2016 Aussie Millions Day 2: James Obst Leads H.O.R.S.E. Final Table
The 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship continued at the Crown Entertainment Complex on Thursday with the second event on the busy schedule playing down to a final table filled with Australian poker legends and accomplished players.
The 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship Event #2 $2,500 H.O.R.S.E. Drew 39 players and the final table was set just after 10 p.m. Thursday.
Leading the group when play resumes Friday in Melbourne will be 2014 Aussie Millions $2,500 8-Game champ and three-time World Series of Poker final table participant James Obst.
The only player currently close is the very same one that finished second to Obst in that 2014 Aussie Millions $2,500 8-Game event, New Zealander and WSOP APAC $5,000 No Limit Hold'em - 6 Handed third-place finisher Jan Suchanek. Australian Poker Hall of Fame member Jason Gray is the only other player with a six-figure stack.
Leading the bottom half of the counts is Australian Poker Hall of Fame member Mel Judah.
The shorter stacks include 2015 Australian Poker Hall of Fame nominee Michael Guttman, 2008 Victorian Poker Championship $100,000 Challenge winner and local tournament killer Peter Aristidou, and 2014 Sydney Championships $5,000 Challenge winner Jarryd Godena.
Play will resume at 1 p.m. local time Friday inside the Crown Poker Room just two spots off the money with a $35,100 first-place prize and an Aussie Millions title hanging in the balance.
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team will be on hand for all the action until a winner is crowned providing live updates in the blog.
Below are the final table seating assignments and chip counts:
| Seat | Player | Chips |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mel Judah | 42,000 |
| 2 | Jan Suchanek | 121,900 |
| 3 | Jarryd Godena | 13,000 |
| 4 | Peter Aristidou | 18,600 |
| 5 | James Obst | 158,600 |
| 6 | Jason Gray | 100,300 |
| 7 | Michael Guttman | 24,000 |
The Second of Four Starting Flights for the Opening Event Draws 172
Day 1 Flight 2 of Event #1 $1,150 No-Limit Hold'em drew a total of 172 players Thursday, bringing the total up to 332, and putting the event well on the path to surpassing its $1 million prize pool guarantee with two starting flights still to come.
Two-time European Poker Tour Main Event finalist Xuan Liu and 2014 WSOP APAC Main Event champion Scott Davies both took their second shot at the event to no avail.
2013 World Series of Poker Europe Ladies Event bracelet winner Jackie Glazier took her first kick at the can. However, the Aussie was felted early and was soon joined by 2012 WSOP November Niner Jacob Balsiger and Australian Poker Hall of Fame member Leo Boxell on the rail.
A Writer and Producer on hit American TV shows Weeds and Entourage, Matt Salsberg, and 2015 WSOP November Niner Federico Butteroni both built contending stacks into the late levels. However, Butteroni got short and busted in the last ten minutes of play while Salsberg slowed down and bagged short.
By the time twelve 40-minute levels were through just 26 players remained with Ferenc Riech leading the pack. The German built a big stack midway through the day and used it to put a ton of pressure on his opponents through the late levels, ascending into the chip lead as the night wore on.
| Position | Player | Nationality | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferenc Riech | Germany | 205,700 |
| 2 | Daniel Neilson | Australia | 167,000 |
| 3 | Louis Salter | UK | 120,000 |
| 4 | George Dionisopolous | Australia | 111,400 |
| 5 | Oliver Gill | Australia | 99,400 |
| 6 | Imran Ali | Australia | 96,600 |
| 7 | Dean Blatt | Australia | 92,700 |
| 8 | Panayotis Flourentzou | Australia | 87,200 |
| 9 | Ryan Otto | New Zealand | 82,700 |
| 10 | Don Mishra | Singapore | 81,600 |
This group and the 26 survivors from Flight 1 will battle it out for a seat at the nine-handed final at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday with survivors from the next two flights set for Friday and Saturday also joining them.
As a repechage event, players eliminated from previous flights may re-enter any of the remaining flights.
The 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship Continues
The 2016 Aussie Millions Poker Championship continues Friday January 15 with the third of four starting flights for Event #1 $1,150 No Limit Holdem beginning just after 12 p.m. local time.
Plus, the final table of Event #2 $2,500 H.O.R.S.E. will begin at 1 p.m. and play down to a winner.
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