Victorian Poker Championship Main Event Reaches AUD 1.375 Million Pool
The fourth starting flight took the Crown Melbourne tournament to 625 entries, with late registration still open on Day 2.
- The final starting flight added 220 entries, bringing the Main Event to 625 entries and an AUD 1.375 million provisional prize pool.
- Jonathan Braude led Day 1d with 382,000 chips, ahead of Jarred Graham and Paris Sitzoukis.
- Samuel Cheng had held the overall chip lead before Day 1d after winning the largest opening flight.
- About 250 survivors were set to return for Day 2, when late registration remained available through the first level.
The AUD 2,500 Victorian Poker Championship Main Event reached 625 entries and an AUD 1.375 million prize pool after its fourth and final starting flight at Crown Melbourne. Day 1d added 220 entries across 12 levels, but both totals remained provisional because late registration was still open during the first level of Day 2.
PokerNews live coverage recorded Jonathan Braude as the Day 1d chip leader with 382,000. Jarred Graham bagged 330,000 and Paris Sitzoukis 320,000, while Troy Bell finished on 263,000 after twice busting with pocket kings against aces before returning to play again.
Samuel Cheng had led the overall standings before the final flight, after topping the 188-entry Day 1c with 420,500 chips. Wadih Barbara and Tom McMahon were next at that stage with 414,500 and 392,000 respectively. The final flight began after more than 400 entries had been logged over the first three days.
Among the other Day 1d survivors were Martin Kozlov with 251,000, Chad Awerbuch with 250,000, Najeem Ajez with 223,000 and Dean Blatt with 208,500. Sam Higgs, the 2014 WSOP APAC Pot-Limit Omaha bracelet winner, bagged 184,000, while former EPT Main Event champion Martin Finger advanced with 132,500.
Around 250 players survived the four opening flights and were due to return for Day 2 at 12:30 p.m. local time on Oct. 25. Levels increase to 60 minutes, with play resuming at 2,000-4,000 blinds and a 4,000 big-blind ante.
As we reported earlier this month, the Main Event was the centerpiece of Crown Melbourne’s Oct. 12-27 Victorian Poker Championship, with four starting flights scheduled from Oct. 21-24. The tournament is set to crown its winner on Oct. 27.
