Poker Web Watch / Dave Allan / 21 January 2009 / Leave a comment

Tristan Heffernan reports on an amazing Day 2 at the Aussie Millions for Team Betfair.

Day 2 was Girls Day at the Aussie Millions - spearheaded by two incredible performances by the two ladies playing under the Betfair banner. Annette "Annette_15" Obrestad, and little known Swede Annica Ivert were the talk of the tournament as they thoroughly destroyed their competition to sit 1st and 2nd in the chip count by the end of a tough day at the office.

While Obrestad continued to add to her chip stack through the night levels, it was Ivert who would capture the imagination of the poker room.

320 players made it through to Day 2, with some big names amongst them - Patrik Antonius, Scotty Nguyen, and home town hero Joe Hachem. Six Betfair players were also in the mix with a grueling 12 hour day awaiting them.

Obrestad was into action early, doubling up in two consecutive hands in the first level of the day, which catapulted her to over 100k in chips and a nice stack to start working with. She used her new found chips to build to around 150k, and then was able to double up again just before dinner. Holding JJ on an A99 flop, action was checked around and Obrestad spiked a J on the turn. Another opponent sprung to life on the turn holding T9, enabling Annette to get all her chips in and enjoy her dinner with a now monster stack of around 300k.

Ivert was not to be left behind herself, as she continued with her active and calculated ways of Day 1 to sit around 280k by the time dinner arrived. She would soon find herself moved to the feature table - seated to Patrik Antonius' left - in what seemed sure to prove a great challenge in itself.

Unfortunately, we lost some other Betfair qualifiers along the way. Phillip "Philly" Peters and Richard "Cockroach" Mace were both seated on the same table, and both found it hard to gain any momentum due to a tough combination of a short stack and a dearth of good cards. Both were to be eliminated just after the dinner break.

Sorel "Imper1um" Mizzi was also finding it slow going, but he still had a nice stack of 130k when he was moved to the second feature table - one which would prove very tough featuring the likes of talented locals Tino Lechich and Andrew Demetriou.

Stephan "BlindPoet" McLean would be the last Team Betfair player to exit for the day, having made a good run himself but it finally came to an end with about 100 players remaining.

While Obrestad continued to add to her chip stack through the night levels, it was Ivert who would capture the imagination of the poker room. She showed no fear at her new seat on the feature table, and continued to tangle with Patrik Antonius - and win. She also knocked out another couple of players, as the room buzzed about this unknown Swedish girl who was now the tournament's chip leader. She was the first player to reach 600k in chips, and finished the day a clear leader with 555k.

Obrestad was not doing too bad herself, and she would wind up in second place when play came to a halt, with a very healthy 455k. The last level was 1k/2k blinds with a 300 ante - further highlighting the size of the stacks both girls had built. No other player has over 400k in chips so they take a decent break on the field into Day 3.

Mizzi also finished hard during the last two night levels, playing excellent poker at a very tough table to finish with 248k chips, well within striking distance. When play resumes tomorrow for Day 3, Team Betfair will have 3 players remaining, and all in the top 20 in chips with only 85 remaining. Players will start to get paid from position 64 as they continue their charge for a final table seat come Saturday.

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Betfair Aussie Millions Assault - Day 1C
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