2009 Aussie Millions Main Event - Live Updates

Stewart Scott has just become the first Australian national to win the Aussie Millions!

A few hands into heads-up action with Peter Rho, Scott raised from the button and saw Rho move all-in over the top.

"Really?" Scott asked, a grin spreading over his face.

Rho answered in the affirmative and Scott made a triumphant call, slamming down A♠ A♦ as the American turned up A♥ J♣.

The hometown crowd stood and screamed their excitement headed for the flop as "Disco Stu" awaited a flop that would determine his destiny.

The dealer burned and turned, producing the 9♦, 8♥ and 2♠ and leaving Rho drawing to running cards to stay alive. After another prolonged pause, during which Rho and Scott clasped hands in commiseration, the dealer produced the turn card, flipping the 4♦ onto the table and sealing the deal for Scott.

The river card was academic (the 9♠) and Scott had game, set and match, his victory marked by the raucous cheering of a roomful of Aussies screaming Joe Hachem's rallying cry: "Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! (Oy Oy Oy!)"

Scott's victory earns him an official sum of $2 million AUD, although that prize is deflated somewhat by a four-way deal made earlier in the night. Meanwhile, runner-up Rho gets to explain an official $1 million dividend to the taxman.

Stay tuned for much more from Melbourne, including an exclusive video interview with the winner as well as an in-depth recap of all of the final-table action.

Congratulations to Scott, to Rho and to the Crown Casino, in particular Tournament Director Jonno Pittock, for putting on another successful iteration of one of the world's marquee poker tournaments.

The money's on the table and the cards are in the air at the 2009 Aussie Millions in Melbourne. Heads-up play is under way between Stewart Scott and Peter Rho with a $2 million* first prize on the line.

*Before deal.

As we await heads-up play between Stewart Scott ($10,700,000) and Peter Rho ($2,900,000), we encourage you to check out the PokerListings TV section, which features a couple new video interviews with Sam Capra (fifth place) and Rajkumar Ramakrishnan (fourth place).

Check them out below and see for yourself what it feels like to win hundreds of thousands of dollars playing with little bits of paper for hours on end.

#Video:aussie/AM-caprabust.mp4#

#Video:aussie/AM-rajbust.mp4#

Elliot Smith limps in from the small blind and Stewart Scott puts him all-in from the big blind. Smith insta-calls and the trap is sprung; he turns up A♥ Q♣ against Scott's A♦ 7♣.

Scott will need to improve if he wants to send Smith to the rail, but the K♠ K♥ T♣ flop fails to help his cause beyond giving him a few outs to a chop. The turn, however, is the money card, bringing the 7♠ and giving Scott the lead.

Smith stands and makes ready for his exit, and after the 5♣ falls on the river he's gone, out in third place for what the papers all say is a $700,000 AUD reward. 

We're now on a quick break as we await the start of heads-up play in Melbourne.

We return to play with a half hour in the level remaining.

Unfortunately, Owen Laukkanen has taken to standing on the rail yelling "ship it" to try and force the action.

Hopefully he'll realize the error of his ways and return to simply covering the rest of the event for us. More on this developing story in minutes.

Elliot Smith limps his button and Peter Rho checks his option. The flop comes J♠ T♠ 3♣ and Rho checks to Smith, who leads out for $150,000. Rho raises to $350,000 and Smith thinks for a moment before making the call.

The turn is the 6♦ and Rho bets out $500,000. Smith makes the call and the river is the 3♦. Both players check this time and Rho turns up T♦ 2♠ for second pair. It's good to take the pot.

Canadian Elliot Smith just picked up a $1.5 million pot, most of which came courtesy of Aussie Stewart Scott.

Elliot joined Peter Rho in calling a $200k Scott open and all three players checked the K♥ T♦ 9♥ flop. Rho and Elliot passed on the T♥ turn, but Scott fired away, making it $500,000 to see a river.

Only the young Canadian had the stones to pony up the half million and after the Q♥ river fell, both players checked. Every rose has its thorn, but not every four-flushed board has a fifth heart, and Elliot raked the pot with J♠ 9♠ for the straight.

Stewart Scott raises to $200,000 on the button and the action folds to Elliot Smith, who moves all-in from the big blind. Scott stands up, stands back, assesses the situation. It takes less than a minute for the Aussie to make the call.

