The dream is alive – seven members of TeamAPL have survived day 2B and will return on Friday after skilfully picking their way one of the largest single day fields in the history of the World Series of Poker.

When the order was given to shuffle up and deal, 2934 players were spread throughout the Rio Hotel and Casino – in ballrooms, in hallways, even in the casino’s small but “official” poker room.

The lucky 13 players here today were Charlie Elias, Shane Brown, Craig Ivey, Jonathan Wertheim, Emma Grace, Pande Nikolovski, Ross Parsonson, Parry Lee, Dave Fox, Dean Hopkins, Geoff Menz, Leno Icaca and Majed Haddad.

Incredibly, nine remained when the final two-hour level started, with Charlie Elias still setting the pace on 175,000. Pande Nikolovski, the December 2008 NSW Pro Open winner, bowed out just after 8pm local time when he tried to make a move with A-10 only to find an opponent waiting with A-Q, which held up.

Dave Fox’s gallant struggle with a short stack ended with about 30 minutes to play when his short stack of 5000 was committed in reasonable shape with A-J, only to find it pipped at the post by A-Q.

But there was better news for Ross Parsonson, who found himself in the perfect spot to double-up when he looked down to find aces, and found a willing sparring partner with K-J. That took the 25-year-old to just over 100,000, his biggest stack of the tournament so far.

Shane Brown was a model of consistency from the opening hand, carefully picking his spots to climb to 70,000 while Craig Ivey’s stack of 44,000 would have been much bigger if he’d not lost a couple of big pots late in the evening.

Jonathan Wertheim was up to almost 100,000 in chips before the dinner break but finished with half that on 52,000, and Emma Grace played her stack to perfection to ensure she stayed in the hunt for a precious WSOP Main Event cash on 62,000

Undoubtedly, the story of the day was Parry Lee’s unbelievable tournament survival. Just 10 players finished with shorter stacks than Parry’s 3700 yesterday, but he cajoled every trick in the book – and a fair slice of luck – to still be standing at day’s end on 23,500. Our tip for Parry, stay off the tables, your luck is spent!

Tomorrow is a day off for TeamAPL, giving the “magnificent seven” a chance to recharge their batteries for day three, where the bubble should be broken late in the day. Meanwhile, our blog team will be waving the Aussie flag in tomorrow’s Dream Team Poker charity media event. We look forward to you joining us again on Friday for the next step in TeamAPL’s historic journey to the 2009 WSOP Main Event.

Team APL chip count (after day 2B)

Charlie Elias 175,000
Shane Brown 70,000
Emma Grace 62,000
Jonathan Wertheim 52,000
Ross Parsonson 46,000
Craig Ivey 44,000
Parry Lee 23,500
Dave Fox Out
Pande Nikolovski Out
Dean Hopkins Out
Geoff Menz Out
Leno Icaca Out
Mahed Haddad Out

Posted by Chris Wheeler, 10.45pm, 8/7/09

Parry Lee has been running on fumes all day, but he refuses to let his WSOP Main Event dream. Displaying the never-say-die Aussie spirit in spades, Lee started with less than 4000 in chips and has been as low as 8000 in the last level.

Parry Lee's won more flips than you'd see at a gymnastics carnival

His latest escape came when he was all-in with Q-10 on a flop of J-4-K and found himself up against J-9. The turn was an 8, but a queen on the river sent Parry into wild celebrations as his opponent silently shook his head. After winning another flip late in level eight, Parry is back to 25,000. Day three? We wouldn’t put it past him.

Just before the dinner break, Dean Hopkins joined the list of TeamAPLers on the rail when he found himself with top-pair and a flush draw after the turn only to have an opponent’s set send him packing.

Dean Hopkins has sadly headed back to Team HQ at the Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino

Charlie Elias remains the leader among the nine remaining APL players on 220,000. It was a quiet level for him but the cards can’t always fall your way. Likewise, Shane Brown is holding firm on 115,000, about 10k above the chip average.

He’s a man of few words, but team captain Craig Ivey said he was “feeling pretty good” as he prepares to take 88,000 into the final level for day 2B.

