Wilson hits half-a-milly; that’s a wrap!
Well folks, what a day it’s been! The Star Gold Coast Summer Series Main Event has got off to a flying start, with 45 players bagging up for Day 2 on Sunday out of the 212 entries taken in today.
Our Day 1a chip leader is Bradley Wilson (pictured), who has bagged up 501,000, with Gavin Best, (484,000), Najeem Ajez (467,000), Chris Costanza (407,000) and Josh Norvock (395,000) rounding out our top five.
Other players to have made the cut include Jennifer Cassells, Hassan Hussein, Jason Spencer, Will Davis, Qais Shanasa and Sean Lannon, while it wasn’t the greatest day at the office for Mike Maddocks, Brenton Buttigieg and Tony Seremet.
Fortunately, with the benefit of unlimited re-entries and the option to forfeit if you’ve bagged under 50K, players have the opportunity to refocus, reset and return tomorrow for Day 1b, which kicks off at 12:30pm AEST (1:30pm AEDT).
Of course, PokerMedia Australia will be back ringside to bring you all the action, so be sure to bookmark your browsers to follow the action.
Until then, from all of us here at The Star Gold Coast, it’s ‘bye for now!
Cassells crushing
A big crowd clamoured over on Table 12 to witness a massive three-way all-in between Jennifer Cassells, Shan Sokhan and Alex Zheng in one of the last hands of the night.
Sokhan and Cassells were both at risk, with Zheng having Cassells covered in the counts by a whisker. Sokhan tabled 7♠7♥, ahead of Zhengs’s A♠Q♥ but trailing Cassells’ 8♦8♥.
The flop of Q♦8♠10♣ sent onlookers into a frenzy and Cassells beamed as the turn and river bricked out A♦, 3♥.
Sokhan was eliminated and Zheng was left with just 10,000 in chips, which he lost in the very next hand.
Jennifer Cassells – 306,000
Shan Sokhan – BUSTED
Alex Zheng – BUSTED
Four more hands!
Tournament staff have just announced that four more hands will be played out on each table before we wrap up.
Gerges turns the tables
With around 20 minutes to go before the end of the final level, Mina Gerges approached tournament staff to ask if he could forfeit his stack, as he was on about 29,500 remaining – a fair question, given that this Main Event allows for unlimited re-entries.
The floor staff informed him that if he were to buy in tomorrow, he would forfeit his bagged stack, but only if he were to bag less than the original starting stack of 50,000.
But as anyone in poker will tell you, as soon as you declare your intent to leave, your luck is bound to change!
Gerges first put Chris Costanza (pictured) to the sword after open-shoving blind for his last 42,000, forcing Costanza into the tank for several minutes before electing to fold J♦10♦ face up, prompting Gerges to yell “Just call!” before peeling A♦Q♣.
Then in the very next hand, Gerges called all-in blind again after Costanza shoved; Costanza showed down A♦J♦, dominating Gerges’ 6♦3♦, but a six in the window on the board of 6♣10♠4♣5♦9♥ resulted in Gerges doubling up to more than 100,000.
It’s not all bad news for Costanza though, who managed to take a chunk of change off Ben Karyar a short time later after his A-J won the flip against Karyar’s pocket fives.
Mina Gerges – 102,000
Chris Costanza – 407,000
Ben Karyar – 135,000
In any case, it looks like we’re seeing all three players back on Sunday!
Bradbury bounced
Lee Bradbury will have to wait a bit to try and emulate his success at the Ville 600 Main Event after being taken out at hands of Will Davis (pictured).
As it was recalled to our reporter by Bert Perry, Bradbury was taken out in the previous level after he three-bet-shoved for his last 80,000 after Davis raised from under the gun pre-flop.
Although Bradbury was ahead with A-K, Davis’ K-Qs struck gold on the flop of 9-T-J before the turn and river bricked out, moving Davis up to more than 240,000 while Bradbury headed to the exits.
Buttigieg busto
Action folded around to Brenton Buttigieg raised to 17,000 from the button pre-flop; Najeem Ajez shoved for 270,000 from the small blind and Yuwei Wei tank-called all-in for his remaining 75,500 from the big blind.
Buttigieg then made the call for his remaining 175,000, sending us to a three-way showdown.
