2020 Aussie Millions

A$10,600 Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info

2020 Aussie Millions

Final Results
Winner
Vincent Wan
Winning Hand
109
Prize
1,318,000 AUD
Event Info
Buy-in
10,600 AUD
Prize Pool
8,200,000 AUD
Entries
820
Level Info
Level
34
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Players Info - Day 1b
Entries
264
Players Left
133

Theakstone Thrives on Day 1b, Eyes Another Deep Run in Aussie Millions Main Event

Level 7 : 300/600, 600 ante
Andrew Theakstone
Andrew Theakstone

Day 1b of the A$10,600 Aussie Millions Main Event attracted 264 players to the felt, virtually copying last year's numbers which eventually produced a record-breaking field. Among the players with vivid memories of the 2019 campaign is Andrew Theakstone who finished in 16th place, notching his first reported live cash.

Theakstone arrived for today's flight and he was able to spin his belongings to a promising 207,300 which catapulted him among Day 1b top stacks—if not into the outright lead. Theakstone had no problem navigating through the seven-level stretch, despite sharing the table with some of the prolific top-shelf grinders such as Seth Davies and Benny Glaser.

While most of the heavyweights competed in another section of the Crown Melbourne poker room (playing the A$50K Challenge), Day 1b still saw dozens of elite players enter the field. Those who finished with solid building blocks included Scott Margereson (144,600) and Alex Lynskey (120,000).

Australian sports legend, former national cricket team captain Shane Warne also joined the contest, which he'd started on a podium where he delivered the shuffle-up-and-deal speech. Warne was squeezed between Kevin MacPhee and Justin Liberto. In the end, neither of the American pros was able to make it through, but Warne found a bag with 29,600.

Guillaume Diaz, Manig Loeser, Sergio Aido, Dzmitry Urbanovich, and Stephen Chidwick were all among the 130 or so players who punched their tickets for Day 2, emphasizing the international popularity of the Aussie Millions.

One final starting day is coming up on Sunday, January 19, at 12:30 p.m. local time. Day 1c is expected to bring the largest turnout, so make sure to come back to PokerNews to keep up with the action.

Tags: Alex LynskeyAndrew TheakstoneCrown MelbourneScott MargeresonShane WarneStephen Chidwick

Urbanovich Doubles

Level 6 : 250/500, 500 ante
Dzmitry Urbanovich
Dzmitry Urbanovich

Dzmitry Urbanovich opened for 1,300 under the gun and was three-bet on his direct left to 3,500. A player on the button cold-called and Urbanovich peeled for the {k-Spades}{8-Diamonds}{10-Diamonds} flop. He checked, his neighbor bet 3,500, the player on the button called, and Urbanovich shoved. It was 15,100, and the bettor called. The third player tanked awhile then flashed {k-}{q-} and folded.

Urbanovich: {8-Spades}{8-Hearts}
Opponent: {k-Clubs}{q-Clubs}

It was a great spot for Urbanovich, but he did have a few cards to fade after the {9-Clubs} turn. The river was a {9-Hearts} though, and he doubled through.

Player Chips Progress
Dzmitry Urbanovich pl
Dzmitry Urbanovich
EPT 1X Winner
45,000 33,000

Tags: Dzmitry Urbanovich

Margereson Collects a Double

Level 5 : 200/400, 400 ante
Aussie Millions Main Event Day 1b
Aussie Millions Main Event Day 1b

Scott Margereson had his chips in front of him to collect a double, having held with {k-Spades}{k-Hearts} against {a-Spades}{j-Clubs}. According to a player there, the lead up to that had been quite action-heavy, with the cutoff having come in for a raise and Steven Tabb having three-bet in the small blind. Margereson put in a cold four from the big, the opener min-raised on a five-bet, Tabb folded and Margereson shoved for about 47,000.

The board ran out {4-Clubs}{7-Hearts}{5-Hearts}{6-Clubs}{6-Hearts}, allowing Margereson to fade having to chop.

