Tyron Krost Wins 2010 Aussie Millions Main Event

2010/02/01 Jennifer Newell

World poker news

The Aussie Millions continues to draw massive crowds from all over the world for its January tournament series at the Crown Casino in Melbourne. The 2010 events were no different, and when it came to the Main Event, some of the biggest names in poker mixed with anyone who could offer up the $10,500 buy-in to play for the prestigious Aussie Millions title.

Action got underway with three separate starting days for the Main Event, which brought 233 players on the first day, another 243 on the second, and 270 on the last day. That created a total field of 746 players and resulting prize pool of $7,460,000, which would be paid out to the top 72 players with $2 million even going to the ultimate winner. Among the players involved in first day action were Phil Ivey, Tom Dwan, Jeff Lisandro, Erik Seidel, Chris Ferguson, Vanessa Selbst, Dani Stern, Annette Obrestad, and 2009 Aussie Millions champion Stewart Scott.

Only 294 players survived the collective first days, and they returned for Day 2 that resulted in the majority of them eliminated, including players like Tony G, Erick Lindgren, Joe Hachem, and Dan Harrington. When play stopped, only 83 remained and David Frieling was the chip leader with 537,000.

Day 3 saw the money bubble burst soon into the action, and it happened when Joseph Sevian battled for his tournament life with Peter Jetten. Sevian had pocket kings, but Jetten had aces. The flop of gave Sevian the advantage, but after the came on the turn, the hit the river to give Jetten the better set. Sevian left the tournament in 73rd place with a bad beat story. Payouts began with notables like Marsha Waggoner, Barry Greenstein, and Gus Hansen finishing in the money. And with 18 players remaining, play stopped with Kosmas Dratsas in the chip lead with 1,792,000 but Annette Obrestad and Sorel Mizzi trailing in second and third places respectively.

It was on Day 4 that the final table was set, and in the process, more than half of the remaining players hit the rail, including Dan Shak in 11th place. Ultimately, Sorel Mizzi and Kosmas Dratsas got involved after a flop when Mizzi bet and Dratsas check-raised all-in with . Middle pair was outdone by Mizzi’s and top pair, which held up on the turn and river. Dratsas was gone in ninth place with $125,000, which set up the final table for the next day as follows:

Seat 1:    Sorel Mizzi        6,033,000
Seat 2:    Stephen Shelley       991,000
Seat 3:    Annette Obrestad    1,349,000
Seat 4:    Tyron Krost        1,869,000
Seat 5:    Frederik Jensen        1,754,000
Seat 6:    Kosta Varoxis           635,000
Seat 7:    Peter Jetten        1,700,000
Seat 8:    Steven Friedlander       694,000

It took approximately 3.5 hours of play to see an elimination from the final table, and it came in a hand that started with Krost and Shelly going to see a flop of . After Krost bet, Shelly check-raised all-in for his tournament life, and Krost called with pocket jacks, which dominated the pocket sevens of Shelly. The turn and river ended the tournament for Stephen Shelly, who took $125,000 for eighth place.

Annette Obrestad was the next to make a move and did so with preflop for her stack of 600K. Krost ultimately called with pocket sevens, and the board produced . Obrestad’s hand never improved and she was gone from the table in seventh place with $175,000 in prize money.

Steve Friedlander was the short stack going to the dinner break, and a few rounds after play resumed, he moved his last 615K all-in preflop and found Varoxis to be the only caller. Friedlander risked his tournament life with pocket sevens, and Varoxis turned over the . The board came , and trip kings were good enough to eliminate Friedlander in sixth place, which was worth $250,000.

Peter Jetten was hanging on during five-handed action but finally decided to risk his last 2.3 million with after Krost challenged him from the big blind. Krost called with pocket tens, and the two watched the board develop with . That ended Jetten’s run in fifth place with $350,000 for the effort.

Kosta Varoxis exchanged some double-ups with Mizzi but fell victim to one more than his stack could hand. Finally, Varoxis and Jensen got into a flop of , and with only 150K behind, a Jensen bet invariably forced Varoxis to call all-in with . Jensen showed pocket deuces, and the turn and only made that pair into a set. Varoxis was ousted from the tournament in fourth place with $450,000.

Then it was Sorel Mizzi’s turn to risk it all again, after having experienced a few up-and-down levels that left him in a somewhat desperate position. In a hand that began with a raise from Jensen and reraise from Mizzi, Krost reraised all-in from the big blind. Jensen folded but Mizzi finally called for the last of his chips with pocket sevens, which were up against the of Krost. The flop of immediately gave Krost the best hand, and the turn and river ended the contest. Mizzi was eliminated in third place with $715,000.

Heads-up then began as follows:

Tyron Krost 10,180,000
Frederik Jensen 4,860,000

Krost was determined to extend his chip lead, which he did through the battle that lasted less than 30 minutes. Finally, after a flop of , Jensen bet out, and a check-raise from Krost prompted a war that eventually saw Jensen calling all-in with . But Krost had the for top pair with the better kicker, and the and let it be. Frederik Jensen was eliminated in second place with $1.1 million to soothe the pain.