Seat 1: Manny Stavropoulos, 50 (Australia) - 1,570,000 in chips

Melbourne local Manny Stavropoulos is the present reigning Aussie Millions Main Event champion and has guaranteed himself another great run with this final table appearance at Crown Melbourne. Stavropoulos was playing poker for 10 years and will usually be found on the $5/$10 cash tables.

He says the defining moment in his tournament to this point was flopping the nut flush against the second one nut flush of fellow final tablist George Balandinos for a large double up. Along with his efforts here this week Stavropoulos has already locked up the ANZPT Player of the Year honours.

Seat 2: Kenny Langcake, 42 (Australia) - 650,000 in chips

This 42 year-old accountant hails from Avoca Beach in New South Wales and his trip to Melbourne has proved profitable here this week. Langcake has played poker for a decade and says that the largest influence to his game have been Jesse McKenzie.

While he usually plays cash games, clear of the felt Langcake enjoys surfing. He said essentially the most enjoyable thing concerning the tournament this week was the talented dealers and friendly staff.

Seat 3: Mile 'The Shadow' Krstanoski, 35 (Australia) - 525,000 in chips

Mile Krstanoski is a director from Perth and was playing poker for 5 years now. He claims his biggest influence is Australian Poker Hall of Famer and ANZPT Commissioner Danny McDonagh.

Krstanoski's career highlight came when he finished third within the 2012 Aussie Millions Main Event. After starting Day 2 with only nine big blinds this week Krstanoski has done well to make a last table appearance. Outside of poker he's a car enthusiast and revealed he loved this trip to Melbourne as he got to peer his poker idol McDonagh.

Seat 4: Carl Knox, 33 (New Zealand) - 860,000 in chips

One of 2 New Zealanders on the final table, Carl Knox says he got his start in poker playing home games with friends. His favourite moment to this point in his poker career was taking down the 2013 New Zealand Poker Open in 2013.

The 33 year-old have been playing poker for eight of these and says the defining moment on this tournament was shoving with Q♦6♦ and cracking Kenn Langcake's pocket tens. A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER by trade, Knox enjoys spending time along with his family and running his new beekeeping business.

Seat 5: George Balandinos, 53 (Australia) - 990,000 in chips

This 53 year-old retired Brisbane local is a $2/$5 cash game player and was into poker for eight years now. Balandinos tells us his biggest poker highlight was finishing third within the Aussie Millions Mix Max event this year.

The best moment in Balandinos's tournament this week came when he spiked a collection at the river holding pocket deuces to eliminate an opponent who had pocket kings. When he isn't playing poker, Balandinos enjoys spending time along with his grandchildren.

Seat 6: Erich Stadler, 43 (New Zealand) - 490,000 in chips

Erich Stadler is a 43 year-old manager from Queenstown New Zealand and was playing poker for eight years. He got his start in home games with buddies who he says are his biggest poker influences.

Stadler told us he mostly playes tournaments and making the overall table this week is his greatest poker accomplishment. His biggest tournament moment this week saw him win a large flip with ace-king against an opponent's pocket queens. Off the felt Stadler loves skiing, motorcycling and having a drink.

Seat 7: Peter Matusik, 73 (Australia) - 2,430,000 in chips

The 73 year-old Peter Matusik is now retired and tells us he's been playing poker for 30 years. He can't remember how he got his start in poker but he said his biggest influence is fellow final tablist Manny Stavropoulos.

Matusik can usually be found at the $5/$5 or $5/$10 tables but his biggest poker highlight to this point was winning ANZPT Gold Coast in 2011. He starts the general table as chip leader this week but outside of poker Matusik enjoys reading, travel and gardening.

Seat 8: Lin Shi, 27 (Australia) - 1,865,000 in chips

Lin Shi or Lenny as he calls himself is a Melbourne local who works as a sales representative. Shi was playing the sport for 5 years now and said he got started watching poker on television. The $2/$4 cash game regular had his favourite poker moment when he finished sixth in a Macau Baby Dragon event.

The defining moment in Shi's tournament this week was flopping a flush for a large pot and he told us he really liked the structure of the blinds levels. Shi clearly has some poker chops but his main hobby is music.

Seat 9: Nikolce Trajkovski (Australia) - 800,000 in chips

Australian Nikolce Trajkovski has seven cashes to his name thus far with a complete live earning tally of $13,409. His biggest cash so far came in 2013 when he placed fifth in an APPT Six Max side event for $9,165. By locking up no less than a ninth place finish here this week Trajkovski has earned himself his biggest score yet.

A big moment for Trajkovski came today when he eliminated Brett McGrath within the later stages, holding ace-queen against his opponent's ace-ten and fading danger to deal the knock out.

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