Congratulations Michelle Psarras ($132,321)*, WPTDeepStacks Sydney Opening Event Champion!
After five days of action across the felt at The Star Sydney poker room, Michelle Psarras has been crowned the WPTDeepStacks Sydney Opening Event Champion, taking home more than $132,000 in prize money and defeating a mammoth field of 1,204 entries!
Having started the final table as the short stack, the ‘Harbour City Queen’ lived up to her reputation as one of the country’s most formidable players to claim her first major title since winning the WSOP International Circuit Ladies Event here at The Star Sydney two years ago.
Psarras was still pinching herself after her biggest career victory to date, telling PokerMedia Australia that she was delighted to be back on the felt again here after so long.
“It doesn’t feel real right now!” Psarras said. “I’m enjoying everything now that we’re finally back … the players and staff have all been great. What a fantastic start to this series, I can’t thank you all enough!”
With her first big individual open victory now in the bag, Psarras now has her sights set on the WPTDeepStacks Sydney Player of the Festival trophy, vowing to play every event from here on in.
Make no mistake: Michelle Psarras is the real deal!
WPTDEEPSTACKS SYDNEY OPENING EVENT – FINAL TABLE RESULTS ($750 buy-in, 1,204 entries, 151 players paid)*
| Place | Name | Country | Amount |
| 1st | Michelle Psarras | Australia | $132,231* |
| 2nd | Todd Sekli | Australia | $100,000* |
| 3rd | Yu Chen | Australia | $62,074 |
| 4th | Zhihan Neo | Australia | $45,983 |
| 5th | Michele Bouskila | Australia | $34,735 |
| 6th | Al Josue | Australia | $28,071 |
| 7th | Yang Lei | Australia | $23,178 |
| 8th | Rathe Kulen | Australia | $18,351 |
| 9th | Peter Dykes | Australia | $13,653 |
Before we wrap things up, we’d like to show our appreciation to all our viewers who tuned in to our Live Reporting blog throughout the last five days.
Special thanks also go out to the team at The Star Sydney, the World Poker Tour and our friends at LCAPoker for working with us to bring you complete final table coverage. To view the full replay of the feature table broadcast, log onto twitch.tv/StarPokerAU.
Be sure to join us again from 1:30pm AEST on Monday 4 April as we bring you updates from Day 2 of the $2,000 NLH, followed by the $440 PLO, Day 2 of the Big Bounty and of course, the one you’ve all been waiting for: the $1,500 WPTDeepStacks Main Event.
All this and more coming your way very soon, but until then, from all of us at PMA, it’s ‘bye for now!
Todd Sekli eliminated in 2nd place ($100,000)*
Hand #139
From the button, Michelle Psarras raised to 1.2 million and Sekli three-bet it to 2.5 million.
Psarras then called and they saw a flop of 10♦6♣4♥. Sekli opened for 1.5 million and Psarras called, then after the turn of the 5♦, he moved all-in for his last 8,600,000 and Psarras snap-called.
Psarras: 10♠6♠
Sekli: 4♦3♦
Down to 16 outs, the river 5♣ was a blank and thus marked the end of the clearance sale.
Still, it was a sensational effort from Sekli, who only had one cash worth AUD $310 to his name on The Hendon Mob up until he closed the deal today. Well done, sir!
| Todd Sekli | BUSTED! |
Psarras pulls back
Hands #135 & #136: After Michelle Psarras won with a button raise, she three-bet for 1.1 million on the big blind after Todd Sekli’s raise of 1.1 million to see a flop of 2♣7♦10♠. Psarras then bet out 2.3 million and Sekli folded.
Hands #137 and #138: A button raise-and-fold for Psarras, followed by a walk.
| Michelle Psarras | 18,000,000 |
| Todd Sekli | 13,000,000 |
Level 35: 250,000/500,000 (500,000)
Sekli takes two
Hands #131 & #132: Michelle Psarras folded her button, then called Todd Sekli’s pre-flop raise of 800,000 to see a flop of A♠3♥10♠, which they both checked.
Psarras then led out of 800,000 on the turn of the K♣, but quickly folded after Sekli raised to 2.3 million.
Hand #133: Psarras button-raised to 800,000 and Sekli called before both players checked a flop of 3♣4♦10♠; Sekli then check-called Psarras’ bet of 800,000 on the turn of the Q♥ before they checked again on the river K♦. Sekli showed Q♣5♣, but was outkicked by Psarras’ Q♠6♣.
Hand #134: Sekli raised to 900,000 from the button and Psarras called before check-calling Sekli’s bet of 625,000 after the flop of A♠7♦K♣. Both players then checked down the turn of the K♥ and the river 8♥, wtih Sekli’s 10♦10♣ making the better two pair against the 7♣6♥ of Psarras.
| Todd Sekli | 18,000,000 |
| Michelle Psarras | 13,000,000 |
Evening things out
Hand #123 to #127: After a short break to discuss a deal, Michelle Psarras and Todd Sekli shook hands on a chop that would see Psarras pocket $120,000 and Sekli $100,000 straight, playing off for the remaining $12,231.
