$5,000 Challenge Day 1 | 2026 Aussie Millions Poker Championship

May 01, 2026

"The Champ is Here!"

Dan O'Hair

Level 9 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Heads-up on a board of A♦Q♦6♥A♣ with a large pot already in the middle, 2005 WSOP Main Event Champion Joe Hachem checked from middle position and his opponent on the button moved all in for a bit over 100,000. Hachem tanked a bit and then stuck in a call to put his opponent at risk.

Button: Q♠Q♥ All in
Joe Hachem: A♠K♣

Hachem's hesitance was justified, as he found himself drawing slim to a higher full house against his opponent's queens-full.

Fortune favored Hachem this time, however, as the K♠ river improved him to aces-full and got tablemate Najeem Azez to shout, "The champ is here!" as Hachem was sent the large pot.

Tags: Joe Hachem Najeem Azez

May 01, 2026

Mirza Over Seven Figures

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Dan O'Hair

Level 9 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Noman Mirza already had a bet of 80,000 in front of him on a flop of 7♦9♦J♦ from the small blind and his opponent in the big blind moved all in for a few hundred thousand. Mirza called to put him at risk and hands were revealed.

Big blind: K♠J♠ All in
Noman Mirza: K♦Q♠

Mirza was behind his opponent's pair of jacks, but had plenty of outs to a flush or straight.

The A♣ turn changed nothing, but the 6♦ river completed Mirza's flush to send him a massive pot and push his stack to about 1,200,000.

Tags: Noman Mirza

May 01, 2026

Wang Scores a Double

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Dan O'Hair

Level 9 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

The player in the cutoff opened to 16,000 and it was folded to Michael Wang, who made it 56,000 to go from the small blind. Action was back on the cutoff and he moved all in, which was enough to put Wang all in for about 280,000. Wang snap-called and a showdown was held.

Michael Wang: 9♦9♠ All in
Cutoff: 4♠4♦

It was a great spot for Wang, but things quickly turned grim for him after the 4♣K♦10♣ improved his opponent to a set.

It was a short-lived mishap for Wang, however, as the 9♣ turn also improved him to a set to take a commanding lead.

The 7♣ river bricked out and Wang was awarded the double up.

Tags: Michael Wang

May 01, 2026

Burns Calls Young Down Correctly

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Dan O'Hair

Level 9 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Maxwell Young opened to 16,500 first to act and Kahle Burns defended his big blind.

Burns then proceeded to check-called bets from Young on every street. First for 15,000 on the J♦9♠4♦ flop, then for 50,000 on the 3♥ turn, and finally for 135,000 on the 5♥ river after a small tank.

Young turned over K♥10♣ for a busted gut shot draw and Burns revealed 6♥4♠ for just a pair of fours to claim the sizable pot.

Tags: Kahle Burns Maxwell Young

Level: 9

Blinds: 4,000/8,000

Ante: 8,000

May 01, 2026

Final Break

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Dan O'Hair

Level 8 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Players have been sent on their last 15-minute break of the day.

Day 1 will conclude after two more levels.

May 01, 2026

Bansal Folds to Byrne's Pressure

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Dan O'Hair

Level 8 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

Jaxon Byrne opened to 12,000 first to act and was called by the player in the cutoff and Paawan Bansal in the big blind for a three-way pot.

Action checked through on the 7♦6♦4♠ flop, but Bansal led out for 12,000 after the 5♠ brought four cards to a straight on the turn. Byrne called and the cutoff got out of the way.

Bansal sized down for a bet of 6,000 after the A♣ filled out the board and Byrne responded with a raise to 110,000 — sending Bansal deep into the tank.

Bansal tossed a pile of his time banks into the middle and burned up a few of them before ultimately deciding to lay his hand down. Byrne re-checked his hole cards collected the pot without showing.

Tags: Jaxon Byrne Paawan Bansal

May 01, 2026

Recent Counts From the Field

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Dan O'Hair

Level 8 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

May 01, 2026

Add PokerNews to Your Mobile Home Screen

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Dan O'Hair

Level 8 : Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante

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Level: 8

Blinds: 3,000/6,000

Ante: 6,000