Cards are back in the air here in the 2013 Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge. There's about 20 minutes remaining in Level 10, which is where action will pick up. Remember, this tournament is pot limit preflop and no limit after the flop.
The rail is already three deep with spectators, and there's a lot of excitement in the room.
Igor Kurganov and Dan Shak were involved in a big pot early on the board of 
. Shak checked, and Kurganov fired a bet of 66,000. Shak check-raised to 132,000, and Kurganov made the call.
On the river, the 
completed the board. Shak moved all in, and Kurganov quickly folded 
face up. Shak showed him just the 
as he pulled in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
610,000
175,000
|
175,000 |
|
390,000
-173,000
|
-173,000 |
|
||
Masa Kagawa opened for 16,000 under the gun and cleared the field all the way to Igor Kurganov, who defended from the big blind. The latter player proceeded to check-call a bet of 18,000 on the 
flop, and then both players checked the 
turn.
When the 
completed the board on the river, Kurganov took the initiative and bet 33,000. Kagawa made a fairly quick call with 
, and it was good as Kurganov sent his cards to the muck unseen.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
750,000
55,000
|
55,000 |
|
|
315,000
-75,000
|
-75,000 |
|
|
||
![[user116926]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
From the button, Igor Kurganov raised to 16,000. Masa Kagawa called from the small blind, and the flop came down 
. Kagawa led for 18,000, and Kurganov called.
The turn was checked by both players after the 
landed. The river was the 
, and Kagawa check-folded to a bet of 33,000 from Kurganov.
It didn't take long for the first elimination of the day, less than 20 minute in fact.
It happened when Vanessa Selbst opened the action with a raise to 16,000 from the hijack and Tobias Reinkemeier three-bet to 63,000 from the small blind. Andrew Robl then four-bet all in from the big blind for 123,000, Selbst folded, and Reinkemeier called off for roughly 115,000.
Reinkemeier: 
Robl: 
It was a terrible spot of the German, and it got even worse when the 
{ 2d} flop paired Robl's ace. The 
turn left Reinkemeier drawing dead, and after the 
was put out on the river for good measure, he left empty handed in seventh place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
270,000
147,000
|
147,000 |
|
Busted |
Level: 11
Blinds: 5,000/10,000
Ante: 1,000
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
790,000
40,000
|
40,000 |
|
|
600,000
-10,000
|
-10,000 |
|
|
395,000
80,000
|
80,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
250,000
-20,000
|
-20,000 |
|
100,000
-36,000
|
-36,000 |
|
||
|
80,000
-5,000
|
-5,000 |
From the hijack seat, start-of-the-day chip leader Masa Kagawa raised to 20,000. Andrew Robl flatted from the cutoff seat, then Vanessa Selbst made the call from the big blind.
The three players saw the flop come down 
, and Selbst checked. Kagawa bet 36,000, and Robl folded. Then, Selbst check-raised all in for 79,000.
It was at this time that Kagawa was delivered his hot chocolate from the cocktail waitress. Kagawa tipped the young lady, took a sip of his creamy drink and added a nice foam mustache to his face. Then, he called.
Selbst showed the 
for middle pair, and she was behind the 
for Kagawa.
The turn was the , and the river completed the board with the 
. Kagawa won the pot and sent Selbst home in sixth place.
The tournament is now on the official bubble.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
900,000
110,000
|
110,000 |
|
|
Busted | |
|
|
||
Niklas "ragen70" Heinecker entered the money bubble as an extreme short stack, and everyone knew it wouldn't be long before he had to make a move.
It happened when he opened for 40,000 under the gun and was met with a three-bet to 70,000 by Masa Kagawa in the small blind. After the big blind folded, Heinecker opted to just call the additional 30,000 and leave himself 24,000 behind. Kagawa proceeded to bet the 
and Heinecker committed his remaining chips while saying, "That's good enough for me."
Masa:
Heinecker: 
Neither player had hit the flop directly, though Heinecker picked up an open-ended straight draw. According to the PokerNews Odds Calculator, Heinecker had a 34.54% chance of survival on the flop, but that dropped to 22.73% when the useless 
turned. Heinecker was on his feet as the dealer burned one last time and put out the 
. The German online star missed and took his leave in fifth place after shaking hands with the remaining four player, who're each guaranteed at least $237,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
1,000,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
540,000
-60,000
|
-60,000 |
|
|
387,000
-8,000
|
-8,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
185,000
-65,000
|
-65,000 |
|
|
Busted | |
