2008 PokerNews Cup Championships - Australia

$230 NL Hold'em - $75k Guar.
Day: 1
Event Info

2008 PokerNews Cup Championships - Australia

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
qq
Prize
17,732 AUD
Event Info
Buy-in
200 AUD
Prize Pool
84,400 AUD
Entries
422
Level Info
Level
20
Blinds
12,000 / 24,000
Ante
0

Back-to-Back Sets Shoots Le Up the Leaderboard

In a pair of back-to-back hands, Hong Le has moved from 35,000 in chips to 70,000 courtesy to a bit of good fortune.

The first hand saw Le move in over the top of a preflop raise made by Eddy Pitcher holding pocket fives. Pitcher made the call and tabled {A-Clubs} {Q-Hearts}. The flop came {8-Clubs} {5-Clubs} {2-Clubs}, hitting both players hard, but the turn and river blanked out and sent the pot Le's way.

On the very next hand, Le found himself racing again, this time holding pocket eights against his opponent's {A-Spades} {10-Diamonds}. Le spiked an eight on the flop and had his opponent was drawing dead by the turn to improve to 70,000 in chips.

Tags: Eddy PitcherHong Le

Moshe Climbs With Kings

Liad Moshe is now up to 70,000 after he called the all in bet of Stephen Forde who pushed from early position with {5-Clubs}{5-Spades}. Moshe woke up with {K-Clubs}{K-Spades} in the small blind and made an easy call.

The board fell {J-Clubs}{10-Spades}{J-Spades}{8-Clubs}{10-Hearts} to double up Moshe and leave Forde with only 8,000 in chips. Forde was eliminated a few moments later in 31st place.

Tags: Liad MosheStephen Forde

Hamilton Eliminates Juan

Hamilton Out In Front With 145,000
Hamilton Out In Front With 145,000
Steve Hamilton raised to 12,000 preflop and Dante Juan made the call. The flop landed {K-Clubs}{3-Diamonds}{7-Clubs} and Juan moved all in for the last of his chips. Hamilton thought for a moment and, with chips to spare, he decided to make the call with {8-Clubs}{8-Diamonds}. It proved to be the right call, as Juan tabled {A-Clubs}{4-Clubs} for the flush draw.

The turn and river bricked {J-Spades}, {4-Diamonds} leaving Juan to exit in 35th place as Hamilton extends his chip lead to 145,000 chips.

Tags: Dante JuanSteve Hamilton

Level: 15

Blinds: 3,000/6,000

Ante: 0

Double Bubble

Two players were eliminated on the same hand during the hand-for-hand period, which means they'll split 40th place money, earning $232 each, a whopping $2 return on their investment.

The first was Greg Heaver, who was forced all in on the big blind for 3,000 chips. Matt Walker made the call from the cutoff holding {A-Hearts} {Q-Hearts} and had Heaver's {Q-Clubs} {8-Diamonds} dominated. A king-high board ensued and Walker's ace-high proved good enough to send Heaver home.

Heaver's bubble buddy turned out to be Fotios Pavlidis, whose pocket kings were unable to hold off an opponent's {A-?} {J-?} in a preflop all-in confrontation. A single ace hit the board, and that was all it took to crack Pavlidis' kings.

Heaver Doubles; Bubble Still Floating

Greg Heaver just avoided earning the title of bubble boy after surviving a hand that, according to the laws of mathematics, he should've lost.

Heaver moved all in preflop for his last 2,500 holding {10-Hearts}{8-Hearts}, and his opponent called the extra 500 with {10-Diamonds}{9-Spades}.

The board filled out {3-Spades} {7-Diamonds} {9-Diamonds} {6-Clubs} {5-Clubs} giving Heaver a miracle straight to stay alive in the tournament, though short, with 5,000 in chips.

Moshe Folds Monster Draw

Liad Moshe opened with a raise of 10,000 from early position and Josh Mullane made the call from the small blind.

The flop came {6-Spades}{4-Spades}{7-Spades} and Mullane shoved all in for 17,000. Moshe went into the tank, but eventually folded his {5-Spades}{5-Clubs} face up! A big fold with an open-ended straight-flush draw on the bubble, as Mullane flashed {A-Spades}{2-Clubs}!

The bubble continues...

Tags: Josh MullaneLiad Moshe

Bubble Time!

We are now officially on the money bubble! The next player eliminated will walk away with nothing but a story to tell as the remaining 40 players will be $464 richer - not a bad day's work.

Play is now hand-for-hand until the bubble bursts!