Tennis, Twitch and...Caption Contests

We’re midway through the first month of the new year and the poker tournament circuit has already gone around the world. The PokerStars Championship Bahamas opened the 2017 schedule but as soon as that series concluded, all eyes shifted to the Southern Hemisphere and the Aussie Millions Poker Championship, held at the Crown Melbourne until January 30th. To get in the Aussie Millions mindset, we went Down Under this week to see what ‘Poker Twitter’ had to offer. 

At the @AustralianOpen #aoselfie #AusOpen with @SpaceyFCB pic.twitter.com/SvlXZvsGXo

— Frank Op de Woerd (@webjoker) January 18, 2017

Before Dutch reporter extraordinaire Frank Op de Woerd gets to work covering the Aussie Millions series, he took a personal day with good friend and recent November Niner Kenny Hallaert to check in on the other big series happening Down Under. The preliminary rounds of the Australian Open, tennis’ first major of the year, are playing out this week and both player and media member enjoyed a day away from the grind in the Melbourne sun.

Was torn between Aussie and Borgata but can’t stomach watching @realcharder30 hot dog swagger around Borgata so gotta go w Aussie now.

— Botwinning (@msalsberg) January 15, 2017

Earlier last week, the always humorous Matt Salsberg polled his Twitter followers to see where he should ‘whisk off to’ after a month-long vacation from poker. The slight winner, ‘Stay home and rot’ but after Christian Harder won the PokerStars Championship Bahamas Main Event, Salsberg knew he had to go abroad to avoid Harder hot dogging at Borgata. Where ever Salsberg decides to open his 2017 season, hilarity will definitely follow.  

we are just under TWO weeks away from the 2017 #AussieMillions on @Twitch!! I can’t wait! pic.twitter.com/5vsdz4WIJk

— Jason Somerville (@JasonSomerville) January 14, 2017

If a poker tournament isn’t streamed, does it even count? Yes, it does but nevertheless, Jason Somerville is making sure that no one misses the Aussie Millions action later this month. The legendary Twitch streamer is going to be streaming from Crown Melbourne for the second straight year, bringing three days of cards up coverage, commentary and much, much more.

Caption contest pic.twitter.com/meK8WP4GVN

— Samantha (@SamAbernathyy) January 16, 2017

Sam Abernathy broke through for a career best score in last year’s Aussie Millions Main Event, earning over $437,000 for a podium finish, and before she goes for back-to-back deep runs, she’s been enjoying Aussie life with fellow pro Cate Hall. While ‘Bambi’ and Hall weren’t playing cash games together or driving on the left side of the road, they were busy doing whatever this is…

Australia anyone?

— Chance Kornuth (@ChancesCards) January 17, 2017

The Aussie Millions is still young! Chance Kornurth, who won the $25,000 Aussie Millions Poker Championship Challenge last year, is returning to try to defend his 2016 title and it should be interesting to see who else heads Down Under for next week’s big buy-in events. Phil Ivey one time!?