Action then resumed soon after, with Psarras coming in with a button raise and Sekli folding his big blind; Psarras flashed the A♣ for her adoring fans. Not a bad starting card, hey?
Psarras then proceeded to take down the next three hands before raising to 800,000 from the button; Sekli called and both players checked the flop of 10♥6♠7♣ before Sekli fired out 525,000 on the turn of the 2♥. Sekli then forced a fold from Psarras after betting 1.3 million on the river 9♦.
Hands #128 to #130: Psarras picked up the next two sets of blinds and antes and followed that with a call of Sekli’s pre-flop raise of 800,000 to se a flop of 2♥5♥9♥. Psarras bet 1.2 million, Sekli moved all-in for 6.7 million and Psarras snap-called.
Sekli: 9♠7♠
Psarras: 5♣2♣
It looked as if it would have been over there and then, but incredibly, the turn and river ran out 9♦, 10♦ to bring the chip counts to almost even!
Yu Chen eliminated in 3rd place ($62,074)
Hands #119 & #120: Another walk went to Todd Sekli, then Yu Chen raise from the button and found a call from Michelle Psarras before Psarras check-folded to Chen’s bet of 800,000 after a flop of 10♦10♣4♠.
Hand #121: Psarras folded on the button and Sekli raised out of the small blind to 900,000 before Chen called from the big blind to see a flop of 9♣9♥6♠. Sekli fired out 500,000 and Chen called, but folded after Sekli’s bet of 1.1 million after the dealer peeled off the 4♣ on the turn.
Hand #122
Sekli folded on the button and Chen raised to 900,000 from the small blind; Psarras elected to defend her big blind, going heads-up to a flop of A♠8♦J♠; Chen checked, Psarras moved all-in and after about 30 seconds Chen short-called.
Chen: Q♠Q♦
Psarras: 8♠5♠
The turn of the 5♣ improved Psarras to two pair, with the river 7♦ completing the board to confirm Chen as our third-place finisher.
And just like that, ladies and gents, we are now heads-up for our first WPTDeepStacks Sydney series title!
| Michelle Psarras | 22,000,000 |
| Todd Sekli | 8,500,000 |
| Yu Chen | BUSTED! |
Closing down sale
Hand #111: Michelle Psarras limped in from the small blind, but Todd Sekli raised all-in from the small blind. Chen Yu quickly folded her big blind.
“Was it really that bad?” Psarras asked with a grin before throwing her hand away.
Hands #112 & #113: Psarras raised the button and everyone else folded, then Chen completed her small blind in the very next hand; Psarras called, then both players checked the A♣2♥2♣ before it went check-bet-fold after the turn of the J♥.
Hand #114: Psarras raised to 800,000 from the small blind and Sekli called from the big blind to go heads-up to a flop of 4♠7♠8♣ before she check-called his bet of 700,000. Both players then checked down the river 9♠ and Sekli’s Q♥J♦ was good for the scoop.
Hands #115 to #117: Sekli raised from the small blind and the button and the others folded, but Psarras came back with a small blind raise to stop him in his tracks.
Hand #118: Psarras came out with a button raise worth 900,000 and both Sekli and Chen called, giving us a family pot into a flop of A♣Q♠3♣. Action then checked to Psarras who bet 950,000; Sekli called and Chen folded, making it heads-up to the turn of the 6♠.
Sekli check-called Psarras’ bet of 2,000,000 and then checked again after on the river 6♦. Psarras bet of 4.2 million put him into the tank for a long time before he laid his hand down.
Psarras appeared to flash her hand to the rail, which meant the ‘show-one, show-all’ rule came into effect, revealing that she had Q♦Q♣.
| Michelle Psarras | 18,000,000 |
| Todd Sekli | 7,300,000 |
Deal or no deal?
Hands #101 to #104: There was a brief discussion of a potential ICM chop between our final three players, but nothing came of it, so it was straight back into the action where Yu Chen began the level with a pre-flop shove that got through before everyone got a walk in the big blind.
Hand #105: Michelle Psarras folded on the button and Sekli raised to 800,000 from the small blind with QdJd before Chen defended her big blind with 7♣6♣ to see a flop of 3♥6♥A♥.
Sekli led out for 400,000 and Chen called, then both players checked down the turn and river 2♦, 9♣ which resulted in the pot being awarded to Chen.
Hands #106 & #107: Psarras got another walk, then followed up with a small blind raise of 800,000 and Sekli called, before Psarras check-raised to 850,000 after Sekli’s bet of 400,000 on the flop of 10♥5♦5♣. Sekli thought about it briefly before letting his hand go.
