A$25,000 Challenge
Day 2 Completed
A$25,000 Challenge
Day 2 Completed
Farid Jattin produced as dominating a performance as you'll see at a final table in the Aussie Millions A$25,000 Challenge, steamrolling the opposition on the way to what looked like an inevitable win for several hours.
The only bump in the road came at the very end, when Jattin and heads-up opponent George Wolff opted to end things a little early with a deal that saw Jattin send over about $90,000 per the chip count numbers.
In the end, Jattin topped a field of 169 for A$983,646, his second-best live cash after making the final table of last year's PokerStars Players Championship and getting seventh for $746,000.
"I'm happy with my performance," Jattin said.
Place | Player | Country | Payout (AUD) | Payout (USD) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Farid Jattin | Colombia | A$983,646* | $678,900* |
2 | George Wolff | United States | A$821,273* | $566,832* |
3 | Steve O'Dwyer | Ireland | A$466,440 | $322,501 |
4 | Sam Greenwood | Canada | A$344,760 | $238,371 |
5 | Masato Yokosawa | Japan | A$243,360 | $168,262 |
6 | Jack Sinclair | United Kingdom | A$172,380 | $119,185 |
7 | Kenny Hallaert | Belgium | A$131,820 | $91,142 |
*reflects heads-up deal
Jattin spent much of the early portions of Day 2 as one of the shorter stacks.
"I was grinding very hard, trying to pick my spots," he said. "It was good, I was very focused."
A player who is known for his high level of aggression, Jattin got to shift into his favored gear after netting a massive double into the chip lead on the unofficial final table bubble. He flopped top two and turned a full house, with the same card giving opponent Tom Rafferty the nut flush.
"After that, I felt like I couldn't look back," Jattin said.
Suddenly in the lead with more than 100 big blinds, Jattin found himself in business. He began to apply more pressure and built his stack further despite several hours of bust-less poker at the final table.
During that stretch, Jattin played another massive hand, against one-time leader Steve O'Dwyer, and that was actually the hand Jattin pointed to as his most crucial. Unlike the previous key hand, Jattin held a zero-equity bluff, barreling off all three streets with a river shove. When O'Dwyer released his hand, Jattin showed the airball, to the delight of his railbirds.
"It's a spot where it's very tough to have a bluff on my end," Jattin observed. "He had a perfect stack for me to shove. It was also a good river card — a lot of gutshots got there."
Boosted in terms of both confidence and chips, Jattin finally broke the stalemate by busting Kenny Hallaert. He then coolered Jack Sinclair with aces over queens to move past half of the chips in play.
A double knockout cemented his lead as his nines held against the ace-king of Sam Greenwood and ace-queen of YouTube star Masato Yokosawa.
After O'Dwyer busted as well, Jattin found himself heads up with a monster lead against Wolff, who has been on a nice run over the past year or so in the high roller scene. Wolff managed to execute a preflop trap for a double up, though, and it looked like game on.
Instead, a few hands later, a deal was quickly reached, allowing both players to avoid playing deep into the wee hours of Friday morning. Plus, Jattin said, the chop is good for his relationship with Wolff.
"He's my poker coach," Jattin said with a smile. "I had to chop with the coach."
Shortly after the double by George Wolff, the players looked at the numbers and agreed to a deal that sees Farid Jattin named champion, taking about A$90,000 less than the original first-place prize. He'll bank A$983,646 while Wolff gets A$821,273.