Wei: A♣Q♥
Buttigieg: J♥10♥
Ajez: 8♣9♣
The flop came down 6♦3♥Q♠ to give Wei top pair, and the 7♣ on the turn ensured Wei was surviving this hand.
Bad news for Buttigieg, however, as the 8♥ on the river paired Ajez to award him the side pot.
Najeem Ajez – 309,000
Yuwei Wei – 217,500
Brenton Buttigieg – BUSTED
Qais clips Hutchins
Qais Shanasa is making moves as we head into the final level for the night, up to 355,000 in chips.
PMA picked up the action on a Q♠K♥J♣3♠ board, which saw Shanasa check-call a bet of 10,000 from Josh Hutchins.
The dealer then peeled off the river 7♠ and Shanasa led out for 21,000.
Hutchins quickly called, only to then muck his hand after Shanasa turned over A♠8♠ for the nut flush!
Hutchins’ stack is now down to 117,000 in chips.
Level 14: 2,500/5,000 (5,000)
Damelian and Scagnetti even the odds
Our reporter picked up the action between Robert Damelian and Adrian Scagnetti on a flop of K♥4♠9♠; Damelian bet 8,000 and Scagnetti made the call before both players checked the J♠.
Scagnetti led out for 16,500 after Damelian checked the Q♥ on the river. Damelian thought about it for a minute or so before shoving for his last 119,000. Scagnetti tank-folded.
Robert Damelian – 173,000
Adrian Scagnetti – 170,000
Ward’s off as Bevis banks
Martin Ward is amongst those to have recently hit the rail, eliminated at the hands of Adam Bevis.
As Ward recalled to our reporter, Martin check-called Bevis’ bet on a K♥J♥6♣ flop and then check-shoved Bevis’ second barrel when the K♦ came down on the turn. Bevis snap-called.
Bevis: K♠J♠
Ward: Q♥10♥
Down to just two outs, the river 8♥ was one pip short, thus ending Ward’s run in this tournament while Bevis is up to 253,000 in chips.
Zenenos zilched
Another all-in-and-call, with Chris Zenonos at risk for his last 48,000 and up against Krishan Kara.
It was a classic race, as Zenonos held A♣Q♠ against Kara’s 10♦10♣, but a 10 in the window gave Kara an instant set before filling up on the board of 10♥7♦9♦2♣2♥.
Krishan Kara – 227,000
Chris Zenenos – BUSTED
Stack ’em to the top!
Gavin Best has now been verified as the overall chipleader going into the final stanza of play, followed closely by Brad Wilson. PMA can also confirm that Jack Drake, Johnny Rodden and Travis Endersby have all been eliminated.
| Gavin Best | 448,000 |
| Brad Wilson | 401,500 |
| Sean Lannon | 293,000 |
| Hassan Hussein | 270,000 |
| Brenton Buttigieg | 245,000 |
| Krishan Kara | 244,000 |
| Josh Hutchins | 231,000 |
| Najeem Ajez | 226,000 |
| Curtis Stollery | 220,000 |
| Jean Rey | 200,000 |
| Josh Norvock | 184,000 |
| Josh Hutchins | 174,000 |
| Chris Zenenos | 173,000 |
| Robert Damelian | 160,000 |
| Dean Williams | 154,500 |
| Harry Hung | 133,000 |
| Jaisan Patel | 108,500 |
| Ricky Kroesen | 103,000 |
| Jennifer Cassell | 103,000 |
| Aroha Ngata | 102,000 |
| Josh Norvock | 99,600 |
| Lee Bradbury | 92,000 |
| Sam Adams | 75,000 |
| Will Wong | 71,000 |
| Antoine Follet | 69,500 |
| Anthony Cierco | 57,000 |
| Jackie Glazier | 41,000 |
Level 13: 2,000/4,000 (4,000)
Break it down
Our remaining contenders are now on their last 10-minute break of the night. They will then play two more 45-minute levels before they bag and tag.
Parker holds piles
Some massive action on the feature table prompted Aroha Ngata to sprint over to the media desk and fetch our field reporter.
Shane Parker had raised pre-flop to 15,000 on the feature table before Antoine Follet re-raised to 45,000. Parker then shoved for 182,500 and Follet snap-called.
