2016 Aussie Millions

Event #9: $25,000 Challenge
Day: 2
Event Info

2016 Aussie Millions

Final Results
Winner
Winning Hand
73
Prize
790,560 AUD
Event Info
Buy-in
24,000 AUD
Prize Pool
2,928,000 AUD
Entries
122
Level Info
Level
23
Blinds
25,000 / 50,000
Ante
5,000

Kurganov Eliminates Roberts

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Brian Roberts was down to his last 61,000 and moved all in from the cutoff. Katchalov (button) and Greenwood (small blind) released but Kurganov (big blind) was quick to call.

Brian Roberts: {K-Clubs}{Q-Hearts}
Igor Kurganov: {A-Spades}{K-Spades}

The board ran out {3-Clubs}{2-Hearts}{5-Clubs}{4-Diamonds}{7-Clubs} and Roberts was already drawing to a chop at max on the turn. Roberts tapped the table and made his exit, Kurganov moved over the 500,000 mark.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Igor Kurganov ru
Igor Kurganov
520,000
206,000
206,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Brian Roberts us
Brian Roberts
Busted

Tags: Brian RobertsIgor Kurganov

Bad Beat Sends Neilson to the Rail

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Daniel Neilson
Daniel Neilson

A short-stacked Daniel Neilson raised all in from the cutoff for 75,000 and Ben Tollerene called from the button. Both blinds folded and the cards were turned on their backs.

Tollerene: {6-Clubs}{6-Diamonds}
Neilson: {7-Spades}{7-Diamonds}

Neilson was a huge favorite to double, but not after the flop came down {9-Spades}{a-Spades}{6-Hearts} to give Tollerene a set. The {4-Spades} turn gave Neilson a bunch more outs �� a non-six spade would give him a winning flush �� but the {A-Hearts} bricked on the river to send him to the rail.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ben Tollerene us
Ben Tollerene
580,000
114,500
114,500
Profile photo of Daniel Neilson au
Daniel Neilson
Busted

Tags: Ben TollereneDaniel Neilson

When It Rainers, It Pours

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Rainer Kempe moved all in under the gun for exactly 20,000 in chips. Action folded around pretty quickly, but he wouldn't get passed Alexander Lynskey in the big blind. The Aussie made the call and it was time for the two of them to put their cards on their backs.

Alexander Lynskey: {5-Clubs}{7-Diamonds}
Rainer Kempe: {A-Hearts}{J-Clubs}

The flop came {3-Clubs}{5-Hearts}{2-Hearts}, spelling disaster for Kempe. The {9-Clubs} on the turn and {6-Diamonds} on the river were of no help to the German serial casher, and he made his exit in 24th place.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Alexander Lynskey au
Alexander Lynskey
365,000
19,000
19,000
Profile photo of Rainer Kempe de
Rainer Kempe
Busted

Tags: Alexander LynskeyRainer Kempe

Zhu Finishes Off 2015 GPI Player of the Year

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Team PokerStars Pro Yaxi Zhu raised to 11,000 from the button only to have Byron Kaverman three-bet jam for 82,500 from the small blind. Zhu hit the tank for over a minute, and then dropped in the chips to call.

Kaverman: {a-Spades}{9-Spades}
Zhu: {7-Spades}{7-Clubs}

It was a flip, but Kaverman needed to improve to stay alive. That proved easier said than done as the board ran out an unhelpful {k-Diamonds}{3-Clubs}{5-Hearts}{8-Diamonds}{8-Hearts}.

Kaverman's elimination in 25th place means a table will be broke. Remember, there are no redraws on Day 2, just tables being broke when necessary.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Yaxi Zhu cn
Yaxi Zhu
250,000
85,000
85,000
Profile photo of Byron Kaverman us
Byron Kaverman
Busted
WSOP 1X Winner

Tags: Byron KavermanYaxi Zhu

Kempe Doubles Gruissem (and Vice Versa)

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Philipp Gruissem raised to 12,000 under the gun and action folded to Rainer Kempe in the big blind. He shoved all in and his country man called instantly. Kempe was drawing slim holding {K-Clubs}{Q-Diamonds} as Gruissem was the owner of {K-Diamonds}{K-Hearts}. The board ran out {3-Clubs}{4-Hearts}{9-Spades}{7-Clubs}{7-Hearts} and Kempe had to hand over 96,500 to his neighbor.

The next hand action folded to Kempe and he moved in from the small blind for his last 9,500. Gruissem had just about an automatic call but looked at his cards first, said something we didn't really hear, and called. Kempe showed a monster with {Q-Spades}{Q-Hearts} but he was up against a real hand as Gruissem revealed {A-Hearts}{K-Hearts} with a big smile. Kempe chuckled and the two players saw the board run out {3-Spades}{7-Spades}{8-Clubs}{3-Hearts}{J-Clubs}.

