NSW States Wrap - The APL juggernaut keeps on rolling in 2009.
2009-01-21 APL Team
The APL juggernaut keeps on rolling in 2009.
Good bye 2008 and hello 2009.
As another year rolls on by, the New Year is shaping up to be just as exciting, with the State Championships being the first major event for 2009. As always in January the States were back in Newcastle at the West Leagues Club at Lambton that provide a great venue for this everlasting event, where the best state players pitted there poker skills against each other.
The event started with 488 register players, which were then split up into two heats. The first heat consisting of 30 tables which went into battle first. With the blinds at 25/50 for 20 minutes and a starting stack of 4K, the first NSW State Championship for 2009 was underway. A noted player to sit down in the first heat was Newcastle's very own defending State Champion Dale Munro.
As you would expect from a field consisting of the best state players, the chips didn't come easy, and the only thought on most players minds was to play tight, to chip up and see if they could make the cut into the final heat, where they would be able to have chance at taking down the major prize, a WTPC seat. With the blinds at 700/1400 our first heat was over, seeing our first 120 players move into the finals which included the defending state champion.
After a 15 minute brake, heat two was underway. As in the first heat we had some high profile players taking their places and trying to make their mark on the game. The one to stand out the most was APL player of the year leader Aaron Jenkins. As his credentials would state, he also made it through to the final heat. Heat two played itself out without too much fuss, as always there were stories of the bad beats and players drawing to miracle cards.
With heat two out of the way it was time to get down to the business end of the tournament. The final
240 odd players sat down with the winner taking the title of next NSW State Champion and a place into APL inaugural WTPC, which will be held at the Mecca of Australian poker the Crown Casino on the 14th /15th of February.
The finals started with a frantic pace as the small stacks tried to compete with the rising blinds, we lost quite a few players in very short time. Sadly to say among the victims were Dale Munro our defending state champion who on the every first hand returned to his seat to be greeted by A/A which he raised with in early position, only to be re raised all in by a late position player. Dale calling the all in rolled over his A/A to see his opponent had put him all in with K/K. Now as you can imagine Dale was quite happy with the situation until the board played itself out. The flop brought a blank for both players but the turn was devastating for Dale, you guessed it, a King .With the river bringing no help to the struggling Aces. With that the defending state champion was sent to the rail.
The next noted victim was Aaron Jenkins our current APL player of the year leader, who was feeling the pressure of the blinds and pushed with A/10 suited once again getting no LOVE from the board was buddle out also.
As the pace slowed with the remaining short stacks either chipping up or chipping out, we got down to some riveting poker. There was some gutsy calls, some amazing lay downs and even one incredible melt down.
Laurie Buwick from Wagga Wagga played some solid poker only to have the poker Gods frown on him. Looking down at A/A with the blinds at 5k/10k Laurie pushes all in, only to have the big blind call him with K/J suited. Once again the proceeding flop, turn and river was totally menacing for the pocket Aces that Laurie was holding. With a King hitting on the turn and a Jack on the river Laurie was bundled out in a respectable 32nd position.
We finally get down to the bubble and what happens next is really mind blowing .Now as a player and a former APL employee, I've seen some amazing plays in poker and some pretty amazing melt downs to. Now call it what you want, the pressure of the situation, a lapse of concentration or a meltdown it all equates to the same thing, Total DEVASTATION and HEART ACHE. Here is what unfolded, on the bubble. The blinds were at 15k/30k it is folded around to the little blind who has just out lasted 437 players, a WTPC ticket in sight. The bubble player looks down at his cards and declares that he is all in, he proceeds to push in 140k worth of chips, now big stack on the big blind doesn't even hesitate and snap calls the all in, not even asking for a chip count he rolls over his monster hand K/K. As the bubble bows his head and rolls over something like 3/5 off suit he knows straight away he's made the move at the worst possible time. Now I haven't mentioned any names because I have it on good authority that this player is quite a descent player and I think he deserves a little respect, and let's face it he did out last 437 of the state's best players. Needless to say K/K holds and the bubble asking himself "why did I do that then". It just goes to show, put up a great prize like a WTPC ticket and even some of the best players have momentary lapses of reason.
Ok with this amazing part of play now history we are down to the final 16. Congratulations to the following sixteen players who have now won their spot into the WTPC.
Stephen Boston
Chris Ho-Stuart
Frank Fonti
Michael Jierney
Garry Forbes Richard Mork
Peter Robinson Marty Choy
Ivan Simunic Peter Gerakiteys
Kevin Ng Conrad Carlton
Carlo Di Pasqua Damien Martin
Matthew Davis Ehsan Chedid
Going into the final sixteen as chip leaders were:
Matt Davis from Wollongong with 250k
Kevin Ng from Sydney with 230k
Chris Ho-Stuart from Newcastle with 200k
The first player out finishing a respectable 16th was Frank Fonti, with a small stack and the blinds at 40k/50k this didn't allow him room to move. Next out and with the same small stack problems where Michael Jierney and Garry Forbes who finished 15th and 14th respectively. Peter Robison soon followed in 13th spot. Ivan Simunic who was a qualifier at the TOC at Lunna Park finished 12th. Finishing 11th was one of our chip leaders Kevin Ng who walked into some monster hands and just didn't get any luck when the tables where reversed. 10th out was Carlo Di Pasqua who played well thought out the tournament. The bubble went to Ehsan Chedid who was quite disappointed but who should hold his head high as played extremely well. Ehsan Chedid made his move with pocket 5s only to be called by two players A/Q and Q/J the flop comes 4c 3c 6c giving Ehsan Chedid plenty of outs the turn brings a K and river an A ending Ehsan Chedid tournament.
