Aussie Millions Schedule Released

December 4, 2008 (InfoPowa News) — The next major poker tournament down under — the Aussie Millions — will run from January 4 – 26, 2009, according to a statement from the organizers.
 
Following a 2008 championship in which records were broken seemingly every day, the 2009 Aussie Millions Poker Championship will deliver a new set of historic firsts. The 2009 Aussie Millions will feature 18 different championship events in almost every variation of poker.
 
Readers can find the full schedule at http://www.aussiemillions.com/schedule/.
 
The 23-day extravaganza will unfold at Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia, and is annually the Southern Hemisphere's richest gaming tournament, ranked fifth in the world by prize-money.
 
In all, the 2009 Aussie Millions will feature various events where players can choose from an impressive line-up of cash tournaments including the Pre-Championship Satellites (4-8 January), H.O.R.S.E (2-day event), Feature Event No Limit Hold 'em with a Bounty player on each table, the $100,000 No Limit Hold 'em Challenge — and, the one everyone wants to win: the coveted $10,500 (AU) NLHE 'Main Event'.
 
"If you've dreamed of becoming an Aussie Millions Champion, this is the year to enter," says Crown's Chief Operating Officer for Gaming Richard Longhurst. "With 18 opportunities to win, more events than ever before, and FSN television coverage of the 'Main Event', the Aussie Millions stage has never been brighter."
 
Sunday 18 January 2009 is the first of three start days for the most anticipated event of the championship, the Aussie Millions No Limit Holdem 'Main Event'. Filmed and developed into an eight-part television series by FSN for an international audience of over 100 million, and featuring a guaranteed first prize of AU $2 million, the Final Table is set to be played out on Saturday 24 January 2009.
 
In January 2008, a total of 780 entrants competed in the No Limit Holdem 'Main Event' with a prize pool of $7.8 million and first prize of AU $1.65 million; it was won by 21-year-old Alexander Kostritsyn from Moscow, who will return in January to defend the title.
 
Visiting poker professionals include 2005 World Series of Poker Champion Joe Hachem, 2007 Aussie Millions Champion Gus Hansen, Team Full Tilt pro Phil Ivey, former Finnish model Patrick Antonius, 2000 World Series of Poker Champion Chris 'Jesus" Ferguson, World Poker Tour co-commentator Mike Sexton, international poker star Kenna 'Cowboy' James, Antonio 'The Magician' Esfandiari, Phil 'The Unabomber' Laak, and Hollywood stars Jennifer Tilly, Michael Vartan, and Shannon Elizabeth.