$25,000 No-Limit Hold'em Semi-Shootout Day 1 | 2012 Aussie Millions

01-28-2012 18:37 UTC+11

Romanello Puts Alaei to the Test

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Daniel Alaei just raised to 1,600 and the action got folded to Romanello who three-bet to 4,100. Alaei re-popped it to 9,900 putting the pressure back on Romanello. The pre flop action wasn't finished as Romanello put in 19,900 for the five-bet. Alaei folded his cards and Romanello showed {A-} {10-} off suit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Roberto Romanello	85,000 10,000	10,000

Daniel Alaei	48,500 -17,500	-17,500

Tags: Daniel Alaei Roberto Romanello

01-28-2012 18:38 UTC+11

Table 29 Counts

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Player	Chips	Progress
Joe Hachem	71,000

Dan Kelly	60,000 10,000	10,000
Mike Watson	48,000 -2,000	-2,000

Tobias Reinkemeier	47,000 -3,000	-3,000
Billy Jordanou	43,000 -7,000	-7,000
Vitaly Lunkin	7,000

Level: 5

Blinds: 400/800

Ante: 100

01-28-2012 18:44 UTC+11

Table 30 Counts

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Player	Chips	Progress
JC Tran	100,000 7,000	7,000

Jonathan Karamalikis	62,000 5,000	5,000
Igor Kurganov	50,000

Elliot Smith	42,000 -23,000	-23,000
Matt Jarvis	40,000 -3,000	-3,000

01-28-2012 18:49 UTC+11

Table 32 Counts

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Player	Chips	Progress
Dominykas Karmazinas	137,000 23,000	23,000
Roberto Romanello	90,000 5,000	5,000

Max Weinberg	68,000 18,000	18,000
Daniel Alaei	52,000 3,500	3,500

Randy Dorfman	30,300 -26,700	-26,700
Tony G	22,400 -8,600	-8,600

01-28-2012 19:03 UTC+11

Jarvis's Plan Fails

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Igor Kurganov brought us up to speed as Matt Jarvis was thinking about calling a big river bet JC Tran just put out. Tran had raised from the button and Jarvis made the call from the big blind. The flop came down {8-Spades} {2-Diamonds} {7-Clubs} and Jarvis checked to Tran who bet 2,700. Jarvis opted to check-raise to 6,850 and Tran followed with the call.

The turn was the {3-Clubs} and Jarvis bet 7,200. Tran made the call giving us an interesting river situation. The river was the {7-Hearts} and this time Jarvis slowed down. He checked to Tran who grabbed chips and put out a 22,000 chip bet. Jarvis wasn't happy as he tank-folded. Tran keeps winning pots while Jarvis is now the short stack at Table 32.

Player	Chips	Progress
JC Tran	132,000 32,000	32,000

Matt Jarvis	31,000 -9,000	-9,000

Tags: Matt Jarvis Igor Kurganov JC Tran

01-28-2012 19:13 UTC+11

Watson Destroys Table 29, Lunkin and Hachem Bust

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Mike Watson just went on a back-to-back semi heater as he busted Joe Hachem and Vitaly Lunkin. In the first hand Vitaly Lunkin pushed all-in under the gun for his last 6,000 chips. Watson made the call and the other players folded.

Vitaly Lunkin
Mike Watson

The board ran out {5-Spades} {6-Hearts} {A-Diamonds} {8-Clubs} {J-Spades} giving Watson a pair of aces and the knock out. On the very next hand Watson was in the big blind and Hachem raised under the gun to 2,000. The action got folded around to 'SirWatts' who made the call.

The flop {K-Hearts} {Q-Diamonds} {9-Diamonds} and Watson checked to Hachem who bet 2,700. Watson took his time before smoothly throwing out a raise to 7,200. Hachem tanked for a bit and than put a three-bet to 18,000. Watson stayed calm as he took another 30 seconds before going all-in. Hachem made the call.

Mike Watson
Joe Hachem

The turn was the {A-Hearts} and the river the {7-Diamonds} and Watson's straight held up. "I knew you had jack-ten, but I wasn't going to fold" Hachem sighed as stood up from the table. Watson had Hachem covered by 8,000 chips and managed to get two knock outs in two hands.

Player	Chips	Progress
Mike Watson	101,500 53,500	53,500

Joe Hachem	Busted

Vitaly Lunkin	Busted

Tags: Joe Hachem Vitaly Lunkin Mike Watson

01-28-2012 19:30 UTC+11

"Romanello's Bluffs Finally Pay Off"

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"I know a good title for this one", Romanello says as we ask him for what happened to Randy Dorfman. "Romanello's Bluffs Finally Pay Off", he smiled as he explained that he had been showing a lot of bluffs throughout the first couple of levels.

Romanello told us how Dorfman raised to 2,100 from the button and he three-bet to 4,600 from the small blind. Alaei gave up his big blind and Dorfman re-popped it to 11,000. Romanello went for the five-bet and made it 22,300 to go. Dorfman called.

The flop was {Q-} {J-} {2-} and Romanello bet 15,000 into Dorfman who pushed all-in for around 48,000 total. Romanello called with pocket aces and was up against pocket treys. Dorfman didn't believe his opponent who, after two blanks, picked up a massive pot. We are now down to just 13 players.

Player	Chips	Progress
Roberto Romanello	150,000 60,000	60,000

Randy Dorfman	Busted

Tags: Randy Dorfman Robeto Romanello

01-28-2012 19:38 UTC+11

Two Pair Twice

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Tobias Reinkemeier just managed to double through Mike Watson. According to Reinkemeier, Watson raised to 1,800 from the button pre flop and the German called from the big blind.

The flop was {A-Hearts} {4-Hearts} {10-Spades} and Reinkemeier check-raised the 1,800 bet to 5,600. Watson made the call and the turn was the {6-Spades} . Reinkemeier bet 8,500 and Watson put him all-in. Reinkemeier made the call.

Tobias Reinkemeier
Mike Watson

The river was the {2-Hearts} and Reinkemeier's hand held up. Watson gave up a pretty decent portion of his stack while Reinkemeier is feeling a lot more comfortable.

Player	Chips	Progress
Tobias Reinkemeier	76,000 29,000	29,000
Mike Watson	70,000 -31,500	-31,500

Tags: Tobias Reinkemeier Mike Watson

01-28-2012 19:42 UTC+11

Jarvis Gets Back in it

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Matt Jarvis just found a double up, even though it was a lucky one. He got all his money into the pot pre flop against Daniel Alaei in a button-big blind battle. Jarvis was all-in for 24,200.