Follet: K♦K♥
Parker: A♣K♣
Board: 4♣5♥4♦2♣Q♣
The runner-runner flush was a dagger in the heart for Follet, now down to just 60,000 in chips while Parker now holds a stack worth 343,000 and change!
Falkingham eliminated
Warren Falkingham has just been eliminated by Bert Perry (pictured), moving all-in pre-flop for his remaining 17,000 and finding two callers, including Perry, before the other player folded after Perry’s bet on the turn on a board of A♠Q♥4♦5♥.
Perry rolled up A♥4♥ and was well ahead of Falkinghams 10♥10♣. The river 7♦ sealed Falkingham’s fate, while Perry is now holding a stack worth 172,000.
Williams flushes Best
After a player in middle position limped in pre-flop, Dean Williams completed the small blind and Gavin Best checked the big blind and all three players checked the flop of J♥A♥K♥.
Williams checked again after the dealer produced the 5♥ turn, prompting a 3,500 bet from Best. The middle position limper folded and Williams made the call before checking the river 6♦.
Best bet 12,000 and Williams thought about it for almost a minute before making the call, tabling 10♥6♠.
The ten high flush was best!
Level 12: 1,500/3,000 (3,000)
Tallarico KO’ed
“ALL IN AND A CALL!”
Upon hearing the announcement from one of the players, our field reporter ran over only to find out that although Riccardo Tallarico had actually gone all in for 13,500 pre-flop, there was still action pending.
Not long to wait though, as Curtis Stollery made the call with Q♥J♦ to put Riccardo at risk. Riccardo turned over Ah9s and the board rand out 8♠3♦K♠9♥7♣ to give Tallarico a much needed double-up.
Two hands later, however, Tallarico found himself all-in and at risk, flipping for his tournament with Q♣J♠ against Chris Costanza who tabled 8♠8♣.
Although Tallarico took the lead on the flop of 3♠6♠J♦, Costanza spiked the 8♦ on the turn before the river 6♥ completed the board, making the potential comeback for Tallarico short-lived.
Chris Costanza – 215,500
Riccardo Tallarico – BUSTED
Big time Huss-ler
In some minor action on Hassan Hussein’s table, action folded around to John Zhang who raised to 6,000 from the button before being immediately 3-bet by Hussein, who made it 28,000 to go from the small blind.
After some deliberation, Jean Rey re-raised to 62,500 from the big blind. Zhang folded, as did Hussein about two minutes later.
It may seem like much ado about nothing, but the 2019 APL Million Main Event Champion is clearly on a hot streak right now, sitting on a stack worth almost 350,000 in chips.
Hassan Hussein – 345,000
Jean Rey – 254,000
John Zhang – 155,000
Level 11: 1,500/2,500 (2,500)
Omer, Lannon on the rise
Our intrepid reporter picked up the action on a board of 9♥3♠7♣6♥; Omer Silajdzija had shoved for 62,000, which pout Ming Yiu into the tank for about two minutes before he decided to let it go.
Silajdzija cheekily flashed the 9♦ before mucking his hand and raking in the pot, his stack now just over 128,000 while Yiu is down 36,000.
It’s also been a great level for Sean Lannon, who’s now on 212,000 after taking out another player on Table 21, his J♥J♣ improving to a full house on the board of 4♥J♦5♦4♣4♠ against the opponent’s A♣K♦.
Arrivederci Abernethy
Craig Abernethy has shared his tale of woe with the PMA Live Reporting Team, taken out in the space of two hands as the action (and the music over at the Atrium Bar) cranks up.
Earlier, Abernethy min-raised from UTG+1 and the action folded to Aroha Ngata, who made the call along with the button and both blinds, making it four-handed to a flop of K♠4♠7♣.
The small and big blinds checked, Abernethy fired out 4,000 and Ngata shoved for 21,000, forcing the blinds out of the way before Abernethy called.
Abernethy: K♣J♣
Ngata: 8♠7♠
The turn and river ran out A♦, 8♥, giving Ngata two pair and the scoop.
One orbit later, Abernethy found himself all-in with A♥K♠, but was outdrawn by Antoine Follet’s A♦10♥ which turned trip 10s. Ouch.
Sevens from heaven
Brenton Buttigieg is now up to almost 200,000 in chips after being blessed with pocket sevens in back-to-back hands.
