Michael Kanaan Wins the 2017 WSOP Sydney Main Event for $394,837

Back in 2011, Aussie pro Michael Kanaan scored his first ever cash by taking down the ANZPT Main Event, a $200k+ score – and he showed that he still has the magic touch by winning the WSOP Sydney Main Event for $394,837, taking his career earnings well over the milestone $1million mark.

The still-young Punchbowl local was one of 1067 players chasing the $2million+ prizefund at the finale of the WSOP Circuit stop, the Star Poker Room hosting numerous ring and side events this past couple of weeks – and the marquee event would see some incredible action as the title chase came down to the wire.

As Kanaan described afterwards, the final table hand against Sam Alhassan was one of the most important:

"The biggest hand of the tournament to me would have been when I got pocket King all in against pocket Queens. That was the big double up that made me chip leader. He had been running so good that I needed to take his chips from him. He had been unstoppable for three days and after this hand, he was eliminated a few hands later."

That elimination was curious in itself as Alhassan’s short-stack pre-flop shove was called by all 6 opponents, the team checking it down to the river to send him to the rails.

Kanaan himself had come into the final table struggling for chips, but for one person at least he was still the favourite to take down the title…

As the Live reporting team at the Star described things, ‘Kanaan got himself up to chip leader about halfway through the final table. The only thing that stopped him was an unbelievable cooler…’

Kanaan held J♥ 10♠ on a flop of 8♥ J♦ J♥, as good a flop as you can hope for but when all the money went in he was stunned to see John Pachos turn over the 8♦ 8♣, his rival flopping a full house and sending Kanaan from massive chip leader to the short-stack in 3-handed play.

When Pachos finally fell some hours later to Michael Fraser, it was heads-up for the title and Kanaan eventually caught his experienced opponent out, the final hand seeing the west Sydney man holding A♦ K♦ against the A♠ 10♦ of his eastern Sydney rival.

When the flop fell

K♠ 7♥ 4♥

…nothing short of a miracle could save Fraser and indeed the 8♦ 2♠ runout sent the Main Event ring and first place prize Kanaan’s way.

The victor said afterwards:

"I am really excited to represent the Star, Sydney at the WSOP (Global Casino) Championship. It is a big tournament and will really give me an opportunity to perform on the big stage."

Final Table Results