A tournament where you can win millions, by Alex Lavelle - The Age - 16th January 2009

Australian Open organisers raised the winner's prizemoney to $2 million last week, which they said was because of a weaker Australian dollar, but could just as easily have been so that the other big show in town this month, the Aussie Millions poker tournament, didn't boast a greater first prize.

The winner of the main event at Crown casino will also receive $2 million, and endorsements worth plenty more. No wonder Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who complained that tennis players weren't paid enough, ignored Andre Agassi's advice to take his tennis prizemoney and buy some perspective and instead bought a heap of poker chips.

Among the 800 or so players attempting to snare the $2 million next week will be Shane Warne, who incidentally receives around $500,000 just to turn up to a handful of tournaments each year, and poker legends Gus Hansen, Joe Hachem and Phil Ivey.

There will also be plenty of AFL footballers keeping an eye on proceedings.

Brendan Fevola, who made it through to day two of the main event last year, would be there again if Carlton was not heading off to Malaysia for a pre-season training camp.

Texas hold 'em has become a favourite leisure pursuit among many footballers. After a night game, plenty of players will wind down with a few hands in the poker room at Crown or online at home.

"I'll often get online with 888.com after a night game. Obviously the adrenalin's still pumping and it's a good way to wind down," said Fevola, who played in the opening event of the Aussie Millions last Friday and lasted four hours before his ace-high flush was beaten by a full house.

"I love poker. It was a good feeling playing with good players and getting some more experience and I thought I played pretty well."

Many of the Carlton players hold a regular home game, and it may be no coincidence that former World Series of Poker champion Joe Hachem is a Blues fan. "It gets pretty competitive among the boys, but it's a good way to get the players together," said Fevola.

That was a sentiment shared by Hawthorn star Luke Hodge, who also played in the opening event. There are a dozen or so Hawks who play regularly. "Playing poker is a good way to relax and unwind and socialise with the boys," he said.

Hodge, who said he felt mentally drained after playing for six hours in the tournament last Friday, rates skipper Sam Mitchell as one of the handier poker players in the team and Clinton Young as the luckiest. One thing Hodge accepts, though, is that playing a lot of poker is easier when you are single.

"I've had to cut down a little. We've got a six-month-old, Cooper, who needs a bit more attention!"

Alex Lavelle lost almost half his chips in the first hand of the opening event on a bluff. He crashed out three hours later. If he had won any prizemoney, he would have given at least half to charity. Honest. (Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)

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