AU$50,000 Challenge
Day 1 Completed
2019 Aussie Millions
AU$50,000 Challenge
Day: 1
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1
2019 Aussie Millions
Buy-in
50,000 AUD
Prize Pool
3,007,000 AUD
Entries
62
Level
20
Blinds
12,000 / 24,000
Ante
24,000
Kahle Burns Leads Shortened Day for AU$50,000 Challenge; 23 Still Remain
Level 5
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Today the 2019 Aussie Millions played host to Day 1 of the Event #12: AU$50,000 Challenge, and due to some scheduling issues, play was halted after just four-and-a-half levels of play.
Some viewed last year's AU$50,000 Challenge as a small disappointment as only four players took part with Sam Greenwood capturing the title over Jan-Eric Schwippert. Although this year's installment begin with just four players after a slight delay to the kick-off, the field continued to swell throughout the day as players looked to get involved in the high stakes action.
When play ended for the day, several players were on their second entry, while some were looking at firing a third on Day 2 as a total of 37 entrants had taken a seat to create a prize pool nearing AU$1.8 million.
Only 23 players would bag chips, and it would be local high stakes player Kahle Burns leading the field with 242,300 in chips. His nearest rivals were Alex Foxen (139,900), Hideki Izutsu (128,900), and Toby Lewis (109,200). Burns launched into the chip lead early in the day when he eliminated Foxen with kings versus ace-jack suited. Following that, he eliminated Koray Aldemir and was remained with his big stack until the end-of-play. Foxen's decision to fire a second entry was a good one as he experienced a roller coaster journey of ups and downs on his new table before ending second in chips.
Izutsu (pictured above) was on the verge of being eliminated in a hand that saw him run queens into kings into ace-king suited. Fortunately for Izutsu, a queen fell on the flop and he rode his new found chip stack to third overall. Early this morning, defending Aussie Millions Champion Toby Lewis finished in second-place in the AU$25,000 Challenge. After doing the shuffle up and deal for Day 1a of the Main Event, Lewis was planning on taking a day off, but his change in heart resulted in him finishing with the fourth biggest stack of the day. Players also surviving into Day 2 include AU$25,000 Challenge winner Rainer Kempe, Dominik Nitsche, Michael Addamo, Maria Ho, Jack Sinclair, Jack Salter, and Rory Young.
With the parameters of the tournament being altered by Aussie Millions Tournament Director Joel Williams, the plan for Day 2 will be a complex one.
There will be no overnight re-draw, instead a re-draw will occur after level six - the intended Day 1 ending. After this redraw, players will have their time extension buttons reset to two, and after one more level is complete, registration will be closed at the end of level seven; approximately 4 p.m. (AEDT) on Monday, January 28. Players still have unlimited re-entries in the AU$50,000 Challenge.
The cards are in the air for Day 2 at 1:10 p.m. (AEDT) with the PokerNews Live Reporting Team providing continuous live updates of all the Event #12: AU$50,000 Challenge action. So stay tuned right here to PokerNews.com for all the AU$50,000 Challenge action, along with all the updates live from the 2019 Aussie Millions.
