Philipp Gruissem has entered the 2015 Aussie Millions Main Event and gotten right to work, already chipping up to 42,000 from the starting stack of 30,000.
On a recent hand, there was a raise to 500 from middle position, a reraise to 1,500 from the player in the cutoff seat, and then Gruissem put in a four-bet to 3,600 from the small blind. Play folded back to the player in the cutoff seat, and he made the call to see the flop. Gruissem led with a bet of 4,500, and his opponent folded.
Doug Polk checked the flop, and the next player checked as well to put the action on Senh Ung. Ung bet 1,700, the next player called, the fifth player in action folded, Polk called, and the other player folded.
With three players still in, the dealer brought the to the turn. After Polk checked, Ung bet 3,700. The next player raised to 7,800, and Polk folded. After a bit of thought, Ung also gave it up, and his opponent won the hand. The player showed Ung a set of sixes, and Ung claimed to fold pocket queens.
"All in and a call Table 47," a dealer bellowed. We rushed over just in time to see local favorite Jackie Glazier all in for her last 4,650 and in a dominating position over Sean Keeton.
Keeton:
Glazier:
Both players held an ace, but Glazier's kicker had her way out in front. The flop was safe enough, but then disaster struck after the dealer burned and turned the . Glazier sat stoically awaiting the river, which ended up being the useless . Glazier quietly collected her things and made her way to the exit.
Meanwhile, Didier Guerin was also eliminated from the tournament. He got the last of his chips in on the river with a board reading , but mucked when his opponent tabled the for a full house.
Igor Kurganov's life has just gotten a lot easier after he busted the player to his direct left, Justin Bonomo.
Bonomo was down to 11,525 and he got them all in pre flop in a raising war with the Russian-born German, who resides in London but is hardly ever there.
Bonomo:
Kurganov:
The board ran out to make Kurganov two pair.
Don't feel too bad for Bonomo as he has a big day coming up on Saturday, sitting 4th (of 8) in the AU$100,000 Challenge final table and is already guaranteed AU$330,000.
Three players were in action on the flop, including Nacho Barbero and Jason Mo. After Barbero checked, Mo bet 3,500. The third player in the hand folded, and then Barbero made the call.
The paired the board on the turn, and Barbero checked. Mo also checked, and the dealer completed the board with the . Barbero led with a bet of 6,700, and Mo went into the tank. Eventually, he raised all in for 22,000-23,000. Barbero immediately called.
Mo turned over a rivered full house with the , but Barbero's proved to be the better full house. With that, Mo was eliminated during Level 3 of the Main Event and Barbero collected the pot and moved to 68,000 in chips.
Mo will still have plenty to look forward to from the 2015 Aussie Millions, though, as he's made the final table of the $100,000 Challenge that will resume on Saturday, Jan. 31. He's already guaranteed AU$310,000 in that event, and will likely increase that take seeing as he'll enter play second in chips among the final eight players.
Super High Rollers Ole Schemion and Philipp Gruissem have joined the party late. Gruissem failed to make the final table in yesterday's $100,000 Challenge whereas his countryman heads into Saturday's final as the chip leader.
Dani Stern is almost back to starting stack after winning a small pot off Alex Lynskey. Stern check-called a 900 flop bet before they checked the rest of the way. The board rested as and Stern's beat Lynskey's .
Russell Thomas is also almost back to starting stack. He called a 1,125 bet on a flop before his opponent check-folded to his 1,650 bet on the turn.
Back at the 2012 Aussie Millions, Tyron Krost won the Tournament of Champions Event, which invited all former Main Event winners to battle it our for ultimate supremacy... and a lifetime of buy-ins to the Aussie Millions Main Event!
Krost, who won this tournament back in 2010 for AU$2,000,000, defeated Tony Bloom in head-up play to win that event, meaning his entry into today's field was free of charge. Nothing like a freeroll!
In a recent hand, Krost opened for 500 from middle position and was met by a three-bet to 1,600 from the player in the cutoff. The big blind called, Krost put in the additional 1,100, and three players saw a flop of . Two checks saw the cutoff continue for 3,800, and only Krost called to see the turn, which they both checked.
When the completed the board on the river, action repeated itself and the cutoff, who was obligated to show first as the last aggressor, tabled the . It was good as Krost took one look at the cards and sent his hand to the muck.
Despite losing that hand, the former champ is still up a few thousand on the starting stack.