Dan Smith's day today is going a lot better than the one he experienced yesterday when he bubbled the AU$100,000 Challenge. He's up to 58,000 after backing into a flush.
He was heads up to the turn of a board and checked to face a 1,500 bet that he raised to 5,200. The board completed with the and Smith took his time before leading for 11,500. His opponent snapped him off and was very disappointed to see Smith open .
An under-the-gun player opened for 800 and Justin Bonomo called from early position. A middle-position player was inspired to call, and after the rest of the players folded, the trio saw a flop of . The under-the-gun player checked, Bonomo bet 1,600, and both his opponents called.
Three checks on the turn brought about the river, and at that point the under-the-gun player bet a modest 1,500. It did the trick though as both Bonomo and the middle-position player folded.
Bonomo has gotten off to a rough start here on Day 1c and is down to about half the starting stack.
Tom Hall has been eliminated at the hands of Phil Ivey after the latter accidentally raised too much on the flop. It was a significant move and factored in Hall's decision to call off on the river.
Around 15,300 had made it into the middle by the turn of a board. Ivey bet 10,000 and Hall called to the river where Ivey set him in for his last 10,950.
"Oh jesus!" said Hall. "Why would you bomb the flop?" before he called all in with .
Ivey opened for a flopped set. "I meant to raise to 2,000," said Ivey.
Hall confirmed that Ivey had accidentally raised his c-bet by four-and-a-half times on the flop.
We noticed Sam Khouiss making a hasty exit from the tournament floor, and a quick checked at Table 45 confirmed that he had just been eliminated.
According to Dylan Honeyman, who happened to do the deed, he raised from the cutoff and the player on the button called. Khouiss, who finished runner-up to Rory Young back in October's 2014 World Series of Poker APAC $1,650 8-Game Dealer's Choice event, came along from the small blind and three players watched the flop fall rainbow. Three checks put a on the turn, and that's when things got interesting.
Khouiss checked, Honeyman bet 1,250, and the player on the button called. Khouiss then woke up with a check-raise to 5,000, Honeyman three-bet to 11,000, and the button got out of the way. Khouiss proceeded to four-bet all in for roughly 20,000 total and Honeyman mad a quick call.
Khouiss tabled for a turned straight, but it was no good as the same card gave Honeyman Broadway. The river failed to deliver Khouiss a chop, and his 2015 Aussie Millions Main Event came to an abrupt end in Level 2.
The Aussie Millions has a rich history, dating all the way back to 1998 when Alex Horowitz won what was then referred to as the "1998 Australian Poker Championships" and played in limit hold'em. The buy-in that year was $1,000, and that buy-in remained the same for 1999. In 2000 and 2001, the buy-in was increased to $1,500. For 2002's version, the buy-in was bumped up to $5,000, and in 2003 and on it has always been $10,000.
In 1999, the game was changed to pot-limit hold'em, and then no-limit hold'em from there on out. The largest event to date was in 2008 when Alexander Kostritsyn topped a field of 780 players to win $1,650,000.
The Aussie Millions is without a doubt the Southern Hemisphere's most prestigious poker tournament, and another impressive field of over 600 runners is in the making this time around. For the second year running, the event is partnered with the PokerStars.net Asia-Pacific Poker Tour, and many agree that the partnership has been beneficial on both sides.
Below is a historical table of the event, dating all the way back to 1998:
Year
Entries
Prize Pool (AU$)
Winner
First Prize (AU$)
1998
74
$74,000
Alex Horowitz
$25,900
1999
109
$109,000
Milo Nadalin
$38,150
2000
109
$173,500
Leo Boxell
$65,225
2001
101
$151,500
Sam Korman
$53,025
2002
66
$330,000
John Maver
$150,000
2003
122
$1,220,000
Peter Costa
$394,870
2004
133
$1,330,000
Tony Bloom
$426,500
2005
263
$2,630,000
Jamil Dia
$1,000,000
2006
418
$4,180,000
Lee Nelson
$1,295,800
2007
747
$7,470,000
Gus Hansen
$1,500,000
2008
780
$7,758,500
Alexander Kostritsyn
$1,650,000
2009
681
$6,810,000
Stewart Scott
$2,000,000
2010
746
$7,460,000
Tyron Krost
$2,000,000
2011
721
$7,210,000
David Gorr
$2,000,000
2012
659
$6,590,000
Oliver Speidel
$1,600,000
2013
629
$6,290,000
Mervin Chan
$1,600,000
2014
668
$6,680,000
Ami Barer
$1,600,000
The number to beat from last year is 668 entries, and we'll keep you posted on this year's field size as the third and final starting day wears on.
Alex Trevallion is having the week of his life, or, "Not bad!" as he puts it.
Before the Aussie Millions his best result was a 22nd place finish at EPT for around $27k but in the last few days, he's taken down the AU$25,000 Challenge for $760,000 and is guaranteed another AU$310,000 after making the final table of the AU$100,000 challenge last night. Trevallion is in for level 2 and hoping to continue the good form.
Another Australian player, Daniel Ladlaw, is a couple of tables along from Travellion and up to 35,000 after he eliminated Alex Periculeous and his pocket kings. Ladlaw had big-slick and turned an ace.
Phil Ivey had a good first level even after a strange hand he lost where an opponent just called twice with the nuts.
Just before the break started, Ivey and two opponents made it to the turn of a board. Ivey bet 2,000 and was called in one spot. Ivey bet 5,000 on the river and his opponent just called again with for Broadway. Ivey had already confidently opened and after the pot was pushed to his opponent, he looked around a little confused to see if anyone else reacted. No one did and the game moved on.
board and checked to face a 1,500 bet that he raised to 5,200. The board completed with the 
and Smith took his time before leading for 11,500. His opponent snapped him off and was very disappointed to see Smith open 
.
. The under-the-gun player checked, Bonomo bet 1,600, and both his opponents called.
turn brought about the 
river, and at that point the under-the-gun player bet a modest 1,500. It did the trick though as both Bonomo and the middle-position player folded.
board. Ivey bet 10,000 and Hall called to the 
river where Ivey set him in for his last 10,950.
.
rainbow. Three checks put a 
on the turn, and that's when things got interesting.
for a turned straight, but it was no good as the same card gave Honeyman Broadway. The 
board. Ivey bet 2,000 and was called in one spot. Ivey bet 5,000 on the 
for Broadway. Ivey had already confidently opened