The Aussie Millions, 2009’s first major tournament series, has kicked off in Melbourne’s Crown Casino with a $1,100 (all $ are Australian dollars) No-Limit Hold ‘em event and a $1,050 No-Limit Hold ‘em event played on PokerPro electronic tables.

Eighty-three players including Annette “Annette_15” Obrestad and Wesley “tEh_R3aLde4L” Whybrew took to the PokerPro electronic tables in the $1,050 tournament. PokerPro tables are fully electronic with a touchscreen for player actions – it’s a fusion of live and online poker won by Aussie native Mitchell Carle, who received $25,000

Christian Heich of Germany triumphed over a record 732-strong field in the $1,100 NLHE event. Having come to the final table third in chips he proceeded to catch cards and make moves in the right places, building his stack up to a heads-up confrontation with Steve Topakas. Heich regained the chip lead playing one-on-one before getting Topakas to put his money in against Heich’s powerful hand of three Jacks. The German won $150,000 for his efforts.

The 2009 Aussie Millions tournament schedule was recently announced. The eleventh instalment of this annual event will get underway with satellites and pre-championship events from Jan. 4 – Jan. 8. Jan.9 marks the official start of the Aussie Millions tournament’s championship events, which run until Jan. 26.

The Aussie Millions is held each year at the Crown Casino in Melbourne Australia and boasts the sixth largest poker tournament prize pool in the world. It has grown every year since its inception in 1998. International players traditionally head down under as much for Australian summer weather and the Australian Open Tennis Championship as they do for the poker tournament.

The headline act at the 2009 Aussie Millions will of course be the $10,500 Main Event with its $2 million guaranteed first place prize. It is an eight-handed event and is played out over five days. When the field is reduced to 36 players tables are redrawn and trimmed to six-handed play.

Last year saw Russia’s Alexander Kostritsyn take the first place prize at the ripe old age of 21. He beat out a record field of 780 players to take home the $2 million. In 2007 the Great Dane, Gus Hansen, secured his place in history by taking down first place when he beat the field of 747 entrants.

Poker pros and highly-skilled amateurs will get to show their stuff in a two-day HORSE event. The $10,200 buy-in event starts on Jan. 24. It will be played as a standard multi-table freezeout and of course will involve the games of Holdem, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Hi Lo. Games will rotate every eight hands.

Jan. 16 sees the start of the two-day bounty event in which a portion of the field will be marked for death with $1,000 bounties on their heads. The tournament begins as 10-handed multi-table freezeout with one bounty player seated at each table.

For the ultimate in high stakes tournament poker, there is the $100,000 No Limit Holdem Challenge. The $100,000 buy-in makes it the most expensive buy-in in the world. It was introduced in 2006 and generated a field of 10 players. In 2007 it grew to 18 and 2008 saw 25 bold players pony up the $100,000.

This unusual tournament sees players start with 100,000 in chips. Betting is Pot Limit before the flop and No Limit after the flop. Players are only allowed 30 seconds to act on their hand but are each given three “Time Breaker” buttons which can be spent to buy an extra 30 seconds.

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Check out the complete 2009 Aussie Millions Schedule to find the tournament that is right for you:

Aussie Millions Event 1: Friday, January 9th at 12:30pm
AUD $500,000 Guaranteed – Day 1A
AUD $1,100 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #1: Saturday, January 10th at 12:30pm
AUD $500,000 Guaranteed – Day 1B
AUD $1,100 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #2: Sunday, January 11th at 4:30pm
PokerPro No Limit Hold’em
AUD $1,050 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #3: Monday, January 12th at 12:30pm
Limit Omaha High-Low
AUD $1,100 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #4: Tuesday, January 13th at 12:30pm
Limit Hold’em
AUD $1,100 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #5: Wednesday, January 14th at 12:30pm
HORSE
AUD $1,100 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #6: Thursday, January 15th at 12:30pm
No Limit Hold’em with Rebuys
AUD $1,150 buy-in with $1,000 rebuys

