2013 WSOP Asia Pacific Event #2: Jim Collopy Commands Star-Studded Final Table
The inaugural World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific certainly hasn't lacked star power at final tables in the early going. The AUD$1,650 Pot-Limit Omaha (Event #2) reached a final table on Monday, and a handful of the game's top pros will return Tuesday for a chance at a WSOP bracelet and a AUD$69,662 top prize.
Jim Collopy, known as "MrBigQueso" in the online poker realm, will take the lead into the final table on Tuesday with 209,200 in chips. Collopy leads a talented group that includes Dan Shak, Mike Leah and Marvin Rettenmaier, who are seeking their first WSOP gold bracelets.
WSOP APAC Event #2 Final Table
| Seat | Player | Chips |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dan Shak | 102,700 |
| 2 | Mike Leah | 71,200 |
| 3 | Marvin Rettenmaier | 33,500 |
| 4 | Martin Kozlov | 47,400 |
| 5 | Minh Phuc Nguyen | 122,200 |
| 6 | Scott Reid | 28,400 |
| 7 | Tino Lechich | 85,000 |
| 8 | Paul Sharbanee | 77,200 |
| 9 | Jim Collopy | 209,200 |
Collopy's stack dipped as low as 8,000 on Day 2, but he worked his way back to take a comfortable lead going into the final table — his second ever in a WSOP event. The 24-year-old fell just short of WSOP glory at the 2010 WSOP Europe £10,000 No Limit Hold'em High Roller Heads-Up where he finished runner-up to Gus Hansen. Collopy will get his shot at redemption in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Collopy won't be the only player seeking his first WSOP bracelet at the Event #2 final table. In fact, all nine of the finalists are without poker's most prestigious piece of hardware. The best-known players vying for the title are Rettenmaier and Shak, two of the hottest players right now. Rettenmaier is coming off a year in which he won back-to-back World Poker Tour titles, and he made another WPT final table in Baden earlier this year.
Shak, meanwhile, is coming off a recent win at the PartyPoker Premier League and boasts more than $1.4 million in tournament winnings already in 2013. He's had success at Crown Casino before, winning the Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge for AUD$1.2 million. Shak defeated his good friend Phil Ivey heads-up for that prestigious title back in 2010.
Also reaching the final table, Mike "goleafsgoeh" Leah, who won a critical hand on the final table bubble to advance to the final day. According to WSOP.com, Australian player "Toothpick" Tony Kambouroglou got his last 9,000 chips in the middle holding A♣Q♣6♣6♥ on a flop of K♣J♣J♥. Leah called with K♥J♠10♣9♥ for a flopped full house, and Kambouroglou was left drawing to a royal flush to stay alive. It wasn't meant to be for the Aussie as the 10♦ turn and A♦ river secured the hand for Leah, moving him into the middle of the pack when the final table kicks off on Tuesday.
Play will recommence at 12:30 p.m. local time and won't end until a new bracelet winner is crowned. Stay tuned to PokerNews.com for a full recap of the final table at the completion of play on Tuesday.
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