Jonathan Wertheim is running solidly with 78,000 as is Emma Grace on 65,000, while Pande Nikolovski has clawed his way back to 53,000. Ross Parsonson holds 46,000 while Dave Fox is on the ropes with just 17,000.

Ross Parsonson has his eyes firmly set on day three

We’re almost into the final level of the night, with blinds about to increase to 500/1000 (with an ante of 100). Already, more than 1000 players have been eliminated today, reducing the day 2B field to less than 1800.

Team APL chip count (after level eight, day 2B)

Charlie Elias 220,000
Shane Brown 110,000
Craig Ivey 88,000
Jonathan Wertheim 78,000
Emma Grace 65,000
Pande Nikolovski 53,000
Ross Parsonson 46,000
Parry Lee 20,000
Dave Fox 17,000
Dean Hopkins Out
Geoff Menz Out
Leno Icaca Out
Majed Haddad Out

Posted by Chris Wheeler, 8.05pm, 8/7/09

TeamAPL continues its stunning charge through day 2B with 10 of the original 23 starters about to head off to enjoy their dinner at the mid-point of play – two levels down, two to go.

We caught up with Geoff Menz, who provided details of his unfortunate departure – again, another bad beat for the books. Menz made trip fours on the flop but slowplayed them to the river, where his opponent’s pocket sixes improved to a full-house.

Ross Parsonson has also had a tough start to day 2B, with his stack dwindled to 24,000 and under imminent threat, while Dave Fox finds himself in a similar position, also on 24,000 – “I’ve been card-dead all day but waiting patiently,” Fox said.

Jonathan Wertheim, climbing the chip count

But Charlie Elias continues to fly high and is now up to 230,000 (“I’m getting lots of cards, hitting a lot and winning chips”), Jonathan Wertheim is up to 90,000 after taking down an opponent with A-K against pocket 10s while Dean Hopkins (apologies Dean, we couldn’t find you when the table broke) is steady on 67,000.

Shane Brown (pictured above) has enjoyed an excellent start to take his stack above 100,000 – “I’ve lost a medium-sized pot and won a medium-sized pot, that’s about it,” he said – and credit to Emma Grace for the patience she has displayed in this tournament.

“I’m not getting cards and the blinds are hurting a bit but I’m holding on,” the Queensland mum said.

Emma Grace has impressed all with her steely determination

And Parry Lee is still here: “I’m having a tough day, I know I’m short-stacked but I just don’t want to give up,” he said.

Pande Nikolovski was holding firm but has just lost a big pot and is down to 21,000 after he pushed all-in with two-pair, aces and nines, only for his opponent to river a flush.

Chips in, chips out for Pande Nikolovski

Team APL chip count (after level seven, day 2B)

Charlie Elias 230,000
Shane Brown 105,000
Jonathan Wertheim 90,000
Craig Ivey 76,000
Dean Hopkins 75,000
Emma Grace 40,000
Dave Fox 24,000
Ross Parsonson 24,000
Pande Nikolovski 21,000
Parry Lee 17,000
Geoff Menz Out
Leno Icaca Out
Majed Haddad Out

Posted by Chris Wheeler, 4.45pm, 8/7/09

There’s a good reason why Craig Ivey was named captain of TeamAPL – he topped the Player of the Year leaderboard at the end of 2008-09, which means the guy plays well, and plays a lot of poker.

Sorry Erick ... Craig Ivey sends Erick Lindgren on his way

But sometimes, you need a bit of luck along the way, which just came the way of the 49-year-old from Adelaide as he dispatched Team Full Tilt pro Erick Lindgren to the rail. The money was in pre-flop with Ivey showing pocket jacks against Lindgren’s pocket queens. It looked pretty grim until a jack sailed down the river for Ivey to send Lindgren on his way.

Unfortunately, Majed Haddad has become the first scalp of the day – although holding a relatively large stack, Haddad was eliminated during the opening level of the day and left the Rio so quickly that we were unable to find out the details of the hand.

Bad luck Majed, who had such high hopes after his fifth in the ANZPT Sydney Main Event and finishing runner-up to Danny Taylor in the Wild Turkey Poker Classic. We have also lost Leon Icaca and Geoff Menz in the early going – well played guys.

Charlie Elias has joined the overall chip leaders, go get 'em!