Earlier, Buttigieg min-raised to 3,200 from UTG+1 and got three callers. Buttigieg then checked the flop 2♥7♦Q♠, as did the player next to him before another in middle position bet 25,000.
The player on the button got out the way and Buttigieg shoved before the middle position player called.
Buttigieg had the best of it though, showing 7♠7♣ for middle set against his opponent’s Q♦9♦.
The Q♣ on the turn gave the MP some home, but the A♠ sealed the deal and near full double for Buttigieg.
And if that wasn’t enough, Buttigieg min-raised UTG in the very next hand and found one caller in late position.
Brenton continued on the 2♦5♥10♣ flop and got it through, slamming down 7♥7♦ as he raked in the pot!
Brenton Buttigieg – 197,000
Level 10: 1,000/2,000 (1,600)
Shoe blue
As many of our audience would know, one of the unique features of Star Poker is the single-deck shoe: a proprietary device used across all Star Entertainment properties and in accordance to relevant state government regulations, which require card games in casinos to be dealt out of a shoe.
Although this does reinforce game security and integrity, it also presents some unique challenges on occasion, with an interesting scenario having played out over on Jackie Glazier’s table.
After a pre-flop raise to 4,000 from Travis Endersby, the action came to a halt when the shoe had been accidentally knocked over and all the cards had spilled out.
The dealer then declared the hand void, which prompted Endersby to call for the floor. The supervisor confirmed the ruling, and all bets were returned to the players before the hand was re-dealt.
Star Gold Coast Tournament Director Jason Whimp confirmed with PMA that it was the correct call: “Once the folded cards have mixed in at all with the deck/stub, it is a voided hand.”
What do you reckon, folks? Is that the call you would have made? Would the ruling have been different if the cards were dealt from the hand? Let us know your thoughts in the PMA Discord channel!
Facts and figures
From the 164 unique entries and 48 re-entries, we’re now down to 129 players with two more levels to play before we bag and tag for the night.
The blinds are now 45 minutes long, which has seen a slowdown in the pace of play and given us a chance to get a fresh round of counts:
| Antoine Follet | 270,500 |
| Krishan Kara | 244,000 |
| Josh Hutchins | 231,000 |
| Chris Zenenos | 173,000 |
| Bert Perry | 140,500 |
| Harry Hung | 133,000 |
| Najeem Ajez | 133,000 |
| Jackie Glazier | 127,000 |
| Ron Beggs | 105,300 |
| Brenton Buttigieg | 102,000 |
| Lee Bradbury | 120,000 |
| Josh Norvock | 99,600 |
| Ricky Kroesen | 85,000 |
| Travis Endersby | 79,000 |
| Sam Adams | 73,000 |
| Will Wong | 72,400 |
| Mike Maddocks | 50,000 |
| John Apostolou | 50,000 |
| Antoine Cierco | 39,400 |
Level 8: 800/1,600 (1,600)
Break dance!
The players are now on another 10-minute comfort break, but the tournament clock has been paused as our Main Event players take in the Star Gold Coast Summer Series Revue. Enjoy!
Heenan gets busy
In one of the last hands before the next break, Jack Drake opened to 3,800 and was called by Gavin Best and Paul Heenan to make it three-handed to a flop of 4♣3♣4♠.
Heenan checked to Drake, who opened for 6,500; Best and Heenan both called, then Heenan open-shoved for 32,900 after the dealer brought down the turn of the K♦.
Drake insta-mucked, but Best took some time to consider his options before letting his hand go.
Gavin Best – 202,200
Jack Drake – 172,300
Paul Heenan – 61,000
The Stollery story continues
Although Lincoln Stollery has been eliminated, his brother Curtis (pictured) is still in the hunt, taking a big chunk of change off Mark Ericksen.
Our reporter picked up the action on a board of 8♣6♥4♥10♥J♣; Stollery fired out a bet of 20,000 into a pot worth around 30,000, which Ericksen called after spending several minutes in the tank before making the call.
Stollery quickly rolled up J♠J♦ for a rivered set to take it down.
Curtis Stollery – 128,000
Mark Ericksen – 85,000
Level 8: 600/1,200 (1,200)
Stollery zilched by Zenenos
Massive action over on APL Ambassador Jackie Glazier’s table, where she was witness to the demise of Lincoln Stollery over the space of two hands.
