2015 CarbonPoker Card Player Player of the Year Update -- Pratyush Buddiga Into Top Ten

The 2015 Card Player Player of the Year race, sponsored by CarbonPoker, is about the wrap up the first month on the year, with a number of huge events already in the books and several more set to come to a close in the near future. Here is a look at the events that made the biggest impact over the past seven days:

Aussie Millions $25,000 Challenge

The 2015 Aussie Millions $25,000 AUD Challenge no-limit hold’em high roller event attracted 104 entrants to build a prize pool of $1,978,392 USD.

In the end Australian local Alexander Trevallion emerged victorious, earning $645,150 AUD ($600,400) and 840 Player of the Year points. As a result he was catapulted into 16th place in the overall POY standings.

Trevallion wasn’t the only player to make moves inside the top 20 of the POY ranks as a result of this event. Third place finisher Pratyush Buddiga was fresh off a seventh place score in the 2015 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure main event for $203,420 and 570 points. For this most recent score he earned another $335,000 AUD ($264,650 USD) and 560 points. Buddiga now occupies the number nine spot on the POY leader board, with 1,130 total points and $468,070 in year-to-date earnings.

Steve O’Dwyer, who won the $100,000 super high roller at the PCA for over $1.8 million just weeks ago, finished sixth in this event for $156,000 AUD ($123,240 USD) and 280 points. O’Dwyer moved into 11th place in the standings as a result with 1,000 points even and $1,995,820 in year-to-date earnings.

Aussie Millions $1,150 No-Limit Hold’em Prelims

The 2015 Aussie Millions, which for the second year running is part of PokerStars’ Asia Pacific Poker Tour, featured two large $1,150 AUD buy-in no-limit hold’em prelims that both sported multiple starting days. The first was the opening event, which attracted 1,211 entries to build a prize pool equivalent to $983,866 USD.

In the end local player Vic Spadavecchia came out on top, defeating Derek Wolters heads up to secure the title, the $169,850 USD first-place prize and 960 POY points. This was enough to see Spadavecchia climb into 12th place in the POY standings as a result.

The second multi-day $1,150 AUD buy-in event drew 605 entrants to build a $491,527 USD total prize pool.

The lion’s share of that purse went to eventual champ Christopher Soyza from Malaysia. For the win Soyza earned $107,618 USD and 840 points, enough to put him in 16th place in the POY rankings heading into the end of the month.

Looking Forward

There are a number of huge events currently underway that are set to wrap in time for next week’s POY update, including the Aussie Millions $10,600 AUD main event and the $100,000 Challenge super high roller. The main event has drawn a field of 642 entries on its three starting days, with registration still open until cards get in the air on day 2. The $100,000 high roller attracted a record field of 70 entries, with over $1.8 million AUD set to go to the eventual champion. The $250,000 super high roller event is also set take place down under this weekend.

Stateside the World Poker Tour Borgata Winter Poker Open $3 million guaranteed main event drew 989 entries to beat their guarantee by over $160,000. The eventual champ there will take home a $712,305 payday.

Just who will come out on top in these events remains to be seen, but one thing is guaranteed: huge paydays and tons of POY points are up for grabs in the coming week.

Here is a look at the current top 20 in the POY standings:

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