HomeLive Reporting2014 Aussie Millions$10,600 Main Event

2014 Aussie Millions › $10,600 Main Event

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Day 2 completed

Posted 3 days 21 hours ago

$10,600 Main Event
Day 2 completed

Willcocks, Mizzi & Dwyer Thrive as 109 Advance from Day 2

Posted 3 days 21 hours ago • Level 13: 1,200-2,400, 400 ante
Sorel Mizzi
Sorel Mizzi

The 2014 Aussie Millions Main Event continued on Wednesday as the surviving players from the three starting flights combined into a single field in Crown’s Poker Room. The day began with 355 players, but after six 90-minute levels of play just 109 remained with Phillip Willcocks (510,600), Sorel Mizzi (507,100), and Gareth Dwyer (503,600) topping the counts.

Others who bagged up big stacks were Martin Rowe (463,900), Darren Rabinowitz (368,000), Antonio Esfandiari (349,800), Heinz Kamutzki (336,000), Julian Track (209,100). In addition, Team PokerStars Pros Angel Guillen, Randy Lew, and Jonathan Duhamel all advanced.

We caught up with Duhamel late on Day 2 to see how he was doing. He also offered his thoughts on Joe Hachem’s belief that recent World Series of Poker Main Event champs haven’t lived up to their responsibilities.

Nine players took advantage of the late registration, which brought the total number of entries up to 668 – the biggest turnout in the last three years! That created a prize pool of AUD$6.68 million, which will be distributed to the top 72 players with the eventual winner receiving a smooth AUD$1.6 million.

One player to late register was Gus Hansen, who won the Aussie Millions back in 2007. Hansen got off to a quick start by doubling his stack, but he was eliminated shortly thereafter. Likewise, 2004 Aussie Millions champ Tony Bloom fell early on Day 2.

In Level 8 (400/800/100), Full Tilt Poker Ambassador Tom Grigg opened for 1,800 only to have "King" Dan Smith, who won the $100,000 Challenge here two years back, three-bet to 4,600. Not to be outdone, Grigg four-bet to 10,200 and then called when Smith five-bet all in for roughly 40,000.

Grigg: {a-Hearts}{k-Diamonds}
Smith: {j-Hearts}{j-Clubs}

It was a classic race, and according to the PokerNews Odds Calculator Smith was a slight 56.65% favorite while Grigg would score the elimination 42.95% of the time. The {2-Diamonds}{10-Clubs}{3-Spades} flop was safe for Smith, and he pulled out to a 3-1 lead. Unfortunately for him, that is when the dealer burned and turned the {A-Diamonds}. Grigg paired his ace to become a massive 95.45% favorite, which meant Smith needed to catch a jack and a jack only to survive. He had a 4.55% chance of doing it, but in this particular hand it didn't come as the {10-Spades} blanked on the river.

As the day progressed many others fell including Joe Hachem, Sam Cohen, Philipp Gruissem, Barry Woods, Elliot Smith, Ana-Maria Cosma, Andrew Hinrichsen, Liam O'Rourke, Viktor "Isildur1" Blom, Patrik Antonius, and Billy "The Croc" Argyros.

While hundreds fell, some notables managed to punch their ticket to Day 3 including Mike Watson (149,200), Jarod Ludemann (91,500), Annette Obrestad (87,100), Marco Johnson (81,500), Paul Klann (64,400), and Paul Newey (47,200).

Day 3 is set to begin at 12:15 local time, and the plan is to play six more 90-minute levels. During that time the money bubble will burst and the field will be reduced to approximately 30 players. Of course the PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be on hand to bring you all the action, so be sure to check back then.

In the meantime, have a look at Kristy Arnett’s interview with Patrik Antonius, who was one of many Day 2 casualties:

Official End-of-Day Counts (full)

Posted 3 days 21 hours ago • Level 13: 1,200-2,400, 400 ante
Chip Counts
Phillip Willcocks 510,600 -4,400 neg
Sorel Mizzi CA CA 507,100 276,100 pos
Gareth Dwyer 503,600 4,600 pos
Martin Rowe AU AU 463,900
Andrew Phaedonos AU AU 410,400 5,400 pos
Eng Heng Chang 374,300 279,200 pos
John Juanda MY MY 373,800 75,800 pos
Florian Bussmann DE DE 369,200 9,200 pos
Darren Rabinowitz US US 368,000 18,000 pos
Scott Seiver US US 361,500 31,500 pos
David Stanton AU AU 360,900 275,100 pos
Raymond Wu TW TW 360,900 -39,100 neg
Jae Kyung Sim KR KR 359,900 293,900 pos
Max Lehmanski 355,600 228,600 pos
Antonio Esfandiari 349,800 39,800 pos
Eoghan O'Dea IE IE 345,500 500 pos
Rhys Jones GB GB 340,100 269,000 pos
Steve Tymms 336,800 268,300 pos
Heinz Kamutzki DE DE 336,000 50,000 pos
Jonathan Duhamel CA CA 333,700 -6,300 neg
Sandeep Pulusani 324,300 18,300 pos
Julian Track 309,100 19,100 pos
Craig McCorkell GB GB 290,000 90,000 pos
Dean Schneider 276,100 16,500 pos
Tam Truong AU AU 271,600 191,000 pos

Read full

One Last Pot for Juanda

Posted 3 days 22 hours ago • Level 13: 1,200-2,400, 400 ante

John Juanda has been accumulating chips all day and playing a few pots. Meanwhile, patiently to his left remained a local player nursing a 30,000 stack for most the day.

