AU$25,000 Challenge Day 1 | 2019 Aussie Millions

Jan 25, 2019

The Stage is Set for the Aussie Millions AU$25,000 Challenge

Tim Duckworth

Ben Lamb Wins the 2018 Aussie Millions $25,000 Challenge

Welcome to the 2019 Aussie Millions for Day 1 of Event #9: AU$25,000 Challenge live from Crown Melbourne in sunny Melbourne, Australia.

The smaller priced side events have been taking center stage at the Aussie Millions, but now it's time to kick up the action as the AU$25,000 Challenge marks the beginning of a stretch of tournaments with high-priced buy-ins targeted at attracting some of the World's best high roller players.

In 2018, a total of 114 entrants would take part in the AU$25,000 Challenge to create a prize pool of AU$2,736,000 that paid the final 14 players. Michael Gathy, Brian Yoon, Rory Young, and Mustapha Kanit all fell short of reaching the final table, and when the dust settled, it would be American Ben Lamb defeating Germany's Jan-Eric Schwippert heads-up to capture the AU$738,720 first prize and the Aussie Millions ring.

Following the success of high roller tournaments around the World over the last 12 months, another sizeable field is expected to take part in the AU$25,000 Challenge.

Players will begin with 50,000 in starting chips and are allowed one re-entry with late registration available for eight (8) levels. The first six levels will be 40 minutes in length before switching to 60 minutes thereafter. There is a 45-minute dinner break following level eight, and players will be playing a total of 12 levels with play ending at approximately 1:40 a.m. (AEDT).

The cards are in the air at 2:10 p.m. (AEDT) with the PokerNews Live Reporting Team providing continuous live updates of all the Event #9: AU$25,000 Challenge action. So stay tuned right here to PokerNews.com for all the AU$25,000 Challenge action, along with all the updates live from the 2019 Aussie Millions.

Tags: Ben Lamb

Jan 25, 2019

Big Names in the A$25,000 Challenge

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Will Shillibier

Level 1 : 100/200, 0 ante

2019 Aussie Millions Opening Event Champion Muhammad Asad

Some of the big names seated in the A$25,000 Challenge early include Australians Michael Addamo and Kahle Burns, last year's Aussie Millions Main Event winner Toby Lewis, and this year's Opening Event winner Muhammad Asad.

Asad defeated a 1,752-player field to take home A$219,980.

Tags: Kahle Burns Michael Addamo Toby Lewis

Jan 25, 2019

Lybaert Spins Out Warne

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tim Duckworth

Level 3 : 200/400, 300 ante

The final board read and Shane Warne had committed the last of his chips holding .

Unfortunately for the "King of Spin", Bart Lybaert had him pipped when he tabled his for a flopped set to send Warne to the rail.

Tags: Bart Lybaert Shane Warne

Jan 25, 2019

2019 AU$25,000 Challenge Surpasses 2018 Number of 114 Entrants

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tim Duckworth

Level 4 : 300/600, 450 ante

With the latest influx of players, the tournament clock currently reads 117 entrants less then half way through the registration period.

Consequently, 2018's mark of 114-entrants has now been eclipsed, and this year's AU$25,000 Challenge will be eyeing the mark set in 2017 that saw 133 entrants take part in the AU$25,000 Challenge.

Jan 25, 2019

2019 AU$25,000 Challenge Surpasses 2017 Number of 133 Entrants

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tim Duckworth

Level 7 : 500/1,200, 1,200 ante

With the tournament clock now reading 134 entrants, this year's AU$25,000 Challenge is now the biggest of all time for the Aussie Millions.

With nearly a full two levels of registration available, the entrant number is going to continue to climb and might even reach 150 by the commencement of the dinner break.

Jan 25, 2019

Lewis Scores Huge Double

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Will Shillibier

Level 8 : 800/1,600, 1,200 ante

A player opened to 3,200 from middle position and Lewis three-bet to 15,000 from the big blind. The initial raiser four-bet to 42,000 and Lewis called.

The flop came and Lewis check-called 32,000 from his opponent.

The turn was the . Lewis checked again and this time his opponent moved all in. Lewis snap-called.

Toby Lewis:
Opponent:

His opponent was drawing dead and the rolled off on the river to give Lewis a double for his remaining 123,700.

Tags: Toby Lewis

Jan 25, 2019

Salter Doubles Through Mustafa; Rivers Quads

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tim Duckworth

Level 9 : 1,000/2,000, 1,800 ante

Arif Mustafa opened to 7,000 from under the gun, and Jack Salter moved all in from the button for 46,200. Action folded back to Mustafa, and he called.

Mustafa:
Salter:

The dealer spread a board to ensure Salter of a double when he improved to quads on the river.

Tags: Jack Salter Arif Mustafa

Jan 25, 2019

Jiang Cracks Aces to Stay Alive

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tim Duckworth

Level 9 : 1,000/2,000, 1,800 ante

Following a raise in the cutoff to 4,400, Sosia Jiang shoved all in for 36,700 from the small blind and the original raiser immediately made the call.

Jiang:
Opponent:

The board ran out and Jiang scored a double after turning her set.

Tags: Sosia Jiang

Jan 25, 2019

Event #9: AU$25,000 Challenge Prize Pool Release; AU$960,360 to the Winner!

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Will Shillibier

Level 9 : 1,000/2,000, 1,800 ante

The prize pool for Event #9: AU$25,000 Challenge has been released with the 151-entrant field creating a AU$3,624,000 prize pool.

The final 17 players will all be in-the-money, and here is how the payouts break down:

Place	Payout (AUD)	Payout (USD)
1st	$960,360	$691,459
2nd	$652,320	$469,670
3rd	$416,760	$300,067
4th	$308,040	$221,789
5th	$217,440	$156,557
6th	$154,020	$110,894
7-8th	$117,780	$84,802
9-10th	$99,660	$71,755
11-12th	$81,540	$58,709
13-17th	$63,420	$45,662

Jan 25, 2019

Smith Climbs Over 300k with Runner-Runner Straight

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook

Tim Duckworth

Level 10 : 1,200/2,400, 1,800 ante

Following a button raise to 5,100, Elliot Smith three-bet the small blind to 20,000.

The button called, and then both players checked the flop to reveal the on the turn.

Smith checked, and his opponent bet 26,500. Smith called, and when the river landed the , he led out for 25,000.

Smith's opponent shoved all in for roughly 90,000, and Smith called instantly.

The button tabled his for top pair, but it would be Smith's for the nut straight that would earn him the checkmark, and the elimination of his opponent.

Tags: Elliot Smith