A year after the first foray from the World Series of Poker in the Asia-Pacific Territory of Australia came the second WSOP Asia Pacific Main Event. No one knew it at the time, but it would turn out to be the last of two unique back-to-back years of fun before the World Series of Poker returned to Europe and made Rozvadov its annual home away from home. The second WSOP Asia Pacific festival was one for the history books… in more ways than one.
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Double the Fun in Melbourne
Taking place between October 2nd and the 18th in 2014, the second WSOP Asia Pacific festival featured 10 bracelet events instead of five the previous year. A bigger festival than ever in Australian terms once again took place at the Crown Casino in Melbourne. The opening event was the first of six to be won by Australians, as Luke Brabin rolled up his tank-top sleeves in the No Limit Hold’em Accumulator event that hosted 611 entrants. Brabin took home a top prize of A$131,365 as all but one player inside the top 18 places hailed from the home country.
The second event cost double the A$1,100 buy-in of Event #1, and this time, it was a straight NLHE tournament. With 215 entries, 24 players cashed. While the majority of those were Aussies, two Malaysian players battled it out for the title. Junzhong Loo eventually beat his countryman, Sam Nee Aik Chuan, to the WSOP gold bracelet and A$107,500 top prize.
One of Aussie’s Favorites
The third event of the series was won by one of Australia’s favorite poker sons, as Jeff Lisandro beat British player Jason Gray heads-up. The event was in Pot Limit Omaha, the first non-Hold’em game of the series, and also featured cashes for Mike Watson (14th for A$3,002), Scott Davies (12th for A$3,633), and Mel Judah, who missed out on the final table when he finished 10th for A$4,472. Lisandro’s win was worth A$51,660, a fine return on the $1,650 entry fee.
After victories for Scott Calcagno in Event #4 NLHE ‘Terminator’ event for A$67,245 and Sam Higgs in Event #5, a A$5,000 PLO event for A$127,843, it was time for the Dealer’s Choice Event #6. Costing A$1,650 to play, there were 89 entries, a large amount for a Dealer’s Choice tournament outside Las Vegas. Some true poker legends made the money places, with German player George Danzer (6th for A$7,399) and Jason Gray (5th for A$9,904) making the final along with Brian Rast, who came third for A$18,482. Rory Young bagged Australia another gold as he won the event, A$42,720, and the bracelet after beating compatriot Sam Khouesis heads-up.
Danzer and Leah Scoop High Roller Gold
After Alex Antonios won Australia’s final bracelet of the series, taking home A$128,784 in the A$2,200-entry NLHE 6-Max Event #7, it was time for the A$5,000 8-Game Mixed Event. A total of 48 entries kept the high roller event on an exclusive basis, as George Danzer managed to get over the line to claim his third WSOP bracelet in the middle of an incredible run of success.
Danzer took gold in four WSOP bracelet events between 2014 and 2016, an amazing period for the German player, the highlight of which, money-wise, were the three Las Vegas victories, which won him over a million dollars. Danzer was immensely proud to take the Australia-based event, even with his fellow German Ismael Bojang, who lost out in fourth place for A$23,688. The 2010 WSOP Main Event winner Jonathan Duhamel busted third for A$34,291, leaving the American Scott Clements as the runner-up to Danzer, winning A$52,340 in second place.
The A$25,000 No Limit Hold’em High Roller event was the penultimate event to award a WSOP gold bracelet, which was claimed by the Canadian player Mike Leah. At a final table that also featured Brian ‘Sailor’ Roberts (sixth for A$85,027), Jonathan Duhamel (fourth for A$145,003), and Jesse Sylvia (third for A$216,811), Leah’s win was a major accomplishment in his career, worth a massive A$600,000, and his first-ever WSOP bracelet. Having won six WSOP-Circuit events, Leah’s one and only bracelet victory coming in Australia was another fascinating quirk in a WSOP career that has yielded him $3.35 million in winnings to date.
Australians Miss Out in Main Event
With 329 entries, each paying A$10,000, the 2014 WSOP Asia Pacific Main Event was a fun and friendly event that saw 36 players turn a profit across five days of poker. Canadian Xuan Liu cashed for A$21,566 in 31st place, before Aaron Lim (24th for A$23,441), Shane Warne (22nd for the same amount), Gary Benson (15th for A$25,629), and Jackie Glazer (12th for A$42,194), all coming close to glory.
With four of the final nine players hailing from the host country, Australians had high hopes that the Main Event champion would be theirs, but the exits of Henry Szmelcer (9th for A$53,134), Jason Guliano (8th for A$67,198), Victor Teng (7th for $87,514), and Angela Italiano (6th for A$118,769) came quickly and consecutively.
The final five players featured three Americans, with Frank Kassela busting to English professional Jack Salter when the latter’s pocket aces ran ace-queen out of town for a score of A$164,089. Further U.S. disappointment came with the departure of Kyle Montgomery in fourth place when his ace-king lost to Scott Davies’ pocket jacks, an all-American clash going against Montgomery and leaving him on the rail in fourth place for A$231,287.
Soon, Henry Wang was eliminated in third place, losing with king-nine of spades to Davies’ pocket aces. That hand gave Davies the lead going into the heads-up action, as Wang left with A$343,805. Jack Salter was the underdog heading into the final battle for the bracelet, and he stayed close behind up to the point he four-bet shoved pre-flop with queen-ten of clubs on a board showing T-T-6-8. Davies called with pocket sixes and won with a full house when a three on the river made sure Salter came second for A$516,960.
For Davies, it was the top score of a poker lifetime – A$850,136 – as the former Las Vegas resident proved that anyone could win at the World Series of Poker and bring home the gold, even an American Down Under.
While the WSOP has never returned to Australia with a Main Event and an official festival, the World Series of Poker grew poker in Australia and is fondly remembered for the 2013 and 2014 WSOP Asia Pacific series to this day. Maybe one day, that WSOP gold will return to Australia, and a new player will win the Crown.
| Player | Country | Prize | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Scott Davies | United States | A$850,136 |
| 2nd | Jack Salter | United Kingdom | A$516,960 |
| 3rd | Henry Wang | Taiwan | A$343,805 |
| 4th | Kyle Montgomery | United States | A$231,287 |
| 5th | Frank Kassela | United States | A$164,089 |
| 6th | Angela Italiano | Australia | A$118,769 |
| 7th | Victor Teng | Australia | A$87,514 |
| 8th | Jason Guliano | Australia | A$67,198 |
| 9th | Henry Szmelcer | Australia | A$53,134 |
About the Author: Paul Seaton has written about poker for over 10 years, interviewing some of the best players ever to play the game such as Daniel Negreanu, Johnny Chan and Phil Hellmuth. Over the years, Paul has reported live from tournaments such as the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas and the European Poker Tour. He has also written for other poker brands where he was Head of Media, as well as BLUFF magazine, where he was Editor.