The Sherif(f) is Back in Town: Sherif Derias Wins Event #6 A$2,500 PLO (A$97,525)
While many big names made it to the final table of the 2020 Aussie Millions Event #6 A$2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha, it was an all Aussie affair on the top four spots and local cash game player Sherif Derias defeated Wei “Jimmy” Jin to claim the ANTON Jewellery Championship ring. A field of 170 entries created a prize pool of A$382,500, surpassing the 145 entries of the previous year, and the top 18 spots were paid.
It was the second-biggest live cash for the Melbournian as he took home A$97,525 for his efforts, while Jin had to settle for a payday of A$65,025. On the road to victory, Derias had to defeat several well-known names of the international poker circuit including the WSOP bracelet winners Jeff Madsen, Benny Glaser and Martin Kozlov came up short. James Gilbert was the first casualty of the final table and with the elimination of Maxi Lehmanski in fifth place, it was certain that an Aussie would be posing for the winner shot.
Two years ago, Derias finished 30th in the Aussie Millions Main Event for A$40,000. One year later in 2019, he narrowly missed out on the ring and finished second in a A$2,500 NLHE Event for his career-best score of A$102,940. This time the fortune was on his side when he needed it, and throughout the entire duration of the final table, the biggest part of the rail was right behind him.
Final Result Event #6 A$2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha
| Place | Winner | Country | Payout (in AUD) | Payout (in USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sherif Derias | Australia | A$97,525 | $67,310 |
| 2 | Wei Jin | Australia | A$65,025 | $44,879 |
| 3 | Richard Johnston | Australia | A$42,075 | $29,040 |
| 4 | Alexander Everitt | Australia | A$32,515 | $22,441 |
| 5 | Maxi Lehmanski | Germany | A$26,775 | $18,480 |
| 6 | Martin Kozlov | Australia | A$21,995 | $15,181 |
| 7 | Benny Glaser | United Kingdom | A$18,170 | $12,541 |
| 8 | Jeff Madsen | United States | A$14,345 | $9,901 |
| 9 | James Gilbert | United States | A$10,520 | $7,261 |
The early stages of the final table turned out to be a tight affair as all the short stacks at risk doubled. Martin Kozlov cracked aces and hit a gutshot, then Maxi Lehmanski doubled. Wei Jin lost as second all-in showdown in a three-way all-in with James Gilbert and Sherif Derias, the former having flopped bottom set while Derias had middle set and faced the top and bottom pair of Jin. Gilbert needed running kings as his one out to quads was blocked and the miracle never happened.
Jin was at risk next and turned a straight to crack the aces of Alexander Everett. Suddenly, there were five players out of the last eight contenders well below the average. A rush of all-in showdowns seemed inevitable and Benny Glaser saw his hopes all but vanish when his second nut full house lost to the nut full house of Richard Johnston to leave him with one-sixth of a big blind. Yet, it was Jeff Madsen that fell next when Jin turned a flush. Glaser doubled twice with a chip and a chair, but Alexander Everitt's flopped straight sent him to the payout desk in seventh place.
Glaser had to settle for sixth place and the last non-Australian player, Germany's Maxi Lehmanski then departed in fifth place. Lehmanski flopped top pair and a queen-high flush draw in a battle of the medium stacks against Jin, who had top pair and the nut flush draw. Another spade on the turn immediately settled things and reduced the field to the final four.
Two local PLO cash game players clashed when Everitt was at risk against Johnston with a wrap and a flush draw. Johnston had top pair and a gutshot, and the river paired to reduce the field to the final three. That's when Derias took over control as he won a big pot off Johnston with bottom two pair and a flush draw that improved to a full house on the river.
The action slowed down significantly after that and just one big clash happened when the two chip leaders Derias and Johnston got it in with top two pair each. More than two hours later, Derias was well ahead of his two opponents and had Johnston on the brink of elimination but both rivered a straight to chop it up.
Johnston fell behind even further and was then at risk with a pair of sevens and a backdoor flush draw. Derias had the bets of it with kings for top set, and covered the hearts as well. A brick on the turn sealed the fate of Johnston and the local cash game pro departed in third place.
Derias started the heads-up with a comfortable 2-1 lead over Jin but things were almost even when Derias bluffed into quads. Relentless aggression soon restored a big lead for Deries and both then got it in thanks to a typical Omaha flop. Jin was at risk with top pair and the second nut flush draw while Derias held the nut flush draw and a gutshot straight draw. A spade on the turn instantly locked up the victory for Derias and his rail started celebrating.
This concludes the A$2,500 Pot-Limit Omaha Event but the four-card aficionados only have to wait one night before they get involved in the tournament action again. The two-day A$25,000 PLO High Roller awaits on Monday, January 13th, and a satellite has already kicked off with more than 30 entries.