Congratulations Robert Spano, Star Gold Coast Champs $2,500 Shot Clock Champion! ($51,181)*
Robert Spano has once again claimed victory on the felt, defeating Carlos Youssef heads up after a hard fought day of poker.
The victory is yet another in a long resume of achievements for the Sydneysider and Poker Palace regular, who has amassed over $750,000 in lifetime earnings.
Spano’s biggest cash was in the 2016 Sydney Championships, where he finished second in the $7K Challenge Event. Spano has also claimed not one, but two Poker Palace Main Event wins, in both 2017 and 2019.
This title is fresh off the back of a third place finish in the Brisbane Poker Festival $1,500 NLH in February.
Congratulations again Robert! YEAH BABY!
This also marks the end of our Live Reporting coverage of the Star Gold Coast Champs! We hope you’ve enjoyed following along all the way through the entire series, thank you for joining us, and from all of us here at PMA, it’s ‘bye for now!
STAR GOLD COAST CHAMPS $2,500 SHOT CLOCK – FINAL TABLE RESULTS (86 entries, 11 players paid)
| Place | Name | Country | Amount |
| 1st | Robert Spano | Australia | $51,181* |
| 2nd | Carlos Youssef | Australia | $51,180* |
| 3rd | Roy Agresta | Australia | $23,983 |
| 4th | Nick Williams | Australia | $16,220 |
| 5th | Angel Guillen | Mexico | $12,363 |
| 6th | Yita Choong | Australia | $9,890 |
| 7th | Rehman Kassam | Australia | $8,209 |
| 8th | Ricky Kroesen | Australia | $6,923 |
| 9th | Chin Wang | Australia | $6,379 |
Carlos Youssef eliminated in 2nd place ($51,180)*
Carlos Youssef has finished runner up for the second time this series; just five days after finishing second in the Star Gold Coast Champs PLO, Youssef claims another huge score, finishing second in the Star Gold Coast Champs $2,500 Shot Clock event.
Following Spano and Youssef agreeing to a heads-up deal, they played all-in blind face-up to determine a winner for the title.
Youssef: A♠K♣
Spano: J♥2♥
Board: 4♠4♦3♦2♣J♥
Spano paired his deuce on the turn, and then hit the Jack for good measure, eliminating Youssef.
Roy Agresta eliminated in 3rd place ($23,983)
On a flop of Q♥5♠4♥, Carlos Youssef put Roy Agresta to the test for his tournament life. Agresta called, putting all of his chips at risk, only to see that he was dominated – his Q♦10♠ behind the A♦Q♠ of Youssef.
Needing a Ten and Ten only, the dealer peeled the 9♠, 8♥ – teasingly close, but not enough, and Agresta’s day came to an abrupt end.
| Carlos Youssef | 5,570,000 |
| Roy Agresta | BUSTED! |
Level 25: 50,000/100,000 (100,000)
Nick Wright eliminated in 4th place ($16,220)
Nick Wright has been eliminated at the hands of Carlos Youssef. Youssef, who is on his third final table of the Star Gold Coast Champs series, was in the big blind, with Wright in the small blind.
On the flop of 9♣6♦J♠, Wright led out for 80,000 and Youssef called. The turn came 5♠ and Youssef again flat-called, this time a bet of 120,000 from Wright.
The river was the K♥ and Wright paused before sliding out a full stack of T25,000 chips, a bet of 500,000. Youssef shoved in short order, and Wright snap called.
Wright: K♦9♥
Youssef: Q♣10♥
Youssef had rivered the nut straight and, unfortunately for Wright, that same card had given him two pair.
| Carlos Youssef | 2,900,000 |
| Nick Wright | BUSTED! |
Spano steals one
On a board showing Q♠J♥3♥J♠ with about 500,000 already in the pot, Nick Wright checked first to act, then Carlos Youssef utilised a time extension chip before checking as well. Robert Spano did not hesitate, betting 250,000, finding a quick fold from Wright.
