Poker professional and former Team Pokerstars pro Eric Assadourian tied the knot with long-time girlfriend Lizzie Clark on Sunday April 15th at Sydney’s Luna Park.

After three and a half years of courtship Eric and Lizzie made it official in a beautiful ceremony at Sydney, overlooking the Harbour Bridge.

The reception was held in Luna park with 150 guests and was attended by some of the greatest poker players Australia has produced including Joe Hachem, Tony Hachem, Emad Tahtouh, Brendon Rubie and David Borg.

There were also some famous faces among the guests such as Australian television personality Ray Martin.

The newlyweds will honeymoon in Las Vegas later this year when Eric will participate in the World Series Of Poker’s main event.

Congratulations to Eric and Lizzie Assadourian on behalf of all involved at Australian Poker Weekly. We wish them both all the happiness in the world.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Hachem

Mingara will be hosting the inaugural Central Coast Poker Championships this weekend 14 and 15 January 2012. Players on the Coast, from several local leagues, will try to take the various championship events on offer against players fromSydneyandAustraliawide. With some attractive estimated prize pools, theCentralCoastwill be the perfect hit-up prior to the Aussie Millions Main Event inMelbourne.

With six major tournaments, over the two days, including the $10,000 Guaranteed APW Opening Event, theCentralCoastis the place to be in January. On Saturday, in addition to the Main Event, there will be an Unlimited Rebuy and Bounty game. Sunday is the Final table of the APW Main Event as well as a Ladies Event, a Teams Event and 6 Handed Tournament.

Poker Superstar Brendon Rubie is the first big name to confirm he will be attending the major event, at Mingara, on Saturday January 14^th and 15^th. Rubie hails from Glenning Valley and has earned over $2.1 million in his professional career. “The young-gun is so keen to support his hometown event that he will fly up during the Melbourne Aussie Millions, which is one of the largest poker tournaments in the world”, said Texas Holdem Poker Australia Director Rick Williams, “The first live tournament Brendon ever won was at our venue ‘Diggers at the Entrance’, which even makes his appearance even more special for our league and players locally,” said Williams. Brendon will be playing in the APW Opening Event, on Saturday. You can follow Brendon’s every move at www.brendooor.com .

With limited Seats available, pre-register at Mingara in person, by contacting the Welcome Desk on 4349 7799 or at any Texas Holdem Poker Australia weekly event. Pre-registering gets you into the draw where you have the chance to win a 84” Pro Series Suited Black Poker Table, courtesy of pokershop.com.au, which retails for $499.99

Displaying skills that are both versatile and adaptable, Australian Poker Weekly columnist Danielle Adams-Benham has once again ventured into the international music scene. Earlier this year APW reported that Adams-Benham had co-written I’m All In – with country rock artist Jimmie Lee – a song which is now a perennial favourite on the iPods of many poker players. The single sold well throughout the international poker scene.

Known as the Jersey Outlaw, Lee has just launched another extra special poker song, co-written by our own Hot Aussie Chick. Hit the River Running is set to make its mark into the entertainment industry as part of Lee’s soon to be released album Kid Vegas. Danielle has put much of her own persona into the songwriting process, once again in partnership with Jimmie Lee.

The Jersey Outlaw and Danielle were hoping to generate more of the same excitement within the poker community when Hit the River Running was released on iTunes and CD Baby. The pair’s hopes have become reality! The song is merely one week old and has already been publicised globally, and with its sales beginning to skyrocket.

Hit the River Running and I’m All In both appear on Jimmie Lee’s forthcoming album Kid Vegas due for release soon. The album features both these hit songs together with an array of others – also co-written by our very own Hot Topics columnist – which have yet to be released as singles.

Hit the River Running features a driving rock beat complemented by Jimmie’s killer vocals. It perfectly captures the emotions poker players experience as they sweat out the river card turnover that could seal their fate! Jimmie Lee has already received widespread critical acclaim for I’m All In and now Hit the River Running is also being aired on poker and mainstream stations all over the globe.

