As the blinds tick over into the sixth level of the day, we can confirm that the official number of entries into today's tournament is 151, which means a modest prizepool of AUD$151,000 has been generated. Still, with an Aussie Millions title up for grabs, it's nothing to be sneezed at.
We can also report an additional $1,000 has been donated to the Salvation Army Queensland Flood Relief Appeal, thanks to the generosity of one "Ralph B".
For those who haven't kept up with the news, the north-eastern state of Queensland has been devastated by floods, leaving tens of thousands of people left homeless and taking the lives of more than a dozen people, with many more still missing.
Crown Casino have stepped up to help out, placing collection tins throughout the complex and it is hoped that anyone who makes the money in an Aussie Millions event will donate some of their winnings to the cause. As a show of good faith, Crown will match all donations dollar for dollar.
On behalf of the entire PokerNews team, we'd like to give our best wishes to everyone affected by this crisis and send out the call to get everyone in the poker community to help their fellow man!
The players are beginning to drop quickly, with Full Tilt Red Pro Van Marcus and prominent Aussie online player Joel "Strong Play" Dodds amongst those to have hit the rail.
We've also caught the elimination of Rody Kaka (who happens to be Marcus' cousin). Kaka got the last of his money in with , but was crushed by Antoine Bechara's . Both players filled up on the board of , but again, Bechara's aces were best!
Bechara has now moved up to more than 40,000 in chips, but we've just discovered that Michael "Sticky" Guttman now sits at the top of the counts with 56,000!
2010 ANZPT Melbourne champion Martin Kozlov has just been eliminated by Antoine Bechara as the blinds ticked over to 200/400 and he's just been joined at the rail by Graeme "Kiwi G" Putt.
Bechara raised under the gun holding and the action folded around to Kozlov who shoved from the cutoff with before the others got out of the way. Despite making two pair on the board of , Bechara's aces-up were best and Kozlov was eliminated.
A short time later, Putt moved his last 2,000 into the middle with and was called by Mark Furness who revealed . Putt lost his lead when Furness paired his nine on the flop, but he took it back when a queen appeared on turn, only to depart after a deuce fell the river to give Furness two pair.
2009 Aussie Millions Main Event fourth-place finisher Raj Ramakrishnan has just been felted at the hand of Bob Trask and was joined shortly after by fellow Aussie Sammy Khouiss as the action continues here in the $1,100 Pot Limit Omaha event.
Ramakrishnan got the last of his money into the middle before the flop with but ran into Trask's , which stayed ahead all the way down the board of to put Trask up to 30,000 in chips.
Meanwhile, Khouis was crippled down to his last 1,000 in chips when he moved all-in on a flop of holding for a flush draw, but was trailing his opponent's . However, Richard Ashby had them both covered with , which improved to two pair after the turn and river was spread , . Khouiss was eliminated a short time later.
Having cashed in his second-chance card shortly before the break, Full Tilt Red Pro James Akenhead has just been eliminated at the hands of Aussie player Spiro Stergiotis.
Stergiotis was unable to recall the exact details of his hand, but we can tell you that he hit an eight-high straight on turn to send Akenhead to the rail. With all those cards in play, it stands to reason why being able to recall hands can be hard!
Meanwhile, fellow Aussie Warwick Mirzikinian has moved up to more than 13,000 in chips in a hand that played out shortly before the break between 2004 Aussie Millions champion Tony Bloom and another opponent. We got there just as the dealer had finished spreading a board which read , with Bloom showing down for two pair, but the opponent tabled for a bigger two pair.
All those cards were a moot point, for it was Mirzikinian who took down the pot with for a full house. Bloom is down to 11,000 and the mystery man is busto.
The players are now on their first 10-minute break of the day. All remaining second-chance cards have now been cashed in, so we'll have a round of chip counts for you soon.
![[user135779]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
, but was crushed by Antoine Bechara's 
. Both players filled up on the board of 
, but again, Bechara's aces were best!
before the others got out of the way. Despite making two pair on the board of 
, Bechara's aces-up were best and Kozlov was eliminated.
and was called by Mark Furness who revealed 
. Putt lost his lead when Furness paired his nine on the flop, but he took it back when a queen appeared on turn, only to depart after a deuce fell the river to give Furness two pair.
but ran into Trask's 
, which stayed ahead all the way down the board of 
holding 
. However, Richard Ashby had them both covered with 
, 
. Khouiss was eliminated a short time later.
for a bigger two pair.
for a full house. Bloom is down to 11,000 and the mystery man is busto.