Victorian Poker Championship 2026 Main Event: Who Will Make the Final Table?

The 2026 Victorian Poker Championship at Crown Melbourne is heading into its final stretch. The flagship AUD 2,500 Victorian Poker Champs Main Event drew 715 entries, building a prize pool of AUD 1,573,000. Only 43 players remain, and each has already secured at least AUD 6,000.

With two days left, the race is on for a seat at the nine-handed final table and a shot at the AUD 350,000 first prize.

Higor Seibel Leads the Field

Brazilian-born Higor Seibel, now a familiar face in the Australian poker scene, returns for Day 3 as the chip leader with 2,250,000 chips, close to 100 big blinds.

He holds only a slim edge over Bobby Zhang (2,232,000), while Jyrki Hilakari (1,933,000) sits third. Veteran Australian PLO specialist Hun Wei “Andy” Lee also made the top ten with 1,449,000.

Day 3 Top Ten Chip Counts

Rank	Player	Country	Chips	Big Blinds
1	Higor Seibel	Brazil	2,250,000	94
2	Bobby Zhang	Australia	2,232,000	93
3	Jyrki Hilakari	Australia	1,933,000	81
4	Naz Sibaei	Australia	1,890,000	79
5	Wadih Barbara	Australia	1,760,000	73
6	Michael Tomeny	United States	1,753,000	73
7	Thomas Pearce	Australia	1,643,000	68
8	Martin Pound	Australia	1,610,000	67
9	Zac Miravet	Australia	1,531,000	64
10	Hun Wei Lee	Australia	1,449,000	60

Joe Hachem and Son Both Still in the Hunt

All eyes are on Joe Hachem, the 2005 WSOP Main Event champion and one of Australia’s most loved poker players. He sits mid-pack with a comfortable 964,000 chips.

Adding to the story, his son Anthony Hachem is also through to Day 3 with 1,131,000 chips, giving the family two chances at a deep run.

Other Notable Players Remaining

Several well-known names are still chasing the title:

• Dylan Foster – 1,273,000
• Jeison Berdugo – 1,100,000
• Mario Doria – 792,000
• Shurane Vijayaram (2017 Aussie Millions champion) – 691,000
• Ben Richardson – 438,000

Day 3 Schedule and Structure

• Restart time: 12:30 p.m. local time
• Starting level: Level 21
• Blinds: 12,000/24,000 with a 24,000 big blind ante
• Level length: 60 minutes
• Goal: Play down to the nine-handed final table

The final table will be live streamed until a champion is crowned.

Remaining Payouts (AUD)

Place	Prize	Place	Prize
1	$350,000	10–11	$23,000
2	$210,000	12–13	$17,500
3	$135,000	14–15	$14,000
4	$90,000	16–17	$11,500
5	$72,500	18–20	$10,000
6	$58,000	21–23	$9,000
7	$47,500	24–26	$8,000
8	$38,000	27–35	$7,000
9	$30,500	36–43	$6,000

What to Watch For

Seibel and Zhang are separated by fewer than 20,000 chips, so the battle for the lead could swing early. Meanwhile, the Hachem storyline will draw plenty of attention, especially if father or son pushes toward the final nine. With experienced players like Lee and Vijayaram also in the mix, Day 3 promises plenty of drama.

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