button in Safari$10,600 Aussie Millions Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2026 Aussie Millions Poker Championship
$10,600 Aussie Millions Main Event
Day: 1b
Players Left 257 / 692
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Chip Counts
Level 5
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Day 1b of the Aussie Millions $10,600 Main Event brought another strong turnout inside Crown Casino, Melbourne. A total of 186 players jumped into the second starting flight, all hoping to bag a healthy stack by night’s end. After seven 90‑minute levels, just 121 players survived to progress to Day 2, joining the 136 who made it through Day 1a.
Despite the tough competition across the floor, Lennart Valloe finished with a dominating 280,900. Valloe climbed steadily throughout the day, but it wasn’t until the final level that he surged into one of the top spots. In one of the last hands of the night, he pinched more chips from Alex Lynskey helping him top up his stack.
Valloe sits just shy of the Day 1a chip leader, Thomas McMahon, who still tops the overall counts heading into Day 2 with 329,000. A number of players sit close behind Valloe in the counts as they head into Day 2, including Keith Walker (256,000), Gary Fisher (231,600), Nyi Wint Htal (225,700) and Didier Guerin (219,300).
Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lennart Valloe | Denmark | 280,900 |
| 2 | Keith Walker | New Zealand | 256,000 |
| 3 | Gary Fisher | United Kingdom | 231,600 |
| 4 | Nyi Wint Htal | Australia | 225,700 |
| 5 | Didier Guerin | Australia | 219,300 |
| 6 | Jim Andreadis | Australia | 203,800 |
| 7 | David Wonson | Australia | 201,100 |
| 8 | Cole Swannack | New Zealand | 189,200 |
| 9 | Christopher Lee | United States | 185,500 |
| 10 | Toni Petrovski | Australia | 183,800 |
It wasn’t smooth sailing for everyone. Aussie pro and WSOP Main Event final tablist Lynskey bagged 50,000. He started the day off steady, and even got the max with quads, but ultimately couldn’t spin his stack above starting.
Tristan Wade (164,200) also joined the field, along with Vladas Tamasauskas. Tamasauskas lost a third of his stack early, but after returning from the dinner break he rebuilt his stack. Towards the end of the night he continued to chip away at his table and climbed back to 117,000.
Not everyone was able to find a bag. Kitty Kuo was eliminated after two brutal consecutive hands, getting her kings and then queens cracked. WSOP bracelet winner Martin Kozlov joined her on the rail later in the day after tank‑calling the river with top pair against an opponent’s two pair.
With Day 1b now complete, just one more starting flight remains on Wednesday, May 6. Day 1c is the final opportunity for players to join the iconic Aussie Millions Main Event. With two jam‑packed starting flights already creating a 386 entry field, all eyes will turn to Day 1c to see how close this year’s Main Event can come to the all‑time 822 field record set in 2019.
Remaining Main Event Schedule
| Day | Date | Start Time | Level Duration | Late Registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1c | Wednesday, May 6 | 12:30 p.m. | 90 minutes | Start of Level 9 |
| Day 2 | Thursday, May 7 | 12:30 p.m. | 90 minutes | Start of Level 9 |
| Day 3 | Friday, May 8 | 12:30 p.m. | 90 minutes | — |
| Day 4 | Saturday, May 9 | 12:30 p.m. | 90 minutes | — |
| Final Day | Sunday, May 10 | 2:30 p.m. | 90 minutes | — |
Day 1c of the Aussie Millions Main Event will follow the same format as both previous starting flights, with blinds starting at 100/200 and a 200 big blind ante. Each level will last 90 minutes, with scheduled 15‑minute breaks after every level. A 60‑minute dinner break is scheduled for approximately 7.15 p.m., giving the field time to recharge before the evening session resumes.
Stay tuned and return to the PokerNews live updates tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. for Day 1c coverage, where the final batch of hopefuls will take their seats in pursuit of a deep run in the legendary Aussie Millions $10,600 Main Event.
