what he said was the best hand. Campbell-Dyer showed pocket queens while Esera revealed K-3 for top pair. Neither the turn nor river helped her and she bowed out 33rd. All players are now assured a minimum of $100.

Esera leads as bubble looms

We started with 519 players but just 34 remain, two short of a guaranteed payout of $100. The rich are getting richer – John Esera holds a dominant chip lead with a stack of 900,000.

No fish in this tournament

It’s dinner time for the 41 players still pursuing the first Vic State Champs title for 2012. Hope no-one wanted fish – they’ve run out! The big man John Esera remains in the chip lead on 530,000 with APL player Dean Schneider emerging from the pack late in the last level – he’s on 460,000. We’re just nine spots short of the money and when players return in about 30 minutes (7.30pm), blinds will be up to 10,000/20,000 with an ante of 2000. The chip average is up to 190,000.

Dillon runs deep again

The “Lucky Irishman” Pat Dillon is a regular fixture in major tournaments both on the pub poker scene and at Crown. His CV includes a top 30 finished in the 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event, and he managed 12th in last year’s ANZPT Melbourne Main Event. In that tournament, Dillon had been down to just three big blinds at the end of day one before launching a remarkable comeback to run deep into the money. It’s been a similar story here today – Dillon was down to just 18,000 but has rallied to 120,000 and we won’t be surprised to see him remain in contention as the evening progresses.

Unlucky 13 set to miss the money

Night has fallen at the Dingley International marking the final stage of the race for the $4000 first prize and one of eight MAIN EVENT seats. Blinds are now at 7000/14,000 with an ante of 1000 and there are 45 players still in the field.

Brian Carey (pictured above) is the new chip leader heading towards the bubble in the Vic State Champs. The Amstel Golf Club regular is on 440,000, with John Esera not far back on 375,000. Others making a charge for one of the 32 spots in the money include George Phokou (Caulfield Glasshouse, 320,000), Phil King (Roxburgh Park Hotel, 260,000) and Aaron McGuire (220,000, Tigers Clubhouse).

Game of skill … sometimes

The clock is ticking down to the dinner break and, with blinds at 5000/10,000 and ante of 1000, the short stacks are feeling the heat like never before. There are 61 players remaining, leaving us 29 spots out of the money. We just watched Jeremy Delany triple up when his A-8 overtook A-J and pocket 10s when the board ran out Q-2-9-10-J. Amazing how many times today that the worst starting hand pre-flop has taken down a multi-way pot. Give us luck over skill any day of the week!

Berry good

There may still be approximately 75 players chasing the Vic State Champs title, but the duo at the top of the chip count are seated side by side. Representing the Longwarry Hotel, Doug Berry just counted up a stack of more than 300,000 after his flopped set of sevens prevailed over two-pair, aces and queens. Watching all this unfold was John Esera (pictured below) who holds an almost identical amount of chips to Berry.

It’s tight at the top

Players are enjoying their second break of the day, with less than a quarter of the 519 starters still in contention for the Victorian State Champs title. After five hours of play, approximately 100 players will return to the main tournament area here at the Dingley International in pursuit of one of 32 spots in the money.

There’s not much space at the top of the chip count Alan Hogg on 249,000 and leading narrowly from Matt Turnbull (Settlement Hotel, 235,000), John Esera (Hampton Park Tavern, 230,000) and Anthony Burton (pictured above, Waurn Ponds Hotel, 222,000). When the break concludes, blinds will be at level 13 (3000/6000 with an ante of 500.

Curse of the aces continues

Pat Di Pietro, representing Pub Poker venue Cross Keys Hotel in Essendon, is the new chip leader. In huge three-way action, Di Pietro looked in a world of hurt holding Kd-10s against the pocket aces and Qh-Jh of his opponents. The first four cards were dealt 9-8-Q-J, with a brick on the river ensuring Di Pietro made a straight and took the pot worth almost 280,000. In virtually every all-in we’ve seen pocket aces today, they’ve been cracked.

