Matthew Smith Bests Steven van Zadelhoff in Aussie Millions Event #15
New Zealand's Matthew Smith navigated through a tough final table that included the likes of 2017 PokerStars WCOOP Main Event champion Steven van Zadelhoff and 2016 WSOP Main Event November Niner Kenny Hallaert to win the 2018 Aussie Million Event #15: A$1,150 No Limit Holdem/Pot Limit Omaha event for A$45,360 ($36,707).
@svzff Go go!!! @svzff & @SpaceyFCB https://t.co/OMCFfsci6a
— Kristen Bicknell (@krissyb24poker)
The tournament attracted 177 entrants to generate a A$181,425 prize pool, or 33 percent more than the 133 players it drew last year.
Aussie Millions Event #15: A$1,150 No Limit Holdem/Pot Limit Omaha Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize in A$ | Prize in US$ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matthew Smith | New Zealand | A$45,360 | $36,707 |
| 2 | Steven van Zadelhoff | Netherlands | A$29,940 | $24,229 |
| 3 | Ali Ibrahim | Australia | A$19,050 | $15,416 |
| 4 | Sebestyen Balint | United States | A$15,420 | $12,478 |
| 5 | Iori Yogo | Japan | A$12,245 | $9,909 |
| 6 | Petar Vujic | Australia | A$9,980 | $8,076 |
| 7 | Kenny Hallaert | Belgium | A$8,165 | $6,607 |
| 8 | Luc Meritan | France | A$6,350 | $5,139 |
A total of 21 players cashed the event for a minimum of A$1,815. The most notable player to cash but miss out on the final table was Poland's all-time winning live poker tournament player with $5.3 million in cashes Dzmitry Urbanovich (13th - A$2,720).
Seven of the final eight players were representing different countries across four continents. France's Luc Meritan was the first player at the final table to hit the rail in eighth place for A$6,350 for his second career Aussie Millions cash.
Hallaert, the winningest live tournament player at the final table with $3.9 million in live cashes was the next victim and took home the seventh-place prize of A$8,165.
Hometown player Petar Vujic then secured his second Aussie Millions cash this festival after bowing out in sixth place for A$9,980.
Japan's Iori Yogo was another big name at the final table and was the next player eliminated in fifth place for A$12,245. With over $900,000 in cashes, he is Japan's third most winning player in poker tournaments according to The Hendon Mob.
American Sebestyen Balint recorded his third-ever live poker cash and his biggest to date after nailing down fourth place for A$15,420. Australia's Ali Ibrahim was the next player out and also recorded his biggest live tournament cash of A$19,050 for third place.
This left the van Zadelholff and Smith battling it out heads up for the title. Van Zadelhoff had both experience with $1.6 million in live cashes to go along with $7.6 million in online cashes as well as the chip lead on his side.
However, van Zadelhoff's lead evaporated after he doubled Smith when his overpair 9x9x on a 7x8x2x5x3x board proved to be no good against his opponent's two-pair with 7x5x.
Van Zadelhoff was short-stacked after that hand and got the rest of his chips in the middle with top-pair holding 7x5x on a 7x6x2x3x versus Smith's straight holding 5x4x. The river was a blank and Smith turned his second-ever poker cash into a win, while van Zadelhoff settled for the runner-up prize of A$29,940.
