Day 1 Flight 1 done and dusted
The 2014 Summer Series Main Event Day 1 Flight 1 has concluded after 9 levels of play and 134 starters. The chip leader is Ken Demlakian (pictured) with 163,800 in chips. A somewhat surprising leader as Timo Pfutzenreutr had recently reached 200,000. However, he lost a big hand late to Jono Karamalikis that dropped him down to 141,800 in chips.
Day 1 Flight 1 chip leaders:
Ken Demlakian – 163,800
Victor Teng – 161,400
Timo Pfutzenreutr – 141,800
Lui Marnic – 124,500
Donald Civic – 121,900
Joseph Alvard – 113,900
Approximately 69 players (unofficial) will advance to Day 2 that will commence on Sunday. Tomorrow the second Day 1 flight will begin at 12.30pm. Join us again here at Poker Media Australia for all the live action from The Star.
Final three hands
With 15 minutes left in Level 9, the clock has been stopped and the last three hands per table are being played. Players will then bag up their chips, qualifying for Day 2!
In the first hand of the last three, we catch the board showing 3-K-K-9 and four in the action. Seat 4 bets 3k and Andrew Scarf flat calls in Seat 5 with Seat 10 raising to 8k. Everyone folds around to Scarf who flat calls. The river comes a 4 and Scarf bets 5k into the raiser in Seat 10, a seemingly innocuous bet to slow him down. Seat 10 thinks about it and raises to 20k straight. Scarf re-raises it to 35k. Seat 10 considers and folds. Scarf shows KK for the quads to get the crowd roaring and takes down a nice pot considering it is a scary board that would usually kill all the action.
Big stack builds even bigger
Timo P breaks 200k. Billy the Croc in early position raises to 3,700 and is called by Jono Karamalikis to his right and Timo P in the big blind. The flop comes 4c-8d-As. Timo checks, Billy bets 3,600, Jono calls and Timo calls. The turn is a 5c and the betting slows down as it is checked all around. The river comes a 2d and Timo bets out 3k with Billy calling and Jono folding, showing pocket Jacks. Timo shows A3 hitting the gut shot straight on the river. Billy folds showing an Ace. Timo takes the 30k pot down, climbing him over 200k in chips and definitely into the chip lead.
Couldn’t quite lure the big dog
On Table 7 four players are in the pot on a board of 4c-6h-4s-8s. Players check around to Seat 5 who thinks carefully before moving all-in for 25,700 with As 5s to try to steal the pot of around 14k. Seat 1 folds and Vince Gibson tanks with pocket 4s in his hands, hoping that the chip leader Ken Demlakian will call behind him. He lets out a large sigh and calls but Ken is too savvy and folds straight behind him. Vince still takes down a nice pot of around 75k which takes him over the 110k mark.
Final level may wreak havoc
Timo Pfutzenreutr (pictured) has taken down a nice pot, knocking out his opponent who pushed all-in on the river for his remaining 63k on a straight draw. Holding KJ, he threw his cards at the board after Timo called and tabled his pocket 10s (he hit a set although he didn’t need it). Timo climbs up over 130k in chips.
Three-way action builds pot
Seat 2 on Table 9 moves all-in on a board of 6c-10c-Qc-9d and is called by Seat 7 and Seat 9. The river comes a 4d. Seat 2 shows Kc 9c for the king high flush and Seat 7 shows his missed draw of Ac Jd (somehow nobody is hitting their flush/straight draws thus far) and Seat 9 folds his KQ (top pair). Seat 2 takes down a nice pot of 70k.
Play has resumed
Players have returned from their break for the last level of the night. Level 9 brings blinds of 600/1200 with an ante of 100. 79 players currently remain out of the 134 players that began the day.
Current chip leaders are:
Ken Demlakian – 156k (who won a big pot just prior to the break)
Victor Teng (pictured) – 148k
Cale Maclean – 112k
Luis – 95k
Final break of the night
Players are on a 10-minute break.
Toothpick totaled
On a flop of 6c 5c 7s ‘Toothpick’ Tony Kambouroglou (pictured) moves all-in for 18.8k over the top of a 7.5k raise in Seat 3 and a 2.5k bet from Seat 7. Seat 7 tanks and folds with Seat 3 calling the all-in. Tony K turns over 2c 4c for a flush draw and a straight draw with Seat 3 turning over 3s 4s for the bottom straight. Tony K needs the flush to win and the straight to split. The turn and river hit two blanks and we see the forever consistent Tony K depart on Day 1.