It hasn't been Kempe's day so far, but he's still in!

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Philipp Gruissem de
Philipp Gruissem
188,500
90,500
90,500
WSOP 1X Winner
Profile photo of Rainer Kempe de
Rainer Kempe
22,000
-88,000
-88,000

Tags: Philipp GruissemRainer Kempe

Koon Finds a Fold Against Seidel

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Erik Seidel
Erik Seidel

We picked up the action on the turn with a board showing {10-Diamonds}{J-Spades}{4-Hearts}{7-Clubs} when Erik Seidel bet 22,000 from the big blind with just 20,500 chips left behind. Jason Koon, on the button, tanked for a while before calling, and the river was the {5-Diamonds}.

Seidel quickly moved all in for his last chips, and Koon smiled as he showed his {K-Clubs}{Q-Hearts} for both a missed straight and flush draw.

"I can beat queen-nine with the queen of clubs," Koon joked as he folded, and Seidel mucked quietly before raking in an important pot.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jason Koon us
Jason Koon
308,000
-62,000
-62,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Run It Once
Profile photo of Erik Seidel us
Erik Seidel
122,000
36,000
36,000
WSOP 10X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
WPT 1X Winner

Tags: Erik SeidelJason Koon

Weiss the First to Fall on Day 2

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

A short-stacked Michael Weiss moved all in under the gun for 59,500 and Dominik Nitsche just flatted from the button. Michael Liem and Brian Roberts both folded from the blinds, and Weiss discovered the bad news.

Nitsche: {a-Diamonds}{a-Spades}
Weiss: {4-Hearts}{4-Diamonds}

Weiss' best shot to survive was to catch a four, but it never came as the board ran out a clean {10-Hearts}{j-Clubs}{k-Hearts}{5-Diamonds}{3-Diamonds}.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Dominik Nitsche de
Dominik Nitsche
360,000
102,000
102,000
WSOP 4X Winner
WPT 1X Winner
Profile photo of Michael Weiss au
Michael Weiss
Busted

Tags: Michael WeissDominik Nitsche

Kempe Short After Tollerene Hits Lucky Eight

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante
Rainer Kempe
Rainer Kempe

Not too long after playing a small pot against each other where Kempe got one street of value with his second pair, Ben Tollerene and Rainer Kempe clashed again.

It was Ben Tollerene who opened to 11,000 from the hijack and Rainer Kempe three-bet to 31,000 from the button. Both blinds (Katchalov and Gruissem) got out of the way and action was back on Tollerene. He shoved for 227,500 (45 big blinds) and Kempe called just about instantly.

Rainer Kempe: {Q-Spades}{Q-Hearts}
Ben Tollerene: {8-Clubs}{8-Spades}

Tollerene seemed unfazed and his face didn't even change one bit after the {8-Diamonds} appeared in the window. The board ran out {8-Diamonds}{5-Clubs}{5-Hearts}{K-Diamonds}{5-Diamonds} and Tollerene doubled up, leaving Kempe short.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Ben Tollerene us
Ben Tollerene
465,500
202,000
202,000
Profile photo of Rainer Kempe de
Rainer Kempe
110,000
-247,500
-247,500

Tags: Ben TollereneRainer Kempe

Koon Straightens Out Spagnuolo

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

From the cutoff seat, Dean Spagnuolo raised to 11,000. Jason Koon called from the button, and Erik Seidel called from the big blind.

On the {J-Hearts}{10-Diamonds}{3-Spades} flop, Seidel checked, Spagnuolo bet 12,500, Koon called, and Seidel folded.

The turn was the {3-Hearts} to pair the board, and Spagnuolo bet 21,000. Koon called again, and the river completed the board with the {A-Hearts}. Spagnuolo bet 41,000, and Koon called.

Spagnuolo showed the {A-Diamonds}{Q-Spades} for two pair, aces and threes, with a queen kicker. Koon showed the {K-Clubs}{Q-Clubs} for a Broadway straight, and he won the pot.

Additionally, Koon raised the next hand to 12,000 from the cutoff seat and won the blinds and antes to add another 10,000 to his stack.

Player Chips Progress
Profile photo of Jason Koon us
Jason Koon
370,000
102,000
102,000
WSOP 1X Winner
Run It Once
Profile photo of Dean Spagnuolo au
Dean Spagnuolo
180,000
-77,500
-77,500
Profile photo of Erik Seidel us
Erik Seidel
86,000
6,000
6,000
WSOP 10X Winner
Poker Hall of Famer
WPT 1X Winner

Tags: Jason KoonErik SeidelDean Spagnuolo