Youssef used nearly all of his 30 seconds allocated before folding behind. We took the opportunity to quickly count everyone’s stacks for our readers.
| Roy Agresta | 2,665,000 |
| Robert Spano | 2,190,000 |
| Carlos Youssef | 1,930,000 |
| Nick Wright | 1,745,000 |
Level 24: 40,000/80,000 (80,000)
Angel Guillen eliminated in 5th place ($12,363)
Roy Agresta opened to 125,000 and was promptly 4-bet from the next seat over by Angel Guillen to 400,000.
Agresta opted to jam when action folded back around to him, and Guillen snap called.
Agresta: A♠A♣
Guillen: K♠K♥
Board: 7♦4♦4♥10♠9♥
The Ten high board no help to Guillen, who arose from the table and left.
| Roy Agresta | 3,150,000 |
| Angel Guillen | BUSTED! |
Level 23: 30,000/60,000 (60,000)
Counts at the break
PMA took the opportunity to get some accurate counts during the break for you all.
| Seat | Name | Chips |
| 1 | Robert Spano | 1,050,000 |
| 3 | Roy Agresta | 2,830,000 |
| 5 | Angel Guillen | 1,670,000 |
| 7 | Nick Wright | 2,200,000 |
| 9 | Carlos Youssef | 765,000 |
Yita Choong eliminated in 6th place ($9,890)
With a board reading 10♣2♣9♥, Choong hit the check button before Angel Guillen slid out a bet of 175,000. Robert Spano made the call, then Choong dropped the hammer, jamming the remainder of his stack. Guillen re-shoved over the top, and Spano agonised over the decision, utilising two time chips before finding a fold.
Guillen: K♣Q♣
Choong: 6♣7♣
“Well, that’s not good” said Choong, and he was right, as the dealer turned over the 4♣ to have him drawing dead on the turn, followed by a meaningless J♠.
Our players have left for a 20-minute break shortly after.
| Angel Guillen | 1,690,000 |
| Yita Choong | BUSTED! |
Wright up the counts!
On a flop of J♣Q♣K♥, Roy Agresta bet 220,000. Nick Wright upped the ante, raising to 500,000, and Agresta shot straight back, shoving all in. Wright didn’t hesitate, calling with the nuts A♦10♦.
Agresta tabled 10♣7♣ for a combination draw, but needing a club to win the pot.
The board bricked out K♠, 8♥, sending Wright over the 2 million mark.
Spano spirals then surges
Nick Wright got his remaining 680,000 in preflop, called by Robert Spano, with Spano’s 10♠10♥ ahead and racing against the A♦Q♣ of Wright.
Spano smashed a set on the K♣6♦10♦ flop but disaster on the turn as it ran out J♥, 3♥. Wright doubled to 1,485,000, leaving Spano crippled on just 275,000.
Spano shoved his remaining 225,000, having paid the ante first, from the big blind. Angel Guillen, who had originally opened, called off.
Spano: A♥J♥
Guillen: 9♦10♦
Guillen completely missed the 5♦6♣8♠K♠A♦ board and Spano doubled, then immediately got his stack in again a few hands later, shoving for 500,000 and called by Yita Choong. Choong tabled A♥Q♦, dominating the A♣10♥ of Spano.
“I’ll take two Tens please!” called out Spano, to a cry of “Greedy, aren’t you” from Choong.
Spano didn’t need a Ten, however, spiking a runner runner Broadway straight to double again to 1,100,000.
| Robert Spano | 1,100,000 |
| Angel Guillen | 905,000 |
Rehman Kassam eliminated in 7th place ($8,209)
Roy Agresta opened to 120,000 and action folded around to Rehman Kassam in the blinds. Kassam pulled the trigger, jamming for approximately 900k.
Agresta snapped him off, tabling 10♦10♥, racing against the A♥J♦ of Kassam.
The dealer spread a board of Q♠4♦8♦3♥2♦, nothing there for Kassam and he has been ousted in seventh place.
| Roy Agresta | 4,250,000 |
| Rehman Kassam | BUSTED! |
Level 22: 25,000/50,000 (50,000)
Ricky Kroesen eliminated in 8th place ($6,923)
Roy Agresta opened, and action folded around to Ricky Kroesen in the small blind, who jammed his remaining chips over the line. Agresta made the call.
