In his third final table of the series so far, Jarryd Godena finally got over the hump inside the Crown Poker Room on Sunday, taking down the 2016 Aussie Millions Event #21: $5,000 Six-Max No-Limit Hold'em title.
Godena earned $121,070 in prize money an an LK Boutique Aussie Millions championship ring, ultimately defeating a field of 92 entries.
A total of 19 players returned Sunday to battle it out for the title with 11 spots paid. The money bubble broke when 2016 Aussie Millions standout Michael Seymour busted out and before long, fellow Aussie Jason Pritchard joined him on the rail, bubbling the final table.
The final seven started with 2014 Aussie Millions Main Event champ Ami Barer holding a big lead and fellow Canadian and start-of-day chip leader Benjamin Leblond short.
Leblond would soon get jacks cracked by Jack Salter to finish seventh, but Salter didn't last much longer, getting it in with a weak ace against Barer's queen-high and going broke when Barer paired.
Stevan Chew busted fifth to Barer, getting flushed out when they both got it in with ace-seven. Barer then appeared to be running away with it until he doubled Jarryd Godena, allowing him to push slightly ahead.
Within minutes of Godena leapfrogging Barer, he ran sevens into Godena's jacks in a huge pot to say goodbye fourth and gove Godena a big lead.
George Zisimopoulos busted Brian Yoon third to send himself into a heads-up match with Godenas trailing only slightly. However, it was Godena's day, and although he grinded down and doubled up Zisimopoulos twice, the third time proved the charm, allowing him to win the $5,000 Six-Max crown.
Jarryd Godena raised to 60,000 from the small blind, George Zisimopoulos moved all-in from the big blind and Godena made the call.
George Zisimopoulos
Jarryd Godena
The flop came giving Godena two pair. Zisimopoulos would need to catch running sixes to win, or running deuces to chop the pot. The turn card gave him some hope for the chop, but the sealed the deal.
Brian Yoon shoved 209,000 over a Jarryd Godena 32,000 open and George Zisimopoulos pushed all in behind for heaps more.
Godena folded and it was Yoon's versus Zisimopoulos' . Sevens held on a board to send Yoon home third and set up a heads-up match with Zisimopoulos and Godena for the title.
In a dramatic turn of events, one-time chip leader Ami Barer has just been eliminated from this event in a huge 1mil pot
Jarryd Godena limped in from the small blind, Ami Barer made it 51000, Godena moved all-in and Barer made the call. The cards were tabled...
Ami Barer
Jarryd Godena
The flop was perfect for Godena, coming giving him a set of Jacks. Barer would have to catch running straight cards, running sevens, or a runnig flush to split the pot. The turn and river did not come through for him, and Barer is now bust.
Stevan Chew open-shoved on the button and was called by Ami Barer in the big blind. The players both had the same hand, albeit of different suits.
Stevan Chew
Ami Barer
The flop came giving Barer a freeroll to a flush dram to win the pot outright. As if he knew his fate, Stevan Chew stood up from his chair. Ami Barer laughed and said "Good game Stevan".
The turn card came , but the river completed the flush for Barer, busting Chew in 5th place.
Ami Barer raised to 20,000 under-the-gun and Jack Salter moved all-in for his last 28,000. It was folded back around to Ami Barer who made the call, tabling . Salter had .
The flop gave Barer the lead with top pair, and as the turn and river did not improve Salters hand he is headed for the cage to collect his cheque.
George Zisimopoulos moved all-in from the small blind and Michael Seymour made the call. Action was still pending on the other table so the players had to wait until it finished before tabling their cards.
George Zisimopoulos
Michael Seymour
The flop came giving Zisimopoulos a pair of nines, and Seymour a running flush draw with two over crds. The turn and river were no help and Michael Seymour was eliminated in 11th place, bursting the bubble.