Hand #108: Sekli completed the small blind, only to fold after Chen raised her big blind; he then got a walk in the big blind before Chen came back in with a raise to 800,000 on the button. Sekli then three-bet to 1.8 million, Chen shoved and Sekli folded.
Hands #109 & #110: Sekli open-shoved from the button to steal a set of blinds and antes, then in the very next hand, Chen completed the small blind and Psarras checked her option before both players checked their option on a flop of J♠9♣5♠.
Chen fired 600,000 on the turn of the 10♣ and Psarras called before they both checked the river 8♠, with Psarras’ 10♦3♣ enough win the pot.
| Michelle Psarras | 13,000,000 |
| Yu Chen | 8,400,000 |
Level 34: 200,000/400,000 (400,000)
Break time
Time for another 10-minute break and a full round of counts, thanks to the wonderful Alice, who may well have the fastest hands in The Star!
| Todd Selki | 13,575,000 |
| Michelle Psarras | 11,000,000 |
| Yu Chen | 5,825,000 |
Sale of the century
Hands #95 to #97: Yu Chen limped in from the small blind and Psarras checked her option on the big blind before folding to Chen’s bet of 400,000 after a flop of A♠8♥9♦.
Chen then folded on the button and Psarras completed the small blind, only to fold after Todd Sekli raised to 1,000,000 straight on the big blind. Sekli followed that up by a successful small blind steal before Psarras got a walk in the big blind, showing pocket kings before picking up the blinds and antes.
Hand #98: Chen raised to 700,00 from the button and only Sekli called from the big blind before both players checked the flop of Q♠7♦2♠. Sekli then led out for 550,000 after the turn of the 4♣ and for 750,000 on the river 4♦; Chen called in each instance, but found herself beaten by Sekli’s J♥7♣.
Hands #99 & #100: Sekli came out with a raise from the small blind pre-flop and took it down, and then in the last hand before the break, Chen completed the small blind and Psarras checked the big blind to go to a flop heads-up that read 3♦4♣Q♣, which they both checked.
Chen then bet out on the turn of the Q♠ and Psarras quickly folded.
Psarras picks up the pace
Hands #88 to #90: After a couple of quick steals, Michelle Psarras moved all-in for her last 3.3 million pre-flop with A♥8♥ and found a caller in Yu Chen who tabled [invalid notations] to score a crucial double.
Hand #91: Psarras folded on the button and Todd Selki raised from the small blind before Chen called out of the big blind to see a flop of K♠5♣9♥. Selki opened for 550,000 and Chen called, but then check-folded after Chen opened for 750,000 on the turn of the 9♦
Hand #92: Selki folded the button and Chen completed the small blind holding K♣3♠ before Psarras checked to see a flop of K♥8♦10♥. Chen then bet 400,000 after the turn of the 5♥ and Psarras called before they both checked the river 2♥, which resulted in Chen raking in the pot.
Hands #93 & #94: After Chen picked up a set of blinds and antes with a pre-flop button raise, Psarras made it 850,000 to go holding 10♠9♥ against Chen, who defended her big blind to go heads-up to a flop of J♠K♦K♥.
Chen check-called after Psarras’ post-flop bet of 575,000 before repeating the action following Psarras’ second shell worth 1.4 million on the turn of the Q♥. Chen checked her option on the river 3♥, which prompted Psarras to move all in for her last 3,125,000.
Chen asked for a count and then went deep into the tank before eventually making the call, but was crushed by Psarras’ Ace-high straight.
And with that, Psarras is now the new chip leader after starting the final table as the short stack!
| Michelle Psarras | 12,000,000 |
| Yu Chen | 8,000,000 |
Zhihan Neo eliminated in 4th place ($45,983)
Hand #87
Action folded to Zhihan Neo who raised to 700,000 from the small blind; Todd Sekli defended the big blind, then both players checked the flop of 9♠4♥Q♥.
Neo then open-shoved for the last of his stack on the turn of the Q♠ and Sekli snapped him off.
Neo: A♦A♣
Sekli: Q♣4♣
Down to just two outs, the river 10♦ was a brick and Neo was sent to the rail.
| Todd Sekli | 13,000,000 |
| Zhihan Neo | BUSTED! |
Taking back time
Hands #78 to #80: An unexpected error in the tournament system resulted in the previous blind level only running for 30 minutes in duration. Tournament staff have since confirmed that to make up for it, Level 33 will run for a full hour.
Yu Chen then limped in from the small blind, but folded after Michelle Psarras three-bet out of the big blind. Chen then came out with a button raise in the very next hand to steal the blinds and antes, folded by another for Todd Sekli straight after that.
Hand #81 to 83: Psarras raised to 650,000, only to fold to a three-bet-shove of 3,125,000 from Zhihan Neo before two button raises from Sekli and Yu each resulted in no action.
