With seven players left chasing the 2008 Aussie Millions title and the $1.65 million first place prize money, all eyes early were on Michael Chrisanthopoulos who had a commanding chip leader.
 The spot light though went to Alexander Kostritsyn who got started early on when Peter Mobbs raised with AJ suited and was re-raised by Kostritsyn with AK off suit. Eventually Peter got all his chips in pre-flop and hitting a jack on the flop looked good for an early double up. A king on the turn foiled that plan though and Mobbs was sent home in seventh place earning AU $225,000.
Antonio Casale, who was the local fan favorite was next to fall and again it was Kostritsyn. This time it was Kostritsyn who raised first and Casale re-raised, Kostritsyn re-raised back and so did Casale. Kostritsyn went all in and was called by Casale. Casale flipped over pocket jacks but soon found out how dominated he was when Kostritsyn flipped over pocket aces. Casale could not hit a jack and was sent railing in sixth place earning AU $300,000. Kostritsyn was now the new chip leader.
Kostritsyn wasn’t finished yet as just a few hands later Nino Marotta raised pre-flop with QT off suit and was re-raised by Kostritsyn who held AJ off suit. Marotta just called and when the flop came J T 3 rainbow, Marotta went all in and was called by Kostritsyn. The turn brought the ace and no help for Nino Marotta on the river as he went home in fifth place earning AU $400,000.
After all this action the remaining four players settled in for about 2 hours before another big hand surfaced. This time Kostritsyn was not involved as Peter Ling and Michael Chrisanthopoulos ended up with all their chips in the middle after a Ac Kc Th flop. Ling had his tournament life on the line with As 5s but was unfortunate to see Chrisanthopoulos flip over Ad Kh, the turn and river where blanks and Peter Ling left the final table in fourth place getting AU $500,000 for his efforts.
With now just three remaining it was Kostritsyn turn again. It was Eric Seidel who raised this time pre-flop and Chrisanthopoulos called the small blind and Kostritsyn re-raised from the big blind. Seidel got out of the way and Chrisanthopoulos moved all-in and Kostritsyn called. Kostritsyn was holding pocket tens and Chrisanthopoulos held Ac 6c and the pocket tens held sending the early chip leader home in third place with AU $700,000 and making it one more year that an Australian would not win the Aussie Millions Main Event.
Just like last year’s event with Gus Hansen the well known pro and Jimmy Fricke the relative new name battling heads up with the pro winning the title, this year featured the well known name of Erik Seidel versus Alexander Kostritsyn. That would be the only comparison though as this year the relative unknown would walk away with the title. It was not easy though as Kostritsyn went into heads up play with nearly a 2 to 1 chip lead, but took close to two hours to eliminate Eric Seidel.
The young Russian Alexander Kostritsyn did eventual win and is the 2008 Aussie Million champion and taking home the title and AU $1,650,000 in first place prize. Eric Seidel finished runner up earning AU $1,000,000.
The 2008 Aussie Millions final-table results: (from pokernews.com)
1. Alexander Kostritsyn – AU $1,650,000
2. Erik Seidel – AU $1,000,000
3. Michael Chrisanthopoulos – AU $700,000
4. Peter Ling – AU $500,000
5.Nino Marotta – AU $400,000
6. Antonio Casale – AU $300,000
7. Peter Mobbs – AU $225,000
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