Another event on the 2017 Aussie Millions Poker Championship has just been ticked off as completed. Nick Petrangelo, a well-recognized name in the poker community, won the A$100,000 Challenge mere hours ago after a quick seven-handed final table play. Petrangelo added A$882,000 to his hefty poker bankroll. The player was also awarded a special ANTON Jewelry-crafted ring for his triumph.
This year, the two-day high roller tournament attracted 18 entries, down significantly from 2016 when a field of 40 hopefuls was reached. The 2017 edition of the A$100,000 Challenge thus generated a total of A$1,764,000 in prize money. Aside from Petrangelo who took the lion’s share, two more players got paid.
Day 2 of the tournament started with 7 survivors, led by Germany’s Steffen Sontheimer. The chip leader was followed by his fellow countryman and high roller star Fedor Holz. Petrangelo started Day 2 play third in chips.
The tournament’s format, which gave players mere seconds to act at the table, presupposed speedy action and it was indeed so. It took only five hours of play on Friday for the initial final table of seven to be whittled down to the lone winner.
David Steicke was the first to leave. He was eliminated by Mike Watson on the seventh hand to be played. Thirty hands later, 2016 GPI Player of the Year David Peters fell victim to Watson again. The latter was responsible for the next elimination as well. Sontheimer, the start-of-the-day chip leader, was seen pack after losing an all-in confrontation against Watson.
With the money bubble at stake, the players were expected to slow down a bit. However, it took five hands of play before the bubble burst. Sam Trickett was the last player to leave the event without a payout. All three survivors – Petrangelo, Holz, and Watson – were guaranteed a minimum of A$352,800.
Three-handed play did not last long as Holz could not hold up against Petrangelo on what turned out to be his final hand. The player left in 3rd place. However, this will not be the last we see of the young German at the Aussie Millions. Holz has secured a seat into the Main Event’s final table, which is set to be played on Sunday.
Heads-up between Petrangelo and Watson started off with the latter holding the lead. However, Petrangelo quickly improved to soon emerge as the chip leader. Two-handed play did not last as long as one might expect, although competition was fierce. On the final hand of the tournament, Watson shoved all-in on the river, holding nothing but an ace-high. Petrangelo topped his opponent with two pair to send him to the rail for A$529,200.
The past month has been particularly successful for the newest Aussie Millions A$100,000 Challenge champion. Petrangelo has finished runner-up to Lucas Greenwood in the inaugural PokerStars Championship Bahamas $25,000 High Roller for $740,032 and 6th in the Aussie Millions A$25,000 Challenge for A$143,640 prior to his triumph in the A$100,000 buy-in tournament.
Although the 2017 Aussie Millions is entering its final stage, there is still a lot to be seen as the Main Event and the A$250,000 Challenge are yet to be completed.
