Another chapter was written in the TeamAPL fairytale today with a perfect record of four out of four for the players still in contention for the 2009 WSOP Main Event crown.

The highlight of the day came about midway through the day when Kia Hamadani was eliminated in 439th place, meaning the remaining players were assured of a payout in the world’s biggest poker tournament.

That meant that Charlie Elias, Craig Ivey, Emma Grace and Jonathan Wertheim would be assured a minimum prize USD $21,635: the key word being minimum. The prizemoney scale has already moved up three more spots meaning the four TeamAPL players will take home at least USD $27,469.

Charlie Elias finished the day with 1,540,000 in chips (for the doubters out there, we just watched him count them out). He's well inside the biggest 10 stacks in the room, and he’s been among the top 10 per cent of stacks for the past three days.

Jonathan Wertheim played his heart out today. He's taken his stack to just shy of 200,000 and will look to continue his climb up the chip count tomorrow. Jon might be in demand when he gets home for advice on how to manage a short stack in an event of this stature Emma Grace and Craig Ivey slipped from 240,000 and 280,000 to 100,000 and 130,000 respectively. But both have shown they’re capable of finding a double-up and can’t be discounted as they enter day five; an almost unthinkable achievement less than a week ago.

Team APL chip count (at the end of day 4)

Charlie Elias (Sydney) 1,540,000
Jonathan Wertheim (Sydney) 195,000
Craig Ivey (Adelaide) 130,000
Emma Grace (Gold Coast) 100,000

Posted by Chris Wheeler, 9pm, 11/7/09

As the song goes, “these are the things that dreams are made of” – Charlie Elias, Craig Ivey, Emma Grace and Jonathan Wertheim have etched their name in Australian Poker League history as the first four players to make the money in the WSOP Main Event as part of TeamAPL.

This inspirational quartet have won USD $21,365 – minimum – but only after an excruciating two-hour hand-for-hand period where five players were eliminated in 13 hands.

  

  

The four TeamAPL players who have cashed in the 2009 WSOP Main Event (from top left): Charlie Elias, Craig Ivey, Emma Grace and Jonathan Wertheim

Finally, Kia Hamadani was all-in for his 500-chip ante as Reed Hensel raised to 17,000 and both blinds made the call. The flop landed Q-6-Q, Hensel bet 20,000 and the blinds folded. Hensel showed 9-2 but still found himself ahead of Hamadani who tabled 4-3.

Nines landed on both the turn and river to seal the deal, signalling cheers and applause around the Amazon Ballroom as 648 players celebrated an “in-the-money” finish in the $10,000 No Limit Hold’em World Championships event.

An emotional Emma Grace, who mucked pocket kings pre-flop under-the-gun just four hands before the bubble burst was elated and described a WSOP Main Event cash as a "dream come true". She now hopes to follow in the footsteps of her poker idol, Chris Moneymaker, who inspired Grace to take up the game.

Charlie Elias cracked a smile when he learned he was now guaranteed more than USD $21,000, but Elias has his eyes firmly set on the November Nine, and won't be letting the excitement of the bubble get in the way of his ultimate goal.

Craig Ivey and Jonathan Wertheim, two of the more understated members of TeamAPL could not hide their excitement following the announcement.

"This is so surreal. To come here for free and cash like this ... it's amazing. On top of everything else, on top of the experience we've had, it's just amazing," Team APL captain and Full Tilt Player of the Year Craig Ivey said.

The players will now refocus to finish as far up the prize scale as possible. Grace moved all in just two hands after the bubble burst with A-K, received a caller and was able to take down a hefty pot. She’s built her stack back up to just less than 200,000. Wertheim holds just below 100,000 while Craig Ivey has 170,000 and Charlie Elias is on 615,000, well above the chip average of 315,000.

On behalf of the APL and the Australian poker community, congratulations to Charlie, Emma, Craig and Jonathan.

Team APL chip count (after level 16)

Charlie Elias (Sydney) 615,000
Emma Grace (Gold Coast) 195,000
Craig Ivey (Adelaide) 170,000
Jonathan Wertheim (Sydney) 95,000

Posted by Sean Callander, 5pm, 11/7/09

There’s drama on and off the floor here at the Rio Hotel and Casino, where the entire communications system has gone into meltdown with all the major websites offline as play reaches the critical hand-for-hand on day four of the 2009 WSOP Main Event.

