Coverage of the 2010 Aussie Millions on GSN rolled on Saturday night, with Paul Khoury and Grub Smith giving the call of Day 2 of the Main Event. A total of 746 players entered the AUD $10,000 buy-in tournament and the field had been slashed to 294. Full Tilt Poker sponsors the series and new episodes air on Saturdays at 9:00pm ET on GSN.
Antonis Kambouroglou raised to 4,200 pre-flop with a wired pair of jacks and 2008 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe Main Event champion John Juanda moved all-in over the top for 42,500 with A-J. Kambouroglou quickly called and the board of 3-3-6-4-2 was no help to the Full Tilt pro, who was now free to enjoy all that Melbourne, Australia has to offer.
Also featured during Saturday’s coverage was Gus Hansen, who called a raise to 3,200 pre-flop from Arthur Basha with 8-5 of spades. Khoury noted, “That’s a very Gus hand.” Sure enough, the flop came 3-8-9, hitting Hansen with middle pair, and Basha bet out 6,600 with A-J. Hansen called and the turn was a deuce. Once again, Basha led out for 6,600 and once again, Hansen called behind. The river was a seven. Basha bet his usual 6,600 – this time into a pot of 50,000 – and Hansen called getting 9:1 on his money.
In search of her first Aussie Millions Main Event title was newly minted Full Tilt pro Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad, who donned a Betfair logo during the Aussie Millions as part of her old sponsorship. Christopher Brammer raised to 5,500 pre-flop with Q-6 of spades and Obrestad came along with K-Q of clubs.
The flop came A-3-4 with two clubs and Obrestad called a bet of 8,000 from Brammer. The turn was the six of diamonds, pairing the Brit, who checked to Obrestad. “The Huntress” bet 16,000, Brammer raised to 40,000, and Obrestad got out of the way, leaving Smith to lament, “Everyone has come here to play. Even the big names get no respect.”
David Olson staked his claim for an Aussie Millions title after betting out 11,000 on a flop of 3-9-8 holding 10-9 of clubs for top pair. Brammer raised to 25,000 with a set of threes and Ben Savage curiously folded pocket tens. Olson moved all-in and Brammer called to see he was behind. However, a nine on the turn and 10 on the river gave Brammer a higher full house; Savage would have won the pot had he stayed in. Olson doubled up as the field entered Day 3 of the high-stakes poker tournament “Down Under.”
John Dalessandri raised to 25,000 pre-flop with pocket nines and Obrestad, holding A-K of hearts, isolated by moving all-in. Dalessandri promptly called all-in, his future in the prestigious event hanging in the balance. The door card was a nine, as the flop came Q-8-9, giving Dalessandri a set, but a jack on the turn gave Obrestad some hope with a straight draw. However, the river paired the board and Dalessandri scooped the pot.
Dalessandri would strike again, raising to 7,500 with K-J of spades, and Brammer asked for a count of his stack after peeking down at pocket aces. Brammer raised to 20,000 and Dalessandri just called to bring an action flop of K-J-5. Dalessandri slyly checked his top two pair and Brammer bet 25,000 with an overpair. Dalessandri moved all-in and Brammer called for his tournament life in the Aussie Millions Main Event. Upon seeing the two hands exposed, Obrestad exclaimed “Ouch” and the board ran out 7-6. Brammer was busto, another victim of cracked aces.
You can catch new one-hour episodes of the Aussie Millions on GSN on Saturdays at 9:00pm ET.
