The history of Aussie poker is intrinsically linked with Crown Casino. The nation's largest gaming property has been the backdrop for some of the pivotal moments in local poker folklore.

From the first Australasian Championships back in 1998 (played as a $1000 buy-in Limit Hold'em event) to the first Summer Championship in 2000 and the first Aussie Millions in 2003, Crown has been the undisputed home of poker in Australia for more than a decade.

The Crown calendar has been constantly refined and improved over the years, and casino management have always been quick to move with the times when a new idea is presented.

As such, it was hardly surprising that Crown hosted an event as part of the first season of the PokerStars.net Australia New Zealand Poker Tour (ANZPT), incorporating the tournament into its highly popular Melbourne Poker Championships schedule.

And what an event it proved to be - 218 of the region's best players including 61 PokerStars qualifiers, Team Australia pros and sponsored players. The tournament also served up arguably the most intriguing heads-up combination in Australian tournament history.

Chris Levick is one of Australia's most known poker businessman, having established a string of poker rooms and the highly successful Oz Poker Tour competition throughout NSW over the past three years. Levick has also been a big improver on the tournament scene, as shown by his two APPT cashes and top-15 finish at the recent ANZPT Sydney event.

His opponent was Heath Chick, a 30-year-old Tasmanian who is rightly regarded as one of Australia's most respected poker media writers and commentators via Poker Network, home to Australia's most popular poker forum.

It was an appropriate pairing, as both players had been among the biggest stacks in the field throughout the entire event. But Levick's dominance at the final table - he eliminated six players - meant he took a 5:1 chip lead into the heads-up duel.

But it wasn't meant to be easy. Chick twice doubled up to eradicate the deficit and when Levick pushed all-in on the third last hand, Chick agonised before throwing his hand into the muck.

The tournament was decided when Levick raised to 150k, Chick re-raised to 300,000, Levick pushed all-in and Chick snap-called with [qh] [qc]. Levick's [ah] [jh] needed help, and it duly arrived on a flop of [8c] [as] [3c]. The board ran out [3h] [6c] for Chris Levick to be confirmed ANZPT Melbourne champion for AUD $158,050. A gallant Heath Chick takes home AUD $103,550.

Earlier, the heads-up line-up was decided when Shillig pushed all-in for his remaining 265k holding [kd] [9c]. Again, it was Chris Levick waiting with the call, and his [qd] [td] hit the flop big-time -board runs out [qs] [qc] [5c] [jd] [2h] - to leave the Queenslander out in third, but AUD $59,950 to the better.

In addition to winning the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne trophy, Levick has snatched the ANZPT Overall Points lead from PokerStars.net Team Australia player Tony Hachem, who celebrated his third successive ANZPT cash in this event.

On behalf of Landon Blackhall, our photographer Shannon Morris and the entire ANZPT team, thanks for following all the action from Crown Casino in our hometown of Melbourne, Australia over the past three days.

We'd like to also take this opportunity to wish our Aussie and Kiwi players the best of luck at the 2009 WSOP. Just days after the 2009 WSOP Main Event final table is decided, we'll be in the stunning New Zealand alpine town of Queenstown from July 20-25 for the next event on the PokerStars.net ANZPT.

PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne final results

1st Chris Levick (Australia) PokerStars Qualifier AUD $158,050
2nd Heath Chick (Australia) PokerStars Qualifier AUD $103,550
3rd Greg Shillig (Australia) AUD $59,950
4th Peter Aristidou (Australia) AUD $49,050
5th Sam Khouiss (Australia) AUD $38,150
6th Jie Gao (Australia) AUD $27,250
7th Kristian Lunardi (Australia) AUD $21,800
8th Ben Savage (Australia) AUD $16,350
9th Rodney Burles (Australia) Pokerstars Qualifier AUD $10,900
10th Peter Kotsiris (Australia) AUD $8175
11th Salvatore Fazzino (Australia) AUD $8175
12th Brent Thomas (Australia) AUD $8175
13th Trevor McCarthy (Australia) AUD $8175
14th Amanda Simpson (Australia) AUD $5450
15th Antonio Casale (Australia) AUD $5450
16th Tony Hachem (Australia) PokerStars.net Team Australia AUD $5450
17th Lance Patison (Australia) AUD $5450
18th David Zhao (Australia) AUD $5450