On a flop of Q♠8♦7♣, Stollery bet for 6,000 and Travis Endersby got out of the way before Chris Zenenos (pictured) called to see the J♠ on the turn.
Stollery then check-called Zenenos’ bet of 5,000, then checked again after the dealer revealed the A♥ on the river. Zenenos fired 10,000 over the line, sending Stollery into the tank for several minutes.
“I reckon my Jacks are good here!” Zenenos joked, which caused a ripple of laughter from his tablemates.
Stollery was unmoved, which eventually prompting Zenenos to call the clock. Stollery then called, only to muck after Zenenos showed 10♠9♥ for the straight.
Down to 33,500, Stollery’s chips were in the middle the very next hand with 8♠8♦, only to lose the flip for his tournament life against Zenenos’ A♥K♠ after the board ran out J♦2♦10♠9♣K♥.
Chris Zenenos – 152,000
Jackie Glazier – 147,000
Lincoln Stollery – BUSTED
Seremet sent packing
Tony Seremet, who earlier this week took down the $220 Pot Limit Omaha event for almost $7,000, is amongst the latest spate of casualties in Day 1a of this Main Event, busted at the hands of Antoine Follet (pictured).
Seremet raised pre-flop with pocket queens pre-flop before Follet 3-bet to 4,800 with A-Ko. Seremet 4-bet it to 12,000 and Follet 5-bet to 35,000 before calling Seremet’s 6-bet-shove.
Despite the flop and turn only being seven-high, Follet did a Greenstein (ace on the river) and hit top-top.
Level 7: 500/1,000 (1,000)
Bonaccorso busto
Luci Bonaccorso, who was the first to win a satellite into this year’s Main Event, has just been taken out by Gavin Best (pictured) just after the blinds ticked over into Level 7.
From middle position, Jack Drake raised to 2,500 and the cut-off called before Best made it 8,500 to go from the small blind.
Bonaccorso called from the big blind, as did Drake to make it three-handed to a flop of A-T-3 with one club.
Best c-bet 11,000 and Bonaccorso called, forcing Drake out of the way before calling all-in after Best open-shoved on the turn of the 6♣.
Best: A♥Q♥
Bonaccorso: Q♣J♣
Needing a King or a club to survive, the river queen gave Best top two pair and the pot.
Gavin Best – 130,000
Luci Bonaccorso – BUSTED
Bucca throws the book at Maddocks
It hasn’t been the best session for Mike Maddocks, who has now fired his second re-entry of the day after being sent to the rail by Adam Bucca.
As Maddocks recalled to the PMA Live Reporting Team, he 3-bet to 6,500 over Bucca’s 2,500 open with A-Q. Bucca called, then check-called after Maddocks led out for 5,200 on a Q-8-6 flop.
The turn was another six; Bucca check-called after Maddocks fired out 13,500, then repeated his action after Maddocks shoved on the river seven.
Bucca rolled up pocket queens for a full house. That’ll do it.
Mulligan being Toye-d with?
Our reporter picked up the action between Scott Mulligan and Rauran Toye on a board of 10♠Q♥A♦9♥J♠ with a pot worth around 33,000; Mulligan led out for 10,5000 before Toye shoved for 35,000 effective.
“I had a set,” Mulligan sighed as he tossed his hand reluctantly into the muck. Toye flashed a Jack and scooped the pot.
Rauran Toye – 78,000
Scott Mulligan – 14,500
Level 6: 400/800 (800)
Veltmeyer felted
Taylor Veltmeyer has been confirmed as the latest casualty from Day 1a of the Main Event, getting the last of his money in post-flop with Q-T, but ran into the K-Q of Jaisan Patel (pictured).
Despite the queen-high board pairing on the turn to give outs to the chop, the river was of no help, ending Veltmeyer’s tournament life.
Kara KOs Ngata
Aroha Ngata stopped by to chat with our field reporter, who informed us that she had just been taken out by Krishan Kara in a classic uber-cooler.
After four players limped in pre-flop, Ngata popped it up to 2,000 holding A♥A♣ from the button. Kara then re-raised in the small blind to 7,000 with K♠K♥, forcing the others out of the way before Ngata 4-bet it to 17,000.