Burton burning ’em up

No sooner had we sung the praises of Pub Poker’s Bobby Dinor than he swung by the media desk carrying his personals and on his way to the door. Dinor’s chips now reside in the stack of Anthony Burton, an 888PL player from the Waurn Ponds Hotel. Burton made a runner-runner full-house to overtake the flopped straight of Dinor, earning him a pot of 240,000 and good for the chip lead. Jon Esera is close behind on 205,000. Blinds are up to 2000/4000 with an ante of 500, there are approximately 150 players remaining and the average stack is 51,900.

So, who won?

With blinds up to 1500/3000 and an ante of 300, it’s time to put up or go home with some big pots and bigger stacks starting to emerge. We just watched a massive hand in which four players were all-in pre-flop, holding black 10s, black kings, Ad-Qd and Kh-Qc. The flop fell Js-6h-Qs, turn 10d and river 9d, making a straight for the two players holding a king. It took longer to split the pot than play the hand!

Welcome to the club

Players from the Victorian-based league Pub Poker joined the APL and 888PL families earlier this year under the Full House Group and it’s great to see a big contingent of their players here today.

Indeed, the man to catch at the moment is Bobby Dinor representing the Inside-out Hotel in Abbotsford. Dinor arrived in the main tournament area from the downstairs room with barely 3000 in chips but after a “miracle run”, his stack is now more than 160,000 and a clear chip leader.

Gettin’ antsy about antes

Blinds have just increased to level nine (700/1400 with an ante of 100). We were slightly taken aback to find so many players who’d never played in a tournament with antes prior to this, and a quick explanation was required.

More than 40 per cent of the 519 players who took their seats at 10.30am have now been eliminated. Many of them have stuck around to try their luck in the $20 MAIN EVENT rebuy satellite that kicks-off in the next hour. For the first time, the entire field is now seated in the main tournament area where there are approximately 300 players still in the field.

The state of play

Players have returned to the two tournament areas at the Dingley International for the afternoon session of the Victorian State Championship, featuring players from the 888PL, APL and Pub Poker. Underlining the opportunities for players in each league, we have players from across the state here today – Portland, Mildura, Bairnsdale, Wangaratta and all parts in between. There are still more than 400 players in contention for the title, but the pressure is about to heat up with blinds up to level seven (400/800).

The Victorian State Championship trophies

Mildura man emerges as early leaders

The first two and a half hours of play in the Victorian State Championship has just been completed with the remaining players enjoying a well earned 45-minute break. There are a handful of stacks of more than 50,000 but the biggest we could find belonged to Neville Hodgetts. An 888PL player from the Mildura region, Hodgetts has a stack of 65,850 according to our ninja chip counting skills.

Rockets keep crashing

There’s not a poker player on the planet that doesn’t have a sorry tale about their pocket aces getting cracked. We can add at least a dozen players to that list after an amazing past 30 or so minutes.

We’re at the midway point of level five (200/400) in the Victorian State Championship and have just watched 12 successive players either KOed or crippled as a result of aces being cracked after pre-flop shoves. So much for the odds!

Field settles in for a long day

Players are slowly starting to make their way up from the secondary tournament area into the main function area at the Dingley International. Despite the steady stream of eliminations, we’re yet to find a stack of more than 50,000 with a handful of players holding just over 40,000.

Already, State Championships have been played in Queensland, NSW and South Australia. Craig Lowe led at the first break and went all the way to victory at the Checkside Tavern in Adelaide. Likewise, Cohan Adams won the Queensland title after leading at the first break, while Michael Richardson took out the NSW State Champs event at Club Central Hurstville.

Western Australia’s pub poker players are also out in force for their version of the State Championships today. Two MAIN EVENT seats have been included in the $5000 guaranteed prizepool for WA players.

