Event 1 - $1,100 No Limit Hold'em Day 1a | 2009 Aussie Millions

01-09-2009 17:25 UTC+11

Do You Believe in Magic?

[user92162]

Dennis Huntly does.

Huntly has burst back to life after a magic river card. With the board reading {7-Clubs}

on the turn, Huntly reluctantly called his opponent's last 3,500 chips, leaving himself just 4,000 behind.

Huntly tabled {a-Hearts}

for two pair, but shook his head in dismay as his opponent tabled {k-Clubs}

for a flopped flush. He need not have worried though, the river bailed him out with a miracle {a-Spades}

to give Huntly a full house.

“You just got to be a believer,” said Huntly coyly as he raked in the pot, bringing his chip stack up to 15,000.

Tags: Dennis Huntly

01-09-2009 17:25 UTC+11

Tony Hachem Eliminated

[user75032]

Tony Hachem's last 2,500 chips were in the middle preflop. His tournament life was in the hands of Mike Ivin, who showed {7-Diamonds}

to Hachem's {K-Hearts}

. The board ran out {2-Diamonds}

to send Hachem to the rail.

Hachem did not exit the tournament area without giving a bust-out soliloquy. "That's so sick," he complained. "Every time I'm behind, I stay behind."

Tags: Mike Ivin Tony Hachem

01-09-2009 17:12 UTC+11

Seat ten on the table of Jim Mastorakos, Emad Tahtouh and Dennis Huntly appears to be cursed as it's recently seen the rapid eliminations of Peter Ling and Jim Sachinidis.

Most recently it has been filled by Sam Youssef who appeared set to be the next to join the list of those cut down by the chair's curse. Youssef called a preflop raise from the big blind before moving all in at a flop of {4-Spades}

for his last 3,300 chips.

However his opponent laid it down as Youssef flashed {J-Hearts}

for an airball in a classic "stop and go".

"This is how it starts!" smirked Tahtouh as Youssef recovers some much needed chips.

A few moments later Youssef was all in again, with his {A-?}

up against an opponent's dominant {A-?}

. However the board fell {10-?}

resulting in a split pot.

"Unbelieveable!" again chirped Tahtouh, "Houdini cannot believe how many time you can escape!

Youssef is hanging in there with 6,800 chips.

Tags: Sam Youssef

01-09-2009 17:04 UTC+11

Mastorakos Chipping Up

[user75032]

Jim Mastorakos continues to chip up one pot at a time. He recently eliminated another player who was all in preflop with {K-Clubs}

. Mastorakos called with {A-Clubs}

. Neither player hit the {7-Hearts}

flop. Mastorakos' opponent must have been happy to see the {Q-Hearts}

hit the turn, and then similarly unhappy to see the {A-Diamonds}

hit the river.

Mastorkaos is now on 34,000.

Tags: Jim Mastorakos

01-09-2009 17:02 UTC+11

Saab Silences Another

[user67765]

David Saab opened with a raise to 800 and the player in the big blind made the call. They saw a flop of {A-Hearts}

and the action checked to Saab, who made the continuation bet of 1,400.

The big blind player then check-raised all in for the last of his 8,000 chips with Saab making the call. The big blind tabled {A-Hearts}

for top pair but found himself outkicked by Saab's {A-Clubs}

.

The turn was the {10-Clubs}

and river the {Q-Diamonds}

, and Saab made two pair to silence another opponent and continue on his merry way to now sit with a tournament-leading 40,000 chips.

Tags: David Saab

01-09-2009 16:54 UTC+11

Dunst Can't Find His Flush

[user75032]

At the end of the last level, Marwan Nassif and Tony Dunst were involved in a tournament-changing pot. On a flop of {9-Diamonds}

, one player opened for 3,000 ahead of a raise to 9,000 by Dunst. Nassif then moved all in for almost 16,000, folding the player who made the original bet. Getting a great price, Dunst made the call with {K-Clubs}

. Nassif flopped a straight with {J-Hearts}

, leaving Dunst drawing at his club flush. It missed the turn {3-Spades}

and the river {6-Spades}

.

Nassif is up to 37,000. Dunst was on a short stack with just 3,400; he busted shortly after Level 7 began.

Tags: Marwan Nassif Tony Dunst

01-09-2009 16:52 UTC+11

We're Back!

[user92162]

After that 10 minute refresher, everyone has returned to the tables and the action is once again underway.

Level: 7

Blinds: 200/400

Ante: 50

01-09-2009 16:40 UTC+11

Break Time

[user75032]

Players are on their second ten-minute break of the day.

01-09-2009 16:35 UTC+11

Billy "The Croc" Hunting Prey in the Cash Games

[user92162]

Billy 'The Croc' Argyros has hit the cash games after being eliminated from today's event.

A short-stacked Argyros holding {7-Diamonds}

bet out at a {4-Spades}

flop. His opponent confidentally raised enough to put Argyros all in holding {a-Hearts}

. "The Croc" made the call, hoping to hit his flush. He wasn't able to get there after the turn and river brought the {q-Clubs}

respectively.

The Croc joins a star-studded cash game area including Jeff Lisandro, Matthew Kirk, and Mick Guttman as Crown’s “Big Game” ramps into action.

Tags: Billy Argyros The Croc