Kara jammed and Ngata called, but reeled after the dealer spread the board of K♦5♥4♥3♦7♦, which gave Kara the set, the scalp and a stack now worth more than 126,000.
Kroesen reloads
Ricky Kroesen, who took out the $250 buy-in Super Turbo Freezout earlier in the series, has just fired a second bullet into Day 1a of the Main Event and is chipped again after taking big pot off Janet Wyvil.
The action folded to Kroesen pre-flop who opened to 1,100 with 3-2 suited; the small blind 3-bet it to 4,000 and Wyvil cold-called from the big blind before the dealer spread a flop of 4-5-A.
The small blind checked, Wyvil led out for 15,000 and Kroesen jammed for his last 35,000. Wyvil called after the small blind folded, turning up A-8o, but found no love as the turn and river bricked out, increasing Kroesen’s stack to 85,000.
Level 5: 300/600 (600)
Updated chip counts
| Harry Hung | 131,100 |
| Sam Adams | 122,000 |
| Jimmy Siu | 115,000 |
| Ron Beggs | 113,600 |
| Josh Hutchins | 106,000 |
| Lee Bradbury | 95,000 |
| Jackie Glazier | 55,500 |
| Najeem Ajez | 54,000 |
| Mike Maddocks | 50,000 |
| Taylor Veltmeyer | 48,900 |
| Travis Endersby | 41,200 |
| Anthony Cierco | 39,400 |
Time out!
Players are now on a 20-minute break.
Norvock in, Maddocks out
Josh Norvock has been confirmed as one of the newest arrivals to the Star Gold Coast Poker Room, but sadly, APT Ambassador Mike Maddocks (pictured from an event earlier this series), eliminated by Jimmy Siu who is now on 115,000.
Maddocks is one of the 11 re-entries taken in so far during this flight as we approach the first break of the day.
‘Tis a puzzlement for Apostolou
On a three-handed flop of 6♣Q♠10♣, Curtis Stollery led out for 1,400 before Apostolou raised to 3,600.
The player in the cutoff folded in between them and Stollery called before the dealer peeled off the 3♠ on the turn.
Stollery checked and Apostolou bet 5,200, only to then see Stollery check-raise to 15,000.
Apostolou let it go as he remarked: “That one’s got me really confused.”
Peter Apostolou – 49,300
Curtis Stollery – 56,000
Level 4: 200/400 (400)
McKinnon moves up
An under the gun raise to 800 was called by seven players, prompting a squeeze to 6,000 from the big blind, Duncan McKinnon.
The raise was called by the UTG raiser, from Rauran Toye on the button and from Bognar in the small blind.
The flop of 4♦3♦Q♦ saw McKinnon continue for 7,300. Toye was the only caller.
On the turn 8♦ McKinnon checked, Toye bet 5,000, and McKinnon shoved for his remaining 32,000. Toye let it go.
Duncan McKinnon – 77,600
Rauran Toye – 36,800
Atilla Bognar – 17,600
Adams setting it straight
Sam Adams bet 4,700 from the button into an 8k pot on a board of K♥4♥8♦9♣. Rauran Toye in the small blind folded but Atilla Bognar made the call from the big blind to see a 3♦ river.
Bognar checked and Adams bet 10,700. Bognar tank eventually made the call but mucked when Adams rolled over 9♥9♦ for the flopped set.
Sam Adams – 128,000
Atilla Bognar – 23,600
Back to back pots for Zenonos
Chris Zenonos bet 2,000 on a board of 9♠4♣3♠A♠, which was called by a late position player. On the river 6♦, Chris bet 5,000 and managed to get it through when his opponent tank-folded.
On the very next hand, Jackie Glazier bet 2,500 on a board of 2♠3♣5♥ and Zenonos raises to 8,500, again getting it through as Glazier let it go.
Zenonos moves back to 47,000.
Level 3: 200/300 (300)
Kroesen crushed
Ricky Kroesen opened from late position and Ron Beggs 3-bet to 2,000 from the small blind. Kroesen then re-raised to 8,000 and Beggs called.
The flop fell 9♦4♥8♥ and Beggs quickly announced he was all-in.
Kroesen asked if Beggs had a set, but didn’t waste much time calling, saying “I have Aces.”