Player Chips Progress
Scott Margereson gb
Scott Margereson
WPT 1X Winner
100,000 62,000

Tags: Scott Margereson

Zhang's Bluff Ends Up Netting a Double

Level 4 : 150/300, 300 ante
Michael Zhang
Michael Zhang

Michael Zhang had a freshly doubled stack of about 60,000 in front of him, and the players at the table had him relay a wild hand. According to Zhang, he attempted to squeeze from the big blind with a bet of 4,000 after an open to 700 out of middle position and a slew of calls behind. The small blind back-raised to 10,000, and Zhang shoved for 30,000.

The small blind opted to look him up with {6-}{6-}, and Zhang could only muster {q-}{9-}. However, the board ran out {a-}{7-}{7-}{a-}{j-} to give Zhang the pot with queen-high.

His neighbor exacted a small measure of revenge a few hands later, again back-raising to 5,000 when Zhang made it 1,800. Zhang peeled but folded to a bet of 10,000 on the {q-Hearts}{10-Spades}{k-Diamonds} flop.

Player Chips Progress
Chi Zhang gb
Chi Zhang
54,000 24,000

Tags: Michael Zhang

It's Over for Blomberg

Level 2 : 100/200, 0 ante
Mark Yazbeck
Mark Yazbeck

Colton Blomberg's Main Event run was frustrating from the opening level, and the second round wasn't any different for the American player who just lost his remaining chips.

Blomberg was seen facing a 6,000-bet from Mark Yazbeck on a turn reading {6-Spades}{4-Diamonds}{j-Spades}{8-Clubs} and he moved all in with {q-Spades}{q-Clubs} only to look at the opponent's flopped set with {6-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}.

The {2-Clubs} river ended Blomberg's downhill for good.

Player Chips Progress
Mark Yazbeck au
Mark Yazbeck
33,000 33,000
Colton Blomberg us
Colton Blomberg
Busted

Tags: Colton BlombergMark Yazbeck

Schlie Fades Lots of Outs and Doubles

Level 2 : 100/200, 0 ante
Aussie Millions Main Event
Aussie Millions Main Event

Nikolas Schlie made it 2,500 to go preflop from the small blind on a three-bet and a player who opened in middle position called. Schlie bet 5,500 on the {7-Diamonds}{j-Spades}{4-Spades} flop and then shoved for 26,025 on the {10-Diamonds} turn. His opponent tanked until a clock was called then flashed his cards to his neighbor. With less than 30 seconds remaining, he announced a call and slapped down {a-Spades}{q-Spades} for a big draw.

Schlie had it for the moment with {a-Clubs}{j-Clubs} and the {6-Clubs} kept him best. He let out a full-throated yell of celebration and raked in a double.

Player Chips Progress
Nikolas Schlie au
Nikolas Schlie
67,000 23,700

Tags: Nikolas Schlie

Welcome to Day 1b of 2020 Aussie Millions Main Event

2020 Aussie Millions
2020 Aussie Millions

The 2020 Aussie Millions A$10,600 Main Event has kicked off. With Day 1a in the books after a long Friday grind, Saturday marks the second of three starting flights with Day 1b.

Friday saw an expected number of around 160 entries set foot in Crown Melbourne, and if Day 1b holds true to 2019 form, that number will jump by a decent chunk — the increase was around 100 last year.

On Day 1a, several notable names showed up hoping for a couple of days off, with Tony G, Joe Hachem, Max Lehmanski, Jorryt van Hoof and eventual chip leader Fabian Quoss gracing the felt. Quoss' 187,100 represents the current bar to clear for anyone hoping for the title of overall chip leader.

An identical plan is in the offing for Day 1b, with seven levels scheduled, each lasting 90 minutes apiece. Players get 30,000 in their starting stacks and will progress from 50/100 to 300/600/600. Aussie Millions remains an old-school freezeout, so no reentry is permitted, either in the same starting flight or any other.

Day 1b Structure

LevelLengthSmall BlindBig BlindAnte
19050100 
290100200 
390100200200
490150300300
590200400400
690250500500
790300600600

Stay tuned to PokerNews to follow step one on the Aussie Millions journey for what promises to be a couple of hundred grinders looking to add their names to the rich history of this prestigious event.