Dodging Bullets
Table 11 just saw Seat 7 with A K vs Seat 10 with 10h Qh. On a flop of 4c-Kh-Jh there was always going to be plenty of action as top pair top kicker played off against the flush and straight draw. Alas, to Seat 10’s dismay, he saw two blank cards hit on the turn and river to miss completely and crash out of the tournament. Seat 7 takes down a nice 60k pot as he successfully dodged all the bullets shot at him.
Stars together but all need help
Table 4 has attracted some of the more experienced players in the field, currently home to Jono Karamalikis (17k), Billy ‘The Croc’ Argyros (14k), ‘Toothpick’ Tony Kambouroglou (22k) and Andy Hinrichsen (28k) (pictured). However, they are all going to need some help given their chip stacks.
Notable busts
Those no longer with us include last year’s winner Tristan Bain, Majed Haddad (pictured), John Caridad, Errolyn Strang, Michael O’Grady and Rory Young. Young ran his Jacks up against Aces, his opponent picking them up two hands in a row and getting paid off both times. Of the 134 players that entered the flight today, 86 remain.
Blinds are up
Level 8 has begun with blings 500/1000 with an ante of 100. Chip Leaders at the start of this level are:
Victor Teng 155k
Ken Demlakian 118k
Luis 107k
Don’t leave yet, Sir
Table 10 can’t keep away from the action with Seat 1 vs Seat 7 (Lui) on a 2-6-6 flop. Lui bets 8k into Seat 1 who raises him to 38k straight. Lui tanks and decides to move all-in for 48.5k, being snap called by Seat 1 with J J. Lui turns over 9 9 and begins to get up, as the dealer turns a 9 for him to let out a gasp of excitement. With the river a blank 8, Lui takes down a very nice pot of over 100k. Table 10 has seen the two biggest pots of the day thus far and Lui is now among the chip leaders.
My house is bigger than yours!
Action on Table 10 saw Seat 2 vs Seat 7. The flop comes 5d-5d-2d with large flop action ensuing. The turn brings an Ah and Seat 2 bets out 6k, Seat 7 moves all-in over the top to 16.8k and Seat 2 snap calls, turning over A5. A disappointed Seat 7 turns over a pair of ducks (22). Full house vs full house, Seat 2 needed the case 2 to stay alive. Unfortunately, this did not eventuate and we lose our first player soon after the break.
It’s getting more expensive to play
Players have returned from their break to greet Level 7, where blinds are 400/800 with an ante of 75.
Breaky, breaky
Level 6 has ended so players are on a 10-minute break.
Chip leaders are:
Victor Teng – 128k
Henry Tran – 108k
Tim Moore – 99k
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Jerry, Jerry, Jerry…
A huge pot has made it’s way to Jerry Chen with his pocket 10s going against two players both with AK suited. On a flop of 10-8-A he pushes his remaining 18,850 into the pot to see both players with AK call. With Jerry filling up on the turn with a Q repeating, he was safe in the knowledge that his chips had tripled in value. Chen takes down the largest pot of the tournament thus far with a 74k pot.
Blinds are up
Play has reached level 6 where blinds are 300/600 with an ante of 75. Of the 134 registered today, 111 players remain.
The top 3 chip counts and the only players above 100k are:
Victor Teng – 115k
Majed Haddad – 114k
Tim Moore – 105k
Battle of the blinds
Tim Moore with 10 2 off suit bets into Unensaikhan Bolovson on a 10-7-5 flop who then raises, which Moore flat calls. The turn comes a 4 and Moore bets into Bolovson again who pops him back. Again Moore flat calls. The river comes a 3, Moore checks and Bolovson moves all-in for his remaining 22k. Moore thinks carefully about it and makes the call of his life with top pair and no kicker. Bolovson turns over Q 8 for a stone cold bluff and is caught with his hands in the cookie jar to be knocked out of the tournament. Our winner of the Opening Event is knocked out half way through Day 1.
