The Aussie Millions on GSN: The Final Table, Part 1

August 02, 2010

Nicole Gordon

The penultimate hour of GSN’s coverage of the 2010 Aussie Millions brought us at long last to the final table where eight players vied for $2 million AUD and all the prestige that comes with an Aussie Millions title. Although we had yet to see him grace one of the featured tables until this episode, Sorel Mizzi came into play with a dominating chip lead over his seven opponents, with more than three times as many chips as his closest competitors. Here’s how they stacked up as the action got underway.

Seat 1: Sorel Mizzi - 6,033,000
Seat 2: Stephen Shelley - 991,000
Seat 3: Annette Obrestad - 1,349,000
Seat 4: Tyron Krost - 1,869,000
Seat 5: Frederik Jensen - 1,754,000
Seat 6: Kosta Varoxis - 635,000
Seat 7: Peter Jetten - 1,700,000
Seat 8: Steven Friedlander - 694,000

An early Miz-step: Mizzi opened for 50,000 with A♣J♣, and Australia’s Kosta Varoxis made the call from the big blind holding 9♥9♣. Varoxis hit a set on the A♠9♠2♠ board and took the lead, betting 110,000. Despite not having a spade in his hand, Mizzi raised to 238,000, Varoxis shoved and Mizzi quickly called. The turn (7♥) and river (4♠) blanked out for Mizzi and Varoxis doubled through the chip leader, raking in the 1.3 million-chip pot.

The wrong time to bluff: Frederik Jensen made it 50,000 to go with A♦K♥, and Mizzi called from position with A♣2♣. The K♦3♠5♦ flop made Jensen top pair, top kicker, while Mizzi hit a gutshot wheel draw. Jensen led out for 60,000 and Mizzi looked him up. The turn fell the 10♦ giving Jensen the nut flush draw to go with his top pair. He checked and Mizzi did his bidding for him, betting 140,000. Jensen smooth-called. The river was the 5♠ and Jensen checked again, letting Mizzi take the lead. He bet 325,000 and Jensen wasted no time in calling; Mizzi losing another huge pot.

Not a bad ROI: With the blinds up to15,000/30,000, Tyron Krost raised to 75,000 with J♣J♠ and Stephen Shelley three-bet to 200,000 from the big blind holding 7♠7♣. Krost called and they went heads-up to a 8♣5♦3♦ flop. Shelley checked, and Krost bet 325,000, about half the size of Shelley’s stack. Shelley decided it was a good enough board for his sevens to shove, and Krost called, showing him the bad news. Shelley could not catch a seven or running straight cards on the turn or river and went out in eighth place, collecting $125,000 AUD; certainly not a bad result considering the fact that he won his way into the main event for only $22!

Obrestad ousted: Annette Obrestad looked down at A♣J♥ and open-shoved for her last 615,000. Krost made the call with 7♣7♥ and the rest of the table got out of the way. The flop was a disaster for Obrestad, coming down K♠Q♣7♠. Obrestad’s only hope was a ten to make the nut straight and although the audience screamed for one with all their might, the turn and river landed the 5♦ and the K♥. Obrestad exited in seventh place, earning $175,000 AUD.

“I didn’t get any cards at the final table and just couldn’t get anything to happen,” she said in her post-game interview.

Annette Obrestad on personal style: “I keep getting a lot of flack on the forums for my style. They keep saying ‘Hire a stylist’ and I’m like ‘F**k you!’”

Pe-ter Jet-ten!: Krost opened K♥J♥ for 75,000, Peter Jetten made the call from the small blind holding Q♠10♠ and Steven Friedlander called from the big blind with 5♣7♦. Both blinds checked to Krost on the 9♦8♦8♥ flop, and he checked behind. The J♠ on the turn gave Krost top pair but also filled Jetten’s straight. Jetten took an aggressive approach and led out for 150,000. Friedlander folded and Krost called. The river fell the 5♥ and Jetten thought for a moment before settling on a 350,000 bet. Krost didn’t look too thrilled with it, and after hemming and hawing for a few minutes, he paid him off. Jetten took down 1.25 million pot to raucous cheers from his supporters.

Friedlander flips for his life: With the blinds up to 20,000/40,000, Jensen opened two red sixes for 95,000, Varoxis flat-called with A♥K♠, Jetten flatted with 3♦3♥ and with 7♠7♣ on the button and 600,000 behind, Friedlander put the squeeze on and moved all-in. Jensen folded, Varoxis over-shoved behind him and Jetten ducked out of the way leaving Friedlander and Varoxis to show down. Varoxis hit top pair and turned trips on the K♦9♦2♥K♥J♠ board and sent Friedlander to the rail in sixth place. The eye doctor from Reno, Nev., earned a tidy $250,000 AUD for his efforts.

Jensen bluffs Mizzi: Mizzi made it 95,000 to go with 7♦7♥ and Jensen called on the button with 8♠9♠. Both players hit the 5♦4♠3♠ flop, Jensen with a flush draw while Mizzi had a gutshot to go with his overpair. Mizzi led out for 160,000 and Jensen called. The 2♦ on the turn put four cards to a straight on board; anyone with an ace would have just made a wheel. Mizzi slowed down and checked, leaving the door open for Jensen to bet 275,000. Perhaps spooked by that turn card, Mizzi folded the best hand and Jensen raked in the pot with only nine high.