Hands #84 to #86: Action folded to Sekli who made it 650,000 to go from the small blind; Chen defended her big blind to go heads-up to the flop of 7♣K♥A♥, but folded after Sekli’s bet of 450,000.
In the very next hand, Chen came back with a three-bet of 1.8 million from the small blind after Sekli’s initial raise of 625,000 from the button, then scored herself more blinds and antes after another successful pre-flop button raise.
Level 33: 150,000/300,000 (300,000)
Another chopportunity
Hand #72: From under the gun, Yu Chen made it 550,000 to go with A♥10♣, but Sekli came out with a raise to 1.3 million from the big blind with his A♣10♥.
Chen snap-called, then Sekli fired out 725,000 after the flop of 5♣5♣4♥ and Chen called again before he bet 1,425,000 after the turn of the 2♠.
Both players then checked their option on the river Q♦, splitting a pot worth 7.2 million.
Hand #73: Sekli raised out of the small blind and got no takers.
Hand #74: Neo raised to 675,000 from the UTG position and found a caller in Michelle Psarras out of the big blind, but she check-folded after Neo’s c-bet of 525,000 on the flop of 5♦K♣10♠.
“Set’s good,” Psarras said as she threw her hand into the muck.
Hand #75: Chen min-raised from the button and Neo called out of the small blind before check-calling Chen’s bet of 350,000 after the 7♣2♥6♥; both players then checked the K♦ on the turn before Chen check-called Neo’s bet of 400,000 on the river 4♠, taking it down with 10♦7♦.
Hands #76 & #77: After Sekli got a walk in the big blind, Neo raised to 525,000 from the button and Chen called from the big blind before leading out for 450,000 on the 3♥9♦J♠ flop. Both players then checked down the turn and river 5♠, 3♦, with Chen showing Q♣J♣.
Psarras doubles
Hand #66: Todd Sekli raised to 500,000 straight from the button and got no takers, flashing the A♠ before raking in the pot.
Hand #67: Michelle Psarras shoved for 2.3 million with A♦A♣, dominating Zhihan Neo who called out with 9♥9♦, with neither hand improving on the board of 3♦J♠Q♥2♣4♠ to see her double through.
Hands #68 & #69: After a quick raise-and-fold, Sekli came in with a raise out of the small blind, only to fold after Yu Chen three-bet from the big blind.
Hand #70: Neo raised to 575,000 from under the gun and action folded to Psarras who defended her big blind before check-calling Neo’s bet of 425,000 after the flop of 5♠2♦8♠, but then she forced Neo to fold after opening for 700,000 when the 6♣ came down on the turn.
Hand #71: Chen raised to 550,000 from the button, but insta-mucked after Neo shoved from the big blind.
| Michelle Psarras | 4,700,000 |
| Zhihan Neo | 5,100,000 |
Easy for Yu
Hand #60: From under the gun, Yu Chen raised with A♠3♠ before Zhihan Neo and Todd Sekli came along from the blinds to go three-handed into a flop of 2♥3♥K♥, which they all checked.
Neo then opened for 950,000 after the turn of the 5♣; Sekli folded and Chen called, then she opened for 1.5 million on the river of the 5♣, which put Neo into the tank for a good couple of minutes or so before making a crying call, only to find that his A♦2♦ had been beaten by Chen’s A♠3♠.
Hand #61: Sekli raised to 600,000 from the small blind and Yu defended her big blind before he opened for 325,000 after a 10♦A♣Q♠ flop. Sekli then forced the fold after firing a second shell worth 525,000 with the repeat [/pcn]Qd on the turn.
Hands #62 to #64: After Michelle Psarras got a walk, Yu stole the blinds and antes with a button raise before action folded to Neo who completed his small blind; Sekli checked his option in the big blind, but folded after Neo bet out on the flop of 10♣K♠4♠.
Hand #65: Action folded to Sekli who limped from the small blind holding K♠Q♥ and Chen checked the big blind before leading out for 300,000 after Sekli checked the flop of 3♥5♠K♦.
The action repeated on the turn of Q♠ after Chen’s bet of 500,000 before Sekli opened for 425,000 when a repeat Q♠ came down the river. Chen called, but Sekli scooped with trips.
| Yu Chen | 13,000,000 |
| Todd Sekli | 9,100,000 |
| Zhihan Neo | 7,500,000 |
Level 32: 125,000/250,000 (250,000)
Neo puts a stop on Sekli
Hands #51 to #55: In the midst of four lots of pre-flop steals by Todd Sekli, Raise from Sekli, Michelle Psarras open-shoved for 3.1 million, but although Zhihan Neo asked for a count, he thought better of it and decided to lay his hand down.
Hand #56: Action folded to Neo who completed the small blind with K♠4♦; Sekli checked his option on the big blind to see a flop of 2♦J♣9♠, which both players checked before Sekli opened for 250,000 when the 10♣ appeared on the turn.