At the other end of the chip count, Charlie Elias is on fire – he’s up to 140,000 and among the overall chip leaders after flopping a set and turning a full-house with the same card that made his opponent’s flush. Ship it! Pande Nikolovski also scored a timely double-up against the player who sent Haddad to the rail and is up to 62,000.



"Where's my photo?" asked Dave Fox ... here it is Dave

The rest of the team have settled well today – Dave Fox has been content to take a shot at a few small pots, while Jonathan Wertheim scored an early double-up when his aces held up against A-K, climbing to 54,000 in chips.

Team APL chip count (after level six, day 2B)

Charlie Elias 140,000
Shane Brown 103,000
Dean Hopkins 92,000
Pande Nikolovski 62,000
Jonathan Wertheim 61,000
Craig Ivey 61,000
Emma Grace 48,000
Dave Fox 41,000
Ross Parsonson 29,000
Parry Lee 17,000
Geoff Menz Out
Leno Icaca Out
Majed Haddad Out

Posted by Chris Wheeler, 2.30pm, 8/7/09

After a quiet day resting around the pool at the Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino, the 13 surviving members of TeamAPL are back at the Rio for an historic day in WSOP, and APL, history.

A massive field of 2923 players have taken their seats today chasing a spot in day three where the run for the money will start in earnest.

Team captain Craig Ivey has join the table of death for the start of play, with 2007 Aussie Millions $100k Challenge winner and Team Full Tilt’s Erick Lindgren seated directly opposite the South Australian.

Amazingly, Dean Hopkins and Geoff Menz have found themselves on the same table (with reigning world champ Peter Eastgate seated at an adjacent table). And Parry Lee has wasted little time committing his short stack, tripled his stack when he turned a set of jacks, elevating him to 10,000 in the early going.

To balance out the levels for day three, players face four levels today with a 90-minute dinner break:

Level 6: 250/500 (ante 50)
Level 7: 300/600 (ante 75)
Level 8: 400/800 (ante 100)
Level 9: 500/1000 (ante 100)

Here’s a rundown of the players who’ll be wearing the black shirts of TeamAPL on day 26 of the 2009 WSOP Main Event:

• Craig Ivey (Team captain, lives: Adelaide, South Australia; age: 49; qualified for TeamAPL: Full Tilt Player of the Year) – chips: 40,150

• Geoff Menz (lives: Brisbane, Queensland; age: 25; qualified for TeamAPL: third, 2008 APL Tournament of Champions) – chips: 42,150

• Charlie Elias (lives: Sydney, NSW; age: 26; qualified for TeamAPL: fourth, 2008 APL Tournament of Champions) – chips: 83,525

• Jonathan Wertheim (lives: Sydney, NSW; age: 25; qualified for TeamAPL: winner, August 2008 NSW Pro Open) – chips: 24,800

• Leno Icaca (lives: Sydney, NSW; age: 60; qualified for TeamAPL: winner, September 2008 NSW Pro Open) – chips: 9450

• Parry Lee (lives: Sydney, NSW; age: 27; qualified for TeamAPL: winner November 2008 NSW Pro Open) – chips: 3700

• Emma Grace (lives: Queensland; age: 41; qualified for TeamAPL: winner Tweed Heads WSOP Satellite 1) – chips: 46,825

• Pande Nikolovski (lives: Sydney, NSW; qualified for TeamAPL: winner, December 2008 NSW Pro Open) – chips: 52,575

• Majed Haddad (lives: Sydney, NSW; age: 30; qualified for TeamAPL: second, 2009 Wild Turkey Poker Classic) – chips: 69,225

• Dean Hopkins (lives: NSW; age: 24; qualified for TeamAPL: March 2009 NSW Pro Open Champion) – chips: 90,250

• Dave Fox (lives: NSW; qualified for TeamAPL: winner, Tweed Heads WSOP Satellite 2) – chips: 46,950

• Shane Brown (lives: NSW; age: 34; qualified for TeamAPL: winner, May 2009 NSW Pro Open) – chips: 68,375

• Ross Parsonson (lives: NSW; age: 25; qualified for TeamAPL: winner, June 2009 NSW Pro Open) – chips: 33,125

Posted by Chris Wheeler, 12.40pm, 8/7/09