Field confirmed at 519 players

With the late arrivals all seated, a total of 519 players started the day in contention for the $4000 first prize and one of eight MAIN EVENT seats on offer in the Victorian State Championships today. Only in recent days, the dates were announced for the next MAIN EVENT to again be held over five exciting days in the Crown Poker Room, Melbourne (pictured above).

With a guaranteed prize pool of at least $100,000 for first place, and capped at 600 runners, another great turnout is expected from APL, 888PL and Pub Poker players from all over Australia, The MAIN EVENT is a qualification only tournament, specifically designed to find out who is ‘the best of the best’.

The structure of the September MAIN EVENT will differ slightly from the first event, held in February, in which Illawarra’s Nathan Gauci captured a first prize package of $120,000.

Registration will begin on Wednesday, September 5 and the action will get underway from Thursday when Victorian players will be seated in flight one of The MAIN EVENT. On Friday flight two will feature all interstate players.

Saturday will be considered day two of The MAIN EVENT, and our Player’s Party will be held at Crown in the evening. Day Three will conclude the event on Sunday with the winner expected to be decided in the early evening. A full-schedule will be on offer over the five-day tournament, including even more side events for players and league members.

Bar’s open, and play is underway

Players continue to arrive as the opening level of play kicks-off at the Dingley International. And the first tray of beers and the odd bourbon and Coke have been delivered to the tables – maybe it’s to settle the nerves! The first player has also just eliminated after his trips fell to a straight. He’ll still be able to make it to the nearest 11am church service but won’t be sharing in the payout structure outlined below:

1 $4000 + MAIN EVENT seat
2 $2200 + MAIN EVENT seat
3 $1300 + MAIN EVENT seat
4 $1000 + MAIN EVENT seat
5 $800 + MAIN EVENT seat
6 $700 + MAIN EVENT seat
7 $600 + MAIN EVENT seat
8 $500 + MAIN EVENT seat
9 $500
10-11 $400
12-13 $300
14-15 $200
16-18 $150
19-24 $125
25-32 $100

Victoria’s best battle for bragging rights

Welcome to PokerMedia Australia’s coverage of the Victorian State Championships, live from the salubrious Dingley International in Melbourne’s south east. Players from the 888PL, APL and Pub Poker have converged from across the state to battle for a slice of a $25,000 guaranteed prizepool that includes eight seats to the next MAIN EVENT in September.

More than 800 players qualified for this event by finishing in the top five on the Season 1 Regional Scoreboard; top four in any regular Season 1 nightly venue Scoreboard; winner of any Season 1 Special event; top 10 on any monthly Victorian APL Player of the Month Leaderboard or top 30 on the Victorian 888PL Scoreboard for Season 1).

We’re expecting approximately 500 to take their seats for the opening hand of play. Players start with a stack of 15,000 and levels are 25 minutes. The structure for today’s play as follows:

Level 1: 25/50
Level 2: 50/100
Level 3: 75/150
Level 4: 100/200
Level 5: 200/400
Level 6: 300/600
Level 7: 400/800
Level 8: 500/1000 (ante 100)
Level 9: 700/1400 (ante 100)
Level 10: 1000/2000 (ante 200)
Level 11: 1500/3000 (ante 300)
Level 12: 2000/4000 (ante 500)
Level 13: 3000/6000 (ante 500)
Level 14: 4000/8000 (ante 1000)
Level 15: 5000/10,000 (ante 1000)
Level 16: 7000/14,000 (ante 1000)
Level 17: 10,000/20,000 (ante 2000)
Level 18: 15,000/30,000 (ante 3000)
Level 19: 20,000/40,000 (ante 3000)
Level 20: 30,000/60,000 (ante 5000)
Level 21: 40,000/80,000 (ante 5000)
Level 22: 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000)
Level 23: 100,000/200,000 (ante 20,000)
Level 24: 150,000/300,000 (ante 30,000)