The finale 8 players now looked like this.
Matthew Davis: on 460k
Damien Martin : on 240k
Chris Ho-Stuart : on 240k
Stephen Boston: on 145k
Marty Choy : on 105k
Peter Gerakiteys: on 355k
Conrad Carlton: on 180k
Richard Mork: on 50k
With the blinds capped and the blinds only to go up when a player was eliminated saw our chip leader Matty Davis and Peter Gerakiteys lock horns for our first major pot. Matt raises the pot with pkt 3s from late position after everyone folds to him, little blind folds and Frank on the big blind calls,
The flop drops 3d 8h Kd Matt checks his trips (as you do) and allows Frank to have a stab at it, which he dose by moving his whole stack in. Now Matt has a hard decision to make, as he sits and ponders his dilemma for a while he finds it hard to get away from his trips and calls Peters All In. Peter with much confidence rolls over his K/J first, only to be confronted by Matt's trip 3s. But the poker gods weren't finished with this hand just yet, the turn comes a 4d followed by Ad on the river giving Peter the Nut Flush and leaving Matt feeling quite ill. From there Matt found it hard to recover and found himself first out in 8th place and a pay packet off $600.00 for his great effort.
The next out was another chip leader who came into the final table with 240k was Chris Ho-Stuart from Newcastle. After losing some close hands to some short stack Chris got involved in a hand with Marty Choy from Sydney. Having his stack smacked up a bit by the small stacks Chris felt it was time to make his move pushing All In with A/10suited from the button trying to pick up the blinds. Unfortunately for Chris he was snap called by Marty on the big blind with J/J. With the board coming 7 9 J 2 6 Chris was out in 7th place.
Stephen Boston was the next to fall when his big blind was raised by Peter Gerakiteys who was sitting in the small blind position. With half his stack sitting in the blind Stephen felt it was his time.
Stephen rolling over A/9 was met by Peters J/J the board brings no joy for Stephen and he becomes our 6th player out.
Richard Monk and Marty Choy become our next to exit in a double elimination hand. Marty raising the pot from the button with pkt 4s. Richard's on the small blind with most of his chips committed, he calls the extra 50k with 2/5 which puts him all In. Damien Martin calls the extra 100k from the big with A/7
The flop comes 8/6/8 turn 5 and the dreaded river a 9 giving Damien the straight and sending both Marty and Richard to the rail in 5th and 4th position.
Getting ever closer to finding a winner for our first NSW state champ for 2009, Peter Gerakiteys finds himself chipped down after losing a 400k pot to Damien Martin. Having his A/9 run down by Damien's K/J only two hands earlier, Peter decides it time to go for broke, pushing in the remainder of his chips from the button. Conrad Carlton in the small blind clearly see that he can finish with a top two spot if Damien calls get out of the road and folds. Damien calls peters All in from the big blind for an extra 50k. Peter rolls over A/K whilst Damien shows k/10. In an amazing run of luck Damien's K/10 holds up once again when the board lands him a straight on the flop. Which sent Peter Gerakiteys to the rail as our 3rd place finisher?
.
Heads up was a no contest with Conrad Carlton having barley enough to cover the blinds. He was all in with a very mediocre hand 5/4 off suit, whilst Damien Martin's good fortune continued to roll on, calling the all in with you guessed it pocket Aces. The flop being J/4/7 gave Conrad nothing to be excited about, the turn being a 6 brought some promises giving Conrad an up and down straight draw and a chance to double thought but the river dashed all hopes as a Jack fell, giving Damien Martin the pot and the title of the next NSW state champion.
We congratulate Damien Martin for a fine performance and hope he does well in Melbourne. The Final positions were as follows.
Final Positions
1st Damien Martin WTPC seat and $5000.00 cash
2nd Conrad Carlton WTPC seat and $4000.00 cash
3rd Peter Gerakiteys WTPC seat and $2000.00 cash
4th Richard Monk WTPC seat and $1400.00 cash
5th Marty Choy WTPC seat and $1200.00 cash
6th Stephen Boston WTPC seat and $1000.00 cash
7th Chris Ho-Stuart WTPC seat and $ 800.00 cash
8th Matthew Davis WTPC seat and $ 600.00 cash
9th Ehsan Chedid WTPC seat and $ 500.00 cash
10th Carlo Di Pasqua WTPC seat and $ 500.00 cash
11th Kevin Ng WTPC seat and $ 500.00 cash
12th Ivan Simunic WTPC seat and $ 500.00 cash
13th Peter Robinson WTPC seat and $ 500.00 cash
14th Garry Forbes WTPC seat and $ 500.00 cash
15th Michael Jierney WTPC seat and $ 500.00 cash
16th Frank Fonti WTPC seat and $ 500.00 cash
Everyone from the Newcastle region would like to thank and congratulate all those who competed in the NSW State Finals, Also, a big thanks to our sponsors Wild Turkey, Full Tilt and Wests Leagues management and staff for making this another fabulous event. We hope everyone enjoyed their stay and we look forward to seeing you at our next event.
The APL juggernaut keeps on rolling in 2009.