Smith turns up A♥ 8♠ and is a favorite against Scott's Q♣ T♠, though the math probably acts as cold comfort against Scott's run-goodliness. The flop comes 9♠ 6♦ 4♣ and Smith retains the lead, and after the turn is the K♥ and the river the 7♠, the Canadian has doubled up to prolong three-handed play.

The field is now on a quick break.

Stewart Scott is running away with the Aussie Millions title at this point.

He's pushed both Peter Rho and Elliot Smith around and built a stack almost twice the size of the other two players combined.

Could the title and the $2 million AUD first-place prize be in the bag already? Keep it locked on PL.com - this thing could be over very soon.

Peter Rho limps on the button and Stewart Scott checks his option in the big blind. The flop comes A♦ K♣ 7♥ and Scott check-calls a bet from Rho. The turn is the J♦ and Scott checks again.

Rho bets out $300,000 and Scott raises to $600,000. Rho gives the matter his time before making the call and the river is the 5♣. 

Now Scott leads out for a cool $1 million, putting Rho to a heavy decision. The chip leader stands to survey the table before sitting back down, exhaling and shoving a milli of his own into the middle.

It's a call he'd like to have back as Scott turns over Q♣ T♣ for the nuts, taking down a huge pot and taking over the chip lead.

Kelly Kim spent the last break in the spectator room arguing passionately for a deal because, he said, of the possibility of someone running kings into aces and getting cold-decked out of a seven-figure payday. A long shot, right?

Just a few hands after play resumes, Rajkumar Ramakrishnan limps from under the gun and the action folds around to Peter Rho, who raises in the big blind. Ramakrishnan reraises over the top and Rho takes his usual sweet time before moving all-in.

Ramakrishnan snap-calls, turning up A♠ A♥ and Rho, unbelievably, has K♠ K♥, proving Kelly Kim a prophet. 

But the deck has more surprises in store as the flop comes K♣ T♦ 5♠, drastically altering the power balance in the hand and giving Rho the lead. Ramakrishnan needs an ace to stay alive, but the board finishes out 3♠ 2♠, busting Ramakrishnan in fourth, an accomplishment for which he'll forever go down in history as being awarded $400,000 AUD.

P.S.: The blinds are moving on up.

The players have returned from their breaks after some prolonged discussion regarding a chop and while we don't know the specifics, it's clear that the rather precipitous drop in prize money from first to fourth has been flattened considerably.

All four finalists are back at the tables looking suitably relieved and the cards are back in the air for what promises to be an action-packed conclusion to the 2009 Aussie Millions Main Event!

Rajkumar Ramakrishnan raises to $150,000 from under the gun and Stewart Scott makes the call in the small blind. The flop comes A♣ J♦ 6♣ and both players check. The turn is the 5♣ and Scott leads out for $225,000.

Ramakrishnan makes a quick call and the river is the 9♠. Both players check again.

"Ah, you've got me again," Scott tells his opponent, who proves the point by showing pocket tens and raking the pot.

We're into Level 25 now!

The blinds are on the rise and one can only hope the heavy action will follow.

Stewart Scott limps-in from the small blind and Peter Rho checks his option in the big. The flop comes A♦ 8♥ 7♣ and Scott leads out for $70,000. Rho makes the call and the turn is the 9♣.

Stewart again fires, this time making it $200,000 to go, and Rho takes a minute to gather himself into proper shape to make the call. The river is the Q♠ and Scott bets out another $200,000. 

Rho mulls his options, as he is wont to do, and then raises to $550,000. Scott lays it down and Rho takes the pot.

Elliot Smith limps in on the button and Peter Rho checks his option in the big blind. The flop comes 6♦ 4♣ 4♥ and Rho checks to Smith, who bets out. Rho isn't having it, however, and raises to $200,000, but Smith is undaunted and makes the call.

The turn is the 2♠ and Rho checks again. Smith bets out $125,000 and Rho gives the matter some thought before matching the bet. The river card is the 9♣ and Rho checks a third time.

Smith bets out $300,000 and Rho again ruminates, this time for around five minutes, before ultimately deciding to make the call. Smith turns up A♣ 4♦ for trips and Rho mucks, conceding the pot.

Full Tilt pro Richard Ashby brought a list of high-stakes poker tournament cashes a mile long to the final table here at the Crown Casino.

