$25,000 Challenge Day 2 | 2026 Aussie Millions Poker Championship

11 hours 3 minutes ago

Nguyen Turns a Straight

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Dan O'Hair

Level 16 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Heads-up on a board of 6♦J♦9♠Q♠, Najeem Ajez check-called a 175,000 against Trung Nguyen, who was on the button.

The 3♣ completed the board and Ajez checked a final time. Nguyen fired 650,000 into the middle and Ajez quickly called.

Nguyen tabled K♣10♣ for the nut straight and Ajez sent his cards into the muck.

"Sick turn..." Ajez commented as Nguyen collected the pot.

Player	Chips	Progress
Trung Nguyen	3,000,000 600,000	600,000
Najeem Ajez	775,000 675,000	675,000

Tags: Najeem Ajez Trung Nguyen

11 hours 22 minutes ago

Wakeman Drills the River to Avoid Bubbling

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Dan O'Hair

Level 16 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Michael Egan opened from the cutoff and Matthew Wakeman shoved for his last 845,000 from the small blind. Egan called to put him at risk and a showdown was held.

Matthew Wakeman: K♣Q♦ All in
Michael Egan: 9♥9♦

It was a race for Wakeman's tournament life, which looked bleak for him after the A♣4♥J♠ flop and 4♦ turn left him one card from elimination.

The K♠ appeared on the river, however — improving Wakeman to a winning pair of kings on the end for the double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Egan	2,500,000 800,000	800,000
Matthew Wakeman	1,800,000 875,000	875,000

Tags: Matthew Wakeman Michael Egan

11 hours 27 minutes ago

Pockett Soft Bubbles

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Dan O'Hair

Level 16 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Joe Sandaev opened from early position and it was folded to Benjamin Pockett, who shoved on the button. Action was back on Sandaev, who snap-called to put Pockett at risk.

"Here we go," Pockett said as he stood up from the table.

Benjamin Pockett: J♥J♣ All in
Joe Sandaev: K♣K♦

It was a cooler for Pockett, who found himself crushed against Sandaev's Cowboys.

The 9♠6♣5♥10♠K♥ runout offered no help to Pockett and he was eliminated two spots shy of the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Joe Sandaev	3,700,000 200,000	200,000
Benjamin Pockett	Busted

Tags: Benjamin Pockett Joe Sandaev

11 hours 32 minutes ago

Hand for Hand

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Dan O'Hair

Level 16 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

The tournament director has announced hand-for-hand play will commence in order to ensure an equal amount of hands played between tables.

11 hours 36 minutes ago

Cowboys For Tanaka

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Dan O'Hair

Level 16 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Kei Tanaka raised to 110,000 on the button holding K♥K♦ and was called by Luke Martinelli in the small blind with 9♥9♠.

Martinelli check-called an 80,000 bet from Tanaka on the J♦3♠7♣ flop and then both players checked down on the A♣ turn and 5♣ river.

Tanaka turned over his Cowboys and claimed the pot against Martinelli's nines.

Player	Chips	Progress
Luke Martinelli	2,230,000 30,000	30,000
Kei Tanaka	2,055,000 170,000	170,000

Tags: Kei Tanaka Luke Martinelli

11 hours 47 minutes ago

Two Pair Takes it For Egan

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Dan O'Hair

Level 16 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Matthew Wakeman opened to 80,000 from the hijack and Michael Egan defended his big blind.

Both players checked on the 9♦6♥8♣ flop and then Egan check-called a 150,000 bet from Wakeman on the A♦ turn.

It went check, check on the 2♣ river and Wakeman turned over A♠J♠ for top pair.

Egan revealed A♣6♠ for two pair and Najeem Ajez said, "Wow! What a check back. I would have been all in eight times by the river!" as Egan was sent the pot.

The field is currently two spots away from the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Michael Egan	3,300,000 200,000	200,000
Matthew Wakeman	925,000 325,000	325,000

Tags: Matthew Wakeman Michael Egan Najeem Ajez

12 hours 36 minutes ago

Two Table Redraw

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Dan O'Hair

Level 16 : Blinds 20,000/40,000, 40,000 ante

Alex Lynskey and Stevan Chew were eliminated at separate tables to set up the two table redraw.

Updates going forward will be posted on a 30-minute delay to match the live stream, which can be found here.

Table	Seat	Player	Chip Count	Big Blinds
64	1	Trung Nguyen	2,400,000	60
64	2	Matthew Wakeman	1,250,000	31
64	3	Najeem Ajez	1,450,000	36
64	4
64	5	Joe Sandaev	3,500,000	88
64	6	Andy Lee	3,100,000	78
64	7	Michael Egan	3,100,000	78
64	8	Benjamin Pockett	550,000	14

FT	1	Banipal Babana	970,000	24
FT	2	Aaron Li	2,600,000	65
FT	3	Josh Hutchins	1,950,000	49
FT	4	Alex Trevallion	325,000	8
FT	5	Kei Tanaka	1,885,000	47
FT	6	Luke Martinelli	2,200,000	55
FT	7	Yuxi Huang	1,325,000	33
FT	8	Masato Yokosawa	2,700,000	68

Player	Chips	Progress
Joe Sandaev	3,500,000 2,100,000	2,100,000
Andy Lee	3,100,000 950,000	950,000
Michael Egan	3,100,000 1,350,000	1,350,000
Masato Yokosawa	2,700,000 350,000	350,000

Aaron Li	2,600,000 1,640,000	1,640,000
Trung Nguyen	2,400,000 300,000	300,000
Luke Martinelli	2,200,000 750,000	750,000
Josh Hutchins	1,950,000
Kei Tanaka	1,885,000 85,000	85,000

Najeem Ajez	1,450,000 310,000	310,000
Yuxi Huang	1,325,000 375,000	375,000

Matthew Wakeman	1,250,000 950,000	950,000
Banipal Babana	970,000
Benjamin Pockett	550,000 550,000	550,000
Alex Trevallion	325,000 50,000	50,000
Alex Lynskey	Busted
Stevan Chew	Busted