September 2011 Archives

Those of you with a keen eye might have noticed that PokerStars was looking into the possibility of adding Romania as a Eureka Poker Tour stop this season. Unfortunately, owing to player taxation issues, this is now out of the question. While that may be a disappointment, the good people...more

It was one of the most gruelling tournaments that we've ever seen in three seasons of the Australia New Zealand Poker Tour. A big field, talented players and very long days, not to mention the minefield of bad beats that lay in between. It was always going to prove to...more

Congratulations to Lee Nelson, winner of the ANZPT Melbourne Main Event! It was a final table that ebbed and flowed, but in the end the last man standing was Australian Hall of Famer Lee "Final Table" Nelson. Nelson used all of his experience, skill and instinct to overcome a field...more

8:15pm: One-hour dinner break The players are now taking a one-hour dinner break. Play will resume at 9:15pm local time. Chip counts at the dinner break: Lee Nelson - 3,200,000 Nick Georgoulas - 1,260,000 Danny Chevalier - 960,000 Karan Punjabi - 440,000 8:10pm: Phil Willcocks eliminated in 5th place Phil...more

6:05pm: Ten-minute break In one of the more exciting moments of this final table, Nick Georgoulas questioned whether the dealer had cut the cards prior to the clock ticking over to the break. As the other players walked away, a rather comical mini-argument ensued with floor staff before Georgoulas conceded...more

3:55pm: Ten-minute break The wind back of the clock seems to have slowed the pace of this tournament with the short stacks enjoying the breathing room and the tight players sitting back to pick their spots. Tom Wing and Phil Willcocks remain the most aggressive players on the table and...more

After another long and grueling day, the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne Main Event has reached the final lucky eleven. Two players will miss out on the official final table, but we thought we'd profile them all for you anyway! Here's your final eleven: Tom Wing (Melbourne, Australia) (PokerStars Qualifier) - 1,027,000...more

There's always been a lot of debate as to whether poker is considered a sport or not. Is it just a silly game of cards or is it more than just that? Sure, players do just sit around on their backsides all take and everyone of all physical shapes and...more

1:50am: We're done...at last! It took a good 14 hours, but we're finally done for Day 2 as 113 players have been reduced to our lucky eleven. Tom Wing has snatched the chip lead late in the day as the only player over one million in chips, with Danny Chevalier...more

11:40pm: Ten-minute break 11:30pm: Lady luck goes against Gilholme Ben Gilholme had been aggressively moving his stack all-in with some regularity, so when he looked down at K♣K♥ it looked like a perfect spot to take advantage of a loose image. Phil Willcocks opened to 20,000 from under the gun...more

9:30pm: Ten-minute break 9:25pm: Matusik doubles through Apostolidis ANZPT Gold Coast champ Peter Matusik has just doubled up at the expense of John Apostolidis to leave the dream of multiple ANZPT titles well and truly alive. Apostolidis opened to 16,000 from under the gun before Matusik re-raised to 35,000 in...more

6:30pm: One-hour dinner break The 38 remaining players are now heading out for a one-hour dinner break. We'll be back at 7:30pm local time. 6:15pm: Colman out Julius Colman has been eliminated just prior to the dinner break as Stephen Eliesen continues his giant-killing run in this tournament. Colman moved...more

4:20pm: Ten-minute break 4:15pm: Skender dents McKenzie Benn Skender seems to save his best poker until just prior to the break as he's just taken a nice pot off Jesse McKenzie. Skender opened to 5,000 from the hijack position and picked up four callers to see a flop of K♣Q♣Q♦....more

2:10pm: Ten-minute break 2:05pm: Skender survives three barrels from Grigg We have a new chip leader as Benn "risk2dupside" Skender has won a massive pot from Tom Grigg just before the break. Skender recalled to us the details just as he went off to the break. With a raise from...more

The Crown Poker Room was a hub of activity this afternoon as the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne Main Event kicked off with a healthy field of 310 entrants. There were a host of locals, nearly 100 PokerStars online qualifiers and a sprinkling of International flavour with Hong Kong's David Steicke, the...more

17 1 ZELEVAROV, Tony 25600 17 2 PIRPINIAS, David J 44100 17 3 PEEL, Scott J 44500 17 4 FERNANDO, Naween T 74700 17 5 PUTT, Graeme Howard 21400 17 6 PAINO, Antonio 52000 17 7 KHOO, Peng H 107200 17 8 KASELIAS, Nali Y 78300 18 1 ELIESEN, Stephen...more

10:30pm: That's a wrap The final three hands have come and gone with John Apostolidis slipping back to the pack as PokerStars qualifier Ryan Hong emerged as a late chip leader when the players bagged and tagged. Hong ended the day with 178,800 with Apostolidis likely to be next best...more

9:20pm: Ten-minute break 9:15pm: Boxell misses the world but stays alive Leo Boxell is in danger of missing out on valuable ANZ Player of the Year points after the APPT Melbourne champion was severely dented in a recent hand. Boxell got his chips in with Q♥8♥ on a flop of...more

6:35pm: 45-minute dinner break Approximately 180 players are heading off to dinner with the big stacks including Brett Watson, Tom Grigg, Phil Willcocks and Jarred Graham. We'll be back at 7:20pm local time. 6:15pm: Benton breaking even Aaron Benton's table just broke and as he was racking up his chips...more

4:25pm: Ten-minute break 4:20pm: Coolers on 47 Just prior to the break we lost two more players from Table 47 as Josh Barrett and Alex Lee have been sent crashing to the rail as the coolers continue. First it was Barrett who moved his short stack in preflop with pocket...more

2:15pm: Ten-minute break 2:10pm: One for Nelson Lee Nelson will be heading to the break with a little momentum after raking in some chips on the final hand of the level. We caught the action from the turn with Nelson's chips in the middle on a board of T♠2♦2♠A♦. Nelson's...more

There's an old saying that the cream always rises to the top. During times of intense pressure, when the game is there to be won and everything is on the line, the best will not only survive, but thrive. Tonight we find ourselves in the city of Melbourne and the...more

Oleg Prokhorov has won the PokerStars Russian Poker Series event in Kiev, Ukraine for $182,482. He overcame a tough field of 322 players, and tough final table that included Team PokerStars Pro Alex Kravchenko. Kravchenko went in sixth place when he moved all-in from the button with Q♣J♣ and got...more