2013 Aussie Millions

$10,000 Main Event
Day: 1c
Event Info

2013 Aussie Millions

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
86
Prize
1,600,000 AUD
Event Info
Buy-in
10,000 AUD
Prize Pool
6,290,000 AUD
Entries
629
Level Info
Level
29
Blinds
80,000 / 160,000
Ante
10,000

Antonius Leads Day 1c of the 2013 Aussie Millions Millions Main Event

Level 7 : 400/800, 100 ante
Patrik Antonius
Patrik Antonius

On Tuesday, the 2013 Aussie Millions Main Event continued with Day 1c action. While Days 1a and 1b drew 157 and 196 players, respectively, Day 1c was the biggest with 269 entries — though official numbers aren’t finalized as registration is open until the start of Day 2. After seven 90-minute levels of play, Patrik Antonius emerged as the day's chip leader with 204,800.

Antonius entered the field in Level 4 and doubled up within minutes. Although his double hand wasn't caught, we did see Antonius win a decent one against Bruno Portaro a short time later.

It happened when five players saw a flop of {9-Diamonds}{3-Clubs}{10-Diamonds} and three checks put action on Antonius, who bet 2,600 from the cutoff. Portaro then called from the button, the rest of the field folded, and the dealer burned and turned the {6-Hearts}. Antonius eyed up his opponent's stack of around 15,000 and then tossed out four dark blue T5,000 chips. Portaro insta-mucked. From there, Antonius was in a holding pattern until the last 15 minutes of the night when he shot to the top of the chip counts.

Obviously not everyone was as fortunate as Antonius on Day 1c. Australian cricket superstar Shane Warne gave it his best, but he met his end in Level 5 with the blinds at 200/400/50. Sam Korman limped for 400, and two players followed suit. Warne was sitting in the small blind and raised to 1,500. All three limpers called, the flop came down {Q-}{5-}{5-}, and Warne fired out 6,000. Only Korman called, and Warne fired 10,000 on the {J-Hearts} turn. Korman called once again, and the river brought a third heart. Both players checked, Warne showed pocket aces, and Korman took the pot down with {5-}{6-}.

"We were playing pretty deep and I had around 50,000 to start the hand. He wasn't happy at all after the hand and asked why I was playing that hand," Korman told PokerNews before talking about the very next hand in which he knocked Warne out.

In that hand, Warne raised with the {A-Spades}{7-Spades}, and Korman decided to make the call with the {5-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}. The flop brought {7-Hearts}{6-Hearts}{9-Spades}, and Warne bet 2,500. Korman raised to 6,100, and Warne moved all in for around 20,000 chips according to Korman. Korman called with the straight, and no help on the turn nor river for Warne to knock him out.

Other Day 1c eliminations included Masa Kagawa, Jesse "OnTheMac" McKenzie, Tony Hachem, John Juanda, Brendon Rubie, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Steven Gee, Scott Lazar and Gus Hansen.

Hansen, who won the Aussie Millions Main Event back in 2007, met his end in the last level of the night with the blinds at 400/800/100. The “Great Dane” was short stacked when he moved in for just 9,100 from the button holding the {K-Hearts}{8-Spades}, and Daniel Ljung called from the small blind with the {A-Spades}{Q-Diamonds}. The board ran out {A-Diamonds}{J-Hearts}{2-Clubs}{K-Diamonds}{J-Diamonds} and Hansen’s dreams of becoming the first-ever two-time Aussie Millions Main Event champion were shattered.

Not everyone fared badly on Day 1c. Among those to punch their ticket to Day 2 were the winner of the 2011 Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge Sam Trickett; last year's 12th-place finisher in the Aussie Millions Main Event, Phil Ivey; 2012 World Series of Poker runner-up Jesse Sylvia; Macau high-stakes businessman Paul Phua; and 2005 WSOP Main Event winner Joe Hachem.

All of those players will join Day 1a and 1b survivors like Tyron Krost, Neil Channing, Jason Mercier, James Obst, Kevin Rabichow, Ayaz Mahmood, Phillip Willcocks, Day 1a chip leader Brian Payne (299,900) and Day 1b chip leader Frank Rusnak (165,100) for Day 2. Will any of those players add their name to the prestigious list of Aussie Millions Main Event winners? Only time will tell.

