2010 Aussie Millions

Event 1: $1,100 No Limit Hold'em
Day: 1c
Event Info

2010 Aussie Millions

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
a10
Prize
200,025 AUD
Event Info
Buy-in
1,000 AUD
Prize Pool
1,143,000 AUD
Entries
1,143
Level Info
Level
27
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
10,000

It's Groundhog Day!

Welcome to the Crown Aussie Millions Poker Championship Opening Event Repechage!
Welcome to the Crown Aussie Millions Poker Championship Opening Event Repechage!
Another beautiful sunny day in Melbourne and for many, another chance to win an Aussie Millions championship ring ... yes, it's Day 1c of the Aussie Millions Poker Championship Opening Event here at Crown Casino!

For those who are unfamiliar with the "repechage" format, it works a little something like this:

Players who have busted out on Days 1a and 1b have the option to pony up another AUD $1,100 today.

However as opposed to previous repechage events held here in the past, new players are now allowed to also buy in today.

This means we're sure to see some fireworks - and if we're lucky, this may be the day that Crown Casino breaks that magical 1,000-player barrier, generating an AUD $1 million prize pool!

So join us in 30 minutes time as we bring you all the action - see you then!

Level: 1

Blinds: 50/100

Ante: 0

Carnage!

As we trekked around the tables to check out who's who, we caught up with Jason Wick (tournament director from Star City Casino in Sydney) and we caught two KO's in their first two hands.

Helen Razer was responsible for the first elimination - after her opponent in seat one came in late, he woke up with pocket aces and shipped his whole stack into the middle.

Razer called, revealing pocket sixes but turned quad sixes, doubling up to around 20,000 in chips in their very first hand on the day!

Moments later, Bernard Beh managed to strike it rich, eliminating another latecomer after they got their money into the middle on a board that read {2-Hearts}{a-Hearts}{q-Hearts}{5-Diamonds}:

Beh: {A-Clubs}{Q-Spades}
Opponent: {a-Diamonds}{5-Clubs}

The river was a meaningless {9-Clubs} and Beh also moves to the 20,000 chip mark.

"I'll just sit back and watch, shall I?" Wick quipped.

Who's Here Today?

After all the brutality on table 13, we were able to move around and see who else has taken their seats in today's flight.

Amanda De Cesare is on table 24, while on table 17 2009 Aussie Millions fourth-place finisher Raj Ramakrishnan is sharing space with Martin Comer, Pete Mobbs and Warwick Mirzikinian.

Billy Seri is the big name on table 21; nearby, Paul Khoury is on table 20, seated next to poker industry apprentice Andrew Oataway - expect a few laughs and a few pots between them!

However we've already found one "table of death": Ali Ghezelbash, Peter Aristidou, Dean Nyberg and Clonie Gowen are all on table 21 - we could see some action there!

Tags: Ali GhezelbashAmanda De CesareAndrew OatawayBilly SeriClonie GowenDean NybergMartin ComerPaul KhouryPete MobbsPeter AristidouRaj RamakrishnanWarwick Mirzikinian

Dunst and Tahtouh Busto!

While many big name players are still arriving, we've already had a couple of big name casualties this afternoon.

Emad Tahtouh has bitten the dust and he recalled to us his downfall. After raising to 250 from under the gun and finding a caller, Tahtouh fired another 750 on the {6-?}{7-?}{4-?} flop. His opponent called and Tahtouh released another 1,500 on the {A-?} turn card. His opponent raised to 5,000 before Tahtouh moved all in. His opponent made the call and revealed pocket aces for a turned set as Tahtouh showed {6-?}{7-?} for a flopped two pair.

The river was a {Q-?} and Tahtouh was sent crashing to the rail.

Meanwhile Tony Dunst has also made a very brief appearance here today, lasting a total of one hand. He picked up pocket kings but ran into Andrew Demetriou who flopped a set with his pocket eights.

Tags: Andrew DemetriouEmad TahtouhTony Dunst

Contrasting Starts

Michael Greco has had a steady start, picking up a small pot with a 525 bet on a {J-Diamonds} {10-Clubs} {4-Clubs} flop.

Karl Mahrenholz hasn't started so well, paying off a bet and mucking when he was shown {Q-Diamonds} {10-Diamonds} on a {A-?} {K-?} {J-?} {A-?} {5-?} board.

Portaro Aggressive Early

Five players each spent 300 to see a flop of {2-Clubs}{A-Clubs}{4-Clubs} with the preflop aggressor following up with a continuation bet of 400 from middle position. There was one fold before Bruno Portaro popped it up to 1,200 to play, with only the middle position player making the call.

Action checked to Portaro on the {7-Spades} turn card, and he fired 1,600 which was once again called.

The river brought the {9-Hearts} but the middle position player decided to lead out for 1,600. Portaro went into the tank and the clock was called, which triggered Portaro to announce a raise to 4,000. His opponent insta-mucked and Portaro chips up in the early goings.

Tags: Bruno Portaro

Mann does the Marwan Mash

Marwan Nassif and Jason Mann were heads-up into a flop of {4-Hearts}{4-Diamonds}{2-Spades} when we caught the action; Nassif led out for 100, Mann called and the dealer produced the turn of the {3-Spades}.

Nassif check-raised to 600 after Mann fired out 250, then opened for 1,250 on the river {4-Spades}. Mann raised to 3,400, Nassif shipped the rest of his stack into the middle and Mann snap-called.

Mann: {6-Spades}{5-Spades}
Nassif: {5-Hearts}{4-Clubs}

Rivered quads for Nassif, but Mann had the uber-nuts with a runner-runner straight flush! Ergo, no more Nassif.

Tags: Jason MannMarwan Nassif