Yori Epskamp2017 Champion Shurane Vijayaram and Tournament Director Joel Williams
In two hours from now, the third and final starting day of the 2018 Aussie Millions Main Event will commence. It's a vintage Aussie Millions, with plenty of laughter and good times being had in the vibrant Crown Casino in Melbourne. With 212 players on Day 1a, 196 on Day 1b and Day 1c traditionally being the biggest flight, the classic tournament is once again on pace to eclipse the 700-runner mark.
Last year's champion Shurane Vijayaram and runner-up Ben Heath are expected to take their seats today. Vijayaram's win last year was a true Cinderella story and one of the most amazing poker tales in recent memory. A week before, Vijayaram was just another hopeful with a dream when he won his Main Event seat by winning a $130-rebuy tournament in Crown Casino. One week later, that $130 was parlayed into a seven-figure score. To top it all off, it was Vijayaram's first-ever live cash as well, making the story even more amazing.
Day 1c is going to be a long one, with seven levels of 90 minutes each. A 15-minute break is scheduled between each level. There will be a 75-minute dinner break after Level 4. Here is the structure for Day 1c:
Level
Small Blind
Big Blind
Ante
1
50
100
2
100
200
3
100
200
25
4
150
300
25
5
200
400
50
6
250
500
75
7
300
600
100
End of Day 1
Day 1a saw Lee Armstrong top the field with 165,400, while other notables advancing included David Gorr, Manny Stavropoulos, Mike Del Vecchio, Mel Judah, Benny Spindler, Jonas Lauck and Max Silver. Cole Swannack topped Day 1b with 197.300 and currently holds the overall chip lead. Others notables made it through the second starting day with solid stacks are Tobias Hausen, Stephen Graner, Jonathan Karamalikis, Sam Grafton, Scott Davies and Joe Hachem.
Aussie Millions Main Event players
Year
Day 1a
Day 1b
Day 1c
Total
2010
233
243
270
747
2011
238
209
274
721
2012
153
187
317
659
2013
157
196
269
629
2014
176
153
339
668
2015
183
173
292
648
2016
180
207
337
732
2017
212
184
332
725
2018
212
196
-
-
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Aussie Millions tournament director Joel Williams welcomed players and then called up on Australia's greatest ever sportsman - Shane Warne.
No stranger to the poker tables, Warne played yesterday but sadly bust out before bagging for day 2.
"Yesterday was one of those days where things didn't go my way. I didn't play some great hands and also got a bit unlucky at times. But that's the way it goes!
"Fist, I wanna say congratulations to the whole team here at Crown with what they've done here, and good luck to everyone participating today. It's a fantastic event that you run here and you do an excellent job year on year."
With the cricket season in full swing here, and the Australians having already clinched the Ashes, Williams asked Warne for his take on things.
"The Ashes always brings out the best in both sides and both sets of players, but it also unearths some players who do magnificent things. [Australian captain] Steve Smith had some pretty remarkable, some might say Bradman-esque, statistics over the series.
"To win 4-0 was a wonderful achievement. Having said that, the ODis came alogn and England played exceptionally well. Their brand of cricket is exciting, and Australia can definitely learn from England with the way they played. But look, England in Australia always captures the imagination of the general public and the crowds. The cricket was oustanding; record attendances and record TV figures. Australia played well and, well, it's always nice to beat the Poms!"
Williams also let slip that after a year away from the limelight, Warne is intending to travel to Las Vegas for this year's World Series of Poker.
"My calendar is clear!" said Warne. "I had a couple of business commitments last year, but before that I'd been going to Vegas for ten years. I cashed a couple of times, including in the Main Event. It's unbelievable. It's a great time to go over there and test your skills against some of the best in the world - and some pretty ordinary ones! I'm looking forward to going back; I'll be there for over a month and hopefully I do ok at the poker felt!"
All that was left for Warne was to do the honours and start proceedings here in the poker room:
"Good luck to everyone, may the best hand hold up - shuffle up and deal!"
Shurane Vijayaram - $10,000 Main Event Aussie Millions Winner 2017
Last year Shurane "Shane" Vijayaram went from entering a $130-rebuy tournament here at Crown Casino and winning a seat in the Main Event, to just one week later turning that $130 into a seven-figure score.
This year, he's back, and in action early on Day 1c of the Main Event.
In this hand he opened to 250 and the big blind called. The big blind check-called a bet on the flop of 225 and the pair checked down both the turn and the river.
Vijayaram showed but his opponent had that beat with .
"It's still early," said Vijayaram who sits on just under starting stack half way through Level 1.
We stopped by Chance Kornuth's table to have a chat with the bracelet-winner with almost $6m in lifetime earnings, who added an Aussie Millions ring to his poker resume here in Melbourne. Kornuth took down the $1,150 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Max earlier this week, beating 598 players to take home A$134,850.
"It's awesome," said Kornuth. "I love winning tournaments. To me, it's the best feeling there is."