YearWinnerPrizeNo. of EntriesPrize Pool
2012Oliver SpeidelAU$1,600,000659AU$6,590,000
2011David GorrAU$2,000,000721AU$7,210,000
2010Tyron KrostAU$2,000,000746AU$7,460,000
2009Stewart ScottAU$2,000,000681AU$6,810,000
2008Alexander KostritsynAU$1,650,000780AU$7,800,000
2007Gus HansenAU$1,500,000747AU$7,470,000
2006Lee NelsonAU$1,295,800418AU$4,180,000
2005Jamil DiaAU$1,000,000263AU$2,630,000
2004Tony BloomAU$426,500133AU$1,330,000
2003Peter CostaAU$394,870122AU$1,220,000

Approximately 320 survivors from all three starting days will return for Day 2 action on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. EDT (20:30 EST Tuesday), which will consist of seven more 90-minute levels. The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be on hand throughout, so be sure to join them then for all the latest and greatest from the land down under.

Tags: Patrik Antonius

Eddie T Folds Pocket Kings Preflop to Anh Do's Seven-Bet

Eddie T in the tank
Eddie T in the tank

Just before the break we witnessed a huge hand take place that didn't even see a flop.

It happened when a middle-position player opened for 1,200 and a gentleman, who would only give his name as "Eddie T", flatted from the button. Hoang Anh Do, who you may recall won the the Asia Pacific Poker Tour Cebu Main Event for PHP 5,927,000 in April of last year, then three-bet to 3,600 from the big blind, the original raiser flatter, and Eddie T four-bet to 10,000.

Not to be outdone, Anh Do five-bet to 22,000, the middle-position player folded, and Eddie T responded with a six-bet to 34,000. Anh Do, who had about 53,000 behind, thought for about four minute before moving all in for 75,000. It seemed a snap-call might follow, but instead Eddie T hit the tank. "Button versus big blind, this is sick," he said as he tried to talk through the hand.

By this time a crowd had gather around the table to watch the action. A call would cost Eddie T the vast majority of his remaining chips, but if he folded he was giving up about 40% of his stack. Eventually he settled on the latter, but not before showing {K-Clubs}{K-Spades}. The entire table was shocked Eddie T had folded, and neither they nor him would get any satisfaction as Anh Do sent his cards to the muck unseen.

Player Chips Progress
Hoang Anh Do
Hoang Anh Do
115,000 115,000

Tags: Eddie THoang Anh Do

Lazar Disappears

Scott Lazar
Scott Lazar

Everyone knows that Joe Hachem won the 2005 World Series of Poker and sparked a poker boom here in Australia. Some may even remember that year's sixth-place finisher Scott Lazar. What they might not know is that Hachem and Lazar actually became very good friends after that year's event, so much so that Hachem actually brought Lazar to his first Aussie Millions.

"Actually Joe Hachem. He brought me down," Lazar explained to PokerNews. "He’s been bugging me for about six years to just come on down. He’s told me all about the Aussie Millions, and this year I just had the time to do it. This is my first time to Australia. Melbourne is incredible. It’s a clean, Boston/New York/San Francisco-like city."

For better or worse, Lazar will have a chance to explore Melbourne even further as he's been eliminated from the Main Event. In the first hand back from the break, Lazar was crippled after turning the nuts only to have his opponent river a flush.

As Lazar explained it, a player opened from middle position holding {A-Diamonds}{K-} and he called from the big blind with {K-Hearts}{Q-Hearts}. He then check-called a bet on the {10-Diamonds}{J-Diamonds}{X-} flop, and then led out big on the {9-Diamonds} turn. His opponent called off, and then the {Q-Diamonds} spiked on the river, leaving Lazar with approximately 5,000.

A short time later, Lazar shoved over a raise for around 5,000 holding {J-}{10-} suited. His opponent called with {A-}{K-} and that was all she wrote for the man from Studio City, California.

Player Chips Progress
Scott Lazar
Scott Lazar
Busted

Tags: Scott Lazar

Korman Flying High After Taking Warne Out

Sam Korman
Sam Korman

In a post earlier we brought to light that Australian cricket legend Shane Warne was knocked out. The gentleman that put a dagger into the hearts of poker and cricket fans goes by the name Sam Korman. Korman was kind enough to give us his story on how he took all Warne's chips in back-to-back hands.

