$1,650 No-Limit Hold'em Terminator Dia 1 | 2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific

2014-10-06 11:51 UTC+10

Welcome to the WSOP APAC Event #4 $1,650 No-Limit Hold'em Terminator

It's a busy day here at the 2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific. Event #2 $2,200 No-Limit Hold'em will crown a winner, while Event #3 $1,650 Pot-Limit Omaha looks to play down to a final table. Meanwhile, Event #4 $1,650 No-Limit Hold'em Terminator will kick off here in the Crown Poker Room.

So what does "Terminator" mean? It means that every player in the tournament will have a $500 bounty on their head. Knock someone out, win $500 — it's that easy. So, a third of each buy-in will be devoted to the bounties while the other $1,000 will go into the prize pool.

The Terminator tournament is one of the five new events on this year's WSOP APAC schedule, but it's not new to Australia. For years the Crown Casino has been offering the format including at their popular Aussie Millions series. Now, for the first time, the WSOP will award a Terminator bracelet.

The field is expected to be a mix of local Australian hopefuls and established poker pros. Among the latter we expect to see 13-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth; 2014 WSOP Player of the Year contenders George Danzer and Brandon Shack-Harris; reigning WSOP APAC Main Event champ Daniel Negreanu; and 2013 WSOP Main Event champ Ryan Riess.

Players will begin with 4,500 in tournament chips, and the plan for the day is to play 10 one-hour levels with a 15-minute break after every two levels. There will also be a one-hour dinner break at the end of Level 6. Late registration will remain open through the dinner break.

Cards will be in the air in a little over an hour, so stay tuned ... we'll be back!

2014-10-06 15:02 UTC+10

Henson's Bad Luck Continues in Australia

Nível 2 : 25/50, 0 ante

"Unbelievable how I am running down under," Ray Henson said on Twitter. Indeed, he had just found himself on the wrong end of a set-over-set situation.

It happened when he called a raise from the big blind in a six-way pot. The flop saw action explode between him and Jason Aksoy, who had limped preflop. By the end of it all, Henson was all in for 5,450 and the rest of the players had folded.

Aksoy:
Henson:

Henson was on the bad end of set over set, and Aksoy had him covered by just 100 in chips. Neither the turn nor river were the case ten Henson needed, and he was terminated in Level 2 while Aksoy collected the $500 bounty.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Ray Henson	Eliminado

Tags: Ray Henson

2014-10-06 16:03 UTC+10

Strangward Says "Hasta La Vista, Baby" to Hellmuth

Nível 3 : 50/100, 0 ante

The most decorated player in World Series of Poker history lasted less than 25 minutes here in the WSOP APAC Event #3 $1,650 No-Limit Hold'em Terminator.

Hellmuth, who was holding the flatted a preflop raise from Jackson Strangward and then flatted a bet on the flop. The two ended up getting it all in on the turn, and Hellmuth discovered the bad news as Strangward had turned a straight with the .

The inconsequential river was put out to make Hellmuth's elimination official, and then Strangward was tossed the $500 bounty.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Phil Hellmuth	Eliminado

Tags: Phil Hellmuth Jackson Strangward

2014-10-06 16:47 UTC+10

November Niner Bruno Politano Seeks to Play "Best in the World" at WSOP APAC

Nível 4 : 75/150, 0 ante

Before the start of the 2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific, PokerNews reached out to this year's crop of November Niners to see who would be making the trip to the land down under. Much to our surprise, Jorryt van Hoof, Felix Stephensen, Martin Jacobson, Billy Pappas, William Tonking, and Daniel Sindelar all confirmed that they were going to pass. Neither Andoni Larrabe nor Mark Newhouse, responded, while the sole finalist to confirm their participation was Brazil’s Bruno Politano.

Despite being the shortest stack of this year’s November Nine — albeit the biggest short stack since the creation of the November Nine — Politano is clearly excited to embrace the opportunities and experiences that come with making the game’s most prestigious final table.

Along with fellow Brazilian Bruno Kawauti — who was the "Last Brazilian Standing" at the 2013 WSOP when he finished 15th — the 31-year-old Politano is in today's field looking for some practice and hopefully a gold bracelet.

Before the start of the WSOP APAC, Politano spoke with PokerNews about the November Nine, his celebrity in Brazil, and of course the upcoming WSOP APAC.

PokerNews: What has inspired you to travel all the way to Australia for the WSOP APAC?

Politano: First of all, because I think I'll be playing a high-level of poker with the best in the world. Second, I love everything the WSOP does and of course I've always wanted to travel to Australia. This time I get to take my girlfriend with me, so we'll enjoy ourselves a little bit.

Do you plan to do anything else aside from poker while you’re there?

This is my first trip there and of course I will take some time to get to know the place, the people, and the culture. I'm very excited.

Since making the November Nine, what’s the reaction been like among Brazilians?

The reaction was incredible, something I've never experienced before. The entire country does not speak of anything else. The poker exploded in a way that even I didn't expect with television, newspapers, magazines, and all the social media talking about it daily. We are all looking forward to the big time, Brazil world champion (laughs).

Poker is huge in Brazil. Have you become a celebrity of sorts in your home country?