Agresta: A♠Q♥
Kroesen: A♣J♠
The board ran out 3♠A♥5♣K♠8♦, and Agresta held with the superior kicker.
| Roy Agresta | 3,175,000 |
| Ricky Kroesen | BUSTED! |
Level 21: 20,000/40,000 (40,000)
Chin Wang eliminated in 9th place ($6,379)
Recounted to us after the fact by Roy Agresta, Chin Wang jammed a 10BB stack with J♥2♥ from the small blind and Agresta called in the big blind with A♣J♣.
The board ran 6-5-6-4-X and Agresta sealed the elimination.
| Roy Agresta | 2,305,000 |
| Chin Wang | BUSTED! |
Final table seating and counts
Roy Agresta has been aggressively collecting chips, and now leads the final table of nine players, though Yita Choong and Angel Guillen are both over the million mark themselves.
Carlos Youssef deserves a mention – this marks his third final table of the series!
| Seat | Name | Chips |
| 1 | Robert Spano | 670,000 |
| 2 | Chin Wang | 335,000 |
| 3 | Roy Agresta | 1,975,000 |
| 4 | Yita Choong | 1,230,000 |
| 5 | Angel Guillen | 1,370,000 |
| 6 | Rehman Kassam | 760,000 |
| 7 | Nick Wright | 775,000 |
| 8 | Ricky Kroesen | 480,000 |
| 9 | Carlos Youssef | 640,000 |
Rod Batoz eliminated in 10th place ($5,934)
Angel Guillen opened UTG and the action folded around to Rod Batoz in the big blind. Batoz shoved his remaining chips, and Guillen quickly called.
Guillen: K♠J♥
Batoz: Q♥9♦
Guillen flopped a pair and stayed ahead on the runout of A♣4♥K♣Q♦K♦.
With the tournament now down to nine players, they will re-draw for final table.
| Angel Guillen | 1,345,000 |
| Rod Batoz | BUSTED! |
Level 20: 15,000/30,000 (30,000)
Aidan Hildebrandt eliminated in 11th place ($5,538)
Aiden Hildbrandt jammed his remaining 319,000 and Roy Agresta immediately re-jammed from the next seat over for approximately 1,600,000. Action folded all the way around and cards were tabled.
Agresta: K♥K♠
Hildebrandt: 7♦7♠
Hildebrandt was dominated and could not catch up, scoring a min cash for his efforts yesterday and today. The players have now left for a short scheduled break.
| Roy Agresta | 1,979,000 |
| Aidan Hildebrandt | BUSTED! |
Andrej Senic eliminated in 12th place
Andrej Senic has been eliminated on the bubble, at the hands of the Star Gold Coast Champs Big Bounty Shot Clock Champion Rehman Kassam.
Kassam: A♦K♦
Senic: Q♠10♠
Some life for Senic as he the flop of 9♣4♥8♣ gave a gut shot straight draw combined with his two live cards. It was not to be, however as the board completed 9♠, 6♠ to eliminate Senic. With that, the remaining 11 players are in the money!
| Rehman Kassam | 538,000 |
| Andrej Senic | BUSTED! |
Level 19: 15,000/25,000 (25,000)
Mooney moved on
Geoffrey Mooney found himself all in and at risk against overnight chip leader Yita Choong.
Choong: K♦K♣
Mooney: A♦J♣
Mooney was unable to catch up as the board completed 8♦2♥4♠9♦Q♠, and with his elimination, tournament staff paused the clock for hand-for-hand – 12 players remained on the bubble for the payouts.
| Yita Choong | 1,690,000 |
| Geoffrey Mooney | BUSTED! |
Blanusa blammo’d
Neb Blanusa opened shoved his remaining chips a couple of hands later, and Yita Choong made the call before both blinds got out the way.
There was some discussion between the players over the fact that the shot clock continues to count while the dealer is counting down a stack, with some arguing it should be paused. “You could simply mash up your chips to angle” said Rehman Kassam.
Blanusa: K♥9♥
Choong: 6♦6♣
The flop came down 9♣10♣10♠, pairing Blanusa’s nine. “Club for a sweat!” called Choong, and the dealer dutifully drew the J♣. Always a sweat.
