2009 Aussie Millions Event 10, Heads-Up Final: Tabatabai Triumphs
The final four combatants in the Aussie Millions Poker Championship $5,300 Heads-Up event squared off on Thursday, with John Tabatabai making quick work of Alec "traheho" Torelli in straight sets to claim the championship ring and the AUD $100,000 top prize. On the way to the final match, Tabatabai vanquished David Gent, while Torelli knocked out Jarred Solomon, who put on an impressive showing on Day 1, losing only a single game as he carved a path through his opponents on the way to the finals.
Once Solomon was eliminated from the Main Event, he arrived at his waiting seat in the Heads-Up semifinals for his shot at the ring. His amazing run of success in heads up play came screeching to a halt as Torelli defeated him in straight sets to advance. The first game was all Torelli as he made short work of Solomon. All the chips went in preflop with Torelli showing K♦8♦ to Solomon's 6♠5♦. The board blanked out 7♦Q♥7♥10♠4♦, and Torelli took a 1-0 lead.
The second game was a back-and-forth affair, with Solomon leading early but Torelli doubling through him with two pair to bring the match back to even. Torelli then began to apply the pressure, and slowly wore Solomon down until finally Solomon moved all in preflop with K♣J♥. Torelli called with A♠J♦, and Solomon was drawing thin. The board missed both players, and Solomon was eliminated ($40,000).
John Tabatabai had a somewhat tougher time getting to the finals, as his match with David Gent went all three games before a winner was decided. Tabatabai took the first game down when Gent fired all three bullets at him with air. On a board of 8♦J♠4♥A♣3♠, Gent bet out on every street. Tabatabai called him down with 9♣8♠, good enough against Gent's K♠10♥, and Tabatabai took the lead. Gent turned a straight in the second game to take control and eventually even the score, so the players redistributed the chips and began the rubber match.
The third match was quick, with Tabatabai taking control in a big hand where he made a flush on the turn to Gent's top pair. The chips went in preflop on the final hand. Gent showed K♠3♣ to Tabatabai's pocket fours, and the flop came down 6♣9♦9♣. Gent needed a king or running clubs to stay alive, but the turn and river came down A♦2♠, and he was done in third place ($40,000).
The final match was a quick one, with Tabatabai dispatching Torelli in straight games. Tabatabai won a coin flip to take the first match as Torelli moved in preflop with pocket eights and Tabatabai called with K♥10♠. The flop was good for Torelli, bringing 5♥2♦Q♣, but the Kd on the turn meant that only an eight on the river would save him. The 9♦ fell instead, and Tabatabai took a 1-0 lead.
Tabatabai started with the lead in the final hand of the match as Torelli moved in preflop with K♦10♦. Tabatabai called with A♥7♥, and improved hugely on the 9♥7♣7♦ flop. Torelli was drawing extremely thin when the Q♣ hit the turn, and when the 8♥ came on the river he was again the runner-up in a major heads-up championship. Torelli added $60,000 to the money he won as the runner-up of the WSOP heads-up championship this summer, while Tabatabai picked up $100,000 and the Aussie Millions Event #10 championship ring.
