The main event with a $10,500 buy-in kicked off on Sunday with loud music, dancing girls and a video where Joe Hachem welcomed and wished everyone good luck. In the video he also said - "I think it's about time an Aussie took home the title", with the glimt in the eye.
191 players started Day 1a of the Main Event. Some notable pros in the 191 player starting felt were James Potter, Tony G, Sorel Mizzi, Patrik Antonius, John Hennigan and Sam Khouiss. But it was not a famous poker pro that were going to take the lead in Day 1a.
Christopher Chronis, a fashion designer from Melbourne have a few big cashes since before. To mention one of them he won a preliminary event in 2008's Aussie Millions. With last year's win and Joe Hachem's words, "I think it's about time an Aussie took home the title" in mind he played his very best poker all day and made very few mistakes even though he knew he had player like Noah Schwartz, Derek Cheung and Patrik Antonius close behind.
One of the most important hands for Chronis occurred just a few hands before Day 1a was over when he managed to get another player to move all-in with A
K
against his A
A. The board ran out 7 8
10 8 4 and gave Chronis a good chip lead as Day 1a ended.
Top 10 players out of the 76 players who survived Day 1a
Christopher Chronis (picture) - 175,375 chips
Patrik Antonius - 139,750 chips
Noah Schwartz - 138,275 chips
Derek Cheung - 132,800 chips
James Obst - 122,075 chips
Elliot Smith - 107,650 chips
Warwick Mirzikinian - 103,575 chips
Jarred Solomon - 101,775 chips
Danny Andrews - 98,825 chips
Sorel Mizzi - 95,575 chip
