Aussie Millions 2012 Super High Roller: Stars, Drama, and Surprises

The 2012 Aussie Millions Super High Roller tournament kicked off with 22 players, 16 fewer than the previous year.

Notable players included Phil Ivey, Gus Hansen, Sam Trickett, Jason Mercier, Eric Seidel, Joe Hachem, JC Tran, Nam Le, Sorel Mizzis, and others. Tom Dwan, who had been relatively quiet, made an appearance at the tournament. Mikhail Smirnov was the only Russian player to participate.

Daniel Negreanu criticized the tournament structure, citing issues with the 100k buy-in without ante and the 30-second time limit per move. Several players named Daniel participated in the tournament, including Daniel Negreanu, Daniel Cates, Dan Shak, Dan Smith, and Daniel Alaei. Patrik Antonius chose to play in the Day 1A of the main event instead of the Super High Roller tournament.

Phil Ivey and Daniel Negreanu had a humorous exchange about Ivey's nickname and Negreanu's appearance. Daniel Negreanu faced challenges in the tournament, including being eliminated by Dan Smith. Mikhail Smirnov had a strong start, eliminating Tony Bloom and becoming the chip leader.

Tony G appeared during the lunch break, riding a monocycle, and challenged Melanie Weissner to a freeroll. Daniel Cates and Dan Smith had a notable showdown, with Cates ultimately losing to Smith's aces. Sam Trickett eliminated Eric Seidel, and Jason Mercier finished in 10th place. The first day of the tournament ended with Phil Ivey's elimination on the 9th place.