Event #1 A/B/C: A$1,100 No-Limit Hold'em Accumulator

It seemed that the script had been written for arguably Australia’s most talented and successful young poker player to go all the way and win the first ever WSOP bracelet on Australian soil. Unfortunately no one showed that script to 23-year old Bryan Piccioli. The crowd were cheering passionately for the Aussie but it was the American online phenom who crashed the party to be crowned our first WSOP APAC champion.

No doubt that Piccioli deserved this honour.  He was impressive throughout the tournament, particularly late on Day 2 when his aggression needled the great Phil Hellmuth to the point of implosion. On the final table Piccoli had to bide his time with Jay Loo, Jonathan Duhamel and Jeremy Ausmus all active to his right, but once play reached short-handed he picked up some cards, applied some pressure and, in the end, caught a sweet river card to end the brave run of the "Dong".

Sadly it seems that the Aussies are building a reputation of falling at the final hurdle at the WSOP as Karamalikis becomes the fourth Australian in twelve months to miss the gold by the narrowest of margins (David Borg, Jackie Glazier and Brendon Rubie are the others).

Karamalikis collects $130,743 for a fine tournament while Piccioli adds another chapter to his growing reputation as one of the world’s finest young players with victory, $211,575 in prize money and the elusive WSOP gold bracelet.

Final Table Results

1st Bryan Piccioli - $211,575
2nd Jonathan Karamalikis - $130,743
3rd Junzhong Loo - $96,305
4th Jonathan Duhamel - $71,870
5th Jeremy Ausmus - $54,337
6th Graeme Putt - $41,610
7th Iori Yogo - $32,268
8th Peter Kleudgen - $25,335
9th Ryan Otto - $20,138

Thanks for following along this evening, and we hope you’ll join us again tomorrow from 12:30pm as we bring you live updates of the final table for Event #2: $1,650 Pot Limit Omaha. Good night from Melbourne!

Hand #132

Bryan Piccioli limped the button and Jonathan Karamalikis tapped the table as the two players took a cheap flop of     Karamalikis checked and Piccioli took it down with a bet of 25,000.

Hand #133

Jonathan Karamalikis raised the button and took it down without resistance.

Hand #134

Bryan Piccioli raised the button and took down the pot uncontested.

Hand #135

Another raise and take it, this time for Jonathan Karamalikis.

Hand #136

Bryan Piccioli had the button and he raised to 50,000. Jonathan Karamalikis made the call and the flop landed     Karamalikis check-called for 50,000 and the turn produced the   Karamalikis checked and Piccioli fired again for 125,000. Karamalikis made the call and the river was the  

Karamalikis checked again and Piccioli decided to take another stab at the pot with a bet of 295,000. It was a big pot and Karamalikis sat quietly before flashing the   and folding.  Karamalikis has around one million with Piccioli on about 2.3 million.

Hand #122

Bryan Piccioli had the button and he decided to give Jonathan Karamalikis a walk.

Hand #123

Jonathan Karamalikis limped the button once again but this time Bryan Piccioli raised the price to 80,000. Karamalikis made the call and the two took a flop of     Piccioli led out for a small bet of just 50,000 but it was enough as Karamalikis decided to fold.

Hand #124

Bryan Piccioli raised to 50,000 from the button and Jonathan Karamalikis thought briefly before re-raising to 135,000. Piccioli gave it up with the pot being pushed to Karamalikis.

Hand #125

Jonathan Karamalikis raised the button to 50,000 and Bryan Piccioli made the call to see a flop of     A bet of 42,000 was called to see the   fall on the turn.  Check, check and the river delivered the    Again it was checked down with Karamalikis’    not enough as Piccioli showed    for a pair of fours to take it down.

Hand #126

Bryan Piccioli raised to 50,000 from the button and Jonathan Karamalikis re-raised to 110,000.  Piccioli folded and Karamalikis collected the pot.

Hand #111

Jonathan Karamalikis started with the button and raised to 50,000. Bryan Piccioli didn’t waste any time in getting busy as he three-bet to 140,000. Karamalikis let it go as Piccioli draws first blood in this heads-up contest.

Hand #112

Bryan Piccioli folded and Jonathan Karamalikis received a walk.

Hand #113

Jonathan Karamalikis raised to 50,000 from the button and again Bryan Piccioli three-bet to 140,000. Karamalikis didn’t want to get involved and let it go once again.

Hand #114

Bryan Piccioli raised the button to 50,000 and took it down uncontested.

Hand #115

Jonathan Karamalikis had the button and he made it 50,000 to go. This time Bryan Piccioli made the call to see a flop of     Check, check to the   turn card.  Check, check again.  The river was the   and again they checked it down. Piccioli showed    for king-high which was enough to take it down.

Hand #116

Bryan Piccioli raised to 50,000 from the button, but Jonathan Karamalikis came back with a three-bet of his own to 125,000. Piccioli reached deep and re-raised to a total of 235,000 to put the pressure back on the Aussie. Karamalikis thought for a moment before making the call.