Lee is set to make a series of select guest appearances at celebrity poker tournaments throughout the year, playing songs from his new Kid Vegas album. These live shows feature live performances from Jimmie and The Bandito Girls, and are always a big hit with the poker players.

Australians can be proud of Danielle Adams-Benham’s songwriting contribution in this new poker and casino gaming album. Listen to Hit the River Running at www.jimmieleesongs.com or download a copy from iTunes or CD Baby. Congratulations to Danielle and Jimmie on this wonderful collaborative songwriting effort.

By John Golledge

It is with regret that we report on the outcome of the sentencing of David Saab and Robert Reemus.

Saab and Reemus are well known by many in the Australian Poker Community, sadly now also known by main stream media after the conclusion of their sentencing for drug offenses on Monday.

The pair and a third person Darren Hughes pleaded guilty to the importation of a large quantity of cocaine with an estimated street value of between $6.5 million and $8.5 million in January this year from Vancouver to Australia. The cocaine was concealed in agriculture machinery parts and replaced by customs before entering their hands for collection.

Saab, the winner of 2007 Australian Heads-up Championship and APT Philippines who allegedly was to profit $100,000.00 has been sentenced to 14 years prison with no chance of an early release for 10 years.

Reemus and Hughes who were set to profit around $10,000.00 each have been sentenced to 8 years of prison with a minimum of 5 years of their life behind bars.

As the poker community is aware, Australian Poker Weekly is, and has always been about positive news about our game, making avoidance of publishing anything negative. APW has had a large number of inquiries about the outcome of the sentencing, so it was decided to post this update.

By Danielle Adams-Benham

An eventful final table almost saw a remarkable comeback win before overnight chip leader Rhys Gould finally prevailed to clinch his first live trophy in the Australian Poker Weekly $550 event at the Sydney Championships last night.

The Sydney student looked set to cruise to victory after dominating early play to build a stack of over 1,000,000 in chips but a bizarre hand that should have seen him reach heads-up play inside two hours briefly threatened to turn the tournament on its head.

With four players remaining, Gould min-raised on the button only to see Yibo Zhou 3-bet out of the small blind. Amit Shahi then shoved from the big blind with Gould shipping all-in over the top.

Zhou tanked for a good three minutes before eventually folding Kings face-up. Gould showed Aces and Shahi Q-Q as the board blanked to cut the field to three. Zhou’s fold almost proved a masterstroke, however, as he proceeded to win a series of flips to take the lead in heads-up play before Gould regained the ascendency for the title. But he admitted afterwards that he was baffled by Zhou’s big fold.

“It was honestly a ludicrous fold – you never fold Kings there – but the previous day I saw him fold Queens twice in similar spots so I wasn’t that surprised,” Gould said. “At the end of the day it was good to pick up the win.”
Gould was by far the most aggressive player at a final table that boasted six players on little more than 10 big blind stacks at the start of play (Gould had more than 100) and his victory was well deserved.

On the final hand, he 3-bet all-in with Kings – Zhou calling with A-9 before a King on the flop all but sealed the deal.

“There were a lot of 10bb stacks so I couldn’t just aggress relentlessly but as soon as people got to 20 or 30 big blinds I started opening every hand to try and pick up every dead pot,” the 24-year-old said.“Everyone was fairly tight so it made it quite good for me.”

A total of 126 players took their seats in Event 2 including Brendon Rubie, Daniel Neilson and tournament host Tony Hachem with Gould picking up $18,270 for his win.

Left to right: Kamyar Ekrami APW champion 2009, Joel Cohen APW Champ 2010
and APW Tournament host 2009 and 2010 ANZPT Player Of The Year Tony Hachem.

