Congratulations to Mel Judah, Champion of Event #3! (AU$30,600)

Finally, at long last, we have our champion. Mel Judah has (quite literally) outlasted the field in a seventeen-hour marathon to take down 2009 Aussie Millions Poker Championship Event #3 - AU$1,100 Limit Omaha Hi/Lo.

Judah played strong poker coming into the final table, and used position, aggression and selective starting cards to ride the wave all the way to the heads up portion of the match. That's where he ran into the stonewall that was Rainer Quel. Several times it looked like one man had the other on the ropes, but neither could get the job done. Even as the limits got ridiculously huge, still nothing gave.

Finally came the hand that tipped the scales in Judah's favor -- he made a nut flush against Quel's second-nut flush, with no low possible. He took the crippled Quel out on the next hand.

For his epic victory, Judah earned AU$30,600 and an Aussie Millions gold ring. He's also earned himself a long morning of deep sleep.