Korman explained how he limped for 400 on the first hand, and two players followed suit. Warne was sitting in the small blind and raised it up to 1,500. All three limpers called. The flop came down {Q-}{5-}{5-} and Warne fired out 6,000. Korman was his only caller.

On the turn the {J-Hearts} hit and Warne bet 10,000. Korman made the call once again, and the river brought the third heart. Both players checked and Warne showed pocket aces. Korman took the pot down with {5-}{6-}.

"We were playing pretty deep and I had around 50,000 to start the hand. He wasn't happy at all after the hand and asked why I was playing that hand," Korman added as he started talking about the very next hand in which he knocked Warne out.

Warne raised it up with {A-Spades}{7-Spades} and Korman decided to make the call with {5-Diamonds}{8-Clubs}. The flop brought {7-Hearts}{6-Hearts}{9-Spades} and Warne bet 2,500. Korman raised to 6,100 and Warne moved all in for around 20,000 chips according to Korman. No help on the turn or river and Warne was knocked out.

Korman wasn't done, because a few hands later he was at it again. Our new chip leader raised to 1,000 and the players to his left put in a three-bet. Former November Niner Steven Gee was next to act and moved all-in for 10,950. Korman called the shove and the three-bettor moved all in for the top for 20,050. Korman called once again creating a three-way showdown.

Korman: {A-Hearts}{J-Hearts}
Three-bettor: {Q-Spades}{Q-Diamonds}
Gee: {7-Hearts}{7-Diamonds}

The board ran out {K-Hearts}{J-Clubs}{4-Spades}{2-Diamonds}{A-Spades} and Korman knocked out two more players! It's been an amazing level for Korman who's now atop the chip counts.

Player Chips Progress
Sam Korman
Sam Korman
140,000 140,000
Shane Warne au
Shane Warne
Busted
Steven Gee us
Steven Gee
Busted

Tags: Sam KormanShane WarneSteven Gee

It's All Fundaro and Games Until Esfandiari Gets Hurt

Giacomo Fundaro
Giacomo Fundaro

We happened upon a big hand over at Table 10 between Antonion Esfandiari and Italy's Giacomo Fundaro. The latter, who actually won the World Poker Tour Mazagan back in November for $166,704, had just bet 6,175 on a {9-Clubs}{J-Hearts}{Q-Hearts} flop into a pot containing around 11,500.

Esfandiari called the bet and then did the same, albeit for 4,700, on the {J-Spades} turn. When the {7-Hearts} peeled off on the river, Fundaro fired out 13,8000, and Esfandiari hit the tank for a little over five minutes before dropping in a call. Fundaro then tabled {Q-Spades}{Q-Diamonds} for queens full, and Esfandiari tossed his cards to the muck.

Player Chips Progress
Giacomo Fundaro it
Giacomo Fundaro
WPT 1X Winner
90,000 90,000
Antonio Esfandiari us
Antonio Esfandiari
WSOP 3X Winner
WPT 2X Winner
48,500 -33,500

Tags: Antonio EsfandiariGiacomo Fundaro

Cohen KO's Juanda

John Juanda - Eliminated
John Juanda - Eliminated

Sam Cohen opened in late position, John Juanda put in a three-bet from the blinds, and Cohen made the call. The flop fell {a-Diamonds}{6-Hearts}{8-Hearts}, and Juanda quickly checked. Cohen tossed out 2,000, and Juanda moved all in for what looked like 15,000 or so. Cohen tanked for quite some time, then folded.

The very next hand, the two took a flop of {5-}{6-}{7-}. All of the money went in the middle, and the hands were opened:

Cohen: {8-Hearts}{8-Clubs}
Juanda: {6-Spades}{5-Spades}

The turn was a {9-}, giving Cohen a straight, and a repeat {9-} completed the board. Cohen raked in the pot to push her stack over six figures, while Juanda hit the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Sam Cohen us
Sam Cohen
110,000 30,000
John Juanda id
John Juanda
WSOP 5X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
EPT 1X Winner
Busted

Tags: Sam CohenJohn Juanda

Meet Shane Warne's Best Friend... Dimitri Mascarenhas

Dimitri Mascarenhas
Dimitri Mascarenhas

Shane Warne isn't the only cricket star in today's tournament, nor is he the only one wearing 888 gear. We just came across Warne's good friend, English cricketer Dimitri Mascarenhas, playing over at Table 24.

