By Alison Lightman

Day2 of the Aussie Millions has come to an end after a marathon 7 ninety minute levels of play that saw the starting field reduce from 299 to 80.

Jimmy Fricke is the sensation tonight. The 19 year old who is fresh from a cash finish in the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure (22nd place) has 535k and is battling for the chip lead against Haralabos Voulgaris.

Jimmy predicted he was going to win on the eve of the Main Event.

Jimmy “gobboboy”Fricke is ecstatic about his performance, and can sleep peacefully knowing there will be 535k chips waiting for him when play resumes tomorrow. His friend Adam Junglen, another PokerStars player, has 309.5k. They must be the two youngest players left in the tournament. Jimmy is from Mahomet Illinois and Adam from Ohio. Both bought in using the W$ they’ve earned on PokerStars and it’s proved a wise investment.

An elated Joe Hachem, 2005 WSOP champion, ended the day with 275k, exceeding his hoped for target.

“I said before the start of the day I wanted to walk out of here with 200k. Until the last hour and a half I would have struggled to have that. I fluctuated between 40 and 90k for a long time on the two feature tables.”

Meanwhile Lee Nelson the defending champion finished with 192k having been up over 400k. He lost a couple of large pots at the end of the Day. He was getting hands like A 10 and didn’t want to get too involved with Patrik Antonius (comeback story of the day) being so hyper aggressive.

We’ll post a full report on Lee’s day tomorrow.

David “The Dragon” Pham is another big stacked player with 350k.

Dennis Petronack deserves a medal for endurance and will have to pick his moment wisely to make his 17k stack work for him tomorrow.

Kosta Varoxis from the Gold Coast finished with 164k, and Jakob Glassl, from Hamburg in Germany, has 120k.

**update**1.25am

The money bubble has burst nine minutes before the end of Level 7 and 80 players have made the money at the 2007 Aussie Millions. They’re guaranteed at least $15 000. Amongst them Lee Nelson, Joe Hachem, Adam Junglen, Jimmy Fricke, Kosta Varoxis, Jakob Glassl.

**update**12.35am

Joe Hachem is on 290k after taking down pot after pot now he’s back on the tournament floor.

He’s tangling with fellow PokerStars player Adam Junglen at Table 11 but – as it’s Joe – it’s all light-hearted.

They just faced off again with Joe informing the rail “We’re one all, now we’re going for the tie-breaker”.

Joe completed in the small blind and got a 10k raise from Adam in the big blind. The World Champ peered at the teenager, reached over to take his pulse, and mucked his cards smiling.

**update** 12.15am

Joe Hachem has just taken down a large pot to put him over 200k, which he told me this morning was his target for today. A short stack went all in for 44k with pp2’s only to run into the World Champion’s ppQ’s.

Joe has been moved, taking a seat beside our Adam Junglen, and has already bluffed the teenager off one hand.

**update**11.55pm

Jimmy Fricke our 19 year old player from the USA has just taken the chip lead with 444k – if Haralabos Voulgaris’ latest chip count of of 440k is correct. I met Jimmy at our players’ party on Saturday night and he told me with absolute conviction “Ma’am, I am going to crush this tournament.” He may well. The look of concentration and determination that you’ll see on his face below has been there all day long.

Jimmy asked me to send a hello to his mum, Peggy Klausner, a couple of days ago, saying she was an avid reader of our blog. Peggy, if you’re reading this, hello again, and your boy is doing you proud.

**update**11.45pm

Players are on a 15 minute break and tension is palpable on the floor with 88 remaining, only 7 players to go before the money bubble bursts at 81. There are a lot of players nursing short stacks desperate to stay alive to make the cash.

David Pham is less nervous than most as he’s sitting behind a huge pile of chips, some 365k. Kosta Varoxis has taken a couple of hits and is hovering around 105k and Jakob Glassl on 105k is also well under the average of 167k.

Joe Hachem has returned to the main tournament floor after his stint at the tv table with 160k. Defending champion Lee Nelson is not getting involved too much, and maintaining his stack around 330k.

**update**11.35pm

Adam Junglen has taken down two decent pots without a showdown to put him on 295k. The 19 year old from Ohio is clearly a young man of enormous tenacious courage, he has been through a lot.

