Doyalson RSL Club played host to the APL's December Pro Open, and would soon play host to another member of TeamAPL - the league's elite poker team set to take on the world's best at the 2009 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas next year.
400 runners made their way to NSW's Central Coast for their shot at poker glory and this the 10th seat into the most exclusive team in Australian Poker.
Of the 400-strong starting field, only 160 remained at the commencement of the final session which kicked off at around 4:30pm after two highly competitive morning heats.
With the blind levels still set at 500/1000 for a full 20 minutes, the majority of players were given a fair opportunity to play a reasonable and methodical brand of poker, although those who weren't so lucky were sent to the rail short of claiming a chance to accomplish their WSOP dream.
By 7:30 pm the field had been reduced to its final 16 players. After forty minutes of play, the final nine competitors were left in a bitter stalemate as they contested for one of the eight places available at the Wild Turkey Final Table.
Trevor Speering was forced to make a move whilst holding under the gun, and push all in for 450,000 - only to have the aggressive Justin Watson snap call with for 250k.
Trevor was dominated pre flop and failed to improve on a board that read after the flop. The turn, however, provided a glimmer of hope for Trevor as the placed a one-card flush draw on the table if Trevor was able to draw out a fourth club on the river.
Watson - still ahead with didn't know how to react when a Queen hit on the river - a brief moment of relief before realising that the had made Speering's nut flush and would cut Watson's WSOP campaign painfully short.
Soon after, with 6 players remaining, players found themselves at a bubble of a different kind - with only 2nd-5th receiving a ticket to the 2009 Wild Turky Poker Classic to be contested at Crown next February.
Brendon Burnett raised heavily whilst holding in the hole and was called by Pande Nikolovski with .
Flop comes . After Brendon checks his set to Pande, he is delighted to see his adversary move all in. Brendan snap calls with his set of Kings, and Pande is left begging for a 9 to complete his straight.
Turn:
The crowd goes wild as Pande knocks out Burnett!
Just moments later we are heads up, action on Punde holding who raises 240k only to have Trevor move all in over the top with .
Pande obviously makes the call without needing to think, and flops top pair on a board of .
The turn falls a with a on the river seeing Pande Nikolovski - a player who had come along to this event to support a mate - inducted into TeamAPL and on his way to the 2009 World Series of Poker!
Well done to all players who attended and we will see you all at the next APL Pro Open at West Leagues Club, New Lambton on January 18th!
Doyalson RSL Club played host to the APL's December Pro Open, and would soon play host to another member of TeamAPL - the league's elite poker team set to take on the world's best at the 2009 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas next year.
under the gun, and push all in for 450,000 - only to have the aggressive Justin Watson snap call with 
for 250k.
after the flop. The turn, however, provided a glimmer of hope for Trevor as the 
placed a one-card flush draw on the table if Trevor was able to draw out a fourth club on the river.
had made Speering's nut flush and would cut Watson's WSOP campaign painfully short.
in the hole and was called by Pande Nikolovski with 
.
. After Brendon checks his set to Pande, he is delighted to see his adversary move all in. Brendan snap calls with his set of Kings, and Pande is left begging for a 9 to complete his straight.
who raises 240k only to have Trevor move all in over the top with 
.
.
with a 