End-of-Day 1 Chip Counts and Seating Draw
Level 5
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
| Seat | Name | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | -- empty -- | -- | -- |
| 2 | Chin Wei Lim | Malaysia | 95,600 |
| 3 | -- empty -- | -- | -- |
| 4 | Toby Lewis | United Kingdom | 109,200 |
| 5 | Rory Young | Australia | 20,000 |
| 6 | Julien Martini | France | 69,200 |
| 7 | Kazuhiko Yotsushika | Japan | 79,300 |
| 8 | -- empty -- | -- | -- |
| 1 | Michael Addamo | Australia | 61,600 |
| 2 | Mustapha Kanit | Italy | 102,500 |
| 3 | -- empty -- | -- | -- |
| 4 | -- empty -- | -- | -- |
| 5 | Tsugunari Toma | Japan | 98,000 |
| 6 | Kahle Burns | Australia | 242,300 |
| 7 | Manig Loeser | Germany | 66,200 |
| 8 | Jack Salter | United Kingdom | 29,900 |
| 1 | Rainer Kempe | Germany | 106,300 |
| 2 | Jack Sinclair | United Kingdom | 33,800 |
| 3 | Jessica Ngu | Australia | 44,200 |
| 4 | -- empty -- | -- | -- |
| 5 | Alex Foxen | United States | 139,900 |
| 6 | -- empty -- | -- | -- |
| 7 | Thomas Muehloecker | Austria | 108,300 |
| 8 | Yingui Li | China | 24,100 |
| 1 | -- empty -- | -- | -- |
| 2 | Michael Lim | Australia | 62,300 |
| 3 | Maria Ho | United States | 59,300 |
| 4 | Huang Shan | China | 19,700 |
| 5 | Hideki Izutsu | Japan | 128,900 |
| 6 | -- empty -- | -- | |
| 7 | Dominik Nitsche | Germany | 65,000 |
| 8 | Michael Soyza | Malaysia | 88,300 |
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
242,300 | 7,300 |
|
139,900 | 121,300 |
|
128,900 | 25,000 |
|
109,200 | 72,400 |
|
108,300 | 18,300 |
|
106,300 | -23,700 |
|
102,500 | 40,500 |
|
98,000 | 21,000 |
|
95,600 | -7,400 |
|
88,300 | -1,700 |
|
79,300 | -15,700 |
|
69,200 | 21,200 |
|
66,200 | -800 |
|
65,000 | -800 |
|
62,300 | -25,100 |
|
61,600 | 30,700 |
|
59,300 | 9,300 |
|
44,200 | -25,800 |
|
33,800 | -16,200 |
|
29,900 | -44,100 |
|
24,100 | 24,100 |
|
20,000 | -28,200 |
|
19,700 | 200 |
Three More Hands
Level 5
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
The remaining 23 players will play out three more hands before bagging up for the night.
Lim's Shove is Enough
Level 5
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
On a flop of 
Chin Wei Lim checked from the big blind before Kazuhiko Yotsushika bet 2,500 from the button. Lim then raised to 6,200. Yotsushika called.
The turn brought the 
and Lim bet out 13,000. Yotsushika raised to 30,000. Lim sat motionless for his allocated 30-seconds before his time extension was automatically played. A moment later Lim moved all in for 55,700 in total. Yotsushika didn't take long to accept he was beat before he tossed his cards to the muck.
Lim smiled and flashed a queen and ten giving him a straight before he raked in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
103,000 | 52,200 |
|
|
95,000 | 12,000 |
Toma and Loeser Chop
Level 5
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Manig Loeser opened to 2,100 under the gun and both Tsugunari Toma and Kahle Burns called from the blinds.
The flop landed 
and Loeser continued for 2,600. Toma called, and Burns folded as the 
checked through on the turn.
The river fell the 
and Toma bet out 6,000 and Loeser called.
Toma tabled his 
, and Loeser revealed his 
, and the pot was chopped up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
77,000 | -23,000 |
|
|
67,000 | 7,000 |
Ziegler Eliminated by Toma
Level 5
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
Manig Loeser raised to 2,100 from under the gun plus one before Tobias Ziegler re-raised to 7,500 from the small blind. Tsugunari Toma was in the big blind and bumped it up to 17,000 which saw Loeser instantly muck his hand. With the decision back on Ziegler he moved all in for 43,600. Toma made the quick call and had Ziegler covered.
Tsugunari Toma: 
Tobias Ziegler: 
Zielger looked in great shape to double up especially after his over pair improved to a set on the 
flop. Unfortunately for Zielger the board ran out the then 
giving Toma the unlikely victory with a straight.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
100,000 | 22,000 |
|
Busted |
Play Resumes
Level 5
: 500/1,000, 1,000 ante
During the break and some of the previous level, the Tournament Directors and players discussed altering the parameters of the tournament.
Consequently, it was decided that play for the day would end after 30 minutes of this level so that people had the option to go to the Australian Open Men's Final.
As a result, there will be no re-draw tonight, and time extension chips will be not reset. Play will resume at 1:10 p.m. (AEDT) and a re-draw will occur at the end of level six, while registration will close at the end of level seven.
The cards are now back in the air with 30 minutes remaining in the day.
Level: 5
Blinds: 500/1,000
Ante: 1,000
Break Time
Level 4
: 400/800, 800 ante
The remaining 27 players are on a 15-minute break.