His friend Jimmy Fricke from Illinois has more than 44ok after busting out another player moments ago. Jimmy check-called a 20k bet from the big blind in a four way pot. Two players folded after the flop K 8 9. On the turn a 5 Jimmy checked, his opponent in the cut off bet 20k, and Jimmy came back over the top making it 60k total,. The river came a 3 and Jimmy fired another 60k putting the other guy all in. At the showdown Jimmy said “I have the nuts” and flipped the nut straight. The cut off had pocket 8’s for a set. While Jimmy had been frustrated with his table pushing back at him, he was always confident he’d double through with the right hand.

**update**11.15pm

Joe Hachem has been picking up pots on the tv feature table and is reported to have 180k – getting closer to his objective for the day of 200k.

Giuseppe Famulari who won a $16 + R satellite on PokerStars has been eliminated. Giuseppe had struggled with a short stack for the entire day and was being blinded away through this evening, too short to hang on for the money bubble to burst. But at least he is going home with a great story for diners at his two Melbourne restaurants.

Englishman Simon Cook has also busted out in the past few minutes. Simon raised pre flop and was re-raised all in. Simon went into the tank for a good five minutes before he called with KJ, looking for a race or better. But his opponent held pocket Jacks, which held up.

Simon looking happier than he feels now with table mate Shane “Shaniac” Schleger.

Kosta Varoxis from the Gold Coast has always looked like he’d go deep into this event.

Jimmy Fricke and Adam Junglen who are close friends both have 260k. Joe Hachem, who is playing in the tv studio, has 97k. Lee Nelson has 270k. Kosta Varoxis has just doubled through a short stack and losing the 100k pot has left the Queenslander with around 160k.

David “The Dragon” Pham has 350k.

**update**10.35pm

Joe Hachem has reached 100k. He’s playing at the tv studio feature table where it is not possible for us to follow the action. He told me this morning his aim for today was 200k, so the 2005 WSOP champion has a long way to go.

**update**10.20pm

Jimmy “gobboboy” Fricke has picked up 80k since play resumed in one huge pot. He raised under the gun and was called in the cut off. One a flop of 6 5 6 rainbow Jimmy led out for 15k. The cut off re-raised to 45k and Jimmy pushed all in. The player went into the tank so far that time was called, asking “if I fold will you show?” to no avail. Eventually the player mucked and Jimmy scooped up a big one.

**update**9.55pm

Players have gone on a ten minute break. 106 remain and the average is 140k. Joe Hachem is struggling to make half of that and after a double through a few minutes ago is on 75k. He pushed with cowboys and made a set on the flop, against an opponent holding As7s who didn’t make his flush.

Patrik Antonius has been resuscitated. Having been down to 6k he has quadrupled twice, doubled up through Lee Nelson, and through Barney Boatman, and has just busted Boatman to build up to 120k. That’s Lee at the feature table below (in the dark jacket and cap) and a good view of the back of Patrik’s head.
Jimmy “gobboyboy” Fricke has been bleeding chips this level with players aggressing into him, he is down to 170k having been as high as 315k earlier this evening. Adam Junglen is building his stack slowly but surely and has 180k.

**update**9.30

PokerStars’ $16 + R satellite winner Minh Quach has busted out. Gus Hansen who doubled him up just moments ago took his chips back decisively and is on his way to the chip lead. Minh pushed with A 10 and this time Hansen had pp7’s, which was all he needed.

“What can I say” Minh reflected as he gathered his things. “Hansen wins all the races.” It was a great effort from the local player, and he can console himself with the knowledge that he not only terrorised Doug Lee throughout Day1, but also bluffed Jeff Madsen out of a hand while he was on the featured TV table.

Guiseppe Famulari, who also won a $16 + R satellite to get his seat, is struggling on 27k.

**update**9.20pm

Patrik Antonius, who bullied the field all day yesterday with his colossal stack and began today with a huge chip lead is in critical condition on the feature table after coming off worst in a series of clashes mostly with our Lee Nelson.

Patrik pushed all in for his last handful of chips and Lee called with A 7 and was way in front of Patrik’s J 6. Patrik caught a six on the river to double up but is now the shortest stack in the tournament with 12k.

