Action folded to Joe Hachem on the button and he raised to 5,000. Tobias Reinkemeier three-bet from the small blind to 15,000 and play moved back to Hachem. He four-bet to 32,500 and Reinkemeier gave it up.
Daniel Negreanu has been nursing a short stack all day long, and it finally came to a head. He got the last of his chips into the middle preflop with , and that was not at all good news when Dan Smith came along with his bigger stack and his bigger ace. It was , and Negreanu needed help in a hurry.
And help came in a hurry. The appeared right in the window, and the board was looking good for Kid Poker on fourth street: .
Negreanu knew something fishy was up, though, and he was not at all surprised to see the land on the river to snatch his chips away on the final card. With a few giggles and warm wishes, Negreanu headed to the rail, and we're down to 14 players.
With 23,000 chips in the middle on the board, Daniel Alaei bet 14,000 and had 24,500 behind. Joe Hachem asked how much Alaei had behind, got a look at his stack and then announced that he was all in. Alaei quickly called to put himself at risk.
Alaei tabled the for top set and was up against the for Hachem.
It was announced that Alaei was "all in and miles ahead" by the tournament announcer before the dealer burned one last time and smacked the on the river. Hachem spiked his gutshot straight draw to win the hand and Alaei was sent out the door.
Mikhail Smirnov limped into the pot under the gun, and Jason Mercier made a raise to 6,500 in middle position. Daniel Alaei called in the cutoff, Smirnov added the extra chips, and it was three-handed to the flop.
It came , and the first two gents checked to Alaei. He took his cue to bet 12,500 at the pot, and now only Smirnov called to see the next card. It was the , and Smirnov took control with a leading bet of 15,000. Alaei flatted, and the safe-looking filled out the board. The Russian had 72,000 chips left in front of him, and he put both hands behind those stacks and slid them forward. Alaei had just about that many chips himself, possibly a few less, and he tanked and surrendered his cards into the muck.
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The 22 players that played the 2012 Aussie Millions $100,000 Challenge generated a prizepool of $2.2 million. First place is worth $1.012 million and the top four spots will be awarded prize money. Here's the payouts:
From the cutoff seat, Tobias Reinkemeier raised to 4,000 and then action folded to Gus Hansen in the small blind. He reraised and made it 14,000 to go. Jason Mercier was in the big blind and four-bet to 26,500. Reinkemeier folded and then Hansen made it 52,000 to go. Mercier moved all in for 92,500 and Hansen called.
Hansen:
Mercier:
The flop, turn and river ran out and Mercier doubled up.
Daniel Alaei opened with a raise to 5,000 from middle position and both the blinds made the call; Mikhail Smirnov from the small blind and Gus Hansen from the big blind.
The flop came down and Smirnov checked. Hansen fired 10,500 and Alaei folded. Smirnov called.
The turn produced the and both players checked to see the land on the river. After Smirnov checked, Hansen bet 22,000. Smirnov made the call.