Both players then checked the river Q♥ and Neo’s straight was best.
Hand #57: Neo riased from the button pre-flop to 450,000, but folded after Sekli three-bet to 1.2 million out the small blind.
Hand #58: After a pre-flop button raise to 425,000 from Sekli, Chen Yu came along from the small blind to see a flop of J♠2♦3♣ and then check-called Sekli’s bet of 300,000 before they both checked the turn of the K♠.
As soon as the dealer brought down the river 3♦, Chen quickly fired out 650,000 and Sekli called, only to see that Chen was good with K♣7♣ for two pair, kings up.
Hand #59: Chen raised from the button pre-flop and Neo defended his big blind, but then check-folded after Chen’s c-bet of 250,000 on the flop of 10♣4♦4♥.
| Zhihan Neo | 11,550,000 |
| Yu Chen | 9,200,000 |
| Todd Sekli | 8,100,000 |
Michele Bouskila eliminated in 5th place ($34,735)
Hands #47 & #48: Todd Sekli raised from the UTG position to 425,000 holding A♥K♥ and action folded to Zhihan Neo who defending his small blind with 8♥3♥ before both players checked the flop of 8♣10♥6♦.
Neo then check-called Sekli’s c-bet of 350,000 on the turn of the J♦ before the both checked the repeat J♣ on the river.
Neo’s two pair was best and moved him up to almost 11 million in chips after that hand, but Sekli got a walk in the very next hand by way consolation.
Hand #49: Action folded to Neo who limped in from the cutoff; Yu Checked her option in the big blind, then check-called after the flop of 4♠6♦A♣ before both players checked down the turn and river of 7♣, A♠. Neo showed 4♦4♣ which was more than enough to scoop.
Hand #50
After Neo min-clicked to 425,000 with A♠K♥, action folded to Michele Bouskila who shoved with his 7♠7♣ for his last 1,550,000. Neo snap-called and then flopped the overpair on the board of A♣8♣J♦2♣Q♠, ending Bouskila’s run in fifth place.
| Zhihan Neo | 12,800,000 |
| Yu Chen | 8,400,000 |
| Todd Sekli | 7,800,000 |
| Michele Bouskila | BUSTED! |
Al Josue eliminated in 6th place ($28,071)
Hand #42: Al Josue scored a double-up to 1.2 million after moving all-in from the +1 position with Q♣10♣, rivering a pair of queens on the board of K♦3♣8♣9♦Q♥ against the A♦10♠ of Zhihan.
Hands #43 to #45: Chen Yu stole a set of blinds and antes before coming in with another pre-flop raise of 400,000 and called Todd Sekli’s three-bet of 1,000,000 straight before check-folding to Sekli’s bet after a of A♥7♥J♦. Yu then got a walk in the big blind.
Hand #46
From under the gun, Neo raised to 400,000 holding K♦Q♣ before Josue shoved for his last 1.4 million with 7♠7♦. Neo quickly called and it was off to the races.
“I’m the wrong person to double up!” said Josue. “Tell you what – I’ll give you a trophy if you get me out!”
Josue then headed out the door (and possibly to a nearby trophy store) as the board was spread 2♥8♦Q♠4♦2♠.
| Al Josue | BUSTED! |
Yang Lei eliminated in 7th place ($23,178)
Hand #39: Action folded to Yu Chen who raised to 500,000 from the small blind with 10♣4♦, Michelle Psarras defended her A♥7♠ before they both checked a flop of 2♥9♣6♠.
After the 8♥ appeared on the turn, Chen led out for 425,000 and Psarras called before she took the pot off Chen after they both checked their option on the river J♠.
Hand #40: Another battle of the blinds, this time with raising to Psarras raising to 450,000 and Zhihan Neo defending his big blind before returning fire with a bet worth 800,000 after Psarras c-bet 350,000 after the 9♠8♠4♠, prompting Psarras to lay her hand down.
Hand #41
Michele Bouskila made it 400,000 to from UTG+1 and action folded around to Neo who completed the small blind before Lei three-bet to 600,000, leaving a solitary 25,000 chip behind before the others called to go three-handed to a flop of A♠8♠3♦.
Action then checked to Bouskila who continued for 200,000; Neo called, and Lei placed his last chip in to then make it heads-up to a sidepot on the turn of the 2♦, which Neo and Bouskila checked.
Neo then opened for 900,000 when the dealer peeled out the river 8♥ and Bousklia quickly folded.
Neo: 2♠2♣
Lei: A♦Q♣
Neo’s full house was best and Lei headed to the cage to collect for his seventh-place finish.
| Zhihan Neo | 8,000,000 |
| Yu Chen | 7,900,000 |
| Michelle Psarras | 4,900,000 |
| Yang Lei | BUSTED! |
Level 31: 100,000/200,000 (200,000)
Break time!