Jimmy Fricke has dropped another 60k in one hit in an all-in showdown with a short stack. Jimmy had 5s 7s a md his opponent had Ac 5c. The money went in on a flop of 6 4 10, with two clubs. The turn paired the board with 10c, and the river was another 10, so the Ace-high stood up. Jimmy has just under 200k.
**update**9.10pm

After mentioning how aggressive Gus Hansen was during the dinner break, local player Minh Quach has gone on to double up through him with a pre flop re raise all in, with A 8. Hansen called with Q J and the flop came 3 8 J, Minh catching second pair and Gus top pair. The turn came another 8 giving Minh a set, and the river was an Ace to fill him up. Minh, who has been short-stacked most of today, only has 50k now so will have to make another move soon.

**update**8.52pm

Tension is apparent on the feature table where our Lee Nelson has been getting the better of the early chip leader, super-aggressive young Fin Patrik Antonius.
It was evident in a hand hat took place moments ago. Lee raised 8k from early position and

Patrik Antonius pushed all in from the big blind for his last 92k. After only a couple of minutes Patrik called “clock” to try to force Lee to act. A supervisor was called by the dealer who informed him of the request to call time on the reigning champion. The supervisor had a quiet word in Patrik’s ear to the effect it had only been two minutes. Lee chucked his hand anyhow, before time was even called.
Since then Lee has doubled up another player, David Callaghan. Lee called David’s all in from his small blind, holding J5o. David turned over pp4’s and the board was no help to Lee, who dropped about 40k but has approximately 360k, so can absorb the loss.
Some happy news for Simon Cook who has been complaining the whole tournament that he hasn’t had Aces. Bullets have arrived at the right time and stood up, and Simon has doubled through to reach 110k.

The blinds are 1200 / 2400 with 400 antes and there are 126 left, with the average stack at 118k.

**update** 8.23pm

Level 6 has commenced with 131 players remaining, and action slowing down slightly as the bubble approaches. The top 80 will be in the money. We sense another final table approaching for Lee “final table” Nelson, who has been carving up his opponents and engaging in memorable clashes with former chip leader Patrik Antonius, who is back down to 143k. Lee at 390k is just 15k short of the chip leader Shane Schleger. Joe Hachem is short-stacked with 75k but managing a small stack is his specialty. Jimmy Fricke is going strong with 250k, David Pham has 280k, and Adam Junglen, Minh Quach, Dennis Petronack, Kosta Varoxis, Giuseppe and a very short stacked Simon Cook are all fighting hard.

**update**8.05pm

We’ve just had another power blackout in the poker room but this time players were having a well earned break to eat and stretch their legs. They’ll be back at 8.20pm to resume battle. In the meantime, here are some shots of our players in action during the past level, starting with David “The Dragon” Pham.

19 year old Adam Junglen, who bought his way into the tourney with his PokerStars W$.

Adam’s buddy Jimmy Fricke, who also used W$ to buy in, and who told me on the eve of the Main Event he was going to “crush this tournament”. He’s demonstrating that it wasn’t bravado with a huge pile of chips.

Minh Quach, looking relaxed in his home poker room.

An intently focussed Jakob Glassl.

Dennis Petronack
Queenslander Kosta Varoxis, who has every reason to smile about his tough performance today.

PokerStars’ own Simon Cook has suffered a crippling loss in a heads up fight for a 320k pot.
His opponent Shane Schleger raised from the cut off and Simon re-raised him to 25k. Shane called and the flop was 10h 4h Qd. Simon led out 35k and Shane instantly pushed all in. Simon sat on it for five minutes before calling and turning over his pocket Kings. Shane flipped pocket 10’s for a set. Simon is staring miserably at 30k chips where there had been around 200k.

**update**6.25pm

Lee Nelson continues to dominate the feature table and has clashed with Patrik Antonius in another telling pot.
After a pre-flop betting exchange the flop came: 5h Kh 4s
Patrik bet out 25k and in no time Lee instructed the dealer that he was all-in.
Patrik glared down the table at Lee before re-assessing the board, eventually mucking.
Another 70k pot to Lee who is well and truly in control.

But Minh Quach has lost a big pot. He called an all-in bet in the small blind with JJ, but his opponent who raised his entire stack under the gun, flipped over pocket queens.
The board read: Ad h 6h 5s 9s no help to Minh. Losing that 36k pot puts Minh back to about 40k in chips.

