2026 Victorian Poker Championship
Billy Argyros was all-in for the last 40,000 and both blinds called to see a flop of A♠10♥9♣. Kwang Nguyen bet 35,000 and Tom McMahon folded in the big blind.
Billy Argyros: K♣J♦
Kwang Nguyen: A♦Q♦
"Is there any way to give him two pair?" The Croc asked but the 6♦ turn and 8♣ river were both blanks.
William Lim limped in the hijack, and Aaron Hafeel raised to 18,000 on the button. Lim asked for a look at Hafeel's remaining stack and stuck in the call.
Lim checked the 4♦2♥4♥ flop, and Hafeel announced all in for 125,000. Lim made the quick call, and the hands were turned up.
Aaron Hafeel: K♣K♦
William Lim: J♠4♠
Lim announced that he held a four, and Hafeel stood up while the 10♦ turn and J♣ river as his kinds were cracked.
Farhad Mohajerani had started the day as one of the larger stacks and lost some of those. However, he has moved back to where he was after a clash with Dennis Huntly when he defended the big blind and they got it in after the 10♠8♠5♣A♣ turn.
Dennis Huntly: 7♣6♣
Farhad Mohajerani: 8♦5♥
Huntly had an open-ended straight draw and the flush draw to boot, but the K♠ river was the wrong black card.
Cameron Lawless is no longer in contention on a table that now features one of the biggest stacks in the field, which happens to be Idris Hassan. There is another player with the exact same name that also visits Crown Melbourne from time to time, but he "doesn't come as often" and the one playing right now considers himself to be the "OG".
It was a flip with A♣10♥ versus 6♦6♥ and the K♥10♦8♦ flop paired up Hassan, two blanks followed.
The seat that belonged to Adam Cusenza is empty and the chips went to Li Tam shortly before their table broke. Tam's Q♦Q♣ were ahead versus J♦J♥ and no surprise came on the K♠7♥2♥5♦6♦ board.
Jordan Batis had been moved to table 18 not long ago and pushed for just over the starting stack to get called by Darryl Gassali in the next seat.
Jordan Batis: Q♣J♣
Darryl Gassali: Q♠Q♥
The J♦6♥2♥3♥9♦ runout provided just one jack and that sent Batis out of the door.
Perry Jeffs raised to 10,000 and Michael Zhang three-bet to 30,000 thereafter. Jeffs then jammed for 187,000 and Zhang asked for the amount before he made the call with the inferior stack.
Michael Zhang (AUS): 8♥8♦
Perry Jeffs: A♦J♣
The K♠Q♥J♠10♣3♠ board paired up Jeffs on the flop and broadway on the turn.
Jonathan Braude was the chip leader on Day 1d but he won't be making the money in this tournament as he was just knocked out by Hongbo Ju.
Jonathan Braude: A♦10♦
Hongbo Ju: Q♣Q♥
The J♠7♣2♥8♥5♣ board provided no ace or diamonds to knock out Braude.
Akram Marcus opened to 12,000 before Lei Su slid out a three-bet to 36,000. Benjamin Pockett then moved all in as next to act, and Marcus let his hand go.
Su took some time before making the call, leaving himself at risk.
Lei Su: Q♣Q♦
Benjamin Pockett: A♣K♦
The classic race saw Pockett connect with the 10♦10♣A♠A♥10♠ runout, making a full house to send Su to the rail.