Finally, with one hand of play left, Juanda opened the cut-off only to have his opponent move all-in for an additional 39,400 chips.

Juanda pondered his decision before finally making the call.

Juanda: {2-Clubs}{2-Hearts}
Opponent: {A-Clubs}{K-Clubs}

The {K-Hearts} in the window was a blessing to the patient local and the rest of the flop was also safe as it came the {10-Spades} and {9-Diamonds}. When the {3-Spades} dropped on the turn there was a bit of a sweat as it looked very much like a deuce. However, there was no mistaking the {2-Diamonds} on the river which sent the poor local home ensuring he wouldn't see Day 3 of this tournament.

Three-Bet, Four-Bet, Five-Bet

Posted 3 days 22 hours ago • Level 13: 1,200-2,400, 400 ante

Sandeep Pulusani, winner of Event #44 at the 2013 World Series of Poker for nearly $600,000, opened with a raise to 5,000 on the button. Team PokerStars Pro and 2010 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Jonathan Duhamel reraised from the big blind to 17,500. Pulusani then fired back with a reraise to 40,500. Not to be outdone, Duhamel made it 72,500 to go. Pulusani gave it up, and Duhamel pulled in the pot.

Chip Counts
Jonathan Duhamel CA CA 340,000 65,000 pos
Sandeep Pulusani 306,000 244,300 pos

Willcocks Over 500K

Posted 3 days 22 hours ago • Level 13: 1,200-2,400, 400 ante

Phillip Willcocks just won a big hand to move over 500,000 in chips. It was the straight for Willcocks that defeated the set of his opponent to vault him over half a million in chips.

Chip Counts
Phillip Willcocks 515,000 265,000 pos

Four More Hands

Posted 3 days 22 hours ago • Level 13: 1,200-2,400, 400 ante

The remaining player, of which there are approximately 120, will play four more hands before bagging and tagging for the night. We're headed out to gather some chip counts and capture any last-minute action. Stay tuned for those and a full recap of the Day 2 action.

Updated Chip Counts

Posted 3 days 22 hours ago • Level 13: 1,200-2,400, 400 ante
Chip Counts
Martin Rowe AU AU 440,000 35,000 pos
Andrew Phaedonos AU AU 405,000
Florian Bussmann DE DE 360,000 74,000 pos
Eoghan O'Dea IE IE 345,000 5,000 pos
Scott Seiver US US 330,000 5,000 pos
Antonio Esfandiari 310,000 5,000 pos
Jonathan Duhamel CA CA 275,000 -25,000 neg

Dwyer Knocks Out Tartaglia

Posted 3 days 22 hours ago • Level 13: 1,200-2,400, 400 ante

Antonio Tartaglia was all in for 29,700 with the {A-Hearts}{4-Clubs}. Gareth Dwyer made the call with the {K-Spades}{10-Spades}. The flop, turn, and river ran out {J-Spades}{9-Spades}{4-Spades}{10-Diamonds}{7-Clubs}, and Dwyer made a flush to win the hand and bust Tartaglia.

Chip Counts
Gareth Dwyer 499,000 29,000 pos
Antonio Tartaglia Busted

Grigg Hits the River

Posted 3 days 22 hours ago • Level 13: 1,200-2,400, 400 ante

On the {7-Hearts}{4-Clubs}{3-Hearts} flop, Tom Grigg checked before Gareth Dwyer bet 7,000. Grigg check-raised to 18,000, and Dwyer called.

The turn was the {7-Spades} and paired the board. Both players checked to see the {J-Spades} land on the river. Grigg bet 15,000, and Dwyer made the call.

Grigg showed the {Q-Hearts}{J-Clubs}, and Dwyer responded with, "I had you all the way," before mucking his hand.

"My first mistake of the day," Dwyer continued. "I should have known that jack helped you!"

Chip Counts
Gareth Dwyer 470,000 -25,000 neg
Tom Grigg 160,000 2,000 pos
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Level Info

Level 13
Blinds 1,200 / 2,400
Ante 400

Players Info

Players Left 5
Entries 668
Average Chip Stack 4,008,000
Total Chips 20,040,000
Prize Pool 6,680,000
Next Pay Out Place 5, 335,000 AUD

Top Chip Counts

1 Phillip Willcocks 510,600
2 Sorel Mizzi 507,100
3 Gareth Dwyer 503,600
4 Martin Rowe 463,900
5 Andrew Phaedonos 410,400
6 Eng Heng Chang 374,300
7 John Juanda 373,800
8 Florian Bussmann 369,200
9 Darren Rabinowitz 368,000
10 Scott Seiver 361,500

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