Level 5
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
With all players having now bagged, a number of Day 1b successors climbed up in the counts during the last level of the day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
280,900 | |
|
||
|
256,000
256,000
|
256,000 |
|
231,600
231,600
|
231,600 |
|
225,700
225,700
|
225,700 |
|
219,300
219,300
|
219,300 |
|
203,800
28,800
|
28,800 |
|
|
201,100
49,100
|
49,100 |
|
189,200
2,800
|
2,800 |
|
185,500
4,500
|
4,500 |
|
183,800
25,800
|
25,800 |
|
|
180,600
180,600
|
180,600 |
|
178,100
8,900
|
8,900 |
|
175,000
175,000
|
175,000 |
|
167,200
27,800
|
27,800 |
|
167,200
67,200
|
67,200 |
|
164,900
126,200
|
126,200 |
|
164,200
8,800
|
8,800 |
|
||
|
160,000
160,000
|
160,000 |
|
|
157,800
157,800
|
157,800 |
|
157,800
157,800
|
157,800 |
|
155,700
155,700
|
155,700 |
|
153,100
153,100
|
153,100 |
|
151,800
151,800
|
151,800 |
|
150,300
150,300
|
150,300 |
|
|
149,700
149,700
|
149,700 |
Level 5
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
The remaining 123 players have bagged for Day 2 and will join the 135 players who made it through on Day 1a.
Level 5
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
In one of the final hands of the night, Vladas Tamasauskas picked up chips after he opened to 1,800 from the cutoff and saw a single call from the big blind.
The A♦Q♦6♣ flop saw Tamasauskas bet 6,000 and saw his opponent fold.
On the table across Alex Lynskey was also caught up in one of the final hands of the night. He was in the hijack and looking at the K♥8♠J♦ flop. He checked to Lennart Valloe in the cutoff who bet 3,500.
Lynskey called to see the 6♣ turn. Valloe bet 6,000 and Lynskey called. The players checked down the 5♠ river and Valloe showed K♣10♠ to take the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
280,900
280,900
|
280,900 |
|
|
||
|
95,000
56,000
|
56,000 |
|
50,000
35,000
|
35,000 |
Level 5
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Players are now starting to bag once they have played through their final five hands of the night.
Level 5
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
The button opened, and saw two callers. Manuel Rodrigues topped up from the small blind and Bruno Portaro defended the big blind.
The Q♥10♣2♥ flop saw Rodrigues quickly bet out 2,000. Portaro quickly mucked and Rodrigues saw no further action.
Rodrigues has been slowly building up his stack throughout the last level of the day, along with his fellow table mates Portaro and Andrew Theakstone.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
195,000
26,000
|
26,000 |
|
|
150,000
20,000
|
20,000 |
|
120,000
81,000
|
81,000 |
Level 5
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Jim Giannoukos and his neighbour Amit Shorey were already looking at the 9♥J♦4♠ flop with a pot of around 6,000.
Action was on Giannoukos who moved in his remaining 11,000 and Shorey snap called.
Jim Giannoukos: K♦J♥
Amit Shorey: J♠7♣
Both had flopped top pair, but Giannoukos was ahead with his king.
The 10♣ was turned, not changing much and the A♦ river secured Giannoukos's the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
29,000
13,000
|
13,000 |
|
|
28,200
28,200
|
28,200 |
Level 5
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
Alex Lynskey was sitting in the hijack and already looking at a 3♣5♣8♦ flop. His opponent was Hossein Ahwazi who was on the button.
Action was followed post-flop, when Lynskey moved his 34,700 remaining stack into the middle. Ahwazi made the call and covered Lynskey by about 60,000.
Alex Lynskey: 5♠5♦
Hossein Ahwazi: A♣9♣
Lynskey was ahead, but Ahwazi picked up a straight draw on the 2♣ turn.
Lynskey locked up the double after seeing another 5♥ fall on the river, ending the hand on quads.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
85,000
29,000
|
29,000 |
|
|
60,000
15,000
|
15,000 |
Level 5
: Blinds 300/600, 600 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
220,000 | |
|
|
192,000
13,000
|
13,000 |
|
|
190,000
24,000
|
24,000 |
|
|
187,000
32,000
|
32,000 |
|
|
175,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
|
|
173,000
90,000
|
90,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
169,000
31,000
|
31,000 |
|
|
158,000 | |
|
|
152,000 | |
|
152,000 | |
|
|
130,000 | |
