James Obst won the first LK Boutique ring of the 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship, taking down Event #2 $2,500 H.O.R.S.E. inside the Crown Poker Room Friday, defeating a final table full of local legends.
2014 Sydney Championships $5,000 Challenge winner Jarryd Godena was the first to exit the seven-handed final and 2015 Australian Poker Hall of Fame nominee Michael Guttman bubbled the money finishing sixth.
2008 Victorian Poker Championship $100,000 Challenge winner Peter Aristidou was then eliminated in fifth place after getting in on fifth street in Razz, heads up with Jan Suchanek. Suchanek make a seven-low on the river against his eight-low.
Suchanek continued to run hot in Razz, eliminating Australian Poker Hall of Fame member Mel Judah in fourth when he made a 9-7-4 against Judah's 9-7-6, again on seventh street.
Fellow Australian Poker Hall of Fame member Jason Gray then fell third, getting crippled in a Stud hand before getting it all in against Obst in Stud Hi/Lo, missing a low draw and ending up with a lower pair than Obst's.
Obst took a 2:1 chip lead into heads up play and after a back and forth affair that saw Suchanek climb back close to even several times, Obst ultimately won it to earn his second Aussie Millions title.
Previously, Obst won the the 2014 Aussie Millions $2,500 8-Game event, ironically defeating Suchanek heads up in that one as well.
Left with barely any chips, Jan Suchanek even had to pay the big blind and called all in for another 2,500 behind when James Obst raised from the small blind. The tournament director announced "Jan is all in with seven of diamonds and three of hearts" and Suchanek joked "You don't have to say that loud" to create laughter from the entire rail.
Suchanek:
Obst:
The flop paired the 10 of Obst and Suchanek was left needing running sevens or threes. The turn gave some chop outs, yet the river blanked to send Suchanek to the rail in 2nd place and crown Obst as champion just like two years ago when the duo clashed in the 8-Game Event.
After having lost the previous big pot, Jason Gray got the remainder of his stack in after 5th street and chip leader James Obst called.
Obst: / /
Gray: / /
Gray's four card low failed to find any help and his pair of deuces was no good for the hi pot either, awarding the pot to Obst with a pair of sixes and no lo.
After the hand, both remaining players went on a 10-minute break.
Mel Judah has been eliminated in fourth place, running bad to make trip deuces and end up with a 9-7-6 low after getting it in heads up with Jan Suchanek, who drew out a 9-7-4.
All of Judah's money went in on third street as a big favorite and Suchanek made his hand with a fortuitous river card.
Judah://
Suchanek://
With one Australian Poker Hall of Famer now gone, the field has been left three handed.
Peter Aristidou has been eliminated in fifth place after getting in on fifth street in Razz heads up with Jan Suchanek, only to see Suchanek make a seven low on the river against his eight.
Aristidou: //
Suchanek: //
With Aristidou headed to the cage to collect fifth place money of $7,020 the field is now down to four.
In a round of Omaha Eight-or-Better, James Obst raised to 8,000 from the button and Michael Guttman called. On the flop , Guttman fired a bet of 4,000 and Obst called. The fell on the turn and Guttman bet 8,000, calling the raise to 16,000 by Obst with very little chips behind. It was the on the river that completed the board and Guttman moved all in, Obst snap-called.
Guttman: for two pair and no low
Obst: for a set of sevens
As there was no qualifying low hand, the bubble officially burst and all remaining five players are now guaranteed at least A$ 7,020.
Jarryd Godena just became the first casualty of the final table, shipping it in for 8,000 under the gun in Limit Hold'em.
Michael Guttman looked him up from the button with the and was well ahead of Godena's .
Godena took the lead on the flop, but Guttman snatched it back when the turn was revealed. The river did not help Godena and he hit the rail seventh putting the remaining players on the money bubble.
In half an hour from now at 1 p.m. local time, the winner of the first LK Boutique winner ring at the 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship will be determined at the Crown Casino in Melbourne. Out of a field of 39 entrants, only seven remain for Event #2 $2,500 H.O.R.S.E. and the top five will be paid with local legends fighting for the spotlight.
Leading the group is 2014 Aussie Millions $2,500 8-Game champ and three-time WSOP final table participant James Obst. All but one of his opponents are from Australia and second-placed Jan Suchanek of New Zealand already finished second to Obst in 2014 as well as third in a WSOP APAC $5,000 No Limit Hold'em - 6 Handed event.
Another two Australian Poker Hall of Fame member made it to the final seven as well in Jason Gray and Mel Judah. The field is completed by Peter Aristidou, 2015 Australian Poker Hall of Fame nominee Michael Guttman and 2014 Sydney Championships $5,000 Challenge winner Jarryd Godena.
Play will resume with the start of Level 14 and the Aussie Millions title also comes with a payday of $35,100. The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be on hand for all the action until a winner is crowned, so make sure to tune back in regularly.
Below are the final table seating assignments and chip counts:
paired the 10 of Obst and Suchanek was left needing running sevens or threes. The 
turn gave some chop outs, yet the 
river blanked to send Suchanek to the rail in 2nd place and crown Obst as champion just like two years ago when the duo clashed in the 8-Game Event.
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