When it was announced that Perth had been added to the schedule for the second season of the PokerStars.net Australia -New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT), players rejoiced on either side of the country. For the first time, Western Australia’s best would be able to test themselves against top players from the eastern seaboard. A record-breaking field of 222 players converged on the Burswood Casino for the A$2,500 Main Event, while the prize pool of A$510,600 was also the largest-ever in Western Australia’s history.
Following three days of thrilling action, it was the Perth locals who looked set to dominate the event, with seven of them making the final table. It was local mining engineer Zaffer Soemya who entered with the chip lead, but things quickly went against him on a tough final table.
Early on, chip leader Soemya got involved in a massive confrontation with Aleks Lackovic in what was the defining hand of the final table. Lackovic pushed all-in with his A♦ 4♦ flush draw on the flop, with the board reading 10♦ J♥ 5♦. To his dismay, however, Soemya called instantly, flipping over a set of tens. Lackovic was looking for a diamond, but the turn and river gave him an unlikely wheel straight and a monster chip lead. Soemya’s downturn in fortunes would continue as he was eliminated in 7th place when his top pair failed to hold up against Dale Marsland’s straight draw.
All the hype going into the final table surrounded PokerStars Team Australia Pro Tony Hachem reaching yet another ANZPT final table, and whether this would be his time to finally capture a major title. Hachem started to surge through the pack as Tu Le fell in 5th place, losing a race with A♠ Q♥ against Lackovic’s pocket fours.
Next to fall was Dale Marsland, as he busted at the hands of Hachem with A♦ 6♠ against A♥ Q♥. As if coming up against a dominated hand wasn’t enough, Hachem proceeded to flop the nut flush for measure. Three-handed the momentum was with Hachem as he continued to surge ahead, but it was a dour affair with deep stacks as the three dug their heels in.
Hachem fended off the two locals, and eventually got the better of Vesko Zmukic to eliminate him in 3rd place. It was Zmukic’s Js 10s up against Hachem’s pocket threes which held when the board was spread 4♣ K♦ A♥ 4♠ 5♥.
Going into heads-up play, Hachem held a two-to-one chip advantage and the weight of expectation on his shoulders as most were preparing themselves for an epic heads-up duel. However the pair quickly found their chips going all-in preflop with Hachem’s J♥ J♣ up against Lackovic’s Ace King. The flop came down 9♦ 3♣ Q♣, and Hachem implored the dealer to “keep it low”. The 5♥ turn and 3♦ river meant that Tony Hachem had become the first-ever ANZPT Perth champion! Hachem grabs his first major title and his remarkable run in the ANZPT continues. Six cashes from seven events, back-to-back final tables, a big lead in the 2010 Player of the Year race and now a shiny new trophy to go along with $132,750 in prize money. A combination of elation and relief reduced Hachem to tears, along with more than a few of the spectators who knew what the champion had been through on the road to victory. Joe Hachem, following the action from his Melbourne home, was equally thrilled by Tony’s win.
COMPLETE FINAL TABLE PAYOUTS
(All figures in Australian Dollars)
1st Tony Hachem – $132,750
2nd Aleks Lackovic – $84,250
3rd Vesko Zmukic – $47,500
4th Dale Marsland – $38,300
5th Tu Le – $32,000
6th Jimmy Wong – $26,800
7th Zaffer Soemya – $21,700
8th Eoin Kennedy – $16,600
9th Wade Beavis – $12,750
