Australia is quickly becoming a destination of choice for many pro poker players, both live poker and poker online. Anyone watching ESPN’s coverage of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) will undoubtedly recognize the voice of Joe Hachem screaming “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie”. Hachem, winner of the 2005 WSOP Main Event, took home a little more than $7.5 million and is just one of many notable Australian poker players. Jeff Lisandro, another Australian pro, won an unprecedented 3 WSOP bracelets in the 2009 WSOP, becoming only the 4th player to accomplish such a feat.
Poker players from all over the world come to Australia to take part in the Aussie Millions, a series of events that culminate with (AUD) $10,500 NLHE event. Stewart Scott, an Australian pro, outlasted a field of 681 to take home the nearly (AUD) $2 million first place prize. Scott broke a six year streak of non Australian players to finish first.
Before crowning Scott, the NLHE champion, the Aussie Millions took a break from regular tournament action to hold a $1 million buy in cash game. This made for TV event was the highest cash game stacks ever for Australia and would begin with a heads up battle between Patrik Antonius and Tom Dwan. Tom Dwan, known as “durrrr” online, is one of the most feared and aggressive players to emerge in recent years. His online aggressive play has allowed him to amass millions of dollars, routinely playing heads up NLHE and PLO against veteran pros such as Phil Ivey, Antonius, Chris Ferguson and pros from other online poker sites. While the buy-in was $1million, Dwan brought $2milion in chips to the table and the cards were in the air.
Much the same way Chris Moneymaker’s remarkable journey from a $40 online Satellite to 2003 WSOP ME opened the flood gates for United States poker players, The Aussie Millions and the recent success of Hachem and Lisandro has created a poker boom in Australia.
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