22 Jan 12

Aussie Millions Main Event: Day 1A Done, Hansen & Hachem Lead High Roller

153 players started the first of three day 1 flights in the Aussie Millions Main Event today, as well as 22 of the biggest names in the game playing in the $100,000 super high roller.

Gus Hansen leads high roller
Image courtesy of PokerNews.com

The 2012 Aussie Millions really got going today, with the start of both the $10,000 Main Event, and the railbird's nirvana of the Super High Roller event known as the $100,000 Challenge.

$100,000 Challenge day 1 highlights

• Much smaller field than last year - Last year this event attracted 38 players, this year only 22 managed to find a spare $100,000 to play. It may be a shortened field, but it has still created a seven-figure payday for the eventual winner.

$100,000 Challenge Payouts
Place	Prize
1	$1,012,000
2	$616,000
3	$330,000
4	$242,000

• The return of Dwan, Ivey, and Hansen - For obvious reasons, we have not seen three of the most recognisable members of Team Full Tilt at the felt in recent months. A $100,000 buy-in tournament tends to get even the shyest of nosebleed players interested, and today we saw Gus Hansen, Phil Ivey, and Tom Dwan back in action.

Gus and Ivey had already been spotted playing in Macau, but this is the first time in a long time that Dwan has been seen playing in public. His return was short lived, however, as he was one of the first players to bust. Ivey lasted the entire day, but bust out in 9th place to end day 1, as for Gus.....

• Hansen & Hachem Crushing - Two men who have had their fair share of the spotlight in the last week are 1 and 2 at the final table, which takes place tomorrow. Gus Hansen is said to have booked a $3.8 million pay day in the cash games in Macau earlier this week, and former PokerStars pro Hachem today announced a new role as the ambassador of AsianLogic.

They both had great days to finish at the top of the chip counts of a final table that also includes Sorel Mizzi, Tony G, and last year's champion Sam Trickett.

Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge End of Day 1 Chip Counts
Place	Name	Chips
1st	Gus Hansen	567,000
2nd	Joe Hachem	538,500
3rd	Dan Smith	346,500
4th	Mikhail Smirnov	265,000
5th	Sorel Mizzi	228,500
6th	Tony G	102,000
7th	Nam Le	79,500
8th	Sam Trickett	73,000
Blinds: 2,500/5,000 \| Players: 8 (21) \| Prize pool: $2,100,000

$10,000 Main Event day 1A highlights

• 153 players for Day 1A: The main event has three day 1 flights, and the first one finished up with 153 players. This is actually the lowest attended day 1A in several years, with 238 on the same day last year, 233 in 2010, and 191 in 2009.

72 players have made it into day 2, which takes place on Wednesday.

• Quick roller coaster for Antonius - One of the bigger surprises of the day was that nosebleed regular Patrik Antonius did not play in the $100,000 Challenge, instead opting to play the main event today. It was a brief but exciting day for the Finnish superstar, doubling up on his very first hand, but having to give it all back almost as quickly when his pocket aces were outdrawn by pocket queens. Soon after that Antonius was sent out the door when he ran a bluff into top pair top kicker.

Other big names going home empty handed included Rupert Elder, Richard Ashby, Barry Greenstein, Eoghan O'Dea, and Sam Holden.

• Former champ in the top ten - One of the most recognisable faces in the history of Australian poker is currently 9th in chips. Lee 'Final Table' Nelson of New Zealand is a regular at the Crown Casino, and is best known as the champion of this very event in 2006.

• Big Day for Hachem - Joe Hachem did not play in this flight of the main event, but he was still the most talked about player of the day. He was the one who got to announce the immortal words 'shuffle up and deal' to get the main event started.

He also announced today in a press conference a new partnership with the AsianLogic Group. Joe is set to be the new ambassador for the Asian Poker Tour and will be looking to further the growth of poker in Australia and the Asia Pacific region.

Aussie Millions Main Event End of Day 1A Chip Counts
Place	Name	Chips
1st	Brett Watson	257,400
2nd	Paul Sing	177,100
3rd	Ben Jenkins	154,500
4th	Rob Angood	133,200
5th	Andrew Hinridhsen	132,900
6th	David Munday	132,500
7th	Tim O'Shea	129,700
8th	Yann Dixon	109,200
9th	Lee Nelson	105,100
10th	Daniel Neilsen	97,400
...
12th	Dominik Nitsche	87,400
13th	Ramzi Jelassi	83,600
35th	David Vamplew	47,300
43rd	Sebastian Ruthenberg	22,800
Blinds: 400/800 \| Players: 72 (153) \|