The players are now on a 20-minute break. As they took some time to grab a bite, we procured those all-important betting disc totals. Back soon!
| Yu Chen | 8,850,000 |
| Todd Sekli | 7,575,000 |
| Zhihan Neo | 5,600,000 |
| Michelle Psarras | 3,950,000 |
| Michele Bouskila | 2,800,000 |
| Lei Yang | 825,000 |
| Al Josue | 750,000 |
Sekli ships more chips
Hand #34: Michelle Psarras came in with a button raise and found no love.
Hand #35: The other players all folded around to Lei Yang who completed the small blind before Todd Sekli checked his option before he check-called Yang’s bet of 175,000 after the flop of 7♥2♣3♣.
Both players then checked the turn of the J♥ before Lei opened for 375,000 after the river J♥. This prompted a check-raise of 1,025,000 from Sekli, causing Lei to shift uncomfortably in his seat before he decided to let his hand go.
Hands #36 & #37: Zhihan Neo came in with a couple of late position raises to steal the blinds and antes.
Hand #38: The action passed to Sekli who raised to 350,000 from the cutoff; Chen Yu came along from the big blind, then check-called Sekli’s bet of 325,000 after a flop of 7♣4♥Q♠ before they checked the turn and river of 2♥, 6♣, with Sekli’s A♥10♦ taking the pot down.
Sekli keeps stacking
Hand #28: The action folded to Yang Lei who completed his small blind holding [invalid notations] to see a flop of 8♦3♥6♥.
Lei check-called Sekli’s bet of 150,000, then both players checked their option on both the turn and river of 6♠, A♥. Sekli scooped to moved up almost six million.
Hand #29: Action folded once again to Sekli who completed his small blind and Michele Bouskila checked his option in the big blind before both players checked the Q♦8♦J♦, only to then see Bouskila fold to Sekli’s bet of 150,000 after the turn of the 9♣.
Hand #30: Action folded aorund Bouskila who made it 425,000 to go from the small blind, forcing Al Josue off his big blind.
Hand #31: Zhihan Neo raised to 350,000 from UTG+1 and got no takers.
“Got away with K-9, huh?” Josue enquired.
“King-Jack,” replied Neo.
“Nice one!”
Hand #32: Action folded to Josue who came in with a button raise of 500,000, only to then see Chen Yu three-bet it to 1.1 million out of the big blind. After a few minutes in the tank, Josue open-folded 8♠8♣.
Hand #33: After action folded around to Michelle Psarras, she raised from the small blind and picked up the big blind and the ante.
| Todd Sekli | 5,800,000 |
| Yang Lei | 1,900,000 |
Rathe Kulen eliminated in 8th place ($18,351)
Hand #24: Action folded to Michele Bouskila raised from the cutoff to 350,000 and all the others folded.
Hand #25: Todd Sekli made it 350,000 to go from UTG+2 and action folded around to Michelle Psarras who called from the big blind to see a flop of 6♥7♠7♦, which they both checked.
Psarras then opened for 225,000 after the 10♠ on the turn and Sekli called before they both checked the river 8♣; Psarras tabled A♦8♦ for two pair, which was good to take it down.
Hand #26: From UTG+1, Sekli raised to 350,000 and action mucked to Zhihan Neo who defended his big blind before check-folding to Sekli’s bet of 275,000 after the J♥9♦2♥ flop.
Hand #27
The action passed around to Rathe Kulen who moved all-in for his last 875,000 Q♦9♦, only to then see Lei wake up with A♣K♥.
Although Kulen managed to turn a pair on the board of 5♦10♥7♣9♥, the river A♥ was the dagger in the heart to see him depart in eighth place.
| Todd Sekli | 4,900,000 |
| Michelle Psarras | 3,500,000 |
| Rathe Kulen | BUSTED! |
Peter Dykes eliminated in 9th place ($13,653)
Hands #20 to #22: Steals for Peter Dykes, Zhihan Neo and Rathe Kulen.
Hand #23
Dykes raised all-in to 1,000,000 neat from UTG+1 and Neo three-bet it to 2,025,000 from middle position; Yang Lei then called from the hijack with Q♠Q♣, but then got out of the way after Neo opened into a dry sidepot on a flop of 6♥3♦7♠.
Neo: 7♦7♣
Dykes: A♦10♦
The turn and river of 6♣, K♥ completed the board and thus ended Dykes’ run in ninth place.
| Peter Dykes | BUSTED! |
Level 30: 75,000/150,000 (150,000)
Kulen crippled
Hand #11: Al Josue raised to 275,000 from under the gun and action folded around to Yang Lei, who three-bet for 1,000,000 straight from the button. After the blinds got out of the way, Josue tanked for a long time before he four-bet-shoved for 1.7 million. Lei snap-called.
Lei: A♣K♥
Josue: A♥J♦
Board: 10♦Q♠10♥5♠8♠
With no change to either hand, Lei secured the double.
