Just 19 players from a starting field of 114 will return for Day 2 of the 2018 Aussie Millions $25,000 Challenge, with a whole host of big names still in contention for the over A$700,000 in prize money for first place as well as the ANTON Jewellery championship ring.
Leading the way is Kitty Kuo, who stormed to the chip lead on Day 1, but there are still some dangerous players lurking who will look to usurp Kuo. They include former WSOP APAC Main Event runner-up Jack Salter, double Aussie Millions ring-winner Mustapha Kanit, triple bracelet-winner Michal Gathy, WSOP final tablist Ben Lamb and top Australian player Jonathan Karamalikis.
There are still plenty more stories yet to be written in this year's $25,000 Challenge and the action gets underway just after 2pm local time. The tournament must end today, but before we crown a winner we have the money bubble to deal with, which will burst in one of the first few levels of the day.
A total of 14 places will be paid, with a min-cash worth A$54,720. A seat at the final table of six will guarantee a player a cool A$123,120 but all remaining players will be casting their eyes ever skyward towards the first prize of A$738,720 and the Aussie Millions championship ring.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for all the live updates from this year's Aussie Millions, including the A$10,600 Main Event and $50,000 Challenge, which kick off tomorrow, as well as the $100,000 Challenge which starts February 4th.
It folded to Rory Young in the small blind, and with Jordan Westmorland holding a stack of around 20bb in the big blind, Young moved all in. Westmorland called.
Rory Young:
Jordan Westmorland:
Westmorland had woken up with a big hand and the flop came , with Young reaching to take his all-in bet back and count out the chips for his opponent's seemingly impending double-up.
There was a sweat, however, when the came on the turn giving Young a gutshot straight draw.
"Oh Jesus Christ," said Young, who near-jumped out of his seat as the came on the river, giving him a straight and sending Westmorland to the rail.
The remaining 18 players are now seated at three tables with play four eliminations away from the money.
Kazuhiko Yotsushika raised to 12,000 and Claas Segebrecht three-bet to 38,000 from the button. With the action back on Yotsushika, he took his time, with Mustapha Kanit eventually calling time.
Yotsushika then four-bet to 88,000. Segebrecht moved all in and Yotsushika nodded before calling.
Kazuhiko Yotsushika:
Claas Segebrecht:
There was a King on the flop of giving Segebrecht the lead, but Yotsushika clapped his hands together in celebration when the came on the turn. The river rubbed salt in the wounds of Segebrech who handed over 190,500 chips to his opponent.
Stefan Huber raised to 15,000 from under the gun. Marius Gierse had been patiently nursing a shortstack for the entire day, having come into Day 2 with just 11 big blinds, and moved all in around 48,000. Huber called.
Stefan Huber:
Marius Gierse:
Gierse looked good for most of the hand until the King hit meaning he was sent to the rail in 18th place.
Jack Salter raised to 14,000 and Ben Lamb called on the button. Out of the small blind, Danny Tang moved all in for his last 77,000 and Salter quickly folded. Lamb asked for a count and called moments later.
Danny Tang:
Ben Lamb:
Neither the flop of nor the turn helped Tang and some of outs were gone as Lamb had a diamond in his hand. The river gave Lamb a flush and Tang became the third casualty of the day.
First to act, it was short stack Jonathan Karamalikis that moved all in for 28,000 and Jack Salter from one seat over gave it some thought before folding. Michael Addamo on the button called, as did Roger Teska in the big blind. Both remaining active players checked down the board of and Karamalikis flipped over .
Teska had that beat with and that ended up as the winner, as Addamo only had . Once all hands on the other tables are finished, the action will continue hand-for-hand on the money bubble.
Michael Addamo opened the action with a raise on the button and Ben Lamb three-bet big out of the small blind, making it 75,000 to go. Addamo called and the flop fell . Lamb, who has been playing very aggressive throughout the first two levels of the day, continued for 41,000 and Addamo called.
On the turn, Lamb suddenly checked and Addamo bet 25,000 with some 220,000 behind. Lamb moved all in with the superior stack and Addamo tanked for more than five minutes, and two minutes into the first scheduled break of the day. Ultimately, Addamo called and the cards were turned over.
Michael Addamo:
Ben Lamb:
Addamo was the player at risk and in need of help, but the river was a blank to let the bubble burst.
Brian Yoon made it 18,000 to go and Stefan Huber three-bet all in for 136,000 one hand after he had doubled through Kitty Kuo. Yoon and Huber both exchanged some chat and smiles before Yoon eventually called.
Stefan Huber:
Brian Yoon:
Yoon took the lead on the flop and the turn and river even improved him top a full house, sending Huber to the rail in 14th place for Place A$54,720.
Kitty Kuo opened to 18,000 first to act and Yury Zinkevich moved all in for 81,000 on the button. Brian Yoon in the big blind called and Kuo asked for Yoon's stack size before electing to reraise, making it 210,000 to go. That was enough to force out Yoon and the cards were tabled.
Yury Zinkevich:
Kitty Kuo:
The classic coin flip all but lost the entire excitement for Zinkevich when the flop fell , as the Belorussian needed running aces or kings to remain in contention. It was all over on the turn, and the meaningless river was a mere formality. Zinkevich takes home A$54,720 for his efforts and the remaining 12 players will be balanced to two tables shortly.
, with Young reaching to take his all-in bet back and count out the chips for his opponent's seemingly impending double-up.
came on the turn giving Young a gutshot straight draw. 
came on the river, giving him a straight and sending Westmorland to the rail.
came on the turn. The river 
meaning he was sent to the rail in 18th place.
nor the 
river gave Lamb a flush and Tang became the third casualty of the day.
and Karamalikis flipped over 
and that ended up as the winner, as Addamo only had 
. Lamb, who has been playing very aggressive throughout the first two levels of the day, continued for 41,000 and Addamo called.
flop and the 
river even improved him top a full house, sending Huber to the rail in 14th place for Place A$54,720.
turn, and the meaningless 
river was a mere formality. Zinkevich takes home A$54,720 for his efforts and the remaining 12 players will be balanced to two tables shortly.
