Chidwick & Rast Tie for Chip Lead Among 18 Survivors
While the 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event kicked of on one side of the Crown Melbourne poker room, Day 1 of the prestigious $100,000 Challenge took place on the other. The first day of play attracted 29 players who accounted for eight reentries, which brought the total field up to 37 – down for last year's 70 entries.
However, late registration and reentries are open through the end of Level 9 on Day 2, so that number is sure to grow. As for Day 1 action, which encompassed eight one-hour levels, two players thrived in Stephen Chidwick and Brian Rast, who tied of the chip lead with 378,500 among the 18 survivors.
Others who bagged big were Connor Drinan (372,000), Jeff Rossiter (297,000), and Fabain Quoss (235,000).
The day started off rough for online pro Ben Tollerene, who lost a big pot to Phil Ivey early on and failed to recover. Tollerene was the first player to fall, but he promptly reentered and ended up bagging a healthy 275,500.
One player who did survive Antonio Esfandiari, who had a short and not at all sweet stay after he bluffed away his stack in Level 3. Esfandiari did not return. Others who had a rough go were Andrew Lichtenberger, who busted two bullets, and Ivey, who fell in the last level of the night after a big flush-over-flush hand.
Meanwhile, Russia's all-time money winner Igor Kurganov, who finished runner-up in the $25K Challenge the night before for AU$541,680, ended up firing four times. Nothing went right in the first three, but the fourth got him through Day 1 with 120,500.
Day 2 will commence at 2:00 p.m. local time on Monday with the plan of playing down to the final table. Late registration will remain open for the first level of the day, and chance are Ivey and some other fallen players will take another crack at the title. Stay tuned to PokerNews as we bring you all the latest and greatest from the 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championships.
and Greenwood checked. Juanda made a bet of 9,000 and Greenwood tossed in a big chip while announcing to make it 24,000. 
on the turn and 
on the river couldn't save Juanda and he made his exit with just 15 minutes of play left for the day.
completed the board on the river. Rossiter proceeded to move all in and Ivey wasted little time in dropping in his last 91,000. Rossiter rolled over the 
for a runner-runner flush, and Ivey flinched before showing a flush of his own, albeit an inferior one with the 
.
flop. The 
turn gave Lichtenberger a flush draw, but it failed to come in as the 
flop wasn't a good one for Urbanovich but the 
on the turn gave him a bunch of new outs. The 
on the river wasn't one of the cards he was looking for though, and Urbanovich made his exit.
turn nor 
river was what he needed and he was sent to the rail.
completed the board on the river, Sammartino checked and Ivey moved all in for 135,000. Sammartino didn't seem pleased, used a time extension, and eventually called. 
for a full house, and Sammartino watched the massive 341,000 pot pushed to his opponent.
, and Manfredini checked to the initial raiser. Jacobson checked as well, and action was on Esfandiari. Esfandiari made a bet of 3,000, and Chidwick quickly released. Manfredini made the call, and Jacobson folded after giving it some thought.
hit the turn, and Manfredini checked again. Esfandiari seemed determined and made a bet of 5,300. Manfredini wasted no time (or time breaker chips for that matter) and called.
for the winner. Esfandiari was out, but he has the option to buy back in of course.
flop. Tollerene check-called a bet of 4,000 and then checked for a second time on the 
for a well-disguised straight, and Tollerene sent his hand to the muck.