Hand #12: Action folded to Lei in the cutoff who raised to 250,000; Todd Sekli then three-bet from the button and then called Lei’s four-bet of 1.3 million before folding to Lei’s c-bet of 350,000 after a flop of 9♣4♦9♠.
Hand #13: Action folded around to Lei who raised to 250,000 with A♦K♥ from the hijack; Sekli called from the cutoff 8♠8♣ and then called Lei’s bet of 225,00 after the flop of [pcb]3sTh7h[/pcn].
A spicy 8♥ came down on the turn; Lei fired 525,000 and Sekli called before check-calling Lei’s bet on the river 8♦ to take it down.
Hand #14: Chen put in a three-bet after an early pre-flop raise and scooped.
Hand #15: Lei raised to 250,000 from UTG+2 and found a caller in Peter Dykes from the button to go heads-up to a flop of 5♥10♦6♠ before Dykes check-folded to Lei’s bet of 125,000.
Hands #16 & #17: After a quick raise-and-fold, Lei opened from under the gun and picked up the blinds and antes. Easy game.
Hand #18: Rathe Kulen open shoved from early position holding 9♥9♦ for 2.2 million before Psarras iso-shoved with 10♠10♣ button.
The dealer then spread the board of J♠Q♣A♠9♣K♠ to give Psarras the double, leaving Kulen with less than 900,000 in chips.
Hand #19: Al Josue raised from UTG+1 to 275,000 and Sekli made the call before from the big blind before check-folding to Josue’s snap-rip on the flop of 8♥2♦K♦.
| Todd Sekli | 8,200,000 |
| Michelle Psarras | 2,900,000 |
| Rathe Kulen | 875,000 |
Around we go
Hand #2: Michelle Psarras open-shoved from the hijack for 1.4 million and picked up the blinds and antes.
Hands #3 & #4: Pre-flop raises from Todd Sekli and Michele Bouskila both got through.
Hands #5 to #8: Steals for Sekli, Bouskila, Neo and Yu Chen.
Hand #9: Action folded to Psarras who shoved from the button, forcing a fold out of both blinds.
Hand #10: Chen opened to 275,000 from UTG+2 and all the others passed.
Josue shares with Sekli
Hand #1
Al Josue raised to 225,000 from under the gun and action folded around to Todd ‘The Salesman’ Sekli who called from the big blind to go heads-up to a flop of 4♣9♣3♣.
Sekli checked his option to Josue who put out a bet, but a few of the chips spilled off over the line and although it was accidental, the ruling by Star floor staff was that it had to be taken as a minimum bet of 100,000.
Sekli called, then check-called Josue’s bet of 275,000 on the turn of the 2♠ before both players checked the river 10♦.
Josue: A♥J♠
Sekli: A♣J♥
Chop, chop!
“What are you doing playing that garbage?” Josue joked to Sekli.
Level 29: 75,000/125,000 (125,000)
Opening Event final table line-up
Ladies and gentlemen … here they are! Your final nine of the WPTDeepStacks Opening Event!
Be sure to head over now to twitch.tv/StarPokerAU to watch all the action, with full commentary and analysis from the team at LCAPoker: Tom Bower, Jordan Bromley and Corey Van Jaarsveldt.
PokerMedia Australia will also be blogging hand-for-hand coverage, so keep both your screens open as we bring you all the action together until the final river falls!
| Seat | Name | Country | Chips |
| 1 | Yang Lei | Australia | 1,750,000 |
| 2 | Todd Sekli | Australia | 5,400,000 |
| 3 | Michele Bouskila | Australia | 3,225,000 |
| 4 | Al Josue | Australia | 3,525,000 |
| 5 | Yu Chen | Australia | 8,950,000 |
| 6 | Rathi Kulen | Australia | 2,800,000 |
| 7 | Peter Dykes | Australia | 1,450,000 |
| 8 | Michelle Psarras | Australia | 1,350,000 |
| 9 | Zhihan Neo | Australia | 1,950,000 |
Jae Choi eliminated in 10th place ($10,435)
The final table of our first event here at WPTDeepStacks Sydney has now been locked in after Jae Choi was felted in brutal fashion by Al Josue.
All the money was in the middle before the flop; Choi had picked up a pair in the form of 10♦10♣, but Josue had woken up with K♠K♦.
Choi then took the lead after he was set up on the flop of A♠5♦10♠, but then the dealer produced the J♥ on the turn, followed by the Q♣ on the river to give Josue Broadway.
Choi stood frozen next to his seat in disbelief as the others rushed to the middle of the feature table stage to celebrate.
| Todd Sekli | 5,400,000 |
| Jae Choi | BUSTED! |
A couple of doubles
Zhihan Neo copped a hit to his stack before Peter Sykes found a double through Michelle as we edge closer to the final table of the Opening Event.