**update** 5.55pm
Lee Nelson has fired into action again in Level 5 and it’s a toss-up, moment to moment, determining who is the chip leader. Both Lee and Haralabos Voulgaris have just under 400k.

Two more PokerStars players are making waves and getting into the ten percent of the field: David “The Dragon” Pham and Jimmy “gobboboy” Fricke.

Minh Quach has survived his visit to the tv table and returned to the main tournament floor with 72k. He told us he’d bluffed Jeff Madsen off a big pot.

It’s Joe Hachem’s turn for the lights cameras and action and he has headed upstairs to the tv table. It’s difficult to follow the action in the studio but we will keep you as informed as we can about the 2005 WSOP champion’s evening.

Giuseppe Famulari is being blinded away and is down to 36, still trying to catch a hand. Kosta Varoxis has consolidated his gains from the earlier two levels and has 180k in front of him. David “The Dragon”Pham has 240k.

Young Jakob Glassl has been slowly but surely grinding it out today and has broken the 100k barrier to put him just above average.

He was holding QQ and flopped top set on a board of 6 Q 4 2 J. He pushed all in and got called by JJ which made the lower trips.

update**5.35pm

Players are on a 15 minute break. Jimmy Fricke has been hanging out relaxing with fellow 19 year old American, Adam Junglen.

152 remain from the starting field of 299. The average stack is 98289. When they return for Level 4 the blinds will be at 1000 / 2000.

**update**5.20pm

Joe Hachem has doubled up his table nemesis in seat 4 yet again in a pot worth around 80k. The money went in pre-flop with Joe holding Kd Jh and his opponent pocket 4’s.
The flop gave his opponent a set, As 8h 4h, and while Joe’s K came on the turn and J on the river, two pairs weren’t good enough.
He’s down to around 60k but that’s still nearly triple what he started with.

**update** 4.45

Joe Hachem is back to more than 70k after knocking out Teresa Harp with AJo against 99. The flop came 8 8 8 giving Teresa a full house but Joe caught a J for a higher boat on the turn.

**update**4.35

Defending Champion Lee Nelson has just taken down a monster pot in the hand of the tournament so far against the former chip leader, Patrik Antonius.

Lee led for 15k on a flop of 4 5 8 with two spades. Patrik displaying his customary aggression re-raised making it 45k and Lee pushed all in for about 130k total. Patrik went into the tank and asked for a count before making what looked like a reluctant call. Patrik turned over J J with the J of spades, and Lee showed 9s 10s. A very pregnant pause followed while tv crews scrambled to cover the action. The turn was the 4 of spades giving Lee the flush, but increasing Patrik’s outs dangerously. The river was a harmless 2 and Lede had doubled through, leaving the young Fin to ponder yet another poker lesson from the reigning Aussie Millions Champ.
**update** 4.30pm

PokerStars’ David “the Dragon” Pham has knocked out local player Van Marcus. David had J 10 against Van’s AK and the board came J 3 7 9 8. David’s up to 230k.

Joe Hachem has doubled up Martin Cottam for a second time today. Joe bet out at a flop of 9d 9h 4d and Martin pushed his last 15k into the middle. Joe turned over 6 6 and Martin J J. A J came on the river to fill Martin up. Joe is back down to 42k.

**update**4.10pm

Normal service has resumed after the excitement of a blackout, and the 200 remaining players are once more intently focussed on the fight for the Aussie Millions title.

Joe Hachem has been carving up his table and was up to 80k moments ago but has taken a 12k hit. Joe had JJ against A8 and two Aces came on the flop.

Adrian Pitt has more than 100k after taking a 15k pot from Chris “Jesus” Ferguson minutes ago. Simon Cook has 185k and reigning champ Lee Nelson has powered his way up to 150k. We’re about to file a report on Lee’s encounter with massive chip leader Patrik Antonius, look for the headline “Poker Masterclass”.
**update**4.04pm

The Aussie Millions tournament has just been plunged into chaos with a power failure turning the brightly illuminated floor into darkness. Players were on break and away from their tables. The main lights were down for easily four minutes with pockets of light here and there cast by independently powered lamps.

**update**3.55pm

Players are on another quick break before heading into Level 3 of Day 2. There are 184 players remaining with the average stack 78k.