But we’re still on the air, and can reveal that all four TeamAPL players who started day four are caught up in the drama of the bubble period.

Unfortunately we have to report that Emma Grace has not had much joy to start the day. Dealt A-K three times in the last 20 minutes of level 15, she folded to re-raising players holding pocket jacks and pocket kings and was spooked out of the pot on the third occasion. Grace has lost half of her stack, but she has regained her composure and still holds 100,000.

In contrast, Charlie Elias is showing no signs of slowing down. Just moments ago, he made a pre-flop raise, 2008 WSOP Main Event final table participant Kelly Kim reraised, Elias moved all-in and Kim eventually folded after a long stay in the tank. That took Elias to 630,000, virtually ensuring of him an in-the-money finish.

Jonathan Wertheim is playing a tight and solid game, but is picking his spots well. He’s grown his stack from 11,000 to 100,000 and has given himself an excellent chance of cashing with hand-for-hand play underway.

Craig Ivey just lost around 60,000 when his aces were cracked by a player holding Q-J on a J-Q-6 flop. He’s dropped to 180,000 but is determined to lead his fellow TeamAPL players in this historic day for the world’s biggest free-to-play poker organisation.

Team APL chip count (after level 15)

Charlie Elias (Sydney) 615,000
Craig Ivey (Adelaide) 180,000
Emma Grace (Gold Coast) 100,000
Jonathan Wertheim (Sydney) 100,000

Posted by Chris Wheeler, 3pm, 11/7/09

Welcome back to the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for day four of the 2009 WSOP Main Event, and one of the most important days in the history of the Australian Poker League. A total of 789 runners remain in the Main Event, with the top 648 to be paid out a minimum cash prize of USD $21,365.

Four of the 23 TeamAPL players who took their seats on day one are still here three days later. Queensland’s Emma Grace and Craig Ivey are a strong chance than most to make the money while short stack Jonathan Wertheim refuses to give in and some of the biggest names in international poker are talking about how far 'this Charlie Elias guy' might go.

Just five hands into day four, Wertheim has scored a vital double-up. Jonathan pushed all-in from the small blind while holding pocket queens and was called by a player holding A-Q. The board fell 2-2-7-8-4 and J-Wert moved to almost 140,000.

Also in the early going today, we watched Craig Ivey muck pocket jacks pre-flop after some early position raises and re-raises caused him to lose interest in his starting hand from middle position. The pre-flop squabbling continued between the two big stacks – both players eventually getting it all in with pocket fives against pocket sixes. The fives flopped a set on a board full of rags, and Craig couldn't be happier that he wasn't involved.

Emma Grace just lost 50,000 but she's still on almost 200,000 and has her eyes finally set on the bubble, and beyond. All players are confident that a WSOP in-the-money finish is well within their reach. Elias has his focus set on the final table, and claims he is “not even thinking about cashing”.

WSOP tournament director Jack Effel said play would continue today for four levels or until 400 players are eliminated. There is no prescribed point at which hand-for-hand play will commence.

Structure for today’s play

Level 15: 2000/4000 (ante 500)
Level 16: 2500/5000 (ante 500)
Level 17: 3000/6000 (ante 1000)
Level 18: 4000/8000 (ante 1000)
Level 19: 5000/10,000 (ante 1000)

Team APL chip count (at the start of day 4)

49th Charlie Elias (Sydney) 539,500
255th Craig Ivey (Adelaide) 290,000
365th Emma Grace (Gold Coast) 223,000
698th Jonathan Wertheim (Sydney) 76,000

Payout structure

1st $8,546,435
2nd $5,182,601
3rd $3,479,485
4th $2,502,787
5th $1,953,395
6th $1,587,133
7th $1,404,002
8th $1,300,228
9th $1,263,602
10-12th $896,730
13-15th $633,022
16-18th $500,557
19-27th $352,832
28-36th $253,941
37-45th $178,857
46-54th $138,568
55-63rd $108,047
64-72nd $90,344
73-81st $68,979
82-90th $57,991
91-99th $47,003
100-162nd $40,288
163-225th $36,626
226-288th $32,963
289-360th $29,911
361-432nd $27,469
433-504th $25,027
505-576th $23,196
577-648th $21,365

Posted by Chris Wheeler, 1.55pm, 11/7/09