2015 Aussie Millions

The 2015 Aussie Millions Poker Championship AU$10,600 Main Event has been called the southern hemisphere's most prestigious tournament, and today players from around the world flocked to Crown Melbourne for the first of three starting flights. Day 1a attracted 183 players – up from last year's 175 – and after seven 90-minute levels, approximately 104 remained with Jan Suchanek and his stack of 163,400 leading the way. Suchanek has seven top-three finishes in Aussie Millions events in last five years, including victory in a $1,100 eight-game event back in 2012

While many of the game's biggest names like Phil Ivey, Patrik Antonius, and Scott Seiver were busy across the room playing the AU$100,000 Challenge, others were busy battling for a spot on Day 2 of the Main Event. Among those to survive the night with big stacks were Joakim Backlund and defending champ Ami Barer, who is primed for a title defense finishing the night third in chips.

Day 1a started slow, but eventually Manny Rodriguez earned the distinction of being the first player eliminated from the 2015 Aussie Millions Main Event. Obviously he would not be the last. Others who joined him on the rail throughout the day included Ben Wilinofsky, Maria Ho, Jason Wheeler, Matthew Ashton, Brian Roberts, [Removed:17], Chris Moorman, Martin Finger, 2012 Aussie Millions runner-up Joseph Cabret, and 2011 champ Oliver Speidel.

Speidel, who topped a field of 659 players to win AU$1.6 million three years back, fell in Level 6 (250/500/75) when he got his last 8,000 all in preflop holding and was racing against the pocket tens of Marc MacDonnell. Speidel came up empty, and his hopes of becoming the tournament's first two-time winner came to an end.

Likewise, 2006 champ Lee Nelson fell in the last level of the night after four-bet jamming his last 15,000 holding only to run into the of Raiden Kan. Nelson failed to get lucky, and his exit left Barer and 2011 champ David Gorr as the only former champs remaining in the field. Gorr went on to bag up 42,200.

Other who managed to punch their ticket to Day 2 were World Series of APAC runner-up Jack Salter (85,400); WSOP bracelet winner Andrew Hincirchsen (89,000); 2014 WSOP Main Event runner-up Felix Stephensen (82,000); Australian Hall of Famer Jeff Lisandro (54,700); last year's third-place finisher Jake Balsiger (46,800); and Australia's pride and joy, Joe Hachem (13,400).

Day 1b of the 2015 Aussie Millions Main Event will begin at 12:30 p.m. local time on Monday. Players will once again play seven 90-minute levels, and of course the PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be there every step of the way to bring your all the action and eliminations straight from the floor of the Crown Poker Room.

While you wait, check out our video on the great city of Melbourne:

The tournament staff just announced the remaining players will play three more hands before bagging and tagging for the night. We're headed out to the field to compile a list of notable chips counts, so stay tuned for those as well as a full recap of the Day 1a action.

"You run good here!" said a table mate to Jack Salter after he came from behind to win a pot off an opponent to rise to 87,000.

"I run good everywhere," responded Salter, "But stupidly good here!"

Salter and a player to his right took a flop. Salter led or 1,400 and called when raised to 3,500. The turn came as the and Salter check-called 3,500 before both checked the river. The Brit's for turned two pair was good enough to see off his opponent's .

Bernard Beh got his stack of 19,000 all in preflop and was a heavy favorite against last year's third-place finisher, Jake Balsiger.

Balsiger:
Beh:

Beh was primed for a double, but the flop made things very interesting as Balsiger flopped top pair with a flush draw. The turn meant a queen on the river would result in a chop, and wouldn't you know it the peeled off.

Balsiger seemed relieved to receive a refund while Beh looked a bit frustrated.

We missed the action unfold, but we do know a big hand just took place between Iori Yogo and Dylan Wilkerson.

"He just ripped 55 big blinds," Wilkerson explained after the hand. We're not sure of the exact action, but we do know Yogo got his stack of 32,000 or so all in preflop.

Yogo:
Wilkerson:

It was a big flip, but Yogo needed to improve to stay alive. Much to Wilkerson's dismay, that's exactly what happened when the flop delivered Yogo a straight. Neither the turn nor river helped Wilkerson, and he sent about half his stack to his direct right.

Rahul Byrraju - who came 8th in the AU$25k Challenge yesterday - has taken the chip lead after he busted UKIPT Edinburgh Champion, Dean Hutchinson.

The Scot committed his last 13,000 on the turn of a board with and was called by Byrraju holding . The river came as the and Hutchinson headed off into the night as Byrraju tidied his 170,000-stack.

Heinz Kamutzki has dropped to a still healthy 84,000 after running into an opponent's full house.

He opened from mid position and was called by a player in the small blind. The flop fanned and Kamutzki continued for 1,400. Call. Kamutzki fired another 2,100 on the turn and called when check-raised up to 5,200. Both players checked the turn and the small blind opened . Kamutzki mucked.

Lee Nelson won the Aussie Millions way back in 2006, but he won't be winning it again this year as he was just eliminated at the hands of Raiden Kan.

It happened after Jack Salter opened for 1,400 under the gun and another player called. Kan then three-bet to 6,000, Nelson four-bet jammed for roughly 15,000, and action folded back to Salter. He folded, as did the limper, and Kan made a quick call with . Nelson tabled the and failed to get lucky as the board left him wanting.

Nelson, who took home $949,694 for winning back in 2006, leaves the 2015 Aussie Millions Main Event empty handed in the last level of Day 1a.