The Top Five Hands From the 2017 Aussie Millions
The 2017 Aussie Millions Poker Championships at Crown Melbourne was one of the biggest tournament series to kick off 2017, crowning 25 different champions in 26 different events.
The PokerNews Live Reporting Team was on hand to cover some of the biggest events including the $50,000 NLHE Shot Clock Six Max, the ANTON Jewellery $100,000 Challenge, the $25,000 Challenge and the $10,000 Aussie Millions Main Event. Here is a look back at five of the biggest hands at 2017 Aussie Millions.
Carroll Busts Holz on the Bubble in the $50,000 NLHE Shot Clock Six Max
Fresh off a spectacular year in 2016, Fedor Holz was looking for his second huge cash in the Aussie Million in the $50,000 NLHE Shot Clock Six Max after already banking AUD$352,800 for his third-place finish in the ANTON Jewellery $100,000 Challenge. He would wind up with another third-place finish, however, after Charlie Carrel bust him to burst the bubble. Carrel eventually took second place for AUD$117,600 against Mikita Badziakouski who collected the AUD$176,400 top prize.
The hand began innocuously enough with a limp from Holz on the button before Carrel squeezed it up to 3,500 from the small blind. Badziakouski folded the big blind and Holz made the call.
Carrel fired out a 4,100 bet on the 10♦8♣Q♣ flop and Holz quickly moved all in. He was just as quickly called by Carrel, who had him covered.
Fedor Holz: 10♣Q♦
Charlie Carrel: A♥J♠
Holz was leading with top two pairs and the 7♦ kept the German player in front but the K♥ river completed Carrel's gutshot Broadway straight. Holz jokingly threw his hand face down on the table and pretended to storm off before cracking a grin and shaking Carrel's hand, then heading for the rail as the unfortunate bubble boy.
While Holz failed to make the money in this tournament, he went on to snag his second big cash in the $10,000 Aussie Millions Main Event for AUD$335,000.
Petrangelo Calls Watson's Heads-Up Bluff in the ANTON Jewellery $100,000 Challenge
Two players traveled halfway across the world to play at the Aussie Millions, Nick Petrangelo and Mike Watson. They were the last two standing in the ANTON Jewellery $100,000 Challenge. Petrangelo shipped the tournament for the AUD$882,000 top prize while Watson banked the AUD$529,200 runner-up prize after this hand.
Watson raised to 30,000 from the button and found a call from Petrangelo in the big blind.
The flop fell 8♥2♦5♥ and both players opted to check.
The turn brought the 7♦ and Petrangelo led out for 45,000. Watson called.
The J♦ completed the board and Petrangelo splashed out 150,000. Watson waited until his time bank almost counted down to zero before announcing all in for 562,000.
Petrangelo waited until the tournament director cut out Watson's stack and gave him an exact count before making the call shortly after.
Just like that, the heads-up battle was complete. Watson reluctantly turned over A♠4♣ for ace-high before Petrangelo flipped over J♥8♦ for two-pair and the winning hand.
Adams Flops a Straight Against Chen in the $25,000 Challenge
After eliminating Antoine Saout in third place in the $25,000 Challenge for AUD$383,040, James Chen, who won the opening event, held a 2:1 chip advantage against Brandon Adams. Adams lost some chips before evening things up, but he almost doubled up during this hand.
Adams limped in from the button and Chen checked his option. Chen led out for 50,000 on 4♥7♥8♥ only to face a raise to 175,000 by Adams. Chen called and check-called another 325,000 on the A♣ turn.
The river 8♠ paired the board and Chen checked again. Adams bet 700,000 and Chen went deep into the tank. He took apart the 700,000 to call, played around with it for a bit, and then eventually slid the tower of chips over the line.
Adams showed 5♥6♣ for the flopped straight and Chen mucked.
Chen eventually won the tournament for AUD$861,840 and became the only two-time champion of the 2017 Aussie Millions, while Adams bowed out in second place to collect the runner-up prize of AUD$590,520.
Vijayaram Wins a Huge Flip Against Rossiter in the Aussie Millions Main Event
Play in the $10,000 Aussie Millions Main Event was down to four players after Jeff Rossiter eliminated Fedor Holz in fifth place. It took another 85 hands for the next player to be eliminated, which turned out to be Rossiter after this faceoff with the tournament's eventual winner Shurane Vijayaram.
Rossiter raised to 240,000 under the gun with 6♠6♥ before Vijayaram moved all in from the big blind with K♣J♦ for enough to cover Rossiter’s 3 million in chips.
Rossiter went deep into the tank, deliberating for several minutes, before finally finding a call to flip for his tournament life. The board ran out 10♣K♠8♦10♠J♥ to see Vijayaram spike a king and his supporters on the rail erupt with cheers and applause.
Rossiter didn't walk away empty-handed; he took home the tournament's fourth-place prize of AUD$440,000.
Vijayaram Calls Heath's Bluff to Win the Aussie Millions Main Event
Shurane Vijayaram was looking to make a fairy tale dream come true in the Aussie Millions Main Event after qualifying into the tournament in a $160 live satellite. He held a substantial chip lead against Ben Heath during heads-up play before the last hand of the tournament.
The action began with Vijayaram raising to 350,000 from the button and finding a call from Ben Heath in the big blind.
The flop fell 6♥9♣7♠ and Heath checked. Vijayaram fired out 400,000. Heath called.
The turn brought the 3♥ and Heath checked. Vijayaram bet out 500,000 before Heath came over the top with a raise to 1,390,000. Vijayaram thought for a minute, then cut out the chips to call and slid them out.
The Q♠ completed the board and Heath moved all in for 3,200,000. Vijayaram went into the tank for five minutes as he deliberated over his decision. In the final stages, he ran through the hand, convinced himself that Heath had missed a draw and called the all in.
Heath reluctantly flipped over his K♠8♣ for king-high and Vijayaram nodded his head before tabling his 5♥5♦ for a pair and the winning hand.
Heath took home AUD$1,000,000 for second place. The figure instantly doubles his career earnings after a solid week at the tables.
Meanwhile, Vijayaram entered the history books as the 2017 Aussie Millions Main Event champion, collecting the AUD$1,600,000 top prize. Remarkably this was also his first live tournament cash recorded on The Hendon Mob.