Dennis Petronack has 85k, Jimmy Fricke has 110k, and Adam Junglen has 95k.

**update** 3.45pm

Louis Luo has just been knocked out. The small blind moved all in and Louis looked down from the button to find JJ, and called for his last 21k. He’d run into bullets and an Ace on the turn gave his opponent a set and sealed the deal for Louis.

Kosta Varoxis from Queensland is still moving up through the field and has 160k. Dennis Petronack has 85k, Jimmy Fricke is recovering from his earlier big hit and has 95k. Adam Junglen has 100k.

**update**3.25

Joe Hachem has turned his 22.4k start stack into 60k during Level 2 after pushing two young players out of a pot with a stiff re-raise on a King high flop. Joe had them both covered in chips and his re-raise asked them to risk their tournament lives, which neither was willing to do.

**update**3.20

Players seem to have settled down after the bloodshed of the first round when cries of “all in” resounded around the floor and nearly 60 players were busted.

Sadly PokerStars satellite winner, Jody Thompson from Newfoundland, has just been eliminated. There was a raise from early position to 4.5k and it was folded around to Jody who had AK on the button. He pushed all in for his 31k and was called by QQ. On a board of J J 4 3 4, Jody was going home.

Also gone are Don De Rota, Michael DeGilio, Jacques Mercier and Mitsuko Kotaka.

The field has reduced by almost a third, down to 208 from 299 starters today, but we still have 14 PokerStars players remaining.

**update**2.50pm

Kosta Varoxis, from the Gold Coast, has rocketed ahead early in Level 2 and has 170k. Adam Junglen continues to grow his stack making all the right decisions, he has 85k. Louis Luo is back up to 50k. Giuseppe Famulari has 70k.

Joe Hachem has been forced to lay down Aces and forgo a 17k pot. With the blinds at 600/1200, Seat 4 raised to 3.3k in middle position and it was folded around to Joe in the Big Blind.
Joe called the extra 2100, and it was off to the flop, 3s Ah 5c. The raiser fired another 5k at the pot, which Joe quickly called.
The turn was a 9c.
The pre-flop raiser again led out, betting 13k and Joe went in the tank before eventually showing the Ace of spades and folding.
Joe still sits with about 42k in chips after this pot.

Michael DeGilio has been knocked out.

**update 2.30**pm

On table 2 massive chip leader Patrik Antonius has run into a wall he can’t bash through in the shape of our Lee “final table” Nelson, the current Aussie Millions champion.

Lee tells us Patrik has been raising 50 or 60 percent of hands pre-flop using his colossal stack to bully the table.

Lee doesn’t fear the young Fin, as seen in a hand that just played out. Patrik raised to 4k from middle position with two callers behind. Lee Nelson on the button pushed it up to almost 20k and after staring at the huge pile of chips on the table, Patrik was forced to let go, the other limpers with him.

Adrian Pitt has taken a third scalp. He called a short stack’s all-in move with pocket tens, and found himself in a classic race against AK. The flop came A Q J and the turn was the King Adrian need to make the straight and put him up to 100k.

**update**

Players have gone for their first break of the day after an action-filled opening round which saw 59 players busted to the rail, their dreams of Aussie Millions victory over for another year.

We still have 19 PokerStars players in the field including defending Champion Lee Nelson, who’s getting involved early asserting himself at the table and has increased his stack to 120k.

Joe Hachem had a good first Level. He picked up another 5k with KJ against A10, when the flop brought two Jacks to give him a set. After his earlier double-up, Joe has approximately 45k and will be breathing easier. He told me earlier his plan was a) survival and b) to have 30k early to give him some play, and have 200k by the end of the day.

Adrian Pitt from Western Australia has knocked out a player and added 25k to his stack giving him 73k. Local player Minh Quach, who has been moved to a feature tv table, has 48k.

Jimmy Fricke has taken a big hit. The 19 year old from Mahomet Illinois started today amongst the top ten with 139k but is back down to 90k after his pocket Aces got cracked. The button raised to 3.5k and Jimmy in the small blind raised it to 10.5. The button called and the flop came 10 6 5 rainbow. Jimmy lead out for 14k, and the button raised it up to 35k with 33k behind. Jimmy pushed and the button called with top set.

