The 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship A$1,150 No-Limit Hold'em / Pot-Limit Omaha Event #15 attracted a field of 135 entrants and has been whittled down to its last 15 hopefuls when bagging and tagging took place at 5 a.m. last night. So far, everyone has locked up A$2,075 for the efforts whereas the first-place finish comes with a payday of A$35,985 and the elusive LK Boutique championship ring.
Action recommences in half an hour from now at 3 p.m. local time in the poker room of the Crown Entertainment Complex in Melbourne with 30 minutes left in level 15 at blinds 1,500-3,000. The first game played is Pot-Limit Omaha while the next level then has No-Limit Hold'em on offer, both game types switch every level.
Daniel Hachem is leading the field with 305,500 followed by Half of Fame Event #13 runner-up Linh Tran with 157,500 and Dominik Nitsche with 155,500. The survivors are mostly from Australia including Michael Seymour (106,500) and 2014 World Series of Poker Asia Pacific bracelet winner Sam Higgs (57,000), Hall of Fame Event #13 finalist Roy Vandersluis bagged up a short stack with 21,500.
The PokerNews live reporting team will be there until a winner is crowned, so make sure to tune back in regularly.
Linh Tran made it 10,000 and Daniel Hachem three-bet to 24,000 before Dominik Nitsche four-bet jammed for over 100,000.
Tran pushed all in for more and Hachem folded.
Tran:
Nitsche:
It was a classic cooler, but Nitsche ended up on the wrong end of it after the flop made Tran a set. Thr turn and river could not save Nitsche and as he hit the rail, Tran moved into the chip lead.
The new level started rather tight with barely any action until the second round of Pot-Limit Omaha kicked in. Linh Tran raised to 12,000, Daniel Hachem called and then Pallas Aidinian squeezed all in from the big blind. Tran re-potted and Hachem quickly folded to see the last woman in the field at risk for just under 100,000 chips.
Aidinian:
Tran:
The flop was no good for Aidinian and she was drawing dead once the fell on the turn. Only a six would avoid her being sent to the rail, but the river was a brick and reduced the field to the last five hopefuls.
From under the gun, Linh Tran moved all in for his last 34,000 chips and Daniel Hachem as well as Mohammed Afiouni called. The two remaining players checked down the board entirely and Tran announced queen-high.
Tran:
Afiouni:
Hachem:
The runner-up of Event #13 bowed out in 4th place this time and received a payday of A$12,455 for his efforts.
Doug Corning was chipped down to only 10 big blinds early in the level while Mohammed Afiouni took a pot off Daniel Hachem in Pot-Limit Omaha to increase the lead with a flush.
Then, Hachem raised from the button and Corning jammed for 120,000 with Hachem making the call for one third of his stack.
Corning:
Hachem:
The flop already improved Hachem to a pair of aces and Corning failed to improve with the turn and river. He takes home a payday of $A15,915 while two Aussies will determine the next winner of a LK Boutique championship ring.
Both players then took a short break and even Tony Hachem showed up on the rail for moral support.
Daniel Hachem doubled up his short stack once in Pot-Limit Omaha with versus before picking up pocket aces in Hold'em. Unfortunately, the dealer gave Mohammed Afiouni by mistake a third card and the hand counted as misdeal!
Then, Hachem got his last 90,000 in preflop with deuces and flipped for his miracle:
Hachem:
Afiouni:
The board ran out and Hachem was sent to the rail in second place. Both contenders for the title shook hands and the Hachem rail welcomed their son with plenty of consolations, the payday of A$24,220 will surely sooth the pain as well.
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and was light years ahead of Higgs' 
. The board rolled out 
taking Higgs with it.
.
. Afiouni was ahead with the 
and held through the 
turn and 
river.
and was in a classic race versus Corning's 
.
board was completed.
flop made Tran a set. Thr 
turn and 
river could not save Nitsche and as he hit the rail, Tran moved into the chip lead.
.
and made a wheel on the 
and Hachem was sent to the rail in second place. Both contenders for the title shook hands and the Hachem rail welcomed their son with plenty of consolations, the payday of A$24,220 will surely sooth the pain as well.