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Alan Wilson, Joe Hachem, Van Marcus, and Ashish Gupta are the latest bust outs in the $2,500 H.O.R.S.E, bringing the field to 11 players.
John Lombardo has taken the chip lead, holding around 610,000. Sascha Manns is second, with around 440,000.
2026 Aussie Millions Poker Championship
Daily Tournament Highlights
Day: live
Filter
| Player | Total Live Earnings |
|---|---|
| Travis Endersby | $1,956,888 |
| Ehsan Amiri | $1,831,021 |
| Ken Demlakian | $1,506,834 |
| Dean Blatt | $1,456,173 |
| Jing Zhu | $1,294,959 |
| Gary Fisher | $1,112,367 |
| Charlie Hu | $951,327 |
| Li Dong | $681,229 |
| Michael Maddocks | $664,668 |
| Hao Zhang | $556,413 |
| John Apostolidis | $510,332 |
Earnings according to The Hendon Mob
Did you know that when playing cash games at Crown Melbourne, players are required to take responsible gaming breaks?
In the past, entire cash game tables would be sent on a mandatory 15–20 minute break after a few hours of play.
Now, Crown has a rotating break system that keeps the action going while still ensuring players step away regularly.
Cash game tables run nine-handed, but only eight seats are occupied at any given time. That’s because one seat is always designated for a rotating break. Every 20 minutes, a seat number is announced, and the player in that seat must take a minimum 15-minute break away from the table.
For example, if Seat 4 is called at 2 p.m., that player must leave the table for at least 15 minutes during the 20-minute break window. After that, the rotation continues around the table, ensuring each player takes a mandatory break roughly every three hours.
The $2,500 H.O.R.S.E is also underway and there's been two early eliminations, bringing the field to 15 players.
David Gorr, Ashwin Jholl and Troy McLean were those to depart, to bring the tournament six players away from the money.
Joe Hachem's seat was empty when play resumed, but the Aussie Millions ambassador has now taken his spot at the table.
Cards are officially in the air for Day 1C of the $1,500 Opening Event, and the numbers are already trending toward another huge turnout.
There are 140 entries on the clock early on, and if the first two flights are anything to go by, this is shaping up to be yet another packed session inside Crown Melbourne.
With registration open deep into the day and the turbo flight still to come later this evening, expect the numbers to keep climbing!
Opening Event Starting Flight Stats
| Flight | Entries | Advanced | % Advanced | Chip Leader | Chips |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1A | 403 | 56 | 13.9% | Xin Li | 810,000 |
| Day 1B | 589 | 86 | 14.6% | Subramanyam Vanaparthy | 903,000 |
Saturday delivered another major turnout as Day 1B of the AUS $1,000,000 Guaranteed Opening Event packed the poker room once again.
A total of 589 entries were recorded across the second starting flight, with 86 players surviving the full 15 levels to secure their place in Day 2.
That latest wave pushed the overall tally to 992 entries through two flights, generating a prize pool thus far of AUD $1,289,600 and smashing the seven-figure guarantee well ahead of schedule.
Vanaparthy Takes Overall Lead After Day 1B
Leading the Day 1B survivors — and now the entire field — is Subramanyam Vanaparthy, who bagged 903,000 to overtake Day 1A chip leader Xin Li, who finished Friday with 810,000.
Vanaparthy entered the series with $88,520 in recorded live tournament earnings, and his recent form suggests confidence is running high. Just two months ago, he captured victory in the AUD $1,000 Gold Coast Poker Cup, earning AUD $31,177 ($22,048), which is the largest score of his career to date.
With the overall chip lead heading into the final flights, he has already put himself in prime position to surpass that mark here in Melbourne.
Terry Huang (745,000) and Jackie Thai (687,000) rounded out the top three stacks from Day 1B, with Thai making quad jacks in a three-way all-in during one of the final hands of the night to vault up the leaderboard.
Several accomplished players also found bags, including 2022 Kings of Tallinn Main Event champion Adam Kharman (649,000), who secured one of the bigger stacks heading into Day 2.
Other notable survivors included 2022 PokerNews Cup runner-up Daniel Hinh (386,000) and four-time WSOP bracelet winner Michael Gathy (148,000), both of whom safely advanced through the second starting flight.
With 142 total players now confirmed for Day 2, the leaderboard continues to take shape as the final starting flights approach.
Day 1B Chip Counts
PokerNews will once again be on the floor throughout the day, tracking entries, chip counts, and key moments as the field continues to grow.
Stay tuned to the PokerNews Highlight Blog to keep up with all the action as it unfolds live from Crown Melbourne.
Saturday also saw the debut of the festival’s first mixed-game event, the AUS $2,500 H.O.R.S.E., which proved popular enough to require an additional day of play.