Place | Player | Country | Payout (AUD) | Payout (USD) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Farid Jattin | Colombia | A$983,646* | $678,900* |
2 | George Wolff | United States | A$821,273* | $566,832* |
3 | Steve O'Dwyer | Ireland | A$466,440 | $322,501 |
4 | Sam Greenwood | Canada | A$344,760 | $238,371 |
5 | Masato Yokosawa | Japan | A$243,360 | $168,262 |
6 | Jack Sinclair | United Kingdom | A$172,380 | $119,185 |
7 | Kenny Hallaert | Belgium | A$131,820 | $91,142 |
*reflects heads-up deal
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Farid Jattin |
8,450,000
2,200,000
|
2,200,000 |
George Wolff | Busted |
Just a few hands in, George Wolff limped the small blind and quickly called when Farid Jattin shoved for 1.1 million effective. Wolff's dominated , and the board left Jattin's railbirds calling for a queen in vain.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Farid Jattin |
6,250,000
-1,210,000
|
-1,210,000 |
George Wolff |
2,200,000
1,210,000
|
1,210,000 |
Steve O'Dwyer was all-in for the last 505,000 from the button and Farid Jattin looked him up out of the small blind.
Steve O'Dwyer:
Farid Jattin:
It was inevitable to hear some laughter from the rail as Jattin had picked up another monster hand, and even O'Dwyer could all but smile.
The flop provided no reason to hope for a miracle, and it was all over on the turn to make the river a formality. O'Dwyer was eliminated in third place and takes home A$466,440. Jattin enters heads-up against George Wolff with a lead of more than 7-1.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Farid Jattin |
7,460,000
665,000
|
665,000 |
George Wolff |
990,000
-160,000
|
-160,000 |
Steve O'Dwyer | Busted | |
|
The total domination of Farid Jattin continues as he took a chunk out of the stack of Steve O'Dwyer while George Wolff was a mere spectator and also took a hit to his stack after not picking up any pots as of recently.
O'Dwyer limped in and Jattin checked behind to see the flop, on which O'Dwyer check-called a bet of 50,000. O'Dwyer check-called another 225,000 on the turn and they checked the on the river. Jattin tabled and that won the pot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Farid Jattin |
6,795,000
295,000
|
295,000 |
George Wolff |
1,150,000
-325,000
|
-325,000 |
Steve O'Dwyer |
505,000
-415,000
|
-415,000 |
|
Sam Greenwood opened for 100,000 under the gun, Farid Jattin made it 1 million in the next seat, and Masato Yokosawa tanked a bit then called off for about 750,000 in the small blind. Greenwood quickly called as well for about 980,000.
Greenwood:
Jattin:
Yokosawa:
The board brought a whole lot of nothing, and Jattin's paid held up for the double knockout.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Farid Jattin |
6,500,000
1,850,000
|
1,850,000 |
Sam Greenwood | Busted | |
|
||
Masato Yokosawa | Busted | |
|
The action folded all the way around to Jack Sinclair and he limped the button as one of the shorter stacks. Farid Jattin in the big blind glanced around the table, pulled his big blind back and instead raised to 135,000. Sinclair moved all in and received an instant call.
Jack Sinclair:
Farid Jattin:
The flop gave Jattin top set and it was all over for Sinclair on the turn, which made the river a formality. Sinclair was eliminated in 6th place and takes home A$172,380.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Farid Jattin |
4,650,000
650,000
|
650,000 |
Jack Sinclair | Busted | |
|
Farid Jattin raised to 100,000 and Steve O'Dwyer moved all in to force a fold from Jattin.
Jattin claimed the blinds and big blind ante with a raise to 100,000.
Another Jattin raise to 100,000 was called by Sam Greenwood in the big blind. Greenwood checked the flop and Jattin had barely bet 165,000 when the cards of his opponent already hit the muck.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Farid Jattin |
4,000,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
Sam Greenwood |
1,050,000
-250,000
|
-250,000 |
|
||
Steve O'Dwyer |
920,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
Kenny Hallaert shoved in the small blind for around 450,000 and Farid Jattin called with in the big. Hallaert had him pipped with and stayed best on the flop, though he was now dodging more outs. The turn gave Jattin a small chance at a chop, but the river gave him a straight for the whole pot and the knockout.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Farid Jattin |
3,900,000
850,000
|
850,000 |
Kenny Hallaert | Busted | |