Level 23: 15,000/30,000 (ante 3000): It must have been the chilli - things have moved at an incredible pace since players returned from the dinner break with three players hitting the rail during level 23 of the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne event.

In a mad start to the evening session, Jie Gao made it 100,000 pre-flop, Chris Levick popped it to 300,000, Gao pushed all-in and Levick snap-called. Bang - down went Levick's pocket aces, which sent Gao and his pocket fives to the rail in fifth position.

He managed one double-up after dinner, but the short stack of Sam Khouiss was always going to come under attack. He chopped one pot with Heath Chick when both players showed A-9 but on the next hand, he found his [kc] [qs] up against the [ad] [7c] of Chris Levick. The board ran out [js] [jh] [jd] [6c] [3d], and Khouiss was on his way in fifth position.

Incredibly, the field was slashed to three on the very next hand when Peter Aristidou pushed all-in for 260k with pocket nines, with Levick again the caller, but this time he trailed with pocket eights ... until he made a set of eights on the flop.

Aristidou, out in fourth, and can anyone stop Chris Levick? His stack is up to 3.12 million, ahead of Chick on 785,000 and Shillig 335,000.

Level 22: 12,000/24,000 (ante 3000): Like a heavyweight title fight, there have been plenty of body shots and just one KO blow during the final level before the dinner break on the final table of the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne at Crown.

Heath Chick made a significant move when he won a big pot from Greg Shillig. Chick raised to 46k, with Shillig making the call in the big blind before a flop of [6c] [js] [8d].

Both checked, the turn came [9c], Shillig bet 75K and Chick made the call. The river was [qs], Shillig check-called Chick's bet of 80k, but mucks when the man from Hobart turned over [as] [qh].

Shillig then made a contribution to Jie Gao's stack after the Melburnian shoved all-in on a flop of [9d] [kd] [7c]. The Queenslander went deep into the tank as Gao nervously paced the floor, before eventually folding.

Then as the hunger pangs started to set in, the gritty comeback of Kristian Lunardi ended when he pushed all-in pre-flop for 200k with [7h] [7c], with Shillig calling with [ad] [kc].

The board ran out [2h] [9s] [ah] [9h] [3c], making a better two-pair for Shillig to reverse the downward trend of his stack and eliminating the local youngster in seventh position for AUD $21,800.

As players consider their evening meal option ahead of what promises to be a long night, Chris Levick leads on 1.2 million from Shillig (790,000), Gao (760,000), Chick (750,000), Aristidou (370,000) and the short-stacked Sam Khouiss (120,000).

Level 21: 10,000/20,000 (ante 2000): Chris Levick seems firmly saddled on a horse called destiny after taking his stack back above one million thanks to two pivotal hands at the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne final table.

Shortly after the first break of the day, Levick found himself in a big hand with Sam Khouiss. With the board showing [ad] [8c] [9d] [5h], Levick bet 150k from the small blind, Khouiss tanked and eventually folded. Levick showed pocket nines for a set. "Only a set of nines? Nice hand, I only had an ace," Sammy quipped.

A few minutes later, Ben Savage bet 60k on a flop of [2h] [4h] [10s], Levick raised to 500k and Savage called to be all-in. He showed [ad] [10d] for top pair, but Levick's pocket jacks were ahead, where they stayed as the board ran out [8d] [6s], sending the 2006 Victorian Champs runner-up to the cashier's cage to collect AUD $16,350.

