Whetting the appetite for next month’s “November Nine” finale, the 2014 World Series of Poker Asia/Pacific (WSOP-APAC) kicked off its ten-event schedule on Thursday. At the close of the day, two-time WSOP bracelet winner Scott Clements emerged from the field as the chip leader for the $1000 No Limit Hold’em “Accumulator” event.
The tournament, introduced last year during the inaugural WSOP-APAC, has three starting days that players have the option of participating in. Whatever chips a player earns from one, two or three days of action are added together and that stack is moved forward for the player’s ammunition in Day 2. The tournament proved so popular in 2013 that more than 1000 entries were received, with Bryan Piccioli taking down the championship.
A decent crowd of players headed to the gate at the Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia, to kick off the festivities for the WSOP-APAC. Notable names such as defending World Champion Ryan Riess, 2014 WSOP Player of the Year contender George Danzer, the runner-up in this tournament last year Jonathan Karamalikis, Vanessa Rousso and Australia’s own Jackie Glazer all were on hand for the first cards in the air of the festival, with Rousso doubling up on the very first hand of play when her pocket Aces completed a four-flush against her opponent. Moments later, Karamalikis was the beneficiary of a similar situation, doubling up his 3000 chip starting stack when his A-3 turned a wheel and the chips went to the center.
After the first break of the day, Riess would get one of those fortunate breaks that will sometimes drive a player deep into a tournament. Getting his chips in pre-flop, Riess was on the bad end with his pocket sevens against his opponent’s pocket Queens. The flop changed that, however, coming down K-8-7 to give the World Champion a set and, after dodging a Queen on the turn and river, saw his stack double also.
With the nature of the “Accumulator” event (and the opportunity to return to action on Friday), the action was plentiful on every table. This would lead to the early eliminations of Kitty Kuo, Timo Pfutzenreuter, Mohsin Charania, Jonathan Duhamel and Glazier all heading to the rail before the fifth level of action. Russell Thomas, Mike Leah, Roland Israelashvili and Rousso (unable to keep up her early success) would join them soon afterwards.
Clements made his move towards the top of the leader board during the final level of play for the day. He knocked off two players in succession, including taking down David Bowen’s A-7 with pocket Queens, to shoot his stack over the 30K mark. It was a battle against Dylan Honeyman that would eventually give him a stack that would prevail over the remaining field for Day 1A.
Clements first hit a backdoor flush that Honeyman paid him off with then, on the very next hand, the men went at it again. Completing his small blind, Clements saw Honeyman in the big blind pump the action to 1400 chips. Clements made the call out of position to see a 9-7-6 flop and, after he checked, called Honeyman’s bet. A Jack came on the turn and Clements came alive with a bet for nearly 10K in chips. Honeyman pushed all-in over his bet and, after some contemplation, Clements made the call and tabled an 8-5 for the flopped straight. Honeyman could only muster a Q-5 (gut shot straight draw) that failed to come on the river Queen, sending Honeyman home (for the night, at least) and shooting Clements into the lead.
1. Scott Clements, 76,575
2. Marko Piper, 36,825
3. Zane Ly, 35,400
4. Jamie Pickering, 34,150
5. Jonathan Karamalikis, 30,900
6. Robert Clarke, 30,775
7. Kahle Burns, 27,150
8. Michael Addamo, 24,875
9. George Danzer, 24,625
10. David Leas, 23,875
From the 197 players who made up Day 1A of the “Accumulator,” only 30 emerged with chips.
Day Ones traditionally don’t matter in extended events and this is especially true of the “Accumulator.” All of the survivors (and probably the other players who didn’t make it through Day 1A) will be back for action on Friday. Although he does have a massive lead at this point, you can be sure that Clements will be back on the felt Down Under in an attempt to add onto that stack for Day 2 on Sunday.