Beggs turned over K♥K♦ and needed help, which duly arrived when the K♣ landed on the river. With that, Kroesen is sent to the rail while Beggs takes the early chip lead.
Ron Beggs – 115,000
Ricky Kroesen – BUSTED
Late arrivals
Taylor Veltmeyer, Alex Hansen and APT Ambassador Mike Maddocks have entered stage right and taken their seats here on Day 1a.
Classic Cooler
Josh Hutchins has claimed the first knockout of the tournament before the end of Level 1.
It was all in preflop with John Hutchins holding AA against John Jolly’s KK. As recounted by Hutchins, the board ran out 77225 – very clean for those Aces – to give him the early double.
Hutchins now sits on 99,700.
Level 2: 100/200 (200)
Adams upping the ante
The sight of Sam Adams in today’s field will no doubt put the fear of the devil into his table mates!
Adams of course is one of Australia’s hottest talents right now, having won the APT’s Diamond Tier Player of the Series and the APT Player of the Year titles at the APT Season IV Grand Final in September.
He did so by winning both the $2,500 buy-in Goliath and the $600 buy-in Main Event in Brisbane, pocketing a tidy $170,000 for his week’s work.
With a side event win at the recent APL The Ville 600 in Townsville, Adams will be looking to continue his winning run here at The Star Gold Coast.
Chapman chipping up
Our live reporter caught the end of a premium faceoff, with Aces and Queens both tabled.
Dan Smiljanic raised to 1,200 preflop, and Mal Chapman 3-bet to 2,600. Smiljanic checked a flop of T3T, Chapman continued for 3,000 and Smiljanic called. The turn was a 7 and Smiljanic checked again, prompting a bet of 6,000 by Chapman. Smiljanic called before both players checked the river. Aces were good for Chapman as he climbs to 57,000 early on.
Familiar faces
Plenty of notable faces already in the room and seated, including Event 3 winner Ricky Kroesen, Jackie Glazier, Aydyn Glen, Sam Adams, Bert Perry, Mina Gerges, Lee Bradbury, Johnny Rodden (not Lodden) and Luci Bonaccorso, who ran deep in the Star Poker Summer Series Opening Event.
Ricky Kroesen Lee Bradbury Sam Adams Mina Gerges Bert Perry Aydyn Glen Travis Endersby Johnny Rodden
Level 1: 100/100 (100)
Shuffle up and deal!
Tournament Director Jason Whimp has announced Shuffle Up and Deal! Blinds commence at 100/100 with a 100 big blind ante, we are playing 30 minute levels for the first 8 levels, and then 45 minute levels thereafter.
Back on the felt!
Live from wherever you’re watching – Australia, New Zealand or around the world – good afternoon and welcome to PokerMedia Australia’s coverage of The Star Gold Coast Summer Series Main Event!
After officially staking its claim as the premier casino destination for poker in this country back in May with the WPTDeepStacks series, The Star have continued to ride their wave of success in hosting one last big hit-out for the year, which have brought in solid numbers throughout all the side events thus far.
This is also the first major casino-based tournament series held anywhere in Australia since that WPTDeepStacks event, which of course featured live reporting coverage from PMA!
Despite the challenges being presented due to COVID (a fact not lost on the PMA Live Reporting Team), there’s still a huge feeling of optimism amongst the local contingent, bolstered further by The Star Gold Coast’s commitment to delivering the ultimate poker experience.
Martin Coughlan and the Star Poker team have once again pulled out all the stops by adding some summer pizazz to the poker room, complete with deck chairs, beach balls and a bright orange surfer van, which is the perfect backdrop for arguably the best final table photos ever!
The stage is now set for the first of two Day 1 flights of the $1,100 buy-in Main Event. Sources close to PMA have told us there are at least 165 satellite qualifiers for this tournament, suggesting we’re in for plenty of action over the next four days from the very best the Queensland poker community has to offer (and anyone else who has managed to talk their way across the border).
Our live coverage kicks off from 2.30pm local time (that’s 3.30pm for those of you in NSW and Victoria), so sit back and enjoy the ride!
Let’s go Wpt Goldcoast players. Gots to get the chips in the bag. Best of luck W Scott Mulligan.
Good luck to all players.
Best of luck Wpt Goldcoast players. Got to get the chips in the bag. Bestest of luck W Scott Mulligan. Good luck to all players…