On the next hand, the revival of Kristian Lunardi continued when his shove with pocket eights was met with interest from Peter Aristidou (pocket fours). The snowmen held up, and Lunardi is back to 375,000, with Aristidou down to 395,000.

As we tick into the final stages of level 21, Levick leads on 1.5 million from Gao (725,000), Chick (455,000), Shillig (435,000), Lunardi (410,000), Khouiss (400,000) and Aristidou (335,000).

Level 20: 8000/16,000 (ante 2000): One Tasmanian may have tumbled, but the other Apple Islander is ensuring he has a big say in the outcome of today's PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne final table.

In the biggest hand of the day so far, Heath Chick raised to 28k in middle position, Ben Savage re-raised to 80k, Chick three-bet another 98k on top, Savage threw a whole heap of chocolate-coloured chips into the middle and Chick snap-shoved the rest of the stack.

Savage showed [10h] [10c], while Chick held [kd] [kc]. The flop came [ad] [ah] [9c] [5c] [9s], which propelled Chick to 780k while Savage is down to 465k.

Kristian Lunardi's stack has also headed south after he found himself in a world of pre-flop action with Peter Aristidou. Lunardi showed [ac] [kd] but Aristidou showed [as] [ah]. The board of [7s] [jc] [7d] [2s] [3s] brought no love for Lunardi as he tumbled to 65k while Aristidou climbed to 700,000.

Some of those chips now reside in the stack of Sam Khouiss. He limped from middle position, Jie Gao made it 40,000 with Aristidou and Khouiss making the call.

Aristidou bet 80,000 on the turn of [10s] after the flop of [5c] [8d] [3c] had been checked by the three players. Khouiss called, Gao mucked and both players checked the [2c] river.
Aristidou showed [5h] [6h] for middle pair but Khouiss' [qd] [10d] was good enough to take down a nice pot.

On the first break of the day, the approximate chip counts are Chris Levick 880,000, Jie Gao 865,000, Heath Chick 585,000, Sam Khouiss 530,000, Peter Aristidou 500,000, Greg Shillig 360,000 and Kristian Lunardi 170,000.

Level 19: 6000/12,000 (ante 1000): After losing the first hand of the final table to Ben Savage, Chris Levick quickly made amends by claiming the first scalp of the day in the chase for the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne title. Nursing the short stack, Rodney Burles raised to 30,000, Levick popped it to 80,000, the action was folded back to Burles who pushed all-in.

Levick called and showed [qc] [qs], which were neatly placed against the Tasmanian's [10s] [10c]. The board ran out [qh] [2h] [js] [2c] [4c] to send Burles, playing in his first ever live tournament, out in ninth and Levick up to more than 1.1 million - the first player to break the seven-figure barrier.

The verbal sparring is also underway - in a recent hand, Aristidou called under-the-gun for 12k, Lunardi raised to 38k, Gao called from the small blind, then Savage picked up his big blind, added enough chips to call but decided against it, and returned his big blind to the table.

"What's the ruling? How can you do this, you pick up your chips and then fold?" Aristidou queried as he eventually raked in pot. "I just had to go with my gut," was all Savage could offer.

At the end of level 19, Gao (880,000) has edged ahead of Levick (875,000) with Savage also close behind on 840,000. Aristidou (385,000), Lunardi (375,000), Shillig (350,000), Chick (335,000) and Khouiss (315,000) are all separated by just 70,000 in chips.

Seat 1: Heath Chick (Australia) PokerStars Qualifier (283,000 in chips): His role in the local poker media has meant this Tasmanian has had little time to ply his trade on the felt. But given this opportunity, the "Tassie Devil" has rarely been out of the top 10 stacks in the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne event, and the 30-year-old brings solid form to the final table after his cash in the Joe Hachem Deep Stack Series Main Event back in March.