Yes, poker is huge now in Brazil. After this achievement, I kind of became a reference. I think the word celebrity is very strong, but I became a reference in the Brazilian poker world and I'm taking this very seriously.

What’s been the craziest thing to happen to you since making the November Nine?

I played the High Roller during EPT Barcelona — €10,300 out of my pocket (laughs). That was the craziest thing I've ever done so far, but I loved playing.

You had a huge and loud rail on the last day of the Main Event. What can we expect at the November Nine?

At least four times what you saw in July. My family is coming over, my sister who lives in Philly is flying over with some friends, and the entire Brazilian poker nation is coming down. Vegas will be turn green and yellow in November.

What sort of things have you been doing to prepare for the November Nine?

Studying my opponents. I'm being coached by my friend Ariel Bahia, traveling all over Brazil and outside Brazil playing, training to the max.

It sounds like you may be the only November Niner at the WSOP APAC. Do you think that will give you some practice and maybe a small advantage over your opponents?

I think so. Playing at such a high level always gives you more practice and experience. I wouldn't pass this opportunity for anything in the world. I love that I get to go play in Australia and be part of one more WSOP.

2014-10-06 17:04 UTC+10

Charania Can't Cash in on Madsen's Bounty

Nível 4 : 75/150, 0 ante

We saw Jeff Madsen was no longer in his chair, and a quick check with Mohsin Charania confirmed that the 2006 World Series of Poker Player of the Year had been eliminated from the tournament.

Charania explained that Madsen had raised under the gun with . Charania flatted with , the flop came down , and Madsen continued for 600. Charania shoved all in for 4,900, and Madsen called. He'd fail to catch an ace, and Charania doubled on the hand.

Madsen was left with just 250 and moved from the table immediately after the hand, meaning his $500 bounty went to some other player among the masses.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Mohsin Charania	11,000	6,500
Jeff Madsen	Eliminado

Tags: Mohsin Charania Jeff Madsen

2014-10-06 17:20 UTC+10

Brabin Won't Capture 2nd Bracelet Here in Event #4

Nível 4 : 75/150, 0 ante

Yesterday Luke Brabin became the first bracelet winner of the 2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific when he took down Event #1 $1,100 No-Limit Hold'em Accumulator for AU$131,365. After receiving his bracelet in a ceremony earlier today, Brabin hopped in Event #4 hoping to capture some more hardware. That's not in the cards though.

A preflop raising war resulted in Luke Brabin getting his last 2,550 all in preflop against Fred Alam and another player.

Alam:
Brabin:
Opponent:

Brabin called for a nine, but his pleas fell on deaf ears as the board ran out . The unknown player won the hand and laid claim to Brabin's $500 bounty.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Luke Brabin	Eliminado

Tags: Luke Brabin

2014-10-06 19:44 UTC+10

"It'll Take a Miracle to Win this One"

Nível 6 : 100/200, 25 ante

After the player on the button moved all in for 2,150 from the button, a short-stacked Antonio Esfandiari called from the big blind.

Esfandiari:
Button:

Esfandiari's kicker issues failed to get resolved as the board ran out and he was left with just 450 after the hand.

In the very next hand, the player in the cutoff limped and Colm Galloway raised to 475 from the button. Esfandiari called off, the big blind called, and the limper came along as well.

"It'll take a miracle to win this one," Esfandiari said as he stood from his chair. Two checks on the flop saw Galloway bet 1,100, and the other two players folded.

Galloway:
Esfandiari:

Esfandiari was thrilled to see he was drawing as good as he was, but it was all for naught as the blanked on the turn followed by the river. Esfandiari sent his Terminator chip over to Galloway, but he had one other from an earlier knock out, meaning he'll get $500 back.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Colm Galloway	30,000
Antonio Esfandiari	Eliminado

Tags: Antonio Esfandiari Colm Galloway

2014-10-06 21:03 UTC+10

Batoz Collects an Octo-Niner Bounty

Nível 7 : 150/300, 25 ante

Action folded around to 2012 WSOP Octo-Niner Russell Thomas on the button and he shoved all in for approximately 4,400. Rodoljub Batoz took his time before calling from the small blind, and the cards were flipped up after the big blind got out of the way.

Batoz:
Thomas:

Thomas was behind, but he was drawing to two live cards. The flop didn't hit Thomas, but it did give him a gutshot straight draw. The turn was no help, and neither was the river. Thomas gave his bounty chip to Batoz, but had one other to cash in for $500.

Jogador	Fichas	Oscilação
Russell Thomas	Eliminado

Tags: Russell Thomas Rodoljub Batoz

2014-10-06 21:35 UTC+10

Clements Late Registers; Promptly Busts

Nível 7 : 150/300, 25 ante

Scott Clements was among the last players to enter this tournament, and he got things started by squaring off against Darian Tan.

In one hand, action folded to Clements and he limped from the small blind. Tan checked his option from the big, and then both players checked the flop as well as the turn. Clements then bet 300 on the river and Tan made a quick call. Clements tabled the for flopped trips, and it was good as Tan mucked.

Not long after, Clements got his stack all in holding suited only to run into Tan again, who had the better hand with . The board ran out queen high, and Clements' run in Event #4 came to an end in less than an hour.