Adam Junglen has 68k. He dropped down to 20k earlier but recovered with a miracle hand. He pushed all in with pp3’s and the cut-off called with Cowboys. The flop came K 6 4 and Adam was picking up his things to go home, the turn was 2 and no help, but the river was the miracle 5 giving Adam the straight.

Jody Thompson has 43k. Michael DeGilio has 32k, Dennis Petronack has 100k. Kosta Varoxis has 150k. Louis Lou approximately 20k. David Pham has 90k. Don de Rota has 16k. Giuseppe Famulari is doing well and has about 98k. Simon Cook has 72k. Jakob Glassl has 33k.

Jan Uyl, 37 from California, didn’t recover from losing an 80k pot early on and with only 16k, was forced to push, and was eliminated.

**update** 1.35pm

The action is fast and furious in the opening round of Day2. Defending Aussie Millions Champion, our own Lee Nelson, has made it clear early that he will not be pushed around by tournament chip leader Patrik Antonius.
Patrik raised 3.4k in second position and Lee called in the cutoff. The blinds quickly got out of the hand.
The flop came 10h Jc 3d and both players checked the flop.
The turn was a 9h. Patrik again checked, but this time Lee bet 6k and was called.
The river was a 6d. Patrik again checked and Lee put a further 12k into the middle, to take down the pot.
This has taken Lee up to about 96k in chips.

Online qualifier Adam Junglen has knocked out a player and picked up 25k with pocket Kings.

But Jan Uyl who won a Poker News freeroll on PokerStars has just lost an 80k pot when he flopped two pairs, and his opponent flopped a set. Jan is down to 16k but as they say, a chip and chair.

**update**1.20pm

Joe Hachem has dodged a bullet, making a correct laydown with top pair against a player slow-rolling Aces. He was holding 10 J and hit a ten high flop but made the right read and threw them away.

Moments later his last 13.5k went into the middle and he picked up the blinds, and Joe in the past couple of minugtes doubled up. A player pushed on the button with Q 10, Joe called with K 9 and caught a King high flop.

He’s on about 30k, just where he wanted to be early on today.

**update**1pm

Adrian Pitt, a PokerStars qualifier from Western Australia has doubled up and has 42k. He was all in with pp6’s against pp10’s, and turned a 6.

Play has commenced on Day2 of the Aussie Millions Main Event.

“It’s going to be mayhem today, we’ll lose a hundred players in no time”.

That prediction came from someone who knows the form – 2005 WSOP Champion Joe Hachem.

We walked to the tournament floor together after meeting in the lift this morning.

“People get silly, start making moves” said Joe, “it’s always the same on Day 2 of a major. It’s to do with having survived the first day.”

Joe had a tough day yesterday, grinding it out and managing a small stack of chips that at one point got down to 4k, feeling mentally and physically exhausted by the final whistle.

“I can’t even remember how I got to bed”.

So what’s his strategy for today? “I’m going to try to pick up two or three good pots early, get my stack up to around 30k so I have some play. I want to finish today with 200k.”

And true to Joe’s prediction, PokerStars’ own Simon Cooke has claimed a scalp already in the first round of Level 1.

Simon called a pre-flop all-in bet with a KQ and when the flop came King high, knocked out Colby White who threw his last 16k in the middle with PP 3’s.

7 more players fell in rapid succession and one table has already been broken, leaving 278 players from the original starting field of 747.

The average stack is 53741, and the blinds are at 500/1000.

Lee “final table” Nelson resumed the defence of his 2006 Aussie Millions title with 44.6k chips. He has asserted his authority early, having seen one flop and taken down a 12k pot with a post-flop raise.

Two of our PokerStars players who made it through Day1 with big stacks are Jimmy Fricke, on the right, and Adam Junglen, both 19, who were swapping stories on the floor before taking their seats.

Jimmy, who played in the first Flight on Sunday, took an early lead and dominated his table all day – and according to one bystander even put the railbirds on tilt with his aggressive style.

The remaing PokerStars qualifiers who we will be keeping track of today are Adrian Pitt, Dennis Petronack, Michael DeGilio, Jody Thompson, Minh Quach, Jakob Glass, David Pham, Giuseppe Famulari,David Papallo, Don De Rota, Louis Luo,Kosta Varoxis, Jan Uyl, Mitsuko Kotaka, Jacques Mercier and Graeme Putt.

Back to Top