Hey everyone where here again at the 2009 Aussie Millions at The Crown Hotel & Casino. This event should prove to be action packed as it will feature many of the best players here down under, unfortunately it will only be those who have already busted out of the Main Event. Some of the notables that are playing here today include Chris “Jesus” Ferguson (Fulltiltpoker.com), Tony G, Jeff Lisandro, Billy “The Croc” Argyros, James Obst, Michael Binger, David “Chino” Rheem (PokerStars.com), Dan Shak and Tony Bloom.
The re-buy period was extremely action packed and saw many of the 42 players here take a re-load or two or SIX! (made by our chip leader Josh Field) The 42 players combined for 87 re-buys and add-ons. After which our top 3 chip stacks are:
Josh Field – 19,000
Niki Jedlicka – 18,000
Julian Powell – 16,200
Tony G – 16,000
Chris Ferguson – 15,500
We have hardly played a couple hands since the end of the re-buy period and one of our notables Tony Bloom was eliminated at the hands of David “Chino” Rheem. The payouts have been announced with only 30 players remaining, we will be giving out money to 7 players with 1st place taking $123,840AUD and the Allure Gold Ring (worth $5k AUD). This event is moving along at an incredible pace, we are approaching the dinner break tonight and only have 17 players left! We have seen Billy “The Croc” and Van Marcus take leave of us recently. Josh “JJProdigy” Field has been a giant killer here today after eliminating James Obst earlier and now has claimed Chris “Jesus” Ferguson after making top set of Kings vs. Ferguson’s inside straight draw & flush draw that failed to complete. Field now sits on a commanding chip lead with over 115,000 chips.
Shortly after Ferguson took leave of us Mark Kassis and Joe Reina did the same leaving us with our final table here today in event 12. The list is very impressive and should provide a great battle. The seating assignments and chip counts are:
Seat 1 Sam Youssef – 3,700
Seat 2 Michael Zowie – 47,000
Seat 3 Michael Pesek – 35,000
Seat 4 Josh Field – 121,500
Seat 5 Tony G – 46,000
Seat 6 Jason Gray – 53,000
Seat 7 David Ewing – 23,000
Seat 8 Chino Rheem – 36,000
Seat 9 Michael Binger – 22,000
Remember of this impressive field only 7 men will walk away with some cash, and one will walk away with a pile of cash and a nice Gold Ring.
Sam Youssef started here today as a severe short stack at this final table and it didn’t take long for him to bust out in 9th place. Mean while Tony G has been gone from the table for a short while missing the last 10 or so hands. However after returning to the table Tony G found himself in the unfortunate spot of bubble boy. Tony G got all his chips in on a flop of Jc-10h-7c, Tony G found him up against Michael Binger with his tournament life on the line:
Tony G: 10d-Kh-Jh-Qh
Michael Binger: Qs-Qc-Ks-9d
Tony G holding top two open-ended found himself facing an over pair and a wrap straight draw in which an 8 or a Queen would hand Binger the pot. On the turn one of those very cards came the Queen of Diamonds. To Tony G’s dismay he couldn’t catch a 9 or Ace to chop the pot. With that the remaining 7 players will all take home at least $15,480AUD for their efforts. The chip counts are:
Josh Field – 113,900
Michael Binger – 76,100
Michael Pesek – 62,000
Jason Gray – 55,500
Chino Rheem – 44,100
Michael Zowie – 26,700
David Ewing – 9,600
We have only played 9 levels and find ourselves down to 7 players remaining which gives you an idea of action that can occur in a PLO Event. Michael Binger claimed his second victim of this final table, this time it was Nov. 9 member David “Chino” Rheem who flopped an Ace high club draw vs. Bingers made straight. With that Chino Rheem leaves us in 7th and takes home $15,480AUD.
All the while David Ewing has been short stacked since we had eleven players left yet continues to hand around and has recently doubled through Michael Binger to get back in the mix. As level 11 was coming to a close Michael Pesek flopped the bottom side of the straight and was left drawing to only a running flush draw or one of 2 remaining 7’s to win the hand and survive against Josh Field. The board ran out 2d and Queen of diamonds and left Pesek wanting and leaving in 6th ($23,220AUD).
David Ewing managed to move up at least 7 places from where one would have thought he would have finished. He flopped a top pair Queens with an up and down straight draw, against Michael Zowie full wrap straight draw and flush draw! Leaving Ewing avoid ¾ of the deck and to his dismay the 10s hit the river and Ewing leaves in 5th for $30,960AUD. Jason Gray was next out the door in 4th worth $42,570 after he flopped a set against Binger’s 2nd Nut straight and was unable to improve. With 3 handed play about to begin we are on break for the next 10 minutes. The chip counts entering 3 handed play are:
Josh Field – 204,000
Michael Zowie -102,000
Michael Binger – 85,000
With level 13 in the books we have witnessed the chip mostly just moving around in circles with all three players trading pots, and with the blinds only 2k/4k there is a lot of play left in these guys. Shortly after dropping a big hand to Binger, Zowie managed to get his remaining chips in vs. both Binger and Field who checked the hand down to the river upon which Binger threw in a bet of 10k to push Field out. The board read:
Board: 10c-6s-3h-Ah-6d
Binger tabled 2d-7h-8c-6h for a rivered trip 6’s which cause Zowie to muck his hand. With that hand Michael Zowie finish’s here today in 3rd place and takes home $61,920AUD, Leaving Michael Binger and Josh “JJProdigy” Field to play heads up for the 1st place cash and the Ring. With the elimination of the 3rd place finisher Binger and Fields asked for the clock to be paused while they made some negotiations, after coming to a secret agreement the players are satisfied and heads up play will begin in a moment. The chip counts are:
Michael Binger – 237,000
Josh Field – 151,000
After just a few hands of heads up play Binger has extended his lead to almost 280k to 110k of Fields, leaving Field’s looking for a double to get this thing even. This event took off at a fever rate but heading into final table play and throughout the final table the action has slowed considerably. It took till exactly 6am for this one to come to an end. On a flop of 2h-6d-Jh Josh Field made a bet, which drew a pot sized raise from Binger. Field deliberated prior to moving all his chips in the middle and was called by Binger with both men tabling their cards:
Binger: 2s-6h-Kh-Qd
Field: Qh-Qc-10h-3h
Binger found himself in great shape with bottom 2 pair and a better flush draw to Field’s over pair. With the 8c on the Turn, Field picked up a few more outs now looking for a Nine, Queen, Jack or Eight none heart all to win and stay alive. However to his unfortunate luck the 2d hit the river giving Binger a Fullhouse and the Championship. Josh Field put on an impressive display of skill in finishing 2nd for $89,010AUD. Michael Binger worked hard all night picking his spots effectively and getting a few key pots in amassing a chip lead heading into heads up play. For his efforts he’ll receive the Allure Gold Ring and $123,840AUD.
Congratulations to Michael Binger and Josh Fields along with all the others who did well here today. Goodnight or good morning from The Crown Hotel & Casino Poker Room in Melbourne Australia take care.
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