Hong Kong’s Ken Wong is making a spirited attempt to recreate or better his 2012 Aussie Millions runner-up finish. Wong returned for Day 2 with exactly the same amount he began play with yesterday – 30,000 – though he has just padded this out courtesy of Kan Lin.
Preflop Wong opened the action from early position with a raise to 1,700 with Lin calling the small blind and Ryan Pignatelli calling from the big blind.
Both blinds check the monochrome flop over to Wong who continuation bet 2,000. Kan called and Pignatelli folded to take action heads-up to the turn.
Now Kan led out for 5,000, Wong shot him a suspicious glance before mulling over his options and deciding to call and it was off to the river, which double-paired the board.
Kan now fired out a bet of 8,000 sending Wong deep into the think tank. Eventually, Wong counted out the call and tossed it into the middle and Kan turned over for king-high, which was trailing to Wong’s .
"All in and a call!" we heard the dealer shout on the table right next to our media desk. Somehow we had missed a big pot brewing as Jennifer Tilly and Russell Thomas had gotten their chips in on the turn.
Thomas told us afterward that it had been a limped pot where he (big blind), the player under the gun and Tilly (button) saw a flop of . Thomas checked and the player under the gun bet. Tilly raised and Thomas called to see things go to the turn. On the , Thomas and Tilly got their chips in with Tilly showing while Thomas tabled .
The river helped Tilly improve to a better two pair and Thomas got up and made his exit.
With the start of the second level of the day, registration has now been closed. It looks like the 2017 Aussie Millions attracted a field of 725. We bring you an update as soon as we have confirmation on that number as well as the prize pool.
Andrew Bassat opened from under the gun with a raise to 2,000 and action folded around to Karl Myburgh in the big blind, who threw in the call. The flop fell and after Myburgh checked Bassat bet out for 2,600 only to see Myburgh fold. Bassat pitched his into the middle of the table and pulled in the small pot.
Roger Fluckiger moved all-in for his last 15,000 with pocket sixes and was called by a tablemate holding king-jack. Unfortunately for Fluckiger the flop came down king-high and with no six forthcoming on the turn and river his Aussie Millions Main Event is over.
The action folded around to Koray Aldemir in the small blind who limped into the pot. Craig McCorkell was seated in the big blind and raised it up to 3,500. Aldemir then came over the top with a raise to 12,000. McCorkell called.
The flop came down and Aldemir checked. McCorkell reached for his chips and fired out 13,500. Aldemir contemplated for a moment before releasing his hand to the muck.
To start proceedings here on Day 2 all eyes were on 2005 WSOP Main Event champion and Australian Poker Hall of Fame chairman Joe Hachem who had taken to the microphone with some announcements.
Surrounded by fellow Hall of Famers Billy ‘The Croc’ Argyros, Leo Boxell, Graeme Putt, Jason Gray and Mel Juda, Hachem called up New Zealand’s [Removed:17] to the podium to be presented with the Young Achiever Award.
The award was to acknowledge Yan’s hard work and success on the circuit in the last few years. Yan has amassed over $3.5 million in live cashes since 2012 and scored himself $796,459 for a runner-up finish in the EPT €25,000 8-handed event last year.
After a few words from Yan, Hachem revealed that it was time to induct a new member into the Australian Poker Hall of Fame. That honour was bestowed upon none other than 2015 Aussie Millions Main Event champion Manny Stavropoulos.
The Melbourne local reflected on how poker has changed since he won his first tournament years ago and how it was an honor to receive such prestigious recognition.
After a round of applause from the seated players and the railbirds alike it was then time to shuffle up and deal, with cards in the air for Day 2 of this 2017 Aussie Millions Main Event.
flop over to Wong who continuation bet 2,000. Kan called and Pignatelli folded to take action heads-up to the 
turn.
river, which double-paired the board.
for king-high, which was trailing to Wong’s 
.
. Thomas checked and the player under the gun bet. Tilly raised and Thomas called to see things go to the turn. On the 
, Thomas and Tilly got their chips in with Tilly showing 
while Thomas tabled 
helped Tilly improve to a better two pair and Thomas got up and made his exit.
and after Myburgh checked Bassat bet out for 2,600 only to see Myburgh fold. Bassat pitched his 
and Aldemir checked. McCorkell reached for his chips and fired out 13,500. Aldemir contemplated for a moment before releasing his hand to the muck.
![Manny Stavropoulos (above) [Removed:17] (below)](https://s.pnimg.net/JJSIypHqB_QQyngeDIxAOUwQnHIMWUxU-3byHS0nH3o/pr:reporting-leading-desktop/aHR0cHM6Ly9wbmlt/Zy5uZXQvbHJlcC8x/OTIyLzg1L3hjYTEz/MjRjMjY2LmpwZw.webp)
. 