Martin Rowe would emerge victorious from the Asia Pacific Poker Tour Grand Final which was hosted at the Star City Casino in Rowe’s hometown of Sydney, Australia. For his efforts Rowe earned the first place prize of AUD $1,000,000.
Tom Rafferty would be knocked out in ninth place when he took on the chip leader, Antonio Fazzolari. Rafferty was holding [Kc][5c] and bet out when the flop of [Ac][10hd][2c] gave him a nut flush draw. Rafferty would then move all-in after Fazzolari raised, showing his nut flush draw while Fazzolari showed two pair with his [Ad][10c]. Looking for a club, Rafferty saw a spade, the [9s], on the turn and a diamond, the [7d], on the river. Tom Rafferty’s final table appearance would be rewarded with AUD $39,200.
Melbourne native Hai Bo Chu was the short stack at the beginning of the final table and would be the first to fall to the eventual champion, Martin Rowe. After the flop fell [10s][7d][2h] Rowe bet out, prompting a fold from Fazzolari and an all-in raise from Chu. Rowe was holding onto pocket queens and quickly called, then saw that he held a huge advantage over Chu ‘s [Jc][8d], a mere gutshot straight draw. Chu received help from the [8c] turn, as he could now survive with a jack, nine, or eight. The river card would not finish the comeback, as it was the [Ah]. Hai Bo Chu exited in eighth place, richer by AUD $53,200.
Daniel Kowalski was the next to fall, doing so in a hand that saw him, Antonio Fazzolari, and Frank Saffioti go to a flop of [Ac][7s][4h], at which Saffioti bet and received calls from Kowalski and Fazzolari. Saffioti check-raised Kowalski all-in on the [3s] turn and Fazzolari quickly folded. Kowalski called with [As][9c] for top pair, but Saffioti and his [Ad][Qc] was in the lead with a better kicker. The river of [Ah] ended Kowalski’s tournament, knocking him out in seventh place for a payday of AUD $72,800.
Frank Saffioti would find his own way to the exits after getting into a battle with Martin Rowe, who was the new chip leader after winning a big hand against Fazzolari. There were three at the flop of [Ac][7s][6s], where Jason Gray bet and Saffioti moved all-in. Rowe called the all-in raise while Gray got out of the hand. Saffioti held [As][Qs], top pair and a nut flush draw, but Rowe had hit the flop hard with a set. The turn card was the [Qc], giving Saffioti outs to a full house as well as the flush. However none of Saffioti’s outs would appear on the river, which fell [9d]. Frank Saffioti earned AUD $100,800 for finishing in sixth place.
Martin Rowe would quickly find another victim, Timothy English. English would shove all-in after the flop fell [10c][9h][4c] and Rowe made the call. English showed [Ah][Kd], which held the lead as Rowe flipped up [Qh][Jh]. Rowe’s live cards would hit when the [Jc] fell on the turn. The river was the [4h] and English was knocked out in fifth place, having earned AUD $140,000.
Antonio Fazzolari was sitting on the short stack when he shoved all-in with [Ah][2s] and found himself facing Martin Rowe and his dominating [As][Kc]. The underdog would not survive as the board rolled out [Jh][7c][5h][8s][10s]. Antonio Fazollari collected AUD $182,000 for his fourth place finish.
It would not be long before Tony Basile headed to the exits, leaving only two players behind. Basile and Rowe exchanged several raises before Basile was finally all-in with his [Ad][Kh]. Rowe flipped up pocket kings and after the board dropped an unhelpful [Jd][9h][4c][6c][Qc] onto the flop Tony Basile was officially eliminated in third place, a payday of AUD $266,000.
Martin Rowe held close to a 5:1 chip lead over Jason Gray when heads-up play began, but Gray would stretch out the battle for more than two hours before he finally succumbed to Rowe’s overwhelming power. The last hand of the tournament occurred when Gray limped in [9h][5h] and Rowe shot out yet another raise with his large stack. Gray then moved all-in and Rowe called with [Ac][Qh]. Rowe hit two pair as the flop fell [As][Qc][5s]. Gray’s straight and flush possibilities disappeared, but he made one pair to keep hope alive. The turn of [9s] improved Gray’s hand further, as now he could survive with a nine or a five. The river card was a mere [3s], and the tournament was over.
Jason Gray earned AUD $476,000 for finishing in second place and Martin Rowe claimed victory and the AUD $1,000,000 prize that went with it.