Seat 2: Rodney Burles (Australia) Pokerstars Qualifier (168,000 in chips): It might be the smallest state in Australia, but Tasmania has two representatives at today's final table. He has a lot of work to do as the short stack, but is thrilled to have reached his first major final table. A union official, the 34-year-old qualified for the ANZPT Melbourne event on PokerStars.net. Burles says he feels "fantastic" after nursing a short stack through to the final table.

Seat 3: Sam Khouiss, Australia, (354,000 in chips): One of the Australia's most accomplished and successful poker players, the Sydney veteran's record includes eight final tables at the Aussie Millions and victory in the $1k NLHE event in 2006 plus successive Main Event cashes at the WSOP 2006 and 2007. The 47-year-old father of seven also won the 2001 Australasian Championship - the forerunner to the Aussie Millions. He looms as a real danger at today's final table

Seat 4: Chris Levick (Australia) Pokerstars Qualifier (969,000 in chips): Best known for his role in the business of poker through the Sydney-based PokerDome Group and Oz Poker Tour, the 43-year-old father-of-two is starting to make a serious mark on the regional poker scene. He is one of only a handful of players to have cashed twice on the PokerStars.net APPT, and is coming off a 12th-place finish in the recent PokerStars.net ANZPT Sydney event. He enters the final table as chip leader.

Seat 5: Jie Gao, Australia (517,000 in chips): A local Melburnian, Jie Gao has done his city proud so far, ending up at chip leader at the end of day one and continuing his stellar form on the felt, coming into today's final table third in chips on 517,000. The 48-year-old family man is softly spoken, but his style of play has been hard, fast and aggressive, earning him the respect of his tablemates.

Seat 6: Ben Savage, Australia (682,000 in chips): One of the many respected Crown players who've made their mark on home turf in recent years, this 37-year-old sales representative local was runner-up in the 2006 Victorian Championships Main Event (worth more than AUD 80,000) and has since compiled a respectable record including two Aussie Millions cashes. He is third in chips and well positioned for a charge at the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne title.

Seat 7: Greg Shillig, Australia (190,000 in chips): The lone Queenslander to come back into today's final table, the 48-year-old environmental health officer's biggest highlight of the tournament so far was flopping quad fours against an opponent's pocket jacks and doubling through. Shillig, who lives in Brisbane, bought into this event directly finished fourth in the Joe Hachem Deep Stack Series Main Event.

Seat 8: Peter Aristidou, Australia (432,000 in chips): This 46-year-old Crown regular has amassed a tournament record up there with the very best local players in recent years. He was runner-up in the 2007-08 Crown Poker Player of the Year, and seven of his last 10 tournament cashes have been final table finishes. A true gentleman off the table, he is a fierce competitor and desperate to break through for his first major title.

Seat 9: Kristian Lunardi, Australia (713,000 in chips): An experienced player despite being the youngest player at the final table at age 22, this university student from Melbourne was responsible for the scalp of 2007 APPT Sydney Grand Final champion Grant Levy and has already had a lot of success playing online, especially in the cash-game sphere. He returns today in second chip position and well placed for a run at his first major title.

The office crowd may be kicking back for a leisurely lunch - you know, sushi rolls, a couple of soy decaf lattes - but it's peak-hour in the Crown poker room in the half-hour before the start of the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne final table.

A handful of the contenders are already pacing the tournament floor, slowly gathering their thoughts before the final race to the AUD $158,050 first prize.

It might be early afternoon, but the room is almost filled to capacity thanks to the $550 six-handed event being played as part of Crown's annual Melbourne Poker Championships.

But our focus today will be the third event of the first ANZPT season. Having already secured back-to-back ANZPT cashes, Sydney's PokerStars qualifier Chris Levick leads the final nine players.

It looms as a real test of youth versus experience with the old guard represented by Sam Khouiss and Peter Aristidou up against young guns like Heath Chick and Kristian Lunardi.
Throw in the composed Jie Gao, who's been among the chip leaders almost from the starting hand, PokerStars qualifier Rodney Burles and Greg Shillig, coming off an impressive fourth in the Joe Hachem Deep Stack Series Main Event.