The Denver native said that he went to the PCA in the Bahamas, but was excited to come down to the Aussie Millions afterwards; a stop renowned all over the world as a 'not-to-miss' festival of poker.
"It's definitely a hard stop to miss. You know, the city, the people; the value in some of the tournaments make it one of my favourite stops in the whole world."
Kornuth travelled to Melbourne with friends Sam Panzica and Ben Lamb, with Lamb subsequently winning the $25,000 Challenge.
"When you travel with poker players you chat to them a ton, about all sorts of things. Ben and I are going to Thailand afterwards with our girls, and that's one of the reasons he's down here.
"It's fun to see your friends win, but I have been needling him that my score was bigger than his $25,000 Challenge score!"
On a board, Ryan Hong was first to act and checked. Celeste Giunta bet 2,000, Ben Heath raised to 6,400, Hong three-bet to 14,000, Giunta cold-called and Heath called as well.
The river paired the board with the . Hong checked, Giunta shoved for 11,450 total, Heath called and Hong folded with a sigh. Giunta showed for queens full but was second best against Heath's .
With a shocked look on her face, Giunta made her way to the exit, while Heath sports one of the biggest stacks in the early stages.
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After a raise to 500 by the hijack, Ari Engel called in the cutoff and Jake Daniels came along from the button. Bart Lybaert three-bet to 2,800 and all three initial players in the hand called to make it four-ways to the flop. Action checked to Engel, who bet 5,200, and forced a fold from Daniels. Lybaert called, while the hijack then moved all in for 30,500. Engel called all in for his last 20,400 and that forced out Lybaert as well.
Ari Engel:
Hijack:
The turn was no threat and Engel even improved to a full house thanks to the river. After falling to as low as 11,000 in the first level, the 2016 Aussie Millions champion now has a double stack instead.
Felipe Ramos is making the most of his first trip to Melbourne for the Aussie Millions, and we grabbed a quick word with him during the break.
"Melbourne is very nice," he said. "It's become one of my favorite cities in the world; level with Barcelona and Amsterdam. I think that the city has a really great mix - there's a lot of activities to do but then also a lot of green spaces, which I like very much.
"The people are really nice and that's a very good thing to have whenever you go to a poker stop. The beaches as well! Sometimes you go to poker venues where the only option is to be stuck in the poker room all day. That's not very healthy I think for people who have to think for a living!
"I like living the poker lifestyle, and this city offers the poker lifestyle that I love."
Ramos has played a couple of events, including the $25,000 Challenge and a fourth place in the 8-Game.
"Fourth was disappointing for me, because I entered the final table as chip leader. It's my favorite format of poker. But I'm now happy to be playing here in my first Aussie Millions Main Event."
And how is his first taste of the Aussie Millions Main Event going?
"I could have a better table for starters! There are three pros including Kitty Kuo [who finished 3rd in the $25,000 Challenge]," said Ramos. "There are some other decent recreational players as well so my table is strong.
"I didn't have a very good start; I lost over half my stack. But now I'm back to half stack and I'm ready to go!"
Chance Kornuth got in a raising war with Dan Barry preflop after making it 1,700 on a three-bet out of the small blind. Barry came back with 5,550 and Kornuth jammed for about 15,000. Barry called with and that was bad news for the former $25K Challenge winner, who had . The board brought no salvation and he bowed out.
Ari Engel Wins the 2016 Aussie Millions Main Event
Two years ago Ari Engel took down the Aussie Millions Main Event for $1.6m, defeating Tony Dunst heads-up to win the title. Last year he was back as defending champion, but this year he's back again and joining the ranks of former champions.
"It's nice to be back," said Engel. "No matter what happens I'll always have positive memories here. I have a strong record [of cashing] here so it's great. I'm running good; won a flip. Things are great."
Engel is right to say that he runs well here in Melbourne, with five final tables and a win from seven cashes.
"It's interesting! I'm not sure if it's a coincidence when things like that happen. Some places you tend to run better than others. Hopefully, this is a place where I can continue to run well."
We asked Engel why he thinks so many international players like himself head Down Under each year to the Aussie Millions.
"There aren't as many big Main Events like this anymore; with so many satellites running and qualifiers. Also, I mean everyone loves Melbourne as a city; it's great. It's the right time of year. It's great that poker players from all over the world like to keep coming back here."
flop of 225 and the pair checked down both the 
turn and the 
river.
but his opponent had that beat with 
.
board, Ryan Hong was first to act and checked. Celeste Giunta bet 2,000, Ben Heath raised to 6,400, Hong three-bet to 14,000, Giunta cold-called and Heath called as well.
.
flop. Action checked to Engel, who bet 5,200, and forced a fold from Daniels. Lybaert called, while the hijack then moved all in for 30,500. Engel called all in for his last 20,400 and that forced out Lybaert as well.
turn was no threat and Engel even improved to a full house thanks to the 
river. After falling to as low as 11,000 in the first level, the 2016 Aussie Millions champion now has a double stack instead.
