What every week it has been here for the ANZPT7 Melbourne Main Event!

Records broken, history made and after four days of play at Crown Melbourne a champion has emerged. Ultimately is was Lin Shi who reigned triumphant, overcoming Peter Matusik in a brief heads up battle late into Level 29.

Our ANZPT7 Melbourne champion - Lin Shi

Shi started heads up because the overwhelming chip leader and it didn't take him long to seal the deal. The overall hand saw Shi limp from the button for 100,000 and Matusik check his option within the big blind. Both players quickly checked at the 9♥J♣T♣ flop before the dealer turned the Q♣.

At that time Matusik lead for 350,000 and Shi pushed all in excessive with enough to hide his opponent. Matusik gave a shrug and called off for his tournament life.

"Do you've a flush?" Shi asked before seeing he had Matusik Drawing dead.

Shi: A♥K♥Matusik: Q♦8♦

Matusik had flopped a straight however the turn saw Shi overtake him with Broadway. With the ground end of the straight there has been no way Matusik could catch up because the inconsequential 2♠ rolled off. So on the subject of winning himself a second ANZPT title, Matusik must accept a $174,489 payday.

Peter Matusik (left) before his elimination

Before the 2 heads up players found themselves within the final battle for glory, things got off to a flying start earlier within the day.

The first to search out the exit was Mile Krstanoski not long after play began. He got his money in with Q♣Q♦ against the A♣K♦ of Lin Shi but wasn't in a position to fade the overcards. Shi would flop top two pair and hold to eliminate Krstanoski in ninth place.

9th place - Mile Krstanoski

Next out the door was George Balandinos when he found himself all in and in danger with pocket eights against Peter Matusik's pocket nines. The flop would bring Matusik top set and Balandinos exited eighth for $26,650. Following Balandinos was seventh place finisher Carl Knox who, after being crippled in a flip with Nicolce Trajkovski, got his last two big blinds in three-way with K♥Q♠ but came up short against Shi.

Erich Stadler would finish sixth after a nasty beat from Manny Stavropoulos left him heading to the cashier. Stadler got his shortstack all in good with A♠K♦ and Stavropoulos called off from the massive blind with A♥6♣. Stavropoulos would ultimately discover a six at the river to scoop the pot and send Stadler to the rail.

6th place - Erich Stadler

Joining Stadler was Kenn Langcake who finished fifth after running his A♠K♥ into the K♠K♦ of Matusik. Langcake couldn't improve and received $55,965 for his efforts here this week. It could take about an hour and a half for the following player to fall, but Nikolce Trajkovski was eliminated by an unpleasant river after calling his shortstack off with ace-high for his tournament life.

It was over an hour into three-handed play when whispers of a deal began. Eventually those remaining would take a look at the numbers and finally an agreement was reached. An ICM chop was decided upon with $20,000 and the trophy set aside to play for. The deal saw chip leader on the time Matusik lock up $174,489, Stravropoulos guaranteed himself $171,910, and Shi ensure a $150,641 return.

Of these three it was Stavropoulos who fell by the wayside before heads up play began. He exited in spectacular fashion after a preflop flip with Shi result in his opponent turning a Royal Flush. It was an even fight with Stavropoulos holding 3♥3♦ against Shi's A♣Q♣ but he couldn't avoid elimination at the J♣7♥T♣K♣Q♥ run out.

3rd place - Manny Stavropoulos

In the tip Shi used those newly accumulated chips to place the pressure on Matusik and finish things off. After the take care of the $20,000 first place bonus Shi earns himself $170,641 and the last-ever ANZPT Main Event title.

ANZPT7 Melbourne Final Table Results1st: Lin Shi (Australia) - $170,641*2nd: Peter Matusik (Australia) - $174,489*3rd: Manny Stavropoulos (Australia) - $171,910*4th: Nikolce Trajkovski (Australia) - $71,9605th: Kenn Langcake (Australia) - $55,9656th: Erich Stadler (New Zealand) - $45,3057th: Carl Knox (New Zealand) - $34,6508th: George Balandinos (Australia) - $26,6509th: Mile Krstanoski (Australia) - $19,120

* indicates a three-handed deal

It was a record 520 player field and $1,066,000 prize pool for the last ANZPT Main Event ever - what the way to end this seven-year legacy! Congratulations to Lin Shi and thanks for joining our coverage of ANZPT7 Melbourne.

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