STAR POKER: Pappas prevails in PMA 6-Handed event

It took a touch over three hours for the final seven players to play down to a winner in the 2014 Star Poker Summer Series $1,100 Poker Media Australia 6-handed No Limit Hold’em event. On the second day of play, after a topsy-turvy final table adventure, it would be Steve Pappas (pictured) who proved victorious!

This year’s PMA event attracted a total of 120 entries and created a prize pool of $120,000. It was determined a payout would be awarded to the final 12 players, the winner receiving $32,700.

The field attracted many Star Poker regulars and experienced poker players. These included the likes of Kahle Burns, Peco Stojanovski, Dean Blatt, Michael O’Grady, Sam Khouiss, Nabil Edgtton, Mike Ivin, Chad Awerbuch, Didier Guerin and ‘Toothpick’ Tony Kambouroglou. The event even attracted some AFL royalty in Sydney Swans star and 2014 Australian of the Year Adam Goodes to the felt.

Early play on Day 1 saw recent APPT Auckland champion Minh Nguyen’s hot form continue as he and Nabil Edgtton set the early pace building big stacks, closely followed by Pat Camilleri and Nathan Sawyers. As play continued throughout the day, when four tables and 24 players remained, those still in contention included Didier Guerin, Minh Nguyen, Nabil Eedgtton, Sam Khouiss, Suzy Khoueis, Adrian Attenborough, David Sanis, Nathan Sawyers, Rock Solomon, Michael Doodson, Jason Pritchard and Henry Tran.

Play predictably slowed as the money bubble approached but it saw David Sanis break through the 200,000-chip mark. Pappas, Solomon and Khouiss were all on his tale when the bubble eventually burst to guarantee the last 12 players a minimum cash of $3,000.

After more than 12 hours of action on Day 1 just seven players remained, qualifying for the second day and an appearance at the final table. There were four big stacks going into play the follow day: David Sanis (472,000), Steve Pappas (347,500), Rick Solomon (313,500) and Ke Xu (309,500). While it was likely one of these four would triumph, it was left to Sam Khouiss, Matt Gooley and Adi Dahari to prove otherwise.

Unfortunately it wasn’t smooth sailing for the three smaller stacks who would eventually crash out in succession, 7^th through 5^th. Sanis had remained in the lead, although his opponents had enough chips to pounce. This initiated a deal where the last four would play for the title and a little extra pocket money.

It was Ke Xu next to hit the rail in fourth place at the hands of the chip leader David Sanis. As play then continued, each would double through the other at some point during the roller-coaster three-way play. Eventually Rick Solomon would be eliminated in third place, again at the hands of Sanis who had built his stack up over 1 million in chips.

It wouldn’t take Steve Pappas long thought to double up and then play for the win! In the final hand the board came 2-4-4-J-8 with three clubs. Sanis bet, Pappas raised, Sanis shoved and Pappas called. Sanis expected he was good when he tabled Q7 of clubs for the flush but Pappas had again hit his boat with 88 to win the tournament and take home the trophy for his troubles.

Event 2 PMA 6-handed NLH results (120 entries; $120,000 prize pool):

1^st  Steve Pappas – $32,700
2^nd  David Sanis – $21,900
3^rd  Rick Solomon – $16,800
4^th  Ke Xu – $11,400
5^th  Matt Gooley – $8,400
6^th  Samir Khouiss – $6,300
7^th  Adi Dahari – $4,500
8^th  Didier Guerin – $4,500
9^th  Nabil Edgtton – $4,500
10^th Adrian Attenborough – $3,000
11^th Patrick Camilleri – $3,000
12^th James Frendo – $3,000