Unfortunately, his Aussie Millions ended a little earlier than he'd planned, with a seventh-place finish.

The crew at PL.com caught up with Ashby a little earlier today to get his thoughts on the entire event.

Check out the video below to see what Ashby had to say:

#Video:aussie/AM-finaltable-ashby2.mp4#

Barny Boatman's second Aussie Millions final-table appearance came to a close with an eighth-place finish in Melbourne today.

Still, it was a fabulous tournament for the Hendon Mob's main geezer.

Boatman took the time earlier today to have a little chat with the PL.com TV crew.

Check out the video below to see what the Full Tilt pro had to say:

#Video:aussie/AM-finaltable-boatman2.mp#

Peter Rho limps in from under the gun and the action folds to Stewart Scott, who raises $150,000 from the big blind. Rho barely blinks before announcing a reraise and making it $500,000 to play.

Scott gives the matter considerably more thought, mulling his options before finally open-folding A-Q faceup and conceding the pot to Rho, who doesn't show his hand.

As the fast play continues at this final table, short-stack Sam Capra ships all-in for his last $450,000 or so from the cut-off and action folds to Peter Rho, who gives the matter some serious thought in the small blind.

Eventually, Rho decides to simply call and Rajkumar Ramakrishnan folds out in the big blind, leaving Capra to turn up T♠ T♦ and find himself in terrible shape against Rho's A♥ A♠. Capra needs some serious help to stay alive, and the Aussie has plenty of fans cheering for him in the spectator gallery.

The flop comes Q♦ Q♠ 3♠. "I'll take a ten," Capra announces. The turn, however, is the 9♦ and the river the 5♠ and the aces hold, giving Rho the pot and sending Capra out of contention and into the arms of his teary-eyed Sheila. 

Capra takes $300,000 for his fifth-place finish, and we're four-handed at the final table.

The Final Four are taking a quick deal break.

Zach Gruneberg raises to $100,000 from middle position and Rajkumar Ramakrishnan makes the call in the big blind. The flop comes J♥ 4♥ 4♠ and Ramakrishnan checks to Gruneberg, who bets out $150,000. Ramakrishnan makes the call and the turn is the 7♦.

Again, Ramakrishnan checks and Gruneberg moves all-in. Ramakrishnan beats him to the pot and in the spectator viewing room the crowd goes absolutely bananas as Ramakrishnan flips up 4♦ 4♣, or what the French call les KWAAAAADS.

Gruneberg will need about seven or eight streets to catch up with his K♣ J♣ and in this five-street game is drawing dead. The river card is the 9♥ and Gruneberg is out in sixth place, taking $210,000, but at least he went out in style.

Elliott Smith raises to $80,000 and Rajkumar Ramakrishnan reraises to $350,000. Action is back on Smith, who moves all-in over the top for another $1 million or so, and after the briefest of pauses, Ramakrishnan makes the call. We're off to the races as Ramakrishan turns up A♥ Q♥ and Smith turns up J♥ J♦.

The flop is a heartbreaker for the Canadian, coming A♠ K♣ 2♥, but the turn is sweet redemption with the J♣, and Smith's parents and girlfriend go wild watching in the green room.

Ramakrishan needs to hit a ten to bust his rival, but the river is the 3♠ and Smith takes the pot, doubling through Ramakrishan to build his stack up to about $3 million.

We're now on another quick break. Actually, it's an hour-long dinner break. We'll be back in 60 minutes.

Rajkumar Ramakrishnan raises to $90,000 and Elliott Smith makes the call before Richard Ashby moves all-in from the big blind, adding another $350,000 or so to the wager. Ramakrishnan makes the call and so does Smith, and we're three-handed going to the flop with Ashby all-in for his tournament life.

The flop comes 4♦ 2♠ 2♥, and Smith and Ramakrishnan both check. They check again on the T♥ turn and once more on the 9♣ river. Smith turns up A-Q but Ramakrishnan has A-K. Ashby has an A-Q of his own and Ramakrishnan takes the pot.

Ashby is thus eliminated in seventh place, earning $150,000 AUD for his time.

Much to the delight of the rather raucous crowd in the green room here at Crown, Aussie Sam Capra has doubled through Rajkumar Ramakrishnan.

Raj raised, Capra shipped and when it folded back to the Sydeynsider, he made the call.

