Local hero Michael Addamo has taken down the 2020 Aussie Millions $50k Challenge, scooping an A$1,073,790 (US$738,234) payday after defeating Cary Katz heads-up for the title.
The annual highroller at the home of the Aussie Million series, the Crown Casino in Melbourne, attracted a record field of 82 entries – 20 more than last year’s edition that saw England’s Toby Lewis take down the prestigious title.
High-class, high-roller field in the Aussie Millions A$50,000 Challenge
Among the high-quality field lining up for the second day of the two-day Aussie Millions event were partypoker pro Kristen Bicknell, her other half and two-time GPI winner Alex Foxen, Erik Seidel, Sam Greenwood and a host of other big names.
#AussieMillions $50K Challenge Day 2 Redraw – starts 210pm @CrownPoker pic.twitter.com/kgIEXNFsBe
— Crown Poker (@CrownPoker) January 17, 2020
With a prize fund of A$3,977,000 ($2,734,199) and only 10 spots paid, the action was fast and furious as the money-bubble neared, with a remarkable run of river bustouts along the way.
Down the river
Stephen Chidwick’s queens fell to Huang as the river brought an ace for the Chinese player, who himself fell to a rivered flush shortly afterward to England’s Sam Grafton.
The fifth street also brought misery to both Peter Jetten and MikitaBadziakouski, an Elio Fox straight and a Sam Greenwood pair of kings ending their title hopes.
Bubble trouble for Soyza
It would be Michael Soyza claiming the dubious distinction of bubble-boy, the Malaysian pro rivering two pair and eventually calling Michael Addamo’s all-in shove, only to find the Australian had nailed a flush on the river.
That meant the remaining ten were assured of an A$119,310 cash, translating to US$82,000, just over double the buy-in.
Kristen Bicknell would be first to hit the rail in the money, followed by China’s Yong Wang, but it was Erik Seidel who seemed to be in the action almost every hand as the final table heated up.
Seidel’s triple crown exit
First of all his pocket sixes hit the two-outer on the river to survive against Addamo’s kings, and when faced with Wang’s cowboys he hit trip tens to escape once again.
The third time was to be too much to ask, however, his gutshot straight and flush draws failing to get there against the kings, again, of Cary Katz.
Sam Greenwood disposed of Rainer Kempe and fellow Canadian Timothy Adams in one fell swoop, turning a set of nines, but after Ben Lamb exited in 5th place, it was Greenwood’s turn to join his colleagues on the rail.
Greenwood falls to pocket rockets
Four-handed and staring down at KQ suited spades in the big blind, Greenwood 5-bet jammed only to find Michael Addamo’s ‘steal’ was in fact pocket aces.
The flop fell As 4s 4c and the only way out – a runner, runner Royal Flush – failed to appear, Greenwood picking up A$397,700 (US$273,400) for his deep run.
Greenwood’s exit left Addamo, last year’s $100k victor Cary Katz and Turkey’s OrpenKisacikoglu – the latter promising to donate a chunk of his winnings to help the Australian bushfire crisis that has devastated the country in recent weeks.
I think we are donating the 50k ✌️✌️✌️ @ROFLshove @PokerNews pic.twitter.com/722xBdMtHx
— Orpen Kisacikoglu (@OrpTheTurk) January 18, 2020
And then there were two…
Orp the Turk’s run ended in 3rd, however, his short-stack eventually succumbing to Addamo who hit trips on the flop, setting up the heads-up finale against Cary Katz and starting with a 5:2 chip lead.
Katz took an almost instant big hit to his stack when Addamo rivered the nut flush, but the American fought back strongly winning several pots.
Nevertheless, the local pro continued to chip away at Katz’s stack, and eventually, the resistance broke.
Katz hit top pair, top kicker on the flop, only to find that when all the chips went in Addamo had flopped a set.
Katz: Ah Js
Addamo: 6c 6h
Board: 2d Jh 6d 7h Qc
The victory caps an excellent couple of years for the Melbourne man, close to $5million in cashes and now within spitting distance of the $7million career milestone.
2020 Aussie Millions A$50,000 Challenge Results
| Place | Player | Country | Payout (AUD) | Payout (USD) |
| 1 | Michael Addamo | Australia | A$1,073,790 | $738,234 |
| 2 | Cary Katz | United States | A$715,860 | $492,156 |
| 3 | OrpenKisacikoglu | Turkey | A$477,240 | $328,104 |
| 4 | Sam Greenwood | Canada | A$397,700 | $273,420 |
| 5 | Ben Lamb | United States | A$318,160 | $218,736 |
| 6 | Timothy Adams | Canada | A$278,390 | $191,394 |
| 7 | Rainer Kempe | Germany | A$238,620 | $164,052 |
| 8 | Erik Seidel | United States | A$198,850 | $136,710 |
| 9 | Yong Wang | China | A$159,080 | $109,368 |
| 10 | Kristen Bicknell | Canada | A$119,130 | $81,902 |
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