Level 19: 6000/12,000 (ante 1000)
Level 20: 8000/16,000 (ante 2000)
Level 21: 10,000/20,000 (ante 2000)
Level 22: 12,000/24,000 (ante 3000)
Level 23: 15,000/30,000 (ante 3000)
Level 24: 20,000/40,000 (ante 4000)
Level 25: 30,000/60,000 (ante 5000)
Level 26: 40,000/80,000 (ante 5000)
Level 27: 50,000/100,000 (ante 10,000)
Level 28: 60,000/120,000 (ante 10,000)
Level 29: 80,000/160,000 (ante 20,000)
Level 30: 100,000/200,000 (ante 30,000)

Final table

Seat 1: Heath Chick (Australia) Pokerstars Qualifier 283,000
Seat 2: Rodney Burles (Australia) Pokerstars Qualifier 168,000
Seat 3: Sam Khouiss (Australia) 354,000
Seat 4: Chris Levick (Australia) Pokerstars Qualifier 969,000
Seat 5: Jie Gao (Australia) 517,000
Seat 6: Ben Savage (Australia) 682,000
Seat 7: Greg Shillig (Australia) 190,000
Seat 8: Peter Aristidou (Australia) 432,000
Seat 9: Kristian Lunardi (Australia) 713,000

What we thought might be a short and sharp sprint to the final table turned into a marathon battle of wit and will before the final table was decided for the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne tournament.

More than 13 hours after the first hand was dealt to the 69 players who started day two, the nine players who will contest today's final table were decided, led by PokerStars qualifier Chris Levick from Sydney.

Day two ended in dramatic fashion when Ben Savage bet 45,000 and Peter Kotsiris pushed in his last chips, with Rodney Burles also making the call. The board of [3h] [8d] [ks] [3d] [9d] was checked all the way until Savage bet 45,000. Burles mucked, Kotsiris showed pocket 10s but Savage revealed [3c] [3s] for quads!

Earlier, Tony Hachem has set a record that may take some beating after celebrating his third cash in as many PokerStars.net ANZPT events. The PokerStars.net Team Australia player added 16th-place in Melbourne to his 13th in Adelaide and 17th in Sydney.

The end came for the younger brother of Team PokerStars Pro Joe Hachem when he pushed in his remaining 90,000, with Greg Shillig making the call. Hachem showed [8c] [8d] but could only grin when Shillig showed [ac] [as], The board fell [6c] [qh] [9s] [2h] [2d] and Hachem was headed for the Las Vegas Bar here in the Crown poker room.

Shortly after, 2008 Aussie Millions sixth-place finisher Antonio Casale bowed out in 15th when his chips went in on a board showing [6h] [qs] [6d] [5d].

Chris Levick showed [kd] [qh] for two-pair, while Casale's [ah] [kh] needed help. The [10d] on the river sent him to the cage but continued an impressive run for the veteran in his home poker room over the past 18 months.

The gallant run of Amanda Simpson ended in 14th when she ended up in a three-way pot with Jie Gao and Salvatore Fazzino. Gao's bet of 35,000 on the flop of [10d] [8d] [3d] was enough to push Fazzino aside, leaving Simpson's [jd] [qs] up against Gao's [10d] [jc]. The board ran out [4s] [5c], and the final female player in the field was out.

"Irish" Trevor McCarthy lost a race with pocket threes against Lunardi's [qc] [jc] to send him to the rail in 13th as Lunardi stormed to a big chip lead.

The run of former chip leader Brent Thomas ended in 12th when his [kc] [9h] made two-pair on a board of [qs] [9s] [5s] [kh] only to find Chris Levick with [js] [6s] and a made flush.

