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After a few side events things started to really get going with the $25,000 Challenge, the $100,000 Challenge and the $10,300 Main Event sprining into action at the Aussie Millions. Alex Trevallion defeated a field of 104 entrants and received $645,000 after making a deal with Tobias Reinkemeier in heads-up in the $25,000 event, while the chipleader of the Main Event is Jan Suchanek.
Suchanek is followed by Joakim Backlund and defending champion Ami "UhhMe" Barer. 183 players entered Day 1a which is a slight increase from last year (175 entrants) and by the end of the day only 97 remained.
Plenty of big names managed to advance to Day 2 including Jack Salter, 2014 WSOP Main Event runner-up Felix Stephensen, Australian poker legend Jeff Lisandro, Jake Balsiger and 2005 WSOP Main Event champ Joe Hachem.
Players who fell before the end of the day include Ben "NeverScaredB" Wilinofsky, Maria Ho, Jason Wheeler, Brian Roberts, Chris Moorman, Martin Finger and 2011 champion Oliver Speidel.
Day 1b of the Main Event startas at 12:30 pm local time, you can see the top 10 stacks below:
- Jan Suchanek 163,400
- Joakim Backlund 148,900
- Ami Barer 142,900
- Rahul Byrraju 137,600
- Joe Reina 121,900
- Mikel Habb 114,500
- Rahul Rastogi 102,300
- Ismael Bojang 98,700
- Jonas Mackoff 91,700
- Heinz Kamutzki 91,600
In the $25,000 Challenge, there were a total of 104 entrants (which is a huge increase from the 65 entrants in 2014) with most of the biggest names in poker in action, so it was no surprise that the final table had an extremely tough lineup. In the end it was Alex Trevallion, a young Australian online cash game player who had just $12,500 in live tournament earnings before the event, who took home the first place prize of $645,150 after making a deal with German high roller crusher Tobias Reinkemeier.
The first player to bust was Connor Drinan after he 4bet shoved with KQ only to run into Stephen Chidwick's K-K. Rahul Byrraju finished in 8th, Raiden Kan finished in 7th and Steve O'Dwyer busted in sixth place after shoving J-T into Thomas Muehloecker's K-K.
The Q-T-5-9 board gave O'Dwyer a decent chance at survival, but the 4 on the river was not one of the cards he needed.
Trevallion raised then called the all-in of Muehloecker, the Australian was in a dominating position with 8-8 vs. 2-2. The K-K-7-Q-6 board didn't give Muehloecker the outs he needed and he was out in fifth.
Stephen Chidwick finished in fourth place after he ran his A-5 suited into Tobias Reinkemeier's K-K, he was soon followed by Pratyush Buddiga, who openshoved with 6-5 suited from the small blind. Trevallion called with A-T and held on the Q-T-8-5-Q board.
Trevallion and Reinkemeier struck a deal before heads-up play started and left $40,000 for the winner, and we didn't have to wait long for the last hand of the tournament.
Trevallion called a button raise then check-called on the T-7-5 flop before check-raising the turn when a 4 hit. Reinkemeier called to see the river then snapcalled when Trevallion shoved on the river. Reinkemeier had 8-6 for a turned straight while Trevallion had J-8 for a rivered higher straight.
Alex Trevallion
Final table results:
1st Alex Trevallion – $645,150*
2nd Tobias Reinkemeier – $614,850*
3rd Pratyush Buddiga - $335,000
4th Stephen Chidwick - $250,000
5th Thomas Muehloecker - $195,000
6th Steve O’Dwyer - $156,000
7th Raiden Kan - $125,000
8th Rahul Byrraju - $100,000
9th Connor Drinan - $75,000