Be careful what you wish for
After complaining earlier he had not seen a picture or an A all tournament, Majeed on Table 3 moves all-in with QJ off suit under the gun for his remaining 3,950. Peter Dykes calls with 10 10 and cards are turned over with no further action. The flop comes 3-3-K and with a 4 K turn and river (!), Majeed walks into the bleaches to tell someone about his sore wrists from folding for 4.5 hours.
Early bust after dinner break
Another player is out of the Summer Series Main Event early after the break. Player in Seat 7 holding 9h10h raises to 900 and is raised by Seat 8 to 1,800 with Ad5s, with Seat 7 calling the extra 900. The flop comes 10d-8d-5d. Seat 7 checks with top pair and Seat 8 moves all-in with bottom pair and a flush draw for 15,850. Seat 7 calls with top pair. The turn comes an A making two pair for Seat 8, requiring a 10 to come on the river for Seat 7 to stay alive. Much to his dismay the river card is a blank and Seat 7 goes home wondering how he could have played the hand better.
Registration closed, Level 5 begins
Players have returned from their mad scramble to get a feed during their 20-minute break. Blinds are now 200/400 with an ante of 50. The total number of entries are 134 for the day, on track to climb above 300 with a busier day expected tomorrow for Flight 2.
It’s time for the main break
Level 4 is now complete and players are on a 20-minute break. Registration will remain open until the end of the break ahead of Level 5.
Adding quality to the field
A few latecomers have entered the Main Event prior to the end of registration, adding quality and some significant experience to the field. Australian Poker Hall of Famer Billy ‘The Croc’ Argyros (pictured) and fellow poker veteran Tino Lechich have taken their seat. We’ve also noticed Dave Allen, WSOP Europre bracelet winner Andy Hinrichsen and WSOP APAC bracelet winner Rory Young among the 119 remaining players.
Chip Leaders midway through Level 4 are:
Victor Teng (pictured) – 112k
Majed Haddad – 106k
Peter Dykes – 76k
Unensaikhan Bolovson – 76k
Jason O’Brien – 72k
No good Dood!
Michael Doodson is out of the tournament after raising to 900 with pocket Jacks to see five callers. A small flop came 3-4-4, he bets another 900 to see 3 callers. The turn is an 8 and he leads the action again with a bet of 2,100 only to have Seat 3 raise him to 7,100. Doodson moves all-in for his remaining chips for a total bet of 16,775 and after a lot of thought, Seat 3 calls to show 33 for a small full house. With the river an 8 we see another player hit the rail.
Tough table with plenty of experience
Table 4 is proving to be a tough one with Tristan Bain, Jono Karamalikis (pictured) and Toothpick Tony battling it out with their other unfortunate opponents. Stay tuned for some fireworks.
Levels are up
Play has now reached level 4 where bligns are 150/300 with an ante of 25. Another player has entered to make it 130 in total with 122 still remaining.
Jacks just couldn’t get it done for Martin
The 8th player to be knocked out is Jacob Martin from Table 6. Unfortunately for Martin he moved all-in with JJ for his remaining 6,050 and was called by AQ suited (hearts). The flop saw a Q on the flop making Jacob get up from his seat and with another Q on the turn it only re-iterated the 5% shot for the river that never came. Currently there are 129 entries in flight 1.
Another slight change to the Star Poker Room
Star Poker Manager Stephen Ibrahim has been managing the poker room for a number of years now, even when it was on the mezzanine level above the main gaming floor. And while most of us thought the poker room had settled permanently at the one end of the floor adjacent Rock Lily, there seems little security to that fact. In the most recent changes, albeit slight, part of the room has been compacted down to a regular table number of 26 and up to 33 during major tournaments. The old casino entrance from The Darling and Union Street is apparently opening again so part of the poker room has been moved to allow for a thoroughfare when that entrance re-opens.
The typical grind
Play has now slowed to a steady pace as players have settled into the tournament. As is often the case, there’s not a lot to report in these early stages as the chips are shuffled between players and the big stacks start to flex their muscle on the shorter stacks.
We’re underway again
Players have returned from the break to face level 3. Blinds are 100/200 and an ante of 25 has been introduced. A total of 125 players have entered the event to date.
