Winner of the 2008 Oz Poker Tour Main Event, Eugene Portlen is off to a solid start after turning a set against his opponent.
Portlen had raised preflop to 400 and then followed it up with a bet of 600 on a flop. One opponent kept him honest with a call, but Portlen spiked a set when the fell on the turn. Portlen fired another 1,200, but his opponent got away from the hand allowing Portlen to flash the pocket nines.
Poker brings with it several satisfying feelings: successfully bluffing one's opponents out of a pot, making the nuts, and cracking pocket aces. That was Jacob Chen's recent lot. With approximately 950 chips in the pot, he led out for 625 on a board of . His lone opponent raised all in for 1,500 total and Chen made the call, showing for a diamond draw. His opponent had two pair with and was left drawing at a full house when the turn fell . The full house never came. The river sent Chen's opponent to the rail.
Michael Guzzardi opened with a raise to 200 from middle position with Chris Chronis making the call in late position. The big blind came along for the ride as they saw a three-way flop of .
The action checked over to Chronis, who moved all in at the pot for his last 2,000. The big blind player made the call as Guzzardi stepped aside.
Chronis was in trouble, as he tabled , but it got worst as his opponent held the nuts with . Chronis needed a ten just to split the pot, but the turn and river bricked out to send Chronis crashing to the rail.
Local George Cotaidis has just arrived, as did high-stakes player Lisa Walsh. The 'larger-than-life' Tony G has also just commenced his Aussie Millions campaign.
One of the most popular Australian pros, Eric Assadourian, has recently taken his seat in today's field. Maybe a delayed flight from Sydney? He hasn't wasted any time in getting to know his table, as he is talking up a storm in true Assadourian style.
Paul Rochford's poker-sense must have been tingling. He called a raise of 275 from late position and then checked behind on a flop of . When the turn came , Rochford's opponent checked, then raised to 1,000 after Rochford bet 500. Rochford made the call to see the hit the river. His opponent bet 1,500, but Rochford was undeterred and matched the bet. It was an excellent decision. His opponent was on an unimproved and couldn't beat Rochford's .
Barney Thomas has just taken another big pot. After a 175 under-the-gun pre-flop raise on the button, he called a 300 bet on a flop of .
The turn brought the and he led out for 750 after his opponent checked. His opponent quickly called and then checked the that landed on the river. Thomas fired for 1,350 this time and his opponent eventually made the call after going into the tank for several minutes.
Thomas tabled for a turn set of trips, and as his opponent mucked his cards Thomas raked in the pot, which was enough to send him up over 9,000 in chips.
Tino Lechich is another early victim here on Day 1b. He moved all in for 3,200 on a flop of , having flopped the third nuts with . One opponent called him with the absolute nuts -- . The board didn't pair, coming to unceremoniously bounce Lechich towards the end of Level 1.