Lennart Uphoff played another big pot with pocket kings and this time they worked out well for him as he doubled up.
Joel Douaglin raised to 160,000 from the button and called after Uphoff three-bet to 500,000 from the small blind. The flop fell and the young German continued for 355,000. Douaglin quickly announced a raise and made it 710,000 to go. Uphoff wasted little time in moving all in for around 1.5million. Douaglin took a couple of minutes to consider his options before he called.
Brian Rast is the most accomplished player at the final table, but he began it as the short stack. Well look out folks, because the two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner now has some chips.
In a recent hand, Lennart Uphoff opened for 125,000 and James Rann and Rast called from the small and big blind respectively. The flop saw Uphoff continue for 150,000 after both his opponents checked. Rann folded, Rast called, and the dealer burned and turned the . Rast checked, Uphoff bet 275,000, and Rast check-raised all in. Uphoff made the call and the cards were turned up.
Uphoff:
Rast:
Rast had flopped big and he shipped the double after the completed the board on the river.
James Rann raised to 110,000 from second position before Joel Douaglin announced a raise from the button. The amount was 420,000, which was enough to get rid of the blinds and also Rann.
Douaglin was also involved in the third hand of the day, making a raise to 120,000 from the cutoff. Manny Stavropoulos defended from the big blind to see a flop appear.
Douaglin continued for 420,000 and took the pot as Stavropoulos check-folded.
In the first hand of the final table, Manny Stavropoulos raised to 125,000 from early position and James Rann called from the hijack. Joel Douaglin came along from the small blind and three players saw a flop of . Douaglin checked, Stavropoulos bet 260,000, and Rann called. Douaglin got out of the way and it was heads-up action to the turn.
Stavropoulos checked, Rann bet 320,000, and Stavropoulos folded. With that the chip leader added to his lead.
After a delay, the players were introduced and cards are finally in the air! There's ten minutes to play of this level and then they'll roll straight into the next 90-minute level.
It's Final Table day at the APPT Aussie Millions Poker Championship Main Event!
A week ago the first of 648 entrants took their seats with 30,000 chips and a dream. Seven players remain and the dream of winning the southern hemisphere's premier poker title is now a stark reality. The thrilling final of the$100k Challenge played out yesterday and that gave the finalists a day to prepare and rest up for the big day.
Brian Rast has been in this sort of situation before and his experience will count for a lot. He'll need all that experience too as he comes into the day as the shortest stack. James Rann survived being directly out of position to both Rast and defending champion Ami Barer for long periods on Friday. He finds himself to Rast's direct right again today but he has a chip leading stack to aid him this time around. Here's how the final seven line up:
The 2015 Aussie Millions Final Table
Seat
Player
Chips
1
Joel Douaglin
3,935,000
2
Lennart Uphoff
3,595,000
3
Richard Lyndaker
1,200,000
4
Manny Stavropoulos
2,115,000
5
James Rann
4,085,000
6
Brian Rast
1,185,000
7
Anthony Legg
3,290,000
Play is due to begin at 12:15PM local time but there may be a short delay to settle everyone into the TV set. Join the PokerNews reporting team back here soon. For now though, read the final table player profiles below and get to know today's competitors.
The seventh member of the final table, and second local player, is 25-year old Anthony Legg. A welder by trade, Legg has been playing poker for five years and is starting to make a big impact on the Australian poker scene.
His live tournament record is modest, but he has some strong online results including reaching the final table of the PokerStars Sunday Million, not once, but twice.
Legg says that his hobbies include motorboating and beer, and he'll carry a solid chip stack into the final table in the quest for his first major title.
The most accomplished player on the Aussie Millions is undoubtedly American Brian Rast. The 33-year old poker pro has amassed almost US$8 million in career earnings, with two WSOP bracelets, highlighted by his 2011 victory in the $50,000 Poker Players Championship.
Rast first got started in the game some 12 years ago while in University and has now carved a niche as one of the best players in the game.
Away from poker, Rast enjoys music, movies, fitness, nutrition, reading and basketball. He says that Melbourne is a great city, Crown is a fantastic hotel and he loves coming back here. He'll love it even more if he can head home with the Aussie Millions trophy.