Event #9: $25,000 Challenge | 2016 Aussie Millions

01-23-2016 15:30 UTC+11

Player	Chips	Progress
Igor Kurganov	460,000 -60,000	-60,000

Dominik Nitsche	425,000 65,000	65,000

Eugene Katchalov	385,000 -14,000	-14,000

Michael Liem	270,000 110,000	110,000
Sam Greenwood	90,000 -72,500	-72,500

Kurganov Eliminates Roberts

Webjoker

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Brian Roberts was down to his last 61,000 and moved all in from the cutoff. Katchalov (button) and Greenwood (small blind) released but Kurganov (big blind) was quick to call.

Brian Roberts:
Igor Kurganov:

The board ran out and Roberts was already drawing to a chop at max on the turn. Roberts tapped the table and made his exit, Kurganov moved over the 500,000 mark.

Player	Chips	Progress
Igor Kurganov	520,000 206,000	206,000

Brian Roberts	Busted

Tags: Brian Roberts Igor Kurganov

01-23-2016 15:20 UTC+11

Bad Beat Sends Neilson to the Rail

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Chad Holloway

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

A short-stacked Daniel Neilson raised all in from the cutoff for 75,000 and Ben Tollerene called from the button. Both blinds folded and the cards were turned on their backs.

Tollerene:
Neilson:

Neilson was a huge favorite to double, but not after the flop came down to give Tollerene a set. The turn gave Neilson a bunch more outs — a non-six spade would give him a winning flush — but the bricked on the river to send him to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ben Tollerene	580,000 114,500	114,500
Daniel Neilson	Busted

Tags: Ben Tollerene Daniel Neilson

01-23-2016 15:19 UTC+11

When It Rainers, It Pours

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Webjoker

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Rainer Kempe moved all in under the gun for exactly 20,000 in chips. Action folded around pretty quickly, but he wouldn't get passed Alexander Lynskey in the big blind. The Aussie made the call and it was time for the two of them to put their cards on their backs.

Alexander Lynskey:
Rainer Kempe:

The flop came , spelling disaster for Kempe. The on the turn and on the river were of no help to the German serial casher, and he made his exit in 24th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alexander Lynskey	365,000 19,000	19,000
Rainer Kempe	Busted

Tags: Alexander Lynskey Rainer Kempe

01-23-2016 15:17 UTC+11

Zhu Finishes Off 2015 GPI Player of the Year

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Chad Holloway

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Team PokerStars Pro Yaxi Zhu raised to 11,000 from the button only to have Byron Kaverman three-bet jam for 82,500 from the small blind. Zhu hit the tank for over a minute, and then dropped in the chips to call.

Kaverman:
Zhu:

It was a flip, but Kaverman needed to improve to stay alive. That proved easier said than done as the board ran out an unhelpful .

Kaverman's elimination in 25th place means a table will be broke. Remember, there are no redraws on Day 2, just tables being broke when necessary.

Player	Chips	Progress
Yaxi Zhu	250,000 85,000	85,000

Byron Kaverman	Busted

Tags: Byron Kaverman Yaxi Zhu

01-23-2016 15:12 UTC+11

Kempe Doubles Gruissem (and Vice Versa)

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Webjoker

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Philipp Gruissem raised to 12,000 under the gun and action folded to Rainer Kempe in the big blind. He shoved all in and his country man called instantly. Kempe was drawing slim holding as Gruissem was the owner of . The board ran out and Kempe had to hand over 96,500 to his neighbor.

The next hand action folded to Kempe and he moved in from the small blind for his last 9,500. Gruissem had just about an automatic call but looked at his cards first, said something we didn't really hear, and called. Kempe showed a monster with but he was up against a real hand as Gruissem revealed with a big smile. Kempe chuckled and the two players saw the board run out .

It hasn't been Kempe's day so far, but he's still in!

Player	Chips	Progress
Philipp Gruissem	188,500 90,500	90,500

Rainer Kempe	22,000 -88,000	-88,000

Tags: Philipp Gruissem Rainer Kempe

01-23-2016 15:11 UTC+11

Koon Finds a Fold Against Seidel

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Happy_Freaked

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

We picked up the action on the turn with a board showing when Erik Seidel bet 22,000 from the big blind with just 20,500 chips left behind. Jason Koon, on the button, tanked for a while before calling, and the river was the .

Seidel quickly moved all in for his last chips, and Koon smiled as he showed his for both a missed straight and flush draw.

"I can beat queen-nine with the queen of clubs," Koon joked as he folded, and Seidel mucked quietly before raking in an important pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Jason Koon	308,000 -62,000	-62,000

Erik Seidel	122,000 36,000	36,000

Tags: Erik Seidel Jason Koon

01-23-2016 15:05 UTC+11

Weiss the First to Fall on Day 2

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Chad Holloway

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

A short-stacked Michael Weiss moved all in under the gun for 59,500 and Dominik Nitsche just flatted from the button. Michael Liem and Brian Roberts both folded from the blinds, and Weiss discovered the bad news.

Nitsche:
Weiss:

Weiss' best shot to survive was to catch a four, but it never came as the board ran out a clean .

Player	Chips	Progress
Dominik Nitsche	360,000 102,000	102,000

Michael Weiss	Busted

Tags: Michael Weiss Dominik Nitsche

01-23-2016 15:00 UTC+11

Kempe Short After Tollerene Hits Lucky Eight

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Webjoker

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

Not too long after playing a small pot against each other where Kempe got one street of value with his second pair, Ben Tollerene and Rainer Kempe clashed again.

It was Ben Tollerene who opened to 11,000 from the hijack and Rainer Kempe three-bet to 31,000 from the button. Both blinds (Katchalov and Gruissem) got out of the way and action was back on Tollerene. He shoved for 227,500 (45 big blinds) and Kempe called just about instantly.

Rainer Kempe:
Ben Tollerene:

Tollerene seemed unfazed and his face didn't even change one bit after the appeared in the window. The board ran out and Tollerene doubled up, leaving Kempe short.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ben Tollerene	465,500 202,000	202,000
Rainer Kempe	110,000 -247,500	-247,500

Tags: Ben Tollerene Rainer Kempe

01-23-2016 14:59 UTC+11

Koon Straightens Out Spagnuolo

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donpeters

Level 13 : 2,500/5,000, 500 ante

From the cutoff seat, Dean Spagnuolo raised to 11,000. Jason Koon called from the button, and Erik Seidel called from the big blind.

On the flop, Seidel checked, Spagnuolo bet 12,500, Koon called, and Seidel folded.

The turn was the to pair the board, and Spagnuolo bet 21,000. Koon called again, and the river completed the board with the . Spagnuolo bet 41,000, and Koon called.

Spagnuolo showed the for two pair, aces and threes, with a queen kicker. Koon showed the for a Broadway straight, and he won the pot.