2012 Aussie Millions

$100,000 Challenge
Day: 1
Event Info

2012 Aussie Millions

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
22
Prize
1,012,000 AUD
Event Info
Buy-in
100,000 AUD
Prize Pool
2,200,000 AUD
Entries
22
Level Info
Level
14
Blinds
15,000 / 30,000
Ante
0

Prizepool and Payouts

Level 3 : 1,000/2,000, 0 ante

The 22 players that played the 2012 Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge generated a prizepool of $2.2 million. First place is worth $1.012 million and the top four spots will be awarded prize money. Here's the payouts:

PlacePrize (AUD)
1$1,012,000
2$616,000
3$330,000
4$242,000

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Smirnov Gets That Shovey Feeling

Mikhail Smirnov
Mikhail Smirnov

Mikhail Smirnov limped into the pot under the gun, and Jason Mercier made a raise to 6,500 in middle position. Daniel Alaei called in the cutoff, Smirnov added the extra chips, and it was three-handed to the flop.

It came {5-Diamonds} {7-Spades} {3-Hearts}, and the first two gents checked to Alaei. He took his cue to bet 12,500 at the pot, and now only Smirnov called to see the next card. It was the {4-Hearts}, and Smirnov took control with a leading bet of 15,000. Alaei flatted, and the safe-looking {10-Diamonds} filled out the board. The Russian had 72,000 chips left in front of him, and he put both hands behind those stacks and slid them forward. Alaei had just about that many chips himself, possibly a few less, and he tanked and surrendered his cards into the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mikhail Smirnov ru
Mikhail Smirnov
149,500
37,000
37,000
Profile photo of Daniel Alaei us
Daniel Alaei
65,000
-37,000
-37,000
WSOP 5X Winner
WPT 1X Winner

Tags: Daniel AlaeiJason MercierMikhail Smirnov

"Miles Ahead" Means Nothing

Alaei no more
Alaei no more

With 23,000 chips in the middle on the {10-Clubs}{6-Clubs}{3-Spades}{9-Clubs} board, Daniel Alaei bet 14,000 and had 24,500 behind. Joe Hachem asked how much Alaei had behind, got a look at his stack and then announced that he was all in. Alaei quickly called to put himself at risk.

Alaei tabled the {10-Diamonds}{10-Spades} for top set and was up against the {7-Hearts}{6-Hearts} for Hachem.

It was announced that Alaei was "all in and miles ahead" by the tournament announcer before the dealer burned one last time and smacked the {8-Diamonds} on the river. Hachem spiked his gutshot straight draw to win the hand and Alaei was sent out the door.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Joe Hachem au
Joe Hachem
260,000
59,500
59,500
WSOP Main Event Champion
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Daniel Alaei us
Daniel Alaei
Busted
WSOP 5X Winner
WPT 1X Winner

Tags: Daniel AlaeiJoe Hachem

Negreanu Next to Go

Daniel Negreanu - out
Daniel Negreanu - out

Daniel Negreanu has been nursing a short stack all day long, and it finally came to a head. He got the last of his chips into the middle preflop with {A-Hearts} {J-Hearts}, and that was not at all good news when Dan Smith came along with his bigger stack and his bigger ace. It was {A-Spades} {Q-Diamonds}, and Negreanu needed help in a hurry.

And help came in a hurry. The {J-Clubs} appeared right in the window, and the board was looking good for Kid Poker on fourth street: {4-Diamonds} {9-Clubs} {J-Clubs} {2-Diamonds}.

Negreanu knew something fishy was up, though, and he was not at all surprised to see the {Q-Hearts} land on the river to snatch his chips away on the final card. With a few giggles and warm wishes, Negreanu headed to the rail, and we're down to 14 players.

And two Dans.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Daniel Negreanu ca
Daniel Negreanu
Busted

Tags: Dan SmithDaniel Negreanu

Cates Finds a Double

Daniel Cates was down around 30,000 when he got the last of his money into the pot with {A-Hearts} {Q-Clubs}. And he was crushed. Nam Le had the dominating {A-Spades} {K-Hearts}.

Things got better in a hurry for Jungleman, though, as the {2-Hearts} {Q-Diamonds} {9-Clubs} flop pulled him into a big lead with two to come. The {8-Clubs} turn and {6-Hearts} river were blanks, and Cates has found his come-from-behind double to claw back into the match.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Daniel Cates
Daniel Cates
60,000
-21,500
-21,500
Profile photo of Nam Le us
Nam Le
25,000
-57,500
-57,500
WPT 1X Winner

Tags: Daniel CatesNam Le

Smirnov Drinking a Double

Joe Hachem raised to 5,000 from the cutoff seat and Mikhail Smirnov reraised to 8,000 from the small blind. Gus Hansen called from the big blind and then Hachem called.

The flop came down {8-Hearts}{3-Hearts}{2-Clubs} and Smirnov bet 15,000. Hansen raised to 39,000 and Hachem got out of the way. Smirnov made the call to see the turn.

Fourth street was the {9-Diamonds} and Smirnov checked. Hansen bet 100,000 and Smirnov tanked. He got down to his last four seconds and then announced that he was all in for 117,000. Hansen didn't snap-call, but instead began talking about whether or not he thought he had outs. Eventually he made the call.

Hansen saw Smirnov table the {Q-Diamonds}{Q-Hearts} and said, "Ooohhh, I have outs!" before showing the {K-Diamonds}. His other card was the {J-Clubs}.

The river completed the board with the {7-Clubs} and Smirnov was able to hold to get the double up. Hansen was knocked back to the starting stack while Smirnov assumed the chip lead.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mikhail Smirnov ru
Mikhail Smirnov
336,000
186,500
186,500
Profile photo of Gus Hansen dk
Gus Hansen
102,000
-184,000
-184,000
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 3X Winner
Winamax

Tags: Gus HansenJoe HachemMikhail Smirnov

Updated Chip Counts

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Mikhail Smirnov ru
Mikhail Smirnov
331,000
-5,000
-5,000
Profile photo of Dan Smith us
Dan Smith
317,500
116,500
116,500
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
Run It Once
Profile photo of Joe Hachem au
Joe Hachem
286,500
-500
-500
WSOP Main Event Champion
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Tony G lt
Tony G
170,500
70,500
70,500
Profile photo of Phil Ivey us
Phil Ivey
169,000
-67,500
-67,500
WSOP 11X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
WPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Jason Mercier us
Jason Mercier
166,500
-22,500
-22,500
WSOP 6X Winner
EPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Tobias Reinkemeier de
Tobias Reinkemeier
159,000
-5,000
-5,000
Profile photo of Gus Hansen dk
Gus Hansen
156,000
54,000
54,000
WSOP 1X Winner
WPT 3X Winner
Winamax
Profile photo of Sorel Mizzi ca
Sorel Mizzi
117,000
26,500
26,500
Profile photo of Sam Trickett gb
Sam Trickett
89,000
-18,500
-18,500
Profile photo of Erik Seidel us
Erik Seidel
72,500
6,500
6,500
WSOP 10X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
WPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Daniel Cates
Daniel Cates
65,000
5,000
5,000
Profile photo of Nam Le us
Nam Le
43,500
18,500
18,500
WPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of JC Tran us
JC Tran
40,000
-67,000
-67,000
WSOP 2X Winner