Originally scheduled to crown a champion in a single day, the tournament drew 64 entries, creating a $144,000 prize pool and forcing organizers to extend the event to Sunday to determine a winner.
Just 18 players remain, all chasing one of the nine paid positions, where AUD $43,200 awaits the eventual champion.
Leading the charge is Sascha Manns, who returns with a commanding stack and strong momentum. The Maltese player arrives in Melbourne in red-hot form after winning the H.O.R.S.E. Championship at the Irish Open last month, and he now sits firmly in position to claim the first Aussie Millions title of 2026.
Closest behind him are Nathanial Hutton (263,000) and Matthew Ginn (236,000), both still within striking distance.
The remaining field also includes one of the biggest names in Australian poker history: Joe Hachem. The 2005 WSOP Main Event champion sits 10th of 18 players with 157,000, well positioned to make a run toward the final table.
Another Main Event champion, Michael Mizrachi, also entered the field after arriving in Melbourne Saturday morning, but his run came to an early end before the close of play.
Aussie Millions ambassador Van Marcus also made it over the first hurdle.
The action resumes at 12:15 p.m. and PokerNews will be sure to let you know when the bubble bursts and when the champion is crowned.
Day 2 Chip Counts
$2,500 H.O.R.S.E Payouts
| Place | Prize (AUS$) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $43,200 |
| 2 | $27,360 |
| 3 | $18,000 |
| 4 | $13,680 |
| 5 | $11,160 |
| 6 | $9,380 |
| 7 | $8,280 |
| 8 | $7,200 |
| 9 | $5,760 |
Another busy day awaits inside Crown Melbourne as the Aussie Millions Poker Championship 2026 Presented by CrownBet rolls into Sunday, April 26, with two more flights of the $1,500 Opening Event headlining today’s schedule.
After two strong starting flights to open the festival, attention now turns to Day 1C this afternoon and the Day 1D Turbo later this evening, which are the final opportunities for players to secure a seat in Monday’s Day 2.
With the prize pool already well beyond its guarantee and momentum building across the festival floor, the question is no longer whether the AUD $1,000,000 guarantee will be beaten, but just how large the Opening Event field will ultimately grow.
Two Flights on Tap Today
Sunday’s schedule features a steady stream of satellites alongside the final two starting flights of the Opening Event, ensuring another packed day of action from morning through late evening.
Day 1C gets underway at 12:10 p.m. local time, following the same structure as the earlier flights, with players starting with 40,000 chips and playing 15 levels of 40 minutes each. Late registration will again remain open until the start of Level 10.
For players needing one last shot, the Day 1D Turbo begins at 6:10 p.m., featuring shorter 20-minute levels as the final wave of hopefuls look to punch their ticket into Day 2.
Also taking place today is Day 2 of the $2,500 H.O.R.S.E., where 18 of the 64 entries remain. The field is led by Sascha Manns, and also includes 2005 WSOP Main Event champion Joe Hachem.
Here’s a look at today’s full schedule:
| Date | Time | Event | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, Apr 26 | 10:10 a.m. | Opening Event Satellite (1 in 6) | AUD $300 (250+50) |
| Sun, Apr 26 | 12:10 p.m. | Event #1: Opening Event Day 1C – $1M GTD | AUD $1,500 (1,300+200) |
| Sun, Apr 26 | 2:10 p.m. | AM Phase 2 Satellite | AUD $280 (230+50) |
| Sun, Apr 26 | 4:10 p.m. | AM Phase 2 Satellite | AUD $280 (230+50) |
| Sun, Apr 26 | 6:10 p.m. | Event #1: Opening Event Day 1D (Turbo) – $1M GTD | AUD $1,500 (1,300+200) |
| Sun, Apr 26 | 7:10 p.m. | AM Phase 3 Satellite | AUD $1,150 (1,060+90) |
| Sun, Apr 26 | 9:10 p.m. | Main Event Rebuy Satellite | AUD $240 (200+40) / $100 rebuys |
| Name | Chip Count |
|---|---|
| Sascha Manns | 475,000 |
| Nathanial Hutton | 263,000 |
| Matthew Ginn | 236,000 |
| Gary Benson | 164,000 |
| Alan Wilson | 162,000 |
| Jiang Pu | 160,500 |
| John Lombardo | 157,500 |
| Joe Hachem | 157,000 |
| Van Marcus | 134,500 |
| Alex Tchong | 130,500 |
| Michelle Guzzandi | 113,000 |
| Jarred Graham | 106,500 |
| Troy Mclean | 83,000 |
| Ashish Gupta | 74,000 |
| Shannon Van Demberg | 70,000 |
| Dion Hawkins | 67,000 |
| David Gorr | 35,000 |
| Ashwin Jholl | 17,000 |
