Big Names Make the Final Table of Event #2: AUD$2,500 H.O.R.S.E.
There were big names everywhere you looked as the second event of the 2019 Aussie Millions kicked off today as the mixed game players took centre stage for the start of Event #2: AUD$2,500 H.O.R.S.E.
The field of 54 was an increase on the 2018 tournament which was won by Salvatore Ribbera who took home AUD$39,700.
And after 14 levels of play, the tournament is down to its last eight players with plenty of big names still in contention. They include former WSOP Main Event final tablist Billy 'The Croc' Argyros and Australian Poker Hall of Famer and former Aussie Millions champion Lee Nelson headlines the final table. After final tabling the Main Event in 2001 and 2002, he took down the Main Event for AUD$1,295,800 in 2006.
According to Hendon Mob, Nelson hasn't been active on the poker scene recently, so it was a surprise to many to see him back in action at the venue of his greatest poker victory.
"Do you want the real answer?" he said when we asked him about his return. "The real answer is that my wife's fortune teller told her that I had to come. That's true!
"She said that I will win at least one tournament here. And it's not 100% it's 1,000% according to her. I've got average chips and final table so obviously, that's a good start."
Many players speak of the efforts the staff here at the Crown go to in making it a pleasant experience, and Nelson stressed that everyone at the venue is, in his eyes, fantastic.
"I feel really comfortable here. I don't know how many final tables I've made here it's probably one of the highest number of final tables. But everyone here is fantastic. They treat you so well, it's such a difference to other properties. They're really in a class of their own."
Leading the final eight players is WSOP bracelet winner Michael Moore. Moore won his bracelet in limit hold'em and he's now aiming for a tournament victory on his third trip to Melbourne.
"I love Melbourne, what can I say. It's my third year and I've cashed every time, but hopefully, I'll win one of these. I've got a third, fourth, ninth...91st. Tomorrow...we're gonna finish it off!
"I was down very low and I threw some hands away that I think anybody here would have just gone with. I hung in there, I started doubling up and hit a rush. Now I'm chip leader!"
Here's how the final seven stack up:
| Seat | Name | Country | Chip Count |
| 1 | Tim Marsters | Australia | 141,500 |
| 2 | Srdjan Brkic | Australia | 83,500 |
| 3 | Lee Nelson | New Zealand | 89,500 |
| 4 | Luke Edwards | Australia | 114,000 |
| 5 | Ashish Gupta | Australia | 39,500 |
| 6 | Billy "The Croc" Argyros | Australia | 131,000 |
| 7 | Michael Moore | United States | 152,500 |
| 8 | Daniel Mayoh | Australia | 58,500 |
Other notable players who failed to reach the final table included Australian poker legend Mel Judah, 2018 bracelet winner Daniel Ospina from Colombia, WSOP APAC bracelet winner Sam Higgs and last year's sixth-place finisher in the this event Mark Betts.
Former Main Event winner David Gorr bust midway through the day, with fellow former champion Richard Ashby narrowly missing out on a spot in the final day's play as he bust in tenth place.
Play was scheduled to conclude when the tournament reached a final table of eight, but the players agreed to play out the final 21 minutes of level 14 before bagging for the night.
That means that the players will return just one place off the money, with a min-cash worth AUD$7,250. Here is a look at the remaining payouts:
| Place | Payout (AUD) | Payout (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $40,095 | $28,817 |
| 2 | $25,515 | $18,338 |
| 3 | $17,010 | $12,225 |
| 4 | $13,365 | $9,606 |
| 5 | $9,720 | $6,986 |
| 6 | $8,505 | $6,113 |
| 7 | $7,290 | $5,239 |
Play resumes at 1pm tomorrow afternoon where they will play down to a winner, and in doing so crown the first champion of the 2019 Aussie Millions.