It was Q♣ K♣ for Ramakrishnan against Capra's A♠ Q♥, and the Aussie-on-Aussie crime was complete when the Q♠ 6♥ 2♠ 8♦ 4♠ board was revealed.

Capra's back up to $1.5 million and Ramakrishnan falls to around that mark as well.

A short-stacked Barny Boatman gets the last of his chips in preflop against Zach Gruneberg, his A♦ 2♣ dominated by the kid's A♠ Q♥. The Hendon Mobster with the funky hat will need plenty of help to survive, but the flop comes A♣ 7♥ 3♠ and that helps nothing.

The turn is the 7♣, leaving Boatman drawing to an ace or seven to chop, but the river is the 4♥ and Boatman is eliminated, out in eighth place and taking $100,000 AUD for his efforts.

Barny Boatman just took a rather sizable hit here in Melbourne. The Hendon Mobster led out with a standard raise that Scott Stewart called.

The flop came A♠ K♠ 6♥ and Stewart took the lead, betting $90k. Boatman called and the K♦ turn was checked by both.

The 5♣ river looked innocuous enough and Stewart bet $200k. Boatman called, but Stewart proved the river was actually a very important card, turning over 5♠ 5♦ and dragging the pot with a full boat.

Boatman was left shaking his head, short once again.

Rajkumar Ramakrishnan raises to $120,000 and Elliott Smith defends in the big blind. The flop comes 9♠ 6♣ 5♠ and Smith checks. Ramakrishnan bets out $350,000 and Smith moves all-in over the top for $755,000.

Ramakrishnan quickly calls, turning up T♥ T♦ to counter Smith's K♠ Q♠. The British Columbian is on the draw and needs a spade to survive, and the 2♠ on the turn fits the bill nicely. The river is the T♣ just to add insult to injury, but Smith is already ahead and takes down the pot to double through.

Elliott Smith raises to $80,000 from middle position, and Stewart Scott makes the call on the button. The flop comes 8♣ 8♦ 2♠ and Smith c-bets $150,000. Scott makes the call and the turn is the 3♠.

Now Smith checks and Scott presses the issue, betting $175,000. Smith lays it down and Scott takes it.

Raj Ramakrishnan raises to $85,000 and Stewart Scott defends his big blind. The flop comes Q♠ 6♠ 2♣ and Scott checks. Ramakrishnan bets out $150,000 and Scott makes the call.

The turn is the 5♠ and Scott checks again. Ramakrishnan bets $300,000 and Scott check-raises to $750,000. Ramakrishnan makes the call and the river is the T♠.

Scott checks a third time. Ramakrishnan checks behind and turns up A♥ Q♣ for top pair. Scott can only muster 8♣ 8♥ for a pair of eights, and Ramakrishnan takes a huge pot from the chip leader.

The field is now on a 15-minute break.

Hendon Mobster Barny Boatman has picked up a little steam. Coming in as the short stack, he's on close to $800k now after picking up a decent pot off Sam Capra.

Boatman made it $64k and Capra flatted.The flop fell Q♦ 8♥ 4♥ and Capra tapped the table. Boatman leaped into action, making it $100k, but Capra wasn't going anywhere.

He made the call and the 7♦ turn came down. Both players checked, but when the T♥ river fell, Capra took the lead, betting $115,000.

Boatman slowly made the call and when Capra threw what had to be a bluff in the muck, Boatman turned over pocket nines and dragged the pot.

We're a dozen hands into the final table and have not yet seen any big confrontations.

The chip stacks remain pretty much as they were, with Stewart Scott holding a healthy lead.

The one big pot that did develop between Scott and Zach Gruneberg ended in a chop pot with both making a full house.

The cards just hit the air at the 2009 Aussie Millions Main Event final table and PL.com is on the scene Down Under.

The action gets under way with Aussie Stewart Scott holding a massive chip lead on better than $4.5 million in chips.

American Peter Rho is next with $2.4 million and Sydneysider Rajkumar Ramakrishnan is the only other player with over $2 million in chips.

The rest of the final eight includes young American Zach Gruneberg, Aussie Sam Capra, Canadian Elliot Smith and Full Tilt pros Richard Ashby and Barny Boatman.

With a $2 million AUD first-place prize, there's a definite buzz in the air here at Crown, and this thing should be exciting.

Keep it locked on PL.com throughout as a 2009 Aussie Millions champ is about to be crowned.