Mascarenhas, who grew up in Perth, Australia, attended Trinity College. That school boastsimpressive cricket alumni such as Craig Serjeant, Simon Katich and Tim Zoehrer. Mascarenhas currently plays county cricket for Hampshire County Cricket Club in the Indian Premier League for the Kings XI Punjab and for the Otago Volts in New Zealand state cricket.

"It amazes me that England have never given him a chance in the one-day side," Warne said of his friend in the September 1, 2006 in The Times. "He is the best finisher with the bat in all situations in the country and his bowling is clever and accurate."

Since then, Warne and Mascarenhas have carried on a friendship that saw the former attend the latter's wedding right here in Melbourne back in 2011. Now it seems the two have extended that friendship into the poker realm.

Does Mascarenhas have decent poker skills? Only time will tell.

Player Chips Progress
Dimitri Mascarenhas
Dimitri Mascarenhas
30,000 30,000

Tags: Dimitri Mascarenhas

McKenzie Freerolls Into Main Event

Jesse McKenzie after winning the freeroll. Picture courtesy of his Twitter.
Jesse McKenzie after winning the freeroll. Picture courtesy of his Twitter.

From Wednesday, Jan. 23 up until this past Monday, Crown ran a heck of a promotion that allowed anyone the opportunity for a Aussie Millions Main Event seat... for free!

All they had to do was Tweet using @CrownPoker and #AussieMillions and then at 9 p.m. each night thee winners were chosen based on the originality of their tweets. Those players then qualified for a Freeroll Tournament that took place at 10 a.m. today.

Just 18 players competed in the freeroll, including long-time PokerNews Josh "procession" Bell. Unfortunately, Bell fell in fifth place.

The winner of the event ended up being Jesse "@OnTheMac" McKenzie, who is now in the Main Event over at Table 48. Here's what McKenzie had to say on Twitter about his win:

Player Chips Progress
Jesse McKenzie au
Jesse McKenzie
30,000 30,000

Tags: Jesse McKenzie

Aussie Millions Main Event Day 1c: Saving the Biggest and the Best for Last

Aussie Millions
Aussie Millions

They say to save the biggest and best for last, and that seems to be the case in the Aussie Millions Main Event as traditionally Day 1c has attracted the biggest field In the 2013 edition, 157 and 196 players turned out for Days 1a and 1b respectively, and early estimates expect both of those numbers to be crushed in today’s final starting flight.

Satellites have been running nonstop to qualify players, and today will be there last chance to compete for one of poker’s most prestigious title. Right now there is even a 18-player satellite freeroll for those who qualified—like Josh “@procession” Bell and Jesse “@OnTheMac” McKenzie—through Crown Casino’s Twitter contest. Whether or not either of those players will get in remains to be seen.

Some other players we expect to see in action today are Phil Ivey; Antonio Esfandiari; Patrik Antonius; and Australian legend Shane Warne.

Also expected to make an appearance today is Andrew Robl, yesterday’s $100,000 Challenge champion:

All of these players, and many more for that matter, look to survive seven 90-minute levels of play and punch their ticket to Day 2 alongside the 175 combined survivors from Days 1a and 1b. They include Tyron Krost, Neil Channing, Jason Mercier, James Obst, Kevin Rabichow, Ayaz Mahmood and Phillip Willcocks. However, all of those players trail Day 1a chip leader Brian Payne (299,900) and Day 1b chip leader Frank Rusnak (165,100).

Who will be the next to add their name to this prestigious list of winners?

YearWinnerPrizeNo. of EntriesPrize Pool
2012Oliver SpeidelAU$1,600,000659AU$6,590,000
2011David GorrAU$2,000,000721AU$7,210,000
2010Tyron KrostAU$2,000,000746AU$7,460,000
2009Stewart ScottAU$2,000,000681AU$6,810,000
2008Alexander KostritsynAU$1,650,000780AU$7,800,000
2007Gus HansenAU$1,500,000747AU$7,470,000
2006Lee NelsonAU$1,295,800418AU$4,180,000
2005Jamil DiaAU$1,000,000263AU$2,630,000
2004Tony BloomAU$426,500133AU$1,330,000
2003Peter CostaAU$394,870122AU$1,220,000

The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be providing you updates throughout the Main Event, as well as the $250,000 Challenge, $25,000 Challenge and $1,000,000 Cash Game. Day 1c action in the Main is set to kick off at 12:30 local time, which is about an hour from now.