There was a big pot in the middle before the flop was even dealt     Karamalikis was first to act and he checked it over to Piccioli who bet 175,000. Karamalikis quickly announced himself all in to the murmurs from the crowd. Piccioli sighed and folded as Karamalikis closes the gap in this battle.

Hand #110

Jay Loo was on the button and opted to open to 40,000. Bryan Piccioli looked at Loo’s stack before three-betting to 95,000. Jonathan Karamalikis quickly folded the big blind and it was back on Loo, who moved all in. Piccioli quickly called and Loo was at risk.

Loo:   
Piccioli:   

Piccioli was way out in front, but by the time the board had ran out      to the turn, Loo had plenty of outs to survive. However, the   on the river would seal Loo’s fate as he exited in 3^rd place to collect $96,305.

Just like that, we are down to heads-up play! The players are heading on a quick break as the stacks are sorted out. 

Hand #100

The 100^th hand of the WSOP APAC final table would see Jonathan Karamalikis open the button to 45,000. Jay Loo then three-bet to 105,000 and it was back on Karamalikis who four-bet all in. Loo quickly folded and Karamalikis won the pot.

Hand #101

Jay Loo had the button and raised it up to 40,000. The blinds folded and Loo took the pot.

Hand #102

Bryan Piccioli opened the button and yet again there was no action as this time Piccioli took the blinds and antes.

Hand #103

Jonathan Karamalikis opened the button and for the third hand straight there was no action as Karamalikis won the blinds and antes.

Hand #104

Folded to Bryan Piccioli in the small blind, he raised it up and picked up the pot when Jonathan Karamalikis folded the big blind. 

Hand #95

Jay Loo folded the button and Bryan Piccioli raised to 52,000 from the small blind. Jonathan Karamalikis called from the big blind and the dealer flipped over a   #qh flop. Piccioli let for 65,000 here and Karamalikis called.

A   hit the turn and Piccioli said something to Karamalikis before betting 123,000. Karamalikis then appeared to try and raise. Apparently Karamalikis had checked out of turn, and despite trying to move all in here, he had to simply make the call as the ruling stated that by acting out of turn, he forfeited his right to raise. The dealer then completed the river with a   Piccioli checked here and Karamalikis bet 300,000. Piccioli quickly folded and Karamalikis picked up the handy pot.

The crowd went wild as Karamalikis raked in the pot. So wild in fact, that someone in the crowd fell off their chair. We can’t confirm it, but it appears it may have been Karamalikis’s father. Or at least an odler gentlemen who was definitely part of Karamalikis's rail. 

Hand #89

Jay  Loo was on the button and let his hand go. Bryan Piccioli raised to 52,000 from the small blind and Jonathan Karamalikis folded the big blind.

Hand #90

Bryan Piccioli opened the button 45,000 and Jonathan Karamalikis folded the small blind, while Jay Loo called out of the big blind.

On the     flop, Loo checked and Piccioli bet 32,000. Loo made the call and a scary   hit the turn. Loo led this time, making it 40,000 to go. When Piccioli called, the dealer completed the board with an innocent looking   on the river. Loo kept up his aggression, betting 120,000 here. Piccioli hesitated for only moment, before raising to 255,000. Loo quickly called and tabled    while Piccioli held #ah  with both players having the straight to chop the pot.

Hand #91

Jonathan Karamalikis was on the button and raised it up to 40,000. Bryan Piccioli was the lone caller out of the big blind. Both players checked the     flop, just as they did on the   turn. The river was a   and both players checked. Karamalikis tabled his    which was enough to win the hand. 

Hand #80

Jonathan Karamalikis opened the action to 40,000. Jay Loo three-bet to 105,000 and the action was back on Karamalikis, who decided to let his hand go.

Hand #81

Bryan Piccioli raised it up from the small blind and Jonathan Karamalikis folded the big blind, sending the small pot to Piccioli.

Hand #82

Folded to Jonathan Karamalikis in the small blind, he put the extra chips in to make the call. Jay Loo was in the big blind and made it 45,000 more to go. Karamalikis made the call and the dealer turned over a     flop. Karamalikis was first to act and checked, while Loo bet 55,000. Back on Karamalikis and he would raise it up to 120,000. That bet was too much for Loo as Karamalikis scooped the pot.

Hand #83

Jay Loo folded the button and Bryan Piccioli raised it up to 52,000 from the small blind. Jonathan Karamalikis called out of the big blind. The     flop was spread on the felt and Piccioli put in a continuation bet of 48,000. Karamalikis flicked out a call and an   was flipped over on the turn. This time Piccioli led out for 130,000 and Karamalikis thought for quite some time before calling.

The board was completed with a   on the river and Piccioli checked. Karamalikis also quickly checked and then mucked when Piccioli tabled    –for a full house. 

The three players are back from their quick break. Below is thier chip counts.

Bryan Piccioli - 1,674,000
Jay Loo - 1,207,000
Jonathan Karamalikis - 386,000