Sliverman  defeats JC Tran to take WPT Alpha8 High Roller.

 

Steven Sliverman overcame a spirited performance from JC Tran to claim the first-ever World Poker Tour (WPT) Alpha8 series High Roller event pocketing a huge US$891,660 in the process.

 

Hosted at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Florida, USA, the Alpha8 series was running in conjunction with the Hard Rock Poker Open. The first ever WPT Alpha8 saw a small turnout as 18 players lined-up to enter the US$100,000 buy-in Main Event which added three early re-buys on Day 1, raising the total prize pool to US$2,026,500. The top four players would all leave in the money collecting a minimum of US$243,180 with the winner pocketing a massive US$891,660.

 

11 levels passed on Day 1 leaving nine players to play-out the final table with Matt Glantz chip leader and a whole host of high-profile players such as Isaac Haxton, Joseph Cheong, Daniel Alaei and Jason Mercier all not far behind.

 

WPT Alpha8 – Final Table Line-up

Seat 1: Matt Glantz – 410,500

Seat 2: Jason Mercier – 375,500

Seat 3: Steven Sliverman – 372,500

Seat 4: Daniel Alaei – 293,500

Seat 5: Isaac Haxton – 218,500

Seat 6: Jeff Gross – 140,500

Seat 7: Joseph Cheong – 106,000

Seat 8: JC Tran – 94,000

Seat 9: Bill Perkins – 89,000

 

As the final Day progressed it took six levels and 123 hands to burst the big bubble with Isaac Haxton finishing-up in 5th position collecting US$0 for his efforts, Haxton was one of the three players who re-bought so the bubble was even larger for him. As the dust settled on Haxton’s departure Matt Glantz ended his Alpha8 Main Event in 4th position earning himself US$243,180. Jeff Gross was next to head to the rail collecting US$364,770 for his two days work which left Silverman and Tran to go heads-up for the title and the cash.

The blinds were up to 10,000/20,000 when Silverman shoved all-in showing Q-9 (Diamonds) with Tran calling, tabling Q-8 (off suit). The flop offered  Tran early hope as it fell 8-10-5 but with the turn delivering a 9 and the river a Q, JC Tran’s Alpha8 series Main Event was over as Silverman eliminated him with a stronger two pair.

Tran took home US$526,890 for his 2nd place while Silverman cashed US$891,660, his second largest career win following his European Poker Tour Monte Carlo High Roller win earlier this year. The Alpha8 series will be televised in the new year on Fox Sports 1 with Australia’s own Lynn Gilmartin taking up hosting duties.

For More details on the Alpha8 series visit online or alternatively stay tuned to FopTurnRiver.

 

APPT Melbourne 2013 just days away.

 

Season 7 of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour continues this week with the 2013 APPT Melbourne Main Event beginning on Thursday 5 September. The tournament has already kicked-off, not officially, and entered the record books as AU$50 No Limit Hold’em Accumulator attracted a monster crowd of 1,445 entries and 10 Day 1 flights, bringing in a total prize pool of AU$82,7720.

 

After a staggering 10 Day 1 flights and one Day 2, the field was eventually whittled down to just one champion, Daniel Levy. Levy turned a tiny AU$50 investment into a massive AU$17,600, making it easily one of the most profitable events ever hosted at the Crown Casino Card Room. Following the AU$50 Accumulator, NLH mixed game enthusiasts would be seated for the AU$350 7-Game Mixed while Tuesday 3 September holds the AU$350 NLH Mix Max.

 

There is a whole host of events scheduled for the 2013 APPT Melbourne with daily Main Event step satellites beginning with an AU$80 step 1 Turbo event, where 1-5 wins a Step 2 seat worth AU$330. From there  players will simply have to win Step 2 and 1-10 players will have a chance to earn a seat in the AU$3000 Main Event, which kicks-off on Thursday 5 September.

 

Last years APPT Melbourne leg Main Event was a AU$5000 buy-in which attracted 257 players generating a total prize pool of  AU$1,207,900 won by the UK’s Sam Razavi. 2013 the entry fee has been reduced to AU$3000 which could easily see another entrance record broken this week at the Crown Card Rooms.

 

For all the news and results from the APPT 2013 Melbourne visit online or alternatively stay tuned to FlopTurnRiver.

 

National Poker League joins with World Champion.

 

The very political and ominous sounding National Poker League (NPL) have joined forces with World Series of Poker Champion and fellow Australian Joe Hachem to bring players a new exclusive club to help raise their poker skills to a new level.

 

The NPL VIP Club will be hosted by Hachem and is a subscription -based service that provides subscribers with a number of important benefits. Members earn free entry into the NPL VIP Club Final Table qualifying events and providing multiple chances for players to win a seat at the nine-handed AU$20,000 NLP VIP CLub Final Table which will be held on 4 October.

 

As expected Joe Hachem offers exclusive clips, tips and bootcamps to players on how to improve their games and pinpoint common errors. The NLP VIP Club also offers players NLP discounts at the store and VIP line access to NPL events.

 

The Nation Poker League has also announced that it will be joining The Star Summer Series at the Star Hotel and Casino, Sydney, in December. The AU$2000 buy-in Main Event is expected to attract a strong crowd of over 500 which could generate a total prize pool well over AU$1 Million.

 

For more information on the NPL, Joe Hachem or The Star Summer Series visit online or alternatively stay tuned to FlopTurnRiver.