Aussie Millions Event #7: Friday, January 16th at 12:30pm
No Limit Hold’em with Bounties
AUD $1,650 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #8: Saturday, January 17th at 2:15pm
AUD $100,000 No Limit Hold’em Challenge
AUD $100,500 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #9: Sunday, January 18th at 12:30pm
Aussie Millions Main Event - Day 1A
AUD $10,500 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #9: Monday, January 19th at 12:30pm
Aussie Millions Main Event - Day 1B
AUD $10,500 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #9: Tuesday, January 20th at 12:30pm
Aussie Millions Main Event - Day 1C
AUD $10,500 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #10: Tuesday, January 20th at 2:30pm
Australian Heads-Up Championship - Field A
AUD $5,300 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #10: Wednesday, January 21st at 2:30pm
Australian Heads-Up Championship - Field B
AUD $5,300 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #11: Wednesday, January 21st at 4.30pm
Pot Limit Omaha
AUD $1,100 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #12: Thursday, January 22nd at 12:45pm
Pot Limit Omaha with Rebuys
AUD $3,250 buy-in with $3,000 rebuys

Aussie Millions Event #13: Thursday, January 22nd at 2.30pm
Mixed Hold’em
AUD $1,100 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #14: Friday, January 23rd at 12:45pm
No Limit Hold’em Six-Handed
AUD $2,200 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #15: Saturday, January 24th at 12.45pm
No Limit Hold’em Teams Event
AUD $2,200 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #16: Saturday, January 24th at 2:15pm
HORSE
AUD $10,200 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #17: Sunday, January 25th at 12:30pm
Turbo No Limit Hold’em
AUD $1,100 buy-in

Aussie Millions Event #18: Monday, January 26th at 12:30pm
Australian Two Card Manila Championship
AUD $1,100 buy-in plus $1,000 rebuys

To qualify for live poker tournaments like the Aussie Millions check out Bwin Poker qualifiers – online satellites for the world’s greatest live tournaments.

Online Poker Tournaments News | Online Poker community | Aussie Millions

On his return to the poker ring in 2004, Andy came back with a bang. He performed exceedingly well in the tournaments of his Irish home, and placed fifth in the 2005 World Series of Poker and taking home a $1.75 Million payday.

Andy Black who's total winnings amount to over $3M always brings a huge presence to any table and is currently in a rich vein of form with final tables at the Aussie Millions, the EPT Grand Final and the WSOP to add to his Omaha triumph at the 2007 Irish Open

One of the most prominent Online Poker rooms associated with Irish Poker is Paddy Power Poker - Players can download Paddy Power Poker and recieve top No deposit Sign Up Bonuses

Are you ready for the Aussie Millions? Make sure you don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime chance to join the bwin team at one of the most exciting tournaments on the poker calendar!  

The best 30 players will receive an $18,000 Premium Live Poker Package for the Aussie Millions. You could be one of them!

Here’s how to qualif

Qualifiers for the $300+40 online finals take place numerous times every day – simply check out the tournament lobby in your poker client.

Alternative routes:
Qualify via the Big Bounty on 12.10., 09.11. and 14.12.2008, via the bwin Members Program b’inside.

The $18,000 Premium Live Poker Package

Our Premium Package is guaranteed to give you a true VIP experience with luxury 5-star accommodation and poker with the bwin team included.

The package comprises:

1. AU$ 10,500 (approx. US$ 9,100) buy-in to the Aussie Millions Main Event
2. AU$ 2,200 (approx. US$ 1,900) buy-in to a No Limit Hold’em tourney on 23.01.2009
3. 11 nights at the Crown Towers Hotel at the Crown Casinos for two people (US$ 4,000)
4. US$ 3,000 for travel expenses and spending money
   

In addition, the package also boasts some incredible extra treats such as tickets for the Australian Open. The atmosphere in Melbourne and the luxury living at the Crown Towers hotel could be yours. And you don’t have to go alone either. With our hospitality package, you can bring a friend along, too!

Travel dates: 14.01. to 25.01.2009

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