button in SafariMain Event & Mixed Game Action Star on Busy Friday at Crown
The 2026 Victorian Poker Championship continues at Crown Melbourne on Friday, with another flight of the $2,500 Victorian Champs Main Event and a $1,250 2-7 Triple Draw event on the schedule.
The Main Event returns at 12:10 p.m. local time for Flight 3, with one more opening flight to follow on Saturday before the surviving players come together for Day 2 on Sunday. After 217 entries across the first two flights, the prize pool is already approaching A$500,000, with plenty of time for that figure to grow.
Wadih Barbara leads the way so far after bagging 414,500 chips on Day 1b, putting him ahead of Day 1a chip leader Tom McMahon, who finished with 392,000. Jeapeng Kang and Shouzheng Hu also sit inside the overall top four, while Jyrki Hilakari rounds out the top five.
Friday's Schedule - Vic Poker Champs 2026
| Event | Tournament | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Victorian Champs Main Event: Flight 3 | $2,500 |
| 16 | 2-7 Triple Draw | $1,250 |
| Main Event Satellite | $300 | |
| Main Event Satellite | $300 |
Players entering the Main Event will start with 60,000 chips, with blinds beginning at 100/200 and a 200 big blind ante. The opening flights feature 40-minute levels, with 12 levels scheduled for each day. Players can reenter once per flight, and an additional entry is available before late registration closes one level into Day 2.
The final opening flight takes place on Saturday, October 24, before the remaining field returns on Sunday, October 25, to play down towards the money and the final table. The champion will be crowned on Tuesday, October 27.
We'll be following the action across the festival throughout the day, so keep an eye on our Daily Tournament Highlights page for updates and results from Crown Melbourne.