Salvatore Fazzino's short stack then came under attack - his [ks] [10s] was in a world of hurt against the [ah] [qh] of Ben Savage and Jie Gao's [as] [4s] on a board of [9c] [ad] [6s] [7c] [2h] as he exited in 11th.

The final table is scheduled to start at 2pm local time (3am GMT) and will comprise:

Seat 1: Heath Chick (Australia) Pokerstars Qualifier 283,000
Seat 2: Rodney Burles (Australia) Pokerstars Qualifier 168,000
Seat 3: Sam Khouiss (Australia) 354,000
Seat 4: Chris Levick (Australia) Pokerstars Qualifier 969,000
Seat 5: Jie Gao (Australia) 517,000
Seat 6: Ben Savage (Australia) 682,000
Seat 7: Greg Shillig (Australia) 190,000
Seat 8: Peter Aristidou (Australia) 432,000
Seat 9: Kristian Lunardi (Australia) 713,000

We're in the money at Crown where John Joannou has earned the unwanted title of bubble boy in the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne event.

The last of his dwindling stack went in with [ad] [8s], Jie Gao slammed over the top all-in with [as] [qs]. Sam Khouiss thought before folding his [ah] [kh], which would have taken the lot on a board of [6h] [jc] [3d] [10s] [5h].

Earlier, PokerStars qualifier Daniel Laidlaw ran his [ks] [qs] into the [ac] [kc] of Chris Levick, with the Sydneysider's hand holding up as the board showed [jc] [7s] [4d] [7c] [ad].

David Zhao made it back-to-back ANZPT cashes when he was KOed in 18th. With the blinds at 4000/8000 with a 500 ante, Salvatore Fazzino raised in early position to 24,000.

Rodney Burles then made it 65,000 to go and Zhao moved all-in over the top from the big blind. Fazzino got out of the way as Burles made the call and revealed pocket jacks. Zhao silently stood and turned over his pocket nines. The flop came down [qh] [qc][jc] - the [6h] appeared on the turn, signalling Zhao's move to the cage to collect AUD $5450.

Just as the players were leaving to stretch their legs, we lost another player in Lance Pattison as his pocket queens ran into Kristian Lunardi's pocket aces. The rockets held, sending Patison packing.

Lunardi has regained the chip lead on 680,000 ahead of Brent Thomas (600,000), Jie Gao (420,000), PokerStars qualifier Rodney Burles (400,000) and Sam Khouiss (320,000).

We're in the money at Crown where John Joannou has earned the unwanted title of bubble boy in the PokerStars.net ANZPT Melbourne event.

The last of his dwindling stack went in with [ad] [8s], Jie Gao slammed over the top all-in with [as] [qs]. Sam Khouiss thought before folding his [ah] [kh], which would have taken the lot on a board of [6h] [jc] [3d] [10s] [5h].

Earlier, PokerStars qualifier Daniel Laidlaw ran his [ks] [qs] into the [ac] [kc] of Chris Levick, with the Sydneysider's hand holding up as the board showed [jc] [7s] [4d] [7c] [ad].

David Zhao made it back-to-back ANZPT cashes when he was KOed in 18th. With the blinds at 4000/8000 with a 500 ante, Salvatore Fazzino raised in early position to 24,000.

Rodney Burles then made it 65,000 to go and Zhao moved all-in over the top from the big blind. Fazzino got out of the way as Burles made the call and revealed pocket jacks. Zhao silently stood and turned over his pocket nines. The flop came down [qh] [qc][jc] - the [6h] appeared on the turn, signalling Zhao's move to the cage to collect AUD $5450.

Just as the players were leaving to stretch their legs, we lost another player in Lance Pattison as his pocket queens ran into Kristian Lunardi's pocket aces. The rockets held, sending Patison packing.

Lunardi has regained the chip lead on 680,000 ahead of Brent Thomas (600,000), Jie Gao (420,000), PokerStars qualifier Rodney Burles (400,000) and Sam Khouiss (320,000).