After four long days of play in the poker room at Crown Melbourne, Olivier Baux captured the 888PL/APL MAIN EVENT title, hosted by Full House Group, and the first prize package of more than $100,000.
Baux was the last man standing after the second edition of the MAIN EVENT attracted a field of 461 players from across the nation, generating a prizepool of $461,000.
The 32-year-old French-born Sydneysider, who has been playing poker for only four years, took just 10 hands of heads-up play to defeat fellow NSW player John Mouawad. The final hand started with a raise to 750,000 from Mouawad with a call from Baux.
The flop fell Ah-4d-8d, which both players checked. After the turn 7c, Baux announced that he was all-in with the call coming from Mouawad. He held A-Q and looked poised for a timely double-up against the 10-5 of Baux.
Needing a 6 to fill a gutshot straight draw, Baux’s wishes were granted as the 6s landed on the river to ensure victory, a deserved win for the most poised and considered player at the final table.
For second, John Mouawad earned $61,800 ($50,000 cash plus Aussie Millions Main Event and Feb/March Main Event entry valued at $11,800).
Baux, who enjoys playing a mix of pub and casino poker, started the final table as a narrow leader with the chips spread very evenly among the 10 contenders. Even with blinds rolled back to 50,000/100,000 with an ante of 10,000, it was anyone’s title.
Seat 1: Con Diakovasilis (NSW) 1,250,000
Seat 2: Rebecca Catterwell (SA) 960,000
Seat 3: Olivier Baux (NSW) 2,025,000
Seat 4: Craig Ivey (SA) 2,000,000
Seat 5: Aaron Purdue (NSW) 1,010,000
Seat 6: John Mouawad (NSW) 1,245,000
Seat 7: Adi Dahari (NSW) 900,000
Seat 8: Dave Brownlee (VIC) 1,310,000
Seat 9: John Saratsopoulos (NSW) 1,700,000
Seat 10: Marianne Crane (NSW) 1,100,000
After Marion Fisher’s runner-up finish in the first MAIN EVENT, hopes were high that one of the two female players at the final table would go one better this time around. Unfortunately, Bec Catterwell and Marianne Crane were the first two players eliminated.
Day two chip leader Con Diakovasilis bowed out in eighth position with Adi Dahari following in seventh. Baux then captured two pots after which he had captured half the chip in play, and was never headed.
In the first, Baux filled the big blind, Craig Ivey raised to 200,000 and Baux called. The flop came 8c-6c-Jd, which both players checked, before the turn showed 10s. Baux bet 260,000 and Ivey called. The river fell 9h – Baux bet 370,000 and Ivey called after some deliberation. Baux showed K-Q for the nuts, while Ivey’s Q-10 had also filled a straight.
Then on hand 38 of the final table, Baux raised to 300,000, John Saratsopoulos called and they saw a flop of Qs-2h-8h. Saratsopoulos bet 680,000, Baux made it 1.55 million total, Saratsopoulos declared all-in and Baux called. Saratsopoulos showed just 3c-4c while Baux turned over Ah-Qh. The turn 6s and river 2c sent Baux a pot worth 6.8 million while Saratsopoulos is down to 1.975 million.
From there, it was pretty much one-way traffic. The smaller stacks shuffled the chip back and forth before Purdue fell in sixth followed by Ivey, the final South Australian player in the field of the eight who made the money. Ballarat’s Dave Brownlee was the highest placed Victorian in fourth, while Saratsopoulos managed to nurse his short stack all the way to third.
Other results of note included Zac Durkin in 26th (the first Tasmanian player to cash in either MAIN EVENT), Paul Sayers in 32nd (the only player to cash in both MAIN EVENT tournaments played so far) and South Australia’s McDonald brothers (Ben and Russ placed 20th and 21st respectively).
MAIN EVENT payouts
1 Olivier Baux (NSW) $101,800 ($85,000 cash plus Bracelet, Aussie Millions Main Event and Feb/March Main Event Entry valued at $16,800)
2 John Mouawad (NSW) $61,800 ($50,000 cash plus Aussie Millions Main Event and Feb/March Main Event entry valued at $11,800)
3 John Saratsopoulos (NSW) $46,800 ($35,000 cash plus Aussie Millions Main Event and Feb/March Main Event entry valued at $11,800)
4 Dave Brownlee (VIC) $36,800 ($25,000 plus Aussie Millions Main Event and Feb/March Main Event entry valued at $11,800)
5 Craig Ivey (SA) $31,800 ($20,000 plus Aussie Millions Main Event and Feb/March Main Event entry valued at $11,800)
6 Aaron Purdue (NSW) $21,200 ($20,000 cash plus Feb/March Main Event entry valued at $1200)
7 Adi Dahari (NSW) $14,200 ($13,000 cash plus Feb/March Main Event entry valued at $1200)
8 Con Diakovasilis (NSW) $14,200 ($13,000 cash plus Feb/March Main Event entry valued at $1200)
9 Marianne Crane (NSW) $11,200 ($10,000 cash plus Feb/March Main Event entry valued at $1200)
10 Rebecca Catterwell (SA) $11,200 ($10,000 cash plus Feb/March Main Event entry valued at $1200)
11 James Meem (NSW) $6000
12 Rene Bischoff (NSW) $6000
13 Nicole Ferrett (SA) $4500
14 Gary James (NSW) $4500
15 Ryan Hunter (SA) $4500
16 John Snelson (NSW) $4500
17 Jack Beynon (QLD) $3500
18 Yousif Yousif (NSW) $3500
19 Daniel Kidd (NSW) $3500
20 Ben McDonald (SA) $3500
21 Russ McDonald (SA) $2500
22 Paul James (SA) $2500
23 Khalil Shnoudi (NSW) $2500
24 Neil Evans (VIC) $2500
25 Jeremy Guiheux (VIC) $2500
26 Zac Durkin (TAS) $2500
27 Mark Wallis (VIC) $2500
28 Kodie Drew (WA) $2500
29 Mitchell Gallard (NSW) $2500
30 Michael Pambos (NSW) $2500
31 Paul Ayre (NSW) $2200
32 Paul Sayers (VIC) $2200
33 Paul Rich (VIC) $2200
34 Toby Giles (NSW) $2200
35 Alex McConaghy-Basley $2200
36 Jason Wright (WA) $2200
37 Mark Allerby (NSW) $2200
38 John Wilson (WA) $2200
39 Calum Wilson (NSW) $2200
40 Saviour Agius (VIC) $2200
41 Walter Haare (NSW) $1900
42 John Jolly (QLD) $1900
43 Colleen McCloskey (NSW) $1900
44 Dean Goodwin (SA) $1900
45 Alex White (NSW) $1900
46 Scott Dumay (NSW) $1900
47 Gail Jackson (NSW) $1900
48 Bill Allen (QLD) $1900
49 Peter Gruyters (VIC) $1900
50 Tony Moss (NSW) $1900
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