After busting the 2018 World Collection of Poker (WSOP) Essential Occasion in forty sixth place when Michael Dyer cracked his pocket aces with pocket tens, James Obst started questioning whether or not he wished to stay knowledgeable poker participant. In July of 2018, Obst revealed he was leaving poker and turning his consideration to skilled tennis.
Obst performed on the 2019 WSOP in Las Vegas however then wasn’t seen on the poker tables till he returned to “Sin Metropolis” for the 2023 WSOP. It was like he’d by no means been away, racking up 9 cashes, together with a fourth place within the $50,000 Poker Gamers Championship.
Again on the stay match grind, Obst received his second WSOP bracelet in 2024, taking down the $10,000 Restrict Seven Card Stud Champion, including to the $10,000 Razz occasion he received in 2017. On September 25, 2024, Obst grew to become a World Poker Tour champion after being the final participant standing from a 396-strong crowd within the AUD$8,000 WPT Australia Championship at The Star Gold Coast.
WPT Australia Championship Closing Desk Outcomes
*features a USD$10,400 seat to the WPT World Championship in Las Vegas.
The unofficial nine-handed remaining desk – WPT prefers six-handed remaining tables – was set late into Day 4 when Van Marcus was despatched packing by Malcolm Trayner. Obst had a colossal stack of 210 huge blinds when solely 9 gamers remained, with Yuanting Wang (130) and Matthew Wakeman (101) occupying the opposite prime three spots.
The thirteenth hand of the unofficial remaining desk proved unfortunate for Gautum Dhingra, and it was his final participation within the occasion. Travis Endersby min-raised to 60,000 on the button, Dhingra three-bet all-in for 580,000 from the small blinds, and Wakeman known as within the huge blind. Endersby ducked out of the way in which, leaving Dhingra’s ace-five of hearts go up in opposition to Wakeman’s black aces. Dhingra flopped a flush draw however it did not are available, and he was gone.
Trayner, who received his first bracelet in Las Vegas this summer season, was the subsequent to fall. Trayner three-bet all-in from the small blind for 19.5 huge blinds with pocket fives after Wang had opened from the button. Wang known as with ace-jack of spades and hit runner-runner spades for a flush.
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Wang was the subsequent participant heading to the showers regardless of successful Trayner’s chips. Wang received the AUD$1,150 Opening Occasion on the WPT Prime Gold Coast earlier this 12 months, banking AUD$89,687, however there could be no repeat victory right here. Wang’s stack had dwindled to 600,000 on the 25,000/50,000/50,000a stage, so when he three-bet all-in over a 125,000 opening elevate from Endersby, Endersby needed to name. He did name and confirmed ace-queen of golf equipment, which had Wang’s queen-jack of hearts dominated. The board paired, and Endersby received the pot courtesy of his ace enjoying.
Wang’s elimination introduced the curtain down on Day 4, and the gamers returned for the fifth and remaining day with Obst nonetheless in a commanding place.
The very first hand of the official remaining desk noticed Dillan Patel bow out. Patel open-shoved 14 huge blinds from the small blind with queen-jack, and Endersby seemed him up with pocket fours. Endersby improved to an pointless set on the river, and Patel bit the mud. It was an outstanding outcome for Patel as a result of he received his seat through a satellite tv for pc in London and turned that ticket into AUD$120,694, greater than thrice bigger than his earlier greatest stay outcome.
The finalists breathed a sigh of aid on the 107th hand of the ultimate desk as a result of it will be Wakeman’s final actions. Wakeman was a daily in high-stakes on-line poker tournaments and is aware of his means round a poker desk. The favored grinder three-bet all-in with pocket fives after Obst opened however discovered himself up in opposition to Daniel Murphy, who had shoved with queen-ten of hearts. Murphy turned a flush to go away Wakeman void of chips and the match with solely 4 gamers.
These 4 grew to become three after the premature demise of Oleg Ivanchenko, who moved all-in for a little bit over eight huge blinds from the small blind with queen-ten of diamonds, and Murphy known as with ace-deuce. Murphy’s ace performed after each gamers missed the board, and Ivanchenko headed to the cashier’s desk.
Murphy then busted in third place to ship the WPT Australia Championship into the heads-up part. Endersby jammed from the small blind with ace-three, and Murphy known as within the huge blind with pocket eights. An ace on the flop left Murphy drawing to one of many remaining two eights, however they failed to look. As soon as the stacks had been counted, it was decided that Endersby coated Murphy by a solitary huge blind.
Obst went into the heads-up battle with Endersby holding a four-to-one chip lead, and it took solely 5 arms for him to press dwelling that benefit. The ultimate hand noticed Obst initially limp however then shortly name when Endersby dedicated his total stack. Endersby had a reliable hand in king-jack of diamonds, however Obst had tried trapping with ace-king. Endersby flopped an open-ended straight draw, however the king on the river was one pip away and gifted Obst the victory and his first WPT title.
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What’s Subsequent on the World Poker Tour?
The WPT is subsequent in motion from October 14 by means of October 30 for WPT Playground in Kahnawake, ten minutes south of downtown Montreal. From there, it heads to Jacksonville in November for WPT bestbet Scramble, jets off to Korea additionally in November, earlier than the Seminole Laborious Rock Rock ‘n’Roll Poker Open takes the tour by means of to early December.
The 2024 season concludes with the WPT World Championship at Wynn Las Vegas from December 3-23, the place a large $5 million freeroll is scheduled.
Obst will likely be competing within the US$10,400 WPT World Championship in Las Vegas as a result of a seat was a part of his prize. You can be a part of Obst within the season-ended occasion by successful your means into it through the various satellites WPT International runs.
Photographs courtesy of the World Poker Tour
