The final table is set!

While the money tables were buzzing with players chasing the royal flush jackpot, those at the tournament floor were in search of an enormous score in their own.

When play began we had 63 poker hopefuls return to the Crown poker site and we were off to a flying start because the shortstacks gambled for his or her tournament lives.

After eight and a half hours of play we've finally made it to our last-ever AZNPT final table. Those lucky nine can be back tomorrow before we crown a champion!

The plan starting the day was to minimize to seven but if time lingered on and the action bogged down as we approached the end, a call was made to conclude things nine handed.

Play would conclude just a few minutes into Level 24 when start-of-day chip leader Kenn Langcake eliminated Adam Monaghan. It folded around to Monaghan at the button who pushed all in for his last 195,000 in chips. Next to behave Langcake moved in excessive with enough to hide and with the large blind out of ways the cards went at their backs.

Monaghan: Q♥8♥Langcake: A♦4♣

Monghan needed help and he celebrated after finding it on the Q♠3♥K♠ flop. He was looking to fade an ace to stick alive but couldn't do it because the A♣ turn rolled off and the 9♣ river bricked. Monaghan must be content along with his 10th place finish for $11,725 while the opposite nine guaranteed themselves $19,120.

Bubble boy - Adam Monaghan

Leading the way in which for tomorrow's return after a really perfect day at the felt is Peter Matusik. The Brisbane local emerged as chip leader about half way through proceedings and is currently out in front with 2,430,000.

Matusik put a stop to Day 1B end-of-day chip leader Hyeong Wook Choi into the late stages of the night after the dealer fanned out an action flop. The 3♣8♠6♠ board saw a jam from Choi and a snap-call from Matsusik before players revealed their hands.

Matusik: 6♥6♦Choi: Q♠9♠

It was Matusik's middle arrange against Choi's flush draw and with the K♦ turn and T♦ river appearing Choi would fail to spike one in all his outs to instead find the rail. Matusik would continue chipping up as play went on before ultimately finishing with the lead going into the general table tomorrow.

Current chip leader - Peter Matusik

Following Matusik at the chip stack podium are Lin Shi (current second place) with 1,865,000 and reigning Aussie Millions champion Manny Stavropoulos (third place) on 1,570,000. By reaching the general table here this week Stavropoulos has already guaranteed himself the ANZPT Player of the Year title and can be attempting to find the last ANZPT Main Event title to top it off.

ANZPT7 Melbourne Final Table DrawSeat 1: Manny Stavropoulos (Australia) - 1,570,000Seat 2: Kenn Langcake (Australia) - 650,000Seat 3: Mile Krstanoski (Australia) - 525,000Seat 4: Carl Knox (New Zealand) - 860,000Seat 5: George Balandinos (Australia) - 990,000Seat 6: Erich Stadler (New Zealand) - 490,000Seat 7: Peter Matusik (Australia) - 2,430,000Seat 8: Lin Shi (Australia) - 1,865,000Seat 9: Nikolce Trajkovski (Australia) - 800,000

So that's focused on tonight! The rest nine players will return tomorrow from 12:30pm to battle it out for the ANZPT Main Event title! Meanwhile you will see that out about our final tablists by reading there player profiles. We are hoping you'll join us tomorrow - Stay tuned!

Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: Australia New Zealand Poker Tour]