In earlier action, Neo called off Rath Kulen with K♦10♥, but found himself behind Kulen’s A♦9♥, which wheeled up on the board of 4♣5♣3♦2♠9♠.
Dykes then got the rest of it into the middle in the very next hand with A♣5♣, which stayed ahead all the way across the board of A♠10♦7♦Q♣6♥ against Michelle Psarras’ Q♦8♥.
| Rathe Kulen | 2,800,000 |
| Zhihan Neo | 1,450,000 |
| Michelle Psarras | 1,350,000 |
Andrew Kitchen eliminated in 11th place ($10,435)
Another feature table bust-out, this time with Andrew Kitchen being cast out at the hands of Todd Sekli.
All the money was in the middle before the flop; Kitchen was at-risk with A♣Q♠, but Sekli had him covered with A♦K♥, which flopped a pair on the board of K♠5♦9♠7♦4♦.
| Todd Sekli | 4,900,000 |
| Andrew Kitchen | BUSTED! |
John Caridad eliminated in 12th place ($10,435)
Over on the Star Poker Sydney feature table, John Caridad moved all-in for the last of his stack with A♣K♥ after the turn on a board that read 8♥8♣10♥J♣; Yu Chen quickly called, tabling Q♦9♦ for the straight.
Needing a Queen and only a queen, the river 10♣ was a brick and Caridad’s day was done.
| Yu Chen | 8,900,000 |
| John Caridad | BUSTED! |
Han’d them over!
Neozhi Han and Yang Lei have clashed again on Table 31, resulting in Han scoring a timely double-up.
Action folded around to Lei who open-shoved from the button with 4♥4♣; Han snapped him off out of the big blind with 7♥7♣, which flopped a set on the board of 3♠7♠6♥Q♦9♥.
| Neozhi Han | 680,000 |
| Yang Lei | 575,000 |
Aces all around
Plenty of banter on the secondary feature table already, where Jae Choi and Neozhi Han have already picked up a couple of monster hands.
In the very first hand, Choi raised pre-flop and picked up all the blinds and antes, tabling pocket aces. He then min-clicked a short time later before Han three-bet from late position. Choi rocked his head from side to side before folding, which prompted Lei to throw down his bullets, much to the amazement of the whole table!
“Can you believe that?” exclaimed Michelle Psarras to our reporter.
Load up and roll ’em out!
Cards are now in the shoes and we’re dealing away in the Opening Event!
FINANCIAL FIGURES
| Players Paid | 151 |
| Next Payout (10th-12th Place) | $10,435 |
| Total Prize Pool | $812,700 |
FINAL TABLE PAYOUTS
| Place | Amount |
| 1st | $136,506 |
| 2nd | $95,728 |
| 3rd | $62,074 |
| 4th | $45,983 |
| 5th | $34,735 |
| 6th | $28,071 |
| 7th | $23,178 |
| 8th | $18,351 |
| 9th | $13,653 |
Level 28: 50,000/100,000 (100,000)
The final countdown
Hello everyone and welcome back to PokerMedia Australia’s continued coverage of the WPTDeepStacks Sydney Opening Event!
Our remaining 12 players have unbagged their chips and are primed for their shot at poker glory and the top prize of $136,506, however we are still on hold for the restart due to a technical issue with the tournament software.
That said, we’re all feeling that much fresher after an extra hour of sleep, as today marks the end of Daylight Savings Time!
Tournament staff have advised that we’re due to restart at approximately 12:15pm AEST, so be sure to tune in for our Live Reporting updates and the feature table broadcast over at twitch.tv/StarPokerAU.
WPTDEEPSTACKS SYDNEY OPENING EVENT DAY 3 – BY THE NUMBERS
| Players Remaining | 12 |
| Total Entries | 1,204 |
| Recommencing Blinds | 50,000/100,000 (100,000) |
| Average Stack | 2,508,333 (25 BBs) |
Day 3 Seat Draw
Table 32 (Feature Table)
| Seat | Name | Chips |
| 1 | Al Josue | 1,790,000 |
| 2 | Michele Bouskila | 3,540,000 |
| 3 | Todd Sekli | 3,700,000 |
| 4 | Yu Chen | 6,020,000 |
| 5 | John Caridad | 2,410,000 |
| 6 | Andrew Kitchen | 2,085,000 |
Table 31
| 1 | Peter Dykes | 1,160,000 |
| 2 | Michelle Psarras | 2,145,000 |
| 3 | Jae Choi | 1,790,000 |
| 4 | Yang Lei | 3,545,000 |
| 5 | Ratheshan Kulenthirasa | 1,050,000 |
| 6 | Neozhi Han | 1,135,000 |
Play will recommence from 11:30am AEST. PokerMedia Australia will be bringing you all the action, complementing the feature table streaming over at twitch.tv/StarPokerAU and along with our continued coverage of the WPTDeepStacks Sydney $1,100 NLH Freezeout.
Be the first to comment