APW Sydney Champs Event 2 final table

APW $550 Sydney Championships Event 2

1st: Rhys Gould – $18,270
2nd: Yibo Zhou – $11,340
3rd: Effie Bouyioukos – $7,245
4th: Amit Shahi – $5,040
5th: David Logan – $4,410
6th: Nathan Davis – $3,780
7th: Vlastimil Kral – $3,150
8th: Simon Palmer – $3,520
9th: Obrad Milinkovic – $1,890

Click here to see all the photos

By Ben Blaschke
Sponsored by Star City Big Game Poker

Australian Poker Weekly’s annual No limit Holdem tournament which was usually held on the October long weekend is now part of the excitement of the Sydney Championships. Saturday 3rd September is the date to remember for the Australian Poker Weekly $550 NLH (Event 2). With this event being staged in the ‘prime” Saturday timeslot, a healthy roll up is expected creating what should be a very tidy prize pool in the process.

Back to back Australia and New Zealand Poker Tour Player Of The Year Tony Hachem is the host for the Australian Poker Weekly’s annual No limit Holdem tournament. Tony has told us that while he is the host, it does not mean that he will be taking it easy. “I love to compete and I will be trying my best to win the tournament” said Tony.

Date: Saturday 3 September, 12:30 PM
Buy in: $550^ ($500 + $50)
Starting Chips: $10,000 in non-value tournament chips
Blind Level Duration: 40 minutes

Register online: Go to www.biggamepoker.com.au and click on Tournament Registration button.

Also see Facebook invite by clicking here

Notes:
To enter any event in the Sydney Championships, you must be 18 years or over and a Total Star Rewards member or a Sovereign Room cardholder.

*Conditions apply. Prize pool based on 250 players. If there are less than 250 players Star City reserves the right to reduce the prize pool in accordance with the Pay-Out Breakdown in the Tournament conditions. Please refer to the Pay Out Breakdown in the Tournament Conditions above for details of available prize pools and prize values.

^Buy-in non-refundable less than five days prior to the Tournament, except at Star City’s discretion or if the Tournament is cancelled.

Membership to Total Star Rewards is FREE and available at a Total Star Rewards Centre.

Player activity statements for slot machine play are available on request. Think! About your choices. Call Gambling Help 1800 858 858 www.gamblinghelp.nsw.gov.au.

Australian Poker Weekly’s annual No limit Holdem tournament which was usually held on the October long weekend is now part of the excitement of the Sydney Championships. Saturday 3rd September is the date to remember for the Australian Poker Weekly $550 NLH (Event 2). With this event being staged in the ‘prime” Saturday timeslot, a healthy roll up is expected creating what should be a very tidy prize pool in the process.

Back to back Australia and New Zealand Poker Tour Player Of The Year Tony Hachem is the host for the Australian Poker Weekly’s annual No limit Holdem tournament. Tony has told us that while he is the host, it does not mean that he will be taking it easy. “I love to compete and I will be trying my best to win the tournament” said Tony.

Date: Saturday 3 September, 12:30 PM
Buy in: $550^ ($500 + $50)
Starting Chips: $10,000 in non-value tournament chips
Blind Level Duration: 40 minutes

Register online: Go to www.biggamepoker.com.au and click on Tournament Registration button.

Notes:
To enter any event in the Sydney Championships, you must be 18 years or over and a Total Star Rewards member or a Sovereign Room cardholder.

*Conditions apply. Prize pool based on 250 players. If there are less than 250 players Star City reserves the right to reduce the prize pool in accordance with the Pay-Out Breakdown in the Tournament conditions. Please refer to the Pay Out Breakdown in the Tournament Conditions above for details of available prize pools and prize values.

^Buy-in non-refundable less than five days prior to the Tournament, except at Star City’s discretion or if the Tournament is cancelled.

Membership to Total Star Rewards is FREE and available at a Total Star Rewards Centre.

Player activity statements for slot machine play are available on request. Think! About your choices. Call Gambling Help 1800 858 858 www.gamblinghelp.nsw.gov.au.