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:
| Place | Prize (AUD) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $1,012,000 |
| 2 | $616,000 |
| 3 | $330,000 |
| 4 | $242,000 |
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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 
, 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 
, and Smirnov took control with a leading bet of 15,000. Alaei flatted, and the safe-looking 
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 |
|---|---|---|
|
149,500
37,000
|
37,000 |
|
65,000
-37,000
|
-37,000 |
|
||
With 23,000 chips in the middle on the 
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 
for top set and was up against the 
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 
on the river. Hachem spiked his gutshot straight draw to win the hand and Alaei was sent out the door.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
260,000
59,500
|
59,500 |
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
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 
, and that was not at all good news when Dan Smith came along with his bigger stack and his bigger ace. It was 
, and Negreanu needed help in a hurry.
And help came in a hurry. The 
appeared right in the window, and the board was looking good for Kid Poker on fourth street: 
.
Negreanu knew something fishy was up, though, and he was not at all surprised to see the 
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 |
|---|---|---|
|
Busted | |
|
||
Action folded to Joe Hachem on the button and he raised to 5,000. Tobias Reinkemeier three-bet from the small blind to 15,000 and play moved back to Hachem. He four-bet to 32,500 and Reinkemeier gave it up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
287,000
27,000
|
27,000 |
|
|
||
|
164,000
-37,000
|
-37,000 |
Daniel Cates was down around 30,000 when he got the last of his money into the pot with 
. And he was crushed. Nam Le had the dominating 
.
Things got better in a hurry for Jungleman, though, as the 
flop pulled him into a big lead with two to come. The 
turn and river were blanks, and Cates has found his come-from-behind double to claw back into the match.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
60,000
-21,500
|
-21,500 |
|
25,000
-57,500
|
-57,500 |
|
|
||
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 
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 
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 and said, "Ooohhh, I have outs!" before showing the 
. His other card was the .
The river completed the board with the 
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 |
|---|---|---|
|
|
336,000
186,500
|
186,500 |
|
102,000
-184,000
|
-184,000 |
|
||
With the end of the level, the players are now on a short break.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
331,000
-5,000
|
-5,000 |
|
317,500
116,500
|
116,500 |
|
|
||
|
|
286,500
-500
|
-500 |
|
|
||
|
170,500
70,500
|
70,500 |
|
||
|
169,000
-67,500
|
-67,500 |
|
||
|
166,500
-22,500
|
-22,500 |
|
||
|
|
159,000
-5,000
|
-5,000 |
|
|
156,000
54,000
|
54,000 |
|
|
||
|
117,000
26,500
|
26,500 |
|
89,000
-18,500
|
-18,500 |
|
||
|
72,500
6,500
|
6,500 |
|
|
||
|
|
65,000
5,000
|
5,000 |
|
|
43,500
18,500
|
18,500 |
|
|
||
|
40,000
-67,000
|
-67,000 |
