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Australian poker legend Billy Argyros is still in contention
Exactly 150 players remain in the 2017 Aussie Millions Main Event, 150 players will flock to the Crown Melbourne poker room to start their Day 3 at 12:30 p.m. (in about an hour time). It's bubble day, with 80 players getting paid a minimum of AUD$15,000. 70 players will go home empty-handed, and it's all going to happen today.
Seven levels are scheduled for today's play, starting with 1,200/2,400 with a 400 ante. The levels are once again 90 minutes long, so it's going to be as long a day as the starting days were - play should finish around 2 a.m. again.
Leading the pack is nonother than Jennifer Tilly. She'll bring a stack just shy of half a million to the table today. Players like Nick Rampone (29,500), Thomas Boivin (29,000) and Tino Lechich (22,200) are at the other end of the spectrum.
PokerNews.com will again be your one-stop shop for all the updates and photos one can wish for so check back in an hour for continuing coverage of the 2017 Aussie Millions Main Event.
Australian poker legend Tino "Dice" Lechich, who's first recorded cash is from 1988, just shoved all in over the top of a 4,500 early position raise by Robert Lieu. Lieu asked for a count, tanked for a bit, and called for 49,500 total.
Tino Lechich:
Robert Lieu:
The flop came and Lechich jumped into the lead. The on the turn and on the river were blanks and Robert Lieu parted ways with a large portion of his chips.
Koray Aldemir raised to 5,200 from the cutoff before Rory Brown moved all in for around 55,000 from the button. The action folded back to Aldemir who called.
Aldemir:
Brown:
The board ran out to see Brown unable to improve resulting in his elimination.
Having just doubled up Shane Warne with an over pair to a flopped set, Jonas Gjelstad would endure a horrendous beat to bust just a minute or so later.
Gjelstad opened for 5,500 and Billy "The Croc" Argyros called in position. Big blind Shane Warne came along to make it three-way to the flop.
Warne checked on and Gjelstad bet 7,000. Argyros raised to 18,000 which was enough to get rid of Warne. Gjelstad wasn't giving up so easily, though, and he shoved all in for 32,000. Argyros called.
Jonas Gjelstad:
Billy Argyros:
Things were looking bleak for Argyros as he was drawing to a single out to knockout Gjelstad.
The on the turn didn't change anything but the on the river sure did!
"Wow" and "Ahhh"'s could be heard all over and players came from other tables to take a look. Three players took their phones out to snap a picture of what had happened, Gjelstad being one of them.
The one-outer did Gjelstad in, from an average stack to out in a matter of minutes. Argyros, meanwhile, is sitting comfortably on a stack of around 170,000.
After a tumultuous first level today, Australian cricket legend Shane Warne has been felted at the hands of Laurence Hall.
Warne was super short after running kings into aces and we arrived at the table to see the board spread with Warne holding for a pair of tens, but behind Hall’s for two pair.
The action folded around to Paul Hoefer in the small blind who opened with a raise. Mustapha Kanit then came over the top with a re-raise before Hoefer moved all in. Kanit quickly called.
Kanit:
Hoefer:
The board ran out to see Kanit improve to a set of aces on the flop resulting in Hoefer hitting the rail.
Last year’s runner-up Tony Dunst won’t be making consecutive final table appearances – he just exited the tournament area after being eliminated.
All the money was in the middle and the cards were spread when we spotted Dunst out of his seat. He had in front of him but that was no good against his opponent’s .
Erik Seidel, down to just 30,000, got his chips in before the flop with a powerhouse of a hand: . Artur Koren, who could spare the measly 30,000, had .
Seidel was in excellent position to double up with 90 players left and 80 paid, but the flop wasn't good for him: .
Seidel, now on the brink of busting 10 before the money, didn't move an inch and seemed as tranquil as ever.
Rightfully so, it turned out. After hit the turn, the on the river brought salvation for the seasoned pro.
Mustapha Kanit just exhibited why he’s considered an elite player after making what can only be described as a sick call against Tony Mladenovski.
It was three-handed on a flop of and after the small blind checked his option, Mladenovski fired for 38,500. Kanit called and with the small blind out of the way the dealer revealed the turn card.
Mladenovski loaded up again and fired for 44,500. Kanit stuck around to see the river.
Mladenovski then made it 49,500 and Kanit began to deliberate. He appeared to be counting his own stack and spent a couple of minutes analyzing the situation. Ultimately Kanit decided on a call with for just bottom pair.
That was good as Mladenovski was holding with ace high.
“Nice hand” Mladenovski conceded as the pot was pushed to Kanit.
“I wasn’t sure if I had to raise or call the river,” commented Kanit, who added that he just called due to the looming bubble.
Alek Givotovsky bubbles Aussie Millions 2017 Main Event
The bubble of the 2017 Aussie Million main event lasted just one hand with Alek Givotovsky earning himself the unfortunate title of bubble boy.
The hand started with Givotovsky moving all in for 68,000 from middle position and finding a call from Stephen Bantick in the cutoff.
Bantick:
Givotovsky:
The crowd surrounded the table and watched as the dealer produced the board. Bantick's king-kicker would prove the difference sending Givotovsky to the rail one player short of the money.
AQ<AK aipf for 13bb and we stone bubble the #AussieMillions #MainEvent :(
and Lechich jumped into the lead. The 
on the turn and 
on the river were blanks and Robert Lieu parted ways with a large portion of his chips.
to see Brown unable to improve resulting in his elimination.
and Gjelstad bet 7,000. Argyros raised to 18,000 which was enough to get rid of Warne. Gjelstad wasn't giving up so easily, though, and he shoved all in for 32,000. Argyros called.
on the turn didn't change anything but the 
on the river sure did!
with Warne holding 
to see Kanit improve to a set of aces on the flop resulting in Hoefer hitting the rail.
when we spotted Dunst out of his seat. He had 
.
and after the small blind checked his option, Mladenovski fired for 38,500. Kanit called and with the small blind out of the way the dealer revealed the 
with ace high. 
board. Bantick's king-kicker would prove the difference sending Givotovsky to the rail one player short of the money.