Aussie Millions Main Event Underway

The 2008 Aussie Millions main event is underway as top professional poker players from all over the world compete for a guaranteed first prize of $1 million. The overall prize pool is expected to be over $5 million.

The main event began on Monday with Day 1A action as the field starts on three separate days from the Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia.

Day 1A included poker pros Erik Seidel, Andy Black, Gavin Smith, John Juanda, Karina Jett, Eli Elezra, Jimmy 'gobboboy' Fricke, Allen Cunningham, Raymond Rahme, Lee Watkinson and Tony G. Andy Black had an excellent day and ended the day as the chip leader. 91 players survived the Day 1A field. Also surviving were Erik Seidel, Allen Cunningham and Tony G.

294 players were part of the Day 1B field including last year’s Aussie Millions winner Gus Hansen, 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event Champion Joe Hachem, Phil Ivey, Jennifer Tilly, Phil Laak, Shannon Elizabeth, Annie Duke, Clonie Gowen, Chris Ferguson, Karina Jett and others. Elizabeth went out early as she was taken down by Phil Laak’s pocket aces.

Other poker pros to bite the dust were Barny Boatman, Joe Sebok, Ferguson, Laak and Patrik Antonius. Hansen will not be repeating last year’s victory as he was all-in with a pair of sevens against his opponent’s queen-jack suited. A jack came out on the flop and that was it for Hansen in this year’s Aussie Millions. Joe Hachem, Jeff Lisandro and Phil Ivey had solid days and were among the chip leaders.

One of the winners from an earlier event in the Aussie Millions was Howard Lederer. He has not been winning much lately so the $1.25 million he took home for winning Event #9 was a nice surprise.

The Aussie Millions final table will be played on Sunday, January 20th. The tournament is scheduled to be televised later this year on Fox Sports Net (FSN).