2014 WSOP APAC Day 11: Danzer Wins His Third Bracelet; Reinkemeier Leads Main Event
Sunday marked the 12th day of the 2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific schedule, and it was a special one in poker history.
For the third time this year, George Danzer won a WSOP gold bracelet. Doing so, he became the first player to accomplish the feat since Jeff Lisandro did it in 2009 and the sixth player in history. Danzer joins exclusive company that includes Lisandro (2009), Phil Ivey (2002), Phil Hellmuth (1993), Ted Forrest (1993), and Puggy Pearson (1973) as the only other players to achieve this feat.
AU$5,000 8-Game Mixed
The AU$5,000 8-Game Mixed event came to a conclusion with George Danzer joining elite company in winning his third bracelet of the year after overcoming a field of 48 players to take home the AU$84,600 first prize.
It would be Danzer out the gate early as he ran his short stack up into the chip lead after doubling through Scott Clements numerous times before 2009 WSOP Main Event champion Jonathan Duhamel claimed the chip lead. It would take roughly three hours until the first player was lost, and in a matter of five hands action was heads-up for the bracelet.
Sam Khouiss was flushed out in sixth place, and Tino Lechich fell the next hand in fifth when his pair, straight, and low draws couldn't get there against Duhamel, who rivered two pair.
Ismael Bojang — who was recording history's all-time best 13th WSOP cash this year — would fall in fourth two hands later after getting caught in a monster pot against both Duhamel and Clements in 2-7 triple draw, then a crippled Duhamel fell next in third as Danzer made an eight-six.
With Danzer holding the chip lead, it would be Clements making the move early as he evened the stacks before taking the lead. However, Danzer would find a huge double when his 6♣5♣ connected on a 7♠5♠6♥ flop against Clements' A♣A♦. The turn and river blanked out, and Danzer doubled into little more than a 6-1 advantage.
From there, Clements managed to grind it out to eventually snatch the lead back before Danzer started applying the pressure to get things back in his favor. At time went on, Danzer worked out an 11-1 advantage before the final hand played out.
On the first hand of a no-limit hold'em orbit, Clements shoved in nine big blinds with the Q♠6♠ and was called by Danzer's J♦10♠. The German connected with a ten on the flop, and just like that, Clements was headed to the rail in second place — his fourth runner-up finish in a WSOP event.
Final Table Results
| Place | Name | Country | Prize (AU$) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Danzer | Germany | $84,600 |
| 2 | Scott Clements | Canada | $52,340 |
| 3 | Jonathan Duhamel | Canada | $34,291 |
| 4 | Ismael Bojang | Germany | $23,688 |
| 5 | Tino Lechich | Australia | $17,371 |
| 6 | Sam Khouiss | Australia | $13,310 |
Without doubt, Danzer is having an amazing poker year. With his victory in this event, he takes a 116.8-point lead (923.5 total points) over Brandon Shack-Harris into the final qualifying events of the WSOP Player of the Year race.
AU$10,000 Main Event
The premiere event of the 2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific — the AU$10,000 Main Event — kicked off Sunday at Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia. The first of two starting flights attracted 129 players, but after six 90-minute levels of play just 70 remained with Tobias Reinkemeier and his stack of 171,925 leading the way.
The German got some of his stack just before the dinner break when a preflop raising war resulted in Ashley Mason getting his stack of 11,000 all in holding the 9♥9♦ only to run into the Q♦Q♣ of Reinkemeier. The board ran out clean, and Reinkemeier sent a tough competitor to the rail.
Others who made it through Day 1a with big stacks were Asa Smith (156,450), Ivan Zhou (153,200), Craig Blight (144,950), and Sean Winter (124,175).
Day 1a Top 10 Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Chips |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tobias Reinkemeier | 171,925 |
| 2 | Asa Smith | 156,450 |
| 3 | Ivan Zhou | 153,200 |
| 4 | Craig Blight | 144,950 |
| 5 | Sean Winter | 124,175 |
| 6 | Chane Kampanatsanyakorn | 123,175 |
| 7 | Jesse Sylvia | 123,050 |
| 8 | Jack Salter | 102,300 |
| 9 | Jackie Glazier | 98,500 |
| 10 | John Moffitt | 93,075 |
Of course, not everyone was fortunate enough to make it through the Day 1a minefield. Jonathan Dimmig, who topped a field of 7,977 entries in this summer’s $1,500 Millionaire Maker to win $1.3 million, was one such player.
Unfortunately for him, his stay in the Main Event was short and not so sweet. His demise came in Level 2 (100/200) when he opened for 525 from middle position and 2012 WSOP Main Event runner-up Jesse Sylvia called from the button. The big blind came along, and the three players saw a flop of K♥8♥Q♣. The first player checked, Dimmig bet 700, and Sylvia raised to 2,050. The player in the big blind folded, Dimming shoved all in for 9,025, and Sylvia wasted little time in making the call.
Sylvia: K♣Q♦
Dimmig: 4♥3♥
Sylvia had flopped top two pair while Dimmig opted to ride or die with his flush draw. The J♣ turn and A♣ river both blanked for Dimmig, and he was sent to the rail while Sylvia went on to bag up a healthy 123,050.
Others who would join him in elimination throughout the day were Mohsin Charania, Jan Suchanek, Dan Shak, Mike Leah, Michael Kanaan, Daniel Neilson, and 2013 WSOP Main Event champ Ryan Riess, who fell in Level 5 when he played a big pot against recent WSOP bracelet winner Sam Higgs.
Riess' end happened when Higgs raised to 1,000 and got two callers before Riess made it 5,000 out of the big blind. Higgs, as well as the two other opponents, called and they went four ways to the 4♦A♥8♠ flop. Riess checked, Higgs bet 12,000, got one call and one fold, then the former WSOP Main Event champion check-raised all in for just over 30,000 on top of Higgs' bet. Higgs moved all in to isolate, and the cold caller folded.
Higgs showed AxKx, and Riess was in trouble with AxQx. Both the 9♠ on the turn and 5♣ on the river failed to improve "Riess the Beast," and he was gone.
While many fell, plenty of notables punched their tickets to Day 2 including Jack Salter (102,300), Jackie Glazier (98,500), Higgs (80,750), David Gorr (58,150), Jonathan Little (56,150), Jeff Lisandro (48,875), and Phil Hellmuth (24,150).
Day 1b will kick off at 12:30 p.m. local time as an entire new slew of players take their shot at poker glory. Among those expected to play are defending champ Daniel Negreanu; winner of the 2012 WSOP Big One for One Drop, Antonio Esfandiari; former WSOP champs Greg Merson and Joseph Hachem; Ismael Bojang, who has cashed in four of eight events thus far at the 2014 WSOP Asia-Pacific; and two-time bracelet winner Brian Rast.
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