Top 3 chip leaders heading into level 3 are:
Victor Teng – 108k
Jason O’Brien – 75k
Majed Haddad – 65k
Chip leader Teng cracks the ton
In action just before the first break on Table 12, Seat 7 raises to 1,100 and is raised by Victor Teng to 4,100. Seat 7 goes all-in for a total of 21k and is snapped call by Teng with KK. Seat 7 has shown a rush of blood attempting to bluff pre-flop with K4 off suit. The flop, turn and river are blank for Seat 7 and the hand takes Teng to the chip lead with a substantial 108k at the first break.
First break of the day
Players are on a 10-minute break.
Action aplenty on Table 3
Table 3 is dishing up plenty of action and the same two players who were involved two hands earlier were involved again. The SB now cut-off, gets two limpers before raising to 650 with pocket 10s. Both limpers call. The flop comes 10-9-7. Button previous hand (now Seat 8) has J8, flopping the nuts vs cut-off who flops top set. Seat 8 bets 500, cut-off raises to 2,100 (other limper folds), Seat 8 re-raises to 7,100 and cut-off goes all-in for another 20,550, which is then called! Flopped nuts vs top set with turn coming 5 and river hitting the repeat 9 fills up for the cut-off. Cut-off takes his money back with interest two-hands later for an even bigger pot of almost 58k!
It could be worse
While we’re located in a somewhat different position than our usual live reporting spot on the floor at The Star, we’re conveniently located in full view of the NFL coverage of the Cowboys v Bears game. As a former Chicago resident – C’mon Da’Bears!
What do you think he had?
A big pot of 34.5k built up on Table 3. Seat 4 raised to 500 with 3 callers behind. SB raises to 2,200 and all players fold around to the button who calls. The flop comes 5d-9h-4d. SB bets out 3,000 and is flat called on the button. The turn is 4s and SB checks with button betting 6,000, which the SB calls. The river comes 7c and SB checks. The button bets 5,000 into a 24.5k pot. The SB tanks and reluctantly calls. Button shows Qc 4c to take down the pot with trip 4s. SB folds and doesn’t show…
You’re never safe, we’ll track you down!
Just prior to the end of the first level, Phillip Siddell sitting in Seat 6 on Table 12 was our first player knocked out of this year’s Main Event. Bad luck Phil.
First level completed
Most players have survived the first level of play today. While we didn’t catch any busts, official entries confirm that one player did not get through the first level. Level 2 sees blinds at 100/200.
Watching out for the form players
Talk about luck of the draw with Table 9 drawing the Summer Series Opening Event winner Unensaikhan Bolovson (pictured) sitting in Seat 10 and yesterdays PLO winner Adam Pattan in Seat 3.
The Inside Word Promotions
PMA partners The Inside Word have posted a range of special sports betting promotions from their list of preferred bookmakers. There are great opportunities to get the best value on the punt starting today and running through the weekend.
Who’s in the field today?
The total entries have climbed to 115 players and include a number of regular Star Poker tournament players including Michael O’Grady, David Tam, Martin Koslov, Henry Sun, Errolyn Strang, Roy Vandersluis, Steve Pappas, ‘Toothpick’ Tony Kambouroglou, Laurence Hall, John Caridad, Michael Doodson, Jono Karamalikis, Tom Rafferty and Michael Kanaan.
Shuffle Up and Deal
Play is underway in the Main Event. There have been 95 entries that will no doubt build until registration closes at the start of level 5 (approximately 5pm today).
Welcome to the 2014 Star Poker Summer Series Main Event
Welcome to PokerMedia Australia’s coverage of the 2014 Star Poker Summer Series Main Event, live from The Star in Sydney.
The 2014 Main Event is one of the flagship tournaments on the Star Poker schedule. The buy-in again this year is $2,000 ($1,800 + $200). As has been the case in the Main Event both last year and in the 2014 Sydney Champs Main Event, players will start with 30,000 in chips.
Levels are scheduled to run 60 minutes and we’re expecting 9 levels to be played which will take us through to approximately 10.30pm tonight. There is one other day one flight scheduled, which will start at 12.30pm tomorrow (Saturday December 6).
Last year’s winner was Tristan Bain who took home over $280,000 when Star Poker partnered with the NPL and the APT to host the event.
Follow our coverage over the next four days as play continues towards crowning another Star Poker Summer Series Main Event champion.
Thanks to our live reporting partners The Inside Word
Live reporting for this event is proudly brought to you by PokerMedia Australia partners The Inside Word.
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