Having devoured our body weight in risotto, we’re back for what promises to be a dramatic evening session on day two of the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne event. After an extremely tense level 15 in which only two players were eliminated, the moves are now coming thick and fast with the blinds now at 3000/6000 with a 500 ante.
Having had his stack slashed by Heath Chick just before the dinner break, New Zealander Robert Wang committed his remaining chips with 2♠3♦ on a flop of 6♠3♣ 4♦ , with David Zhao making the call after a long deliberation .
It proved an astute play, as he found his 6♣ 9♣ marginally ahead, where it stayed as the board ran out A♥ 7♥ . That left Zhao well placed to make successive ANZPT final tables with more than 300,000 in chips.
Next to go was Ben Barclay, who ran A♣ K♠into the 8♠8♦ of Jie Gao, only to watch his pair of aces overtaken on the river as the board fell 10♦ J♦ 6♦ A♠. It was another impressive showing from Barclay, who cashed 14th in the ANZPT Sydney main event.
Matthew Konnecke is still pacing through the tournament area, replaying the circumstances of his stunning elimination. The 2008 APPT Auckland runner-up hit a dream flop of J♥ J♣ 6♥ holding Jâ™ 6â™ against the A♦ A♥ of “Irish” Trevor McCarthy. The turn was harmless 3♥ , but A♣ on the river set both players screaming – McCarthy in ecstasy, Konnecke in agony. Tough beat fella.
The points bubble burst when Marc Des Anges was KOed in 23rd. His A♥ 6♣ was narrowly pipped by the A♦ 8♥ of Kristian Lunardi as the board ran out Q♣ 2♥ A♣ Q♦ 7♥ .
Speaking of points, the man atop the ANZPT leaderboard Tony Hachem is set for another big haul after he doubled through John Joannou to break through the 150,000-chip mark for the first time today. Ticking down to the end of level 16 just four spots short of the money, four players hold more than 300,000 in chips – Brent Thomas, Heath Chick, Jie Gao and David Zhao.
Back to Top
