Day 1 of the AU$2,200 Six-Max No-Limit Hold'em event from the 2014 World Series of Poker Asia-Pacific worked its way through the first 10 levels of play. At the close of registration, 243 entries had been tallied and a AU$486,000 prize pool was generated. Leading the surviving 31 players was Alexander Antonios with 138,200 in chips.
Antonios didn't have the chip lead until the final hand of the night when he won a monster pot against former chip leader Maz Misaghian with a Broadway straight. Misaghian finished on 35,600 in chips.
The first day of this event proved fast and furious, as nearly 90% of the field was eliminated and big stacks were tossed around left and right. Notables Greg Merson, Ryan Riess, Daniel Negreanu, Jonathan Karamalikis, Brandon Shack-Harris, Jeff Madsen, Jeff Lisandro, Antonio Esfandiari, and Jackie Glazier were among the carnage, but just because they busted doesn't mean there aren't some important faces left.
Of those advancing to Day 2, you've got Phil Hellmuth, Jesse Sylvia, Tony Hachem, Bruno Politano, Ami Barer, Van Marcus, Ashley Mason, and Brendon Rubie. Hellmuth will take 82,500 in chips into Day 2, and he'll be looking for his 14th WSOP gold bracelet.
The players are scheduled to return on Friday at 12:30 p.m. local time at Crown Melbourne, and PokerNews will be on hand for all live coverage starting then.
Ryan Riess opened the action with a raise to 1,300 from the hijack. Kris Nestorovic called from the small blind, and then a short-stacked Shane Stark shoved all in for 3,425 more from the big. Riess responded by dropping a bunch of chips in the middle, and Nestorovic tossed in a single chip to call.
Nestorovic must have thought Riess had moved all in, but in reality the 2013 WSOP Main Event champ had 4,700 back. The side pot was straightened out, and then Riess moved all in after Nestorovic checked the flop. Nestorovic called and all three players tabled their cards.
Stark:
Riess:
Nestorovic:
Stark was out in front with his set, but Nestorovic was leading for the sizable side pot, though Riess was drawing good to both a straight and flush draw. The turn was of no consequence, and neither was the river. Riess missed to fall to Nestorovic, while Stark tripled his stack in the main pot.
Brandon Shack-Harris' run at extended his lead in the WSOP Player of the Year has fallen short in this event after just being eliminated in a preflop clash against two players. It began when Tony Hachem opened to 800 from the cutoff. Shack-Harris made it 1,900 on button, the small blind four-bet to 4,500, and Hachem folded. Shack-Harris called and then called off when the small blind jammed the flop.
Shack-Harris:
Opponent:
Neither the turn nor river connected with Shack-Harris' pocket jacks and he was sent to the rail just a few minutes shy of reaching level eight.
We missed the elimination of reigning WSOP APAC Main Event champ Daniel Negreanu, but Jesse Sylvia was kind enough to fill us in on the details.
According to him, Phil Ward opened with a raise and Sylvia called from the button. A short-stacked Negreanu called from the big blind, and three players saw a rainbow flop. Negreanu checked, Ward bet 1,200, and Sylvia called. Negreanu then check-raised all in for roughly 3,000 more, Ward called, and Sylvia got out of the way.
Negreanu:
Ward:
Negreanu had flopped two pair, but it was no good as Ward held jacks and deuces. Neither the turn nor river help Negreanu, and he was eliminated from the tournament here in Level 7.
Back on July 14, the 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event final table was set. The players in this year's "November Nine" are set to resume play on November 10, and it is a globally diverse group of young players who will be battling it out for the $10 million top prize.
Martin Jacobson will certainly be a favorite amongst poker pro circles around the world. The Swede has plenty of respect and a hard-earned reputation as one of the best and consistent tournament players in the game. When the lights turn on in November, it'll true be his time to shine and put his experience to work.
After finishing with the Day 1a chip lead, Jacobson will enter the final table eighth in chips with 14.9 million, second to last, and knows how much this final table means to him. "It feels incredible to make it this far in such a big and prestigious tournament," Jacobson told PokerNews. "This is probably my biggest achievement so far."
Brandon Shack-Harris opened for 900 under the gun only to have a short-stacked Juicy Li three-bet all in for 3,225 from the cutoff. Action folded back to Shack-Harris, and he thought for a few moments before making the call.
Shack-Harris:
Li:
Li was behind, but she was drawing to two live cards. She managed to pair one on the flop, but it did her little good as Shack-Harris also paired his ace. Neither the turn nor river helped Li, and her Event #7: $2,200 Six-Max No-Limit Hold'em experience at the 2014 WSOP APAC came to an end.
Earlier today, Melbourne local and tattoo shop owner Sam Higgs took down Event #5: $5,000 Pot-Limit Omaha for AU$127,843 and a gold bracelet. After the win, Higgs joined his friends and family for a celebratory dinner, and then he left them to jump into this event. Higgs was seeking back-to-back bracelets, but his attempt was cut short by November Niner Bruno Politano.
Higgs was nursing a short stack and got it all in on a flop only to find himself in dire straits against his Brazilian foe.
Higgs:
Politano:
Higgs had flopped top pair, but it was no good as Politano was sitting on the granddaddy of all hands. Neither the turn nor river helped Higgs, and he was sent to the rail. Needless to say, even after being eliminated it's been a heck of a day for Higgs.
![[user68268]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
flop. Nestorovic called and all three players tabled their cards.
turn was of no consequence, and neither was the 
river. Riess missed to fall to Nestorovic, while Stark tripled his stack in the main pot.
.
against Brendon Rubie's 
.
board to see Duhamel unable to connect and consequently be sent to the rail as Rubie motored his stack up to 44,000 and change.
turn nor 
river connected with Shack-Harris' pocket jacks and he was sent to the rail just a few minutes shy of reaching level eight.
rainbow flop. Negreanu checked, Ward bet 1,200, and Sylvia called. Negreanu then check-raised all in for roughly 3,000 more, Ward called, and Sylvia got out of the way.
flop, but it did her little good as Shack-Harris also paired his ace. Neither the 
river helped Higgs, and he was sent to the rail. Needless to say, even after being eliminated it's been a heck of a day for Higgs.