The dealer unexpectedly peeled the 6♥ on the river, however, to end Blanusa’s run.
| Yita Choong | 1,335,000 |
| Neb Blanusa | BUSTED! |
Deus Rex
Andrej Senic has been in the action twice in quick succession, getting it all in first against Neb Blanusa, then against Aidan Hildebrandt.
In the first hand, Senic had K♠K♦ and was all in and at risk against the A♣10♦ of Blanusa. The board completed J♣J♥7♠7♦6♦ and Senic doubled through.
Soon after, Senic opened the action under the gun and Hildebrandt shoved. To the amazement of the rest of the table, Senic again tabled K♣K♠, to cries of “Rigged” from Hildebrandt as he tabled A♦K♦.
The dealer spread a flop of 9♥A♥6♦. “Still rigged?” remarked tablemate Rehman Kassam, to silence from Hildebrandt. The board completed 10♠, 2♥ and Hildebrandt doubled through as well.
| Andrej Senic | 454,000 |
| Aidan Hildebrandt | 418,000 |
| Neb Blanusa | 108,000 |
Level 18: 10,000 (20,000)
The Wright time
In a clash of the blinds, Nick Wright bet out 175,000 from the small blind on a complete board of K♥3♠3♦7♥4♣, sending Rod Batoz in the next seat over deep into the tank.
Batoz utilised five time bank chips before releasing his hand. After the hand, the volume of the time bank alert has been turned down at the request of the players on the table.
At the same table, Jeison Berdugo has recently been eliminated.
| Nick Wright | 1,149,000 |
| Rod Batoz | 265,000 |
| Jeison Berdugo | BUSTED! |
Aggressive Agresta
Fletcher Smith has fallen first, 5-bet jamming after Roy Agresta cold 4-bet from the hijack.
Smith: A♣K♥
Agresta: Q♣Q♦
Smith found himself in a classic race, needing an Ace or a King to stay alive. The board completed 8♣7♦J♣10♠2♠ and Smith sets off to the rail.
| Roy Agresta | 1,275,000 |
| Fletcher Smith | BUSTED! |
Level 17: 8,000/16,000 (16,000)
Welcome back to PokerMedia Australia‘s live coverage of the Star Gold Coast Champs! Today is the final day of the stellar sun-drenched series.
Whilst the Main Event is drawing to a close, starting today with eight players following a rare double elimination on the final table bubble last night, and the $2,500 Shot Clock event is down to 16 players, who will be playing down to a winner today.
Leading the way is Sydneysider Yita Choong, the only man over a million chips so far. He is being chased by a hoard of the biggest names in Australian poker, including Angel Guillen, Robert Spano, and $550 Big Bounty Shot Clock Champion, Rehman Kassam.
Hoping to bring the glory to Queensland will be locals Ricky Kroesen, Rod Batoz, and Carlos Youssef, who has already made two final tables this series and will be hoping to make it a third.
Table 8
| Name | Seat | Chips |
| Rod Batoz | 1 (SB) | 442,000 |
| Angel Guillen | 2 (BB) | 815,000 |
| Carlos Youssef | 3 | 535,000 |
| Jeison Berdugo | 4 | 220,000 |
| 5 | ||
| Chin Wang | 6 | 354,000 |
| Ricky Kroesen | 7 | 780,000 |
| Robert Spano | 8 | 318,000 |
| Nick Wright | 9 (D) | 904,000 |
Table 12
| Name | Seat | Chips |
| Andrej Senic | 1 | 302,000 |
| Geoffrey Mooney | 2 | 390,000 |
| Rehman Kassam | 3 | 244,000 |
| Aidan Hildbrandt | 4 | 532,000 |
| Fletcher Smith | 5 | 466,000 |
| Neb Blanusa | 6 | 271,000 |
| Roy Agresta | 7 | 746,000 |
| Yita Choong | 8 | 1,236,000 |
| 9 |
Action kicks off at 12:30 AEST. PMA will be here for every major turning point throughout the afternoon, so stay tuned!
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