Sam Panzica bet 3,700 into two players on an board. One folded but the second one called. On the river, the in-position player patted the table. Panzica hadn't done anything but quickly checked to force a showdown. His opponent swore.
"I wanted to set a trap," the player grumbled, showing .
Former international cricket superstar Shane Warne's poker resume includes a 22nd place in the 2014 WSOP APAC Main Event, a deep run in the WSOP Main Event in 2015 as well as four Aussie Millions side-event cashes, and he's looking for more in the 2018 Aussie Millions Main Event at the Crown Melbourne.
"The guys here at Crown do such a good job each year," said Warne. "It's great to have the international poker community here as well. The Main Event is great, but there are loads of other tournaments to play while you're here.
"This time of year in Melbourne you have the tennis, the cricket, the Big Bash and ODIs; there's just so much action here in Melbourne. It's a great time to be here. It makes me proud to be a Victorian when the Aussie Millions is here.
According to HendonMob.com, Warne has poker cashes stretching back to 2009 and he says that he still loves poker even after all these years.
"I really do love it. But not if I keep losing set over set in the first half hour! I just love the strategy and tactics involved. That’s what I loved when I was a cricketer. I couldn’t scare them with my pace but I could outthink them with my leg-spin when up against them so there’s similar stuff involved."
Warne is seated at the back of the poker room whereas earlier he was seated by the rail, with a crowd of onlookers. One side effect of his seat change is he is now seated just one table over from his son Jackson who is also playing in the Main Event.
Fabian Quoss was on the button and facing a big bet of 9,000 into a pot of about 11,000 when we arrived. His opponent in the big blind had bet on the board and she followed up with an all-in shove worth 17,650 on the river. Quoss got the count and went deep into the tank. He thought for four or five minutes, studying his opponent every now and then. Eventually, he mucked.
Alex Foxen asked to see a bluff, and the big blind offered to show one. Foxen picked the nearer card: .
At another table, Sam Cohen appears to have gone bust.
Aussie High Roller David Steicke has joined the Day 1b field recently. Stephen Graner and Tobias Hausen are among the big stacks and the latter just scooped a nice pot.
Hausen was spotted with a bet of 2,700 on the turn and he picked up a single caller. The German then bet the turn for 5,500 and the river for 12,500. His opponent called both, though the final bet very reluctantly, Hausen rolled over and that won the pot.
A player in the small blind was all in for what turned out to be 24,950 with on the felt when we got to his table, with Szymon Wysocki having put him at risk from late position. The two appeared to have gotten stacks in on the flop with 6,000 or so in the middle preflop.
Wysocki:
Small blind:
The turn was a and the river a and Wysocki shook his head and shipped over a double.
Sam Grafton bet 4,800 from the small blind on an board. Kahle Burns called him from the cutoff and the river brought a . Grafton quickly announced a bet of 12,000. The two exchanged some banter that we couldn't quite hear, and Burns dropped his cards in the muck, conceding the pot to the talkative Brit.
Antoine Saout's raise from early position was called by two opponents on the button and the big blind. On the flop, the action checked to Saout and the Frenchman continued for 1,500. After the fold of the player on the button, the big blind check-raised to 4,000 and Saout called.
The fell on the turn and the big blind shoved for around 12,000, Saout snap-called and flipped over the . Only one out remained for the big blind with the , and the river bricked off. "It's that easy huh?" another player at the table remarked while Saout approaches six digits.
After David Steicke had three-bet to 2,600 from the small blind, the opener in late position made it 4,200 and Steicke called. The flop was and Steicke checked. His opponent bet 2,500, Steicke check-raised to 7,500 and received a call after a minute.
Both players slowly checked the on the turn. On the river, Steicke checked, his opponent moved all in for 16,975, and the high roller called it off after some thought.
Steicke got shown and had to part with nearly all of his chips.
board. One folded but the second one called. On the 
river, the in-position player patted the table. Panzica hadn't done anything but quickly checked to force a showdown. His opponent swore.
. 
board and she followed up with an all-in shove worth 17,650 on the 
river. Quoss got the count and went deep into the tank. He thought for four or five minutes, studying his opponent every now and then. Eventually, he mucked.
.
turn and he picked up a single caller. The German then bet the 
turn for 5,500 and the 
and that won the pot.
and the river a 
and Wysocki shook his head and shipped over a double.
board. Kahle Burns called him from the cutoff and the river brought a 
. Grafton quickly announced a bet of 12,000. The two exchanged some banter that we couldn't quite hear, and Burns dropped his cards in the muck, conceding the pot to the talkative Brit.
flop, the action checked to Saout and the Frenchman continued for 1,500. After the fold of the player on the button, the big blind check-raised to 4,000 and Saout called.
. Only one out remained for the big blind with the 
river, Steicke checked, his opponent moved all in for 16,975, and the high roller called it off after some thought.
