Melbourne Set to Stage Victorian Poker Championship From October 12-27

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Sep 30, 2026 4 min read

There's now less than two weeks to go until Melbourne's next big poker festival, with the Victorian Poker Championship getting underway at the beautiful Crown Casino from October 12-27.

Featuring a schedule that's busier than Steve Smith in the popping crease, the $2,500 Main Event headlines the festival with four Day 1 starting flights, alongside $5k and $10k high rollers and player-favorite mixed game formats including Mystery Bounty and H.O.R.S.E.

Better yet, whether you're playing or railing from afar, PokerNews will be onsite for all the action, providing daily tournament highlights from the tournament floor as well as live reporting of the showpiece $2,500 Victorian Champs Main Event.

Check out the full schedule below, along with everything else you need to know:

Victorian Poker Championship 2026 Full Schedule

There’s a really good mix to this schedule, and I think that’s what stands out most. The $2,500 Main Event is naturally the centerpiece, with four starting flights giving players plenty of opportunities to get into the biggest event of the festival, but there’s a lot more going on around it. You’ve got the $5k Challenge, a $10k Super High Roller and a good selection of mixed games, including H.O.R.S.E., 8-Game, PLO and 2-7 Triple Draw.

It also feels like a schedule that gives players plenty of ways to get involved at different levels. There are satellites running throughout the festival, along with smaller buy-in events and some more specialist formats, so you don't have to be playing the biggest tournaments every day to find something worth jumping into. With two weeks of action at Crown, there should be plenty for players and fans to keep an eye on.

Daily Satellites Start From as Little as $240

We always like to see a packed satellite schedule offering plenty of value for money, and the Victorian Poker Championship doesn't disappoint, with daily satellites ranging from just $240 and regular $300 satellites running throughout the festival.

There are plenty of chances to win your way into the festival's biggest events, including the $2,500 Main Event, with satellites running across almost the entire two-week schedule. There are also satellites for the $5K Challenge, Mystery Bounty, H.O.R.S.E., PLO and other events, giving players plenty of options beyond the Main Event.

Victorian Poker Championship 2026 Satellite Schedule

The $2,500 Victorian Championship Main Event

The $2,500 Victorian Champs Main Event is an absolute ripper, with four starting flights running from October 21-24. Players will start with 60,000 chips, with Day 1 levels running for 40 minutes before increasing to 60 minutes, giving plenty of room to maneuver as the field gets whittled down. Players can also make a single re-entry, with Day 2 scheduled for October 25 before the final table is reached on October 27.

It's the tournament we'll have our eyes on throughout the festival, too, with PokerNews live reporting from the floor to bring you the biggest hands, chip counts and key moments all the way through to the crowning of the next Victorian Champion.

Victorian Poker Championship - At a Glance:

Eliot Thomas is an Editor at PokerNews, specializing in casino and poker coverage. He is on the ground in South Korea covering the Triton Super High Roller Series and has previously worked at the World Series of Poker and European Poker Tour.

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