College Student Upsets Poker Ambassador for Big Aussie Millions Win

College pupil Gening Dai took a shot within the $1,500 Thriller Bounty on the Aussie Tens of millions Poker Championship 2026 Introduced by CrownBet — and it paid off in an enormous approach.

The buy-in marked a big step up from Dai’s regular stakes. A self-professed small-stakes participant, he had deliberate for the Thriller Bounty to be his ultimate occasion earlier than heading residence, a shot he determined to tackle a whim.

It proved to be the fitting transfer, as Dai outlasted a 912-entry discipline to change into the final participant standing, claiming the $174,495 AUD high prize, which represented the biggest share of the 1,185,600 AUD prize pool.

Dai remained a comparatively unassuming presence, significantly on the ultimate desk, till a key hand noticed him flip a full home towards Kenta Ito to attain an enormous pot five-handed. From that time on, Dai seized the chance and started aggressing at a a lot larger frequency to nice success. Dai by no means misplaced the chip lead from that time and went on to bulldoze his opponents till finally defeating Chester Swords heads-up for the victory.

Remaining Desk Outcomes

*Doesn’t embody bounty prizes. The most important bounties have been claimed by Jaxon Byrne ($90,000 AUD), Max Sarafin ($50,000 AUD), Van Marcus ($25,000 AUD), and Kenta Ito ($25,000 AUD).

Winner’s Response

Clearly exhausted from the marathon session of poker he had simply endured, Dai talked about that he was “Completely happy, however drained” instantly following his win.

“My mind just isn’t working, I could not even determine the chip counts!” Dai joked.

“I play small stakes usually,” the 25-year-old pupil of Monash College defined. “I’ve by no means acquired any ends in buy-ins over $500. I acquired fortunate, that is for positive.”

Dai, who has solely been taking part in tournaments for 2 years, stated he balances poker together with his research and sometimes finds time to play a few occasions per week. He additionally admitted the Thriller Bounty format isn’t one he significantly enjoys. Regardless of accumulating six bounties en path to victory, none have been among the many bigger prizes.

“When individuals search the bounties, they’re loopy! Everybody simply goes all in on a regular basis. I am not a fan of that truly, I choose common occasions. The bounty prize pool just isn’t associated with me! I will play the common nine-handed occasions from now,” Dai stated.

Going ahead, Dai defined that he will not be taking too many aggressive pictures in future, however now feels snug taking part in at an analogous purchase in stage.

“Earlier than this win, the Thriller Bounty was going to be my final occasion. Might now I will play a couple of extra earlier than leaving.”

Day 2 Motion

A complete of 124 gamers returned for Day 2 from the 912-entry discipline, with solely 10 spots remaining till the cash bubble would burst. Unsurprisingly, even with an excellent little bit of stalling occurring at most tables, it solely took a half hour till hand-for-hand play started.

Saulo Sabioni ended up gentle effervescent after working pocket tens into Ito’s Cowboys, and Stephen Topakas equally fell to Cowboys on the stone bubble after being compelled all in from the massive blind holding nine-eight and failing to enhance.

As soon as gamers have been within the cash, it was formally “sport on” as Thriller Bounty tickets got here into play. The eliminations henceforth got here quick and livid, with loads of gamers glad to gamble in hopes of claiming bounty tickets.

Among the many notables who have been unable to flee the onslaught of eliminations embody Steven Zhou, Matthew Wakeman, Ehsan Amiri, Malcolm Trayner, and Brendan Pettit after shoving a dominated ace into Tristan Wade.

Regardless of the pickup, Wade was additionally eradicated after shedding a flip holding ace-ten towards Dai, who held pocket eights, with three tables remaining.

The race from three tables all the way down to the ultimate desk went at a blistering tempo as there have been loads of brief stacks seeking to both double up or bust attempting.

Ahmed Abdellatif ended up effervescent the ultimate desk after shoving excessive of a elevate by Jaxon Byrne with a a dominated ace and failing to enhance.

Aussie Tens of millions Ambassador Van Marcus entered the ultimate desk with the one eight-figure stack however instantly noticed his lead get minimized after Swords scored a double KO holding aces towards Chien-Hui Chiang and Benjamin French, who have been eradicated in ninth and eighth place respectively.

Following Ciaran Paxman‘s exit in seventh, an prolonged lull in eliminations noticed a number of double-ups earlier than Jaxon Byrne shoved pocket fives into Marcus’ pocket nines. Regardless of the disappointing end in sixth, Bryne nonetheless had loads of causes to smile after pulling the very best bounty for $90,000 AUD.

Yesha Punjabi, the final woman standing, made her exit in fifth after taking a small beat along with her ace towards Swords’ king-ten and never lengthy after is when a key hand propelled Dai into the chip lead.

Dai opened with pocket jacks, and Ito defended his large blind with queen-three. Ito flopped journeys and check-raised, however Dai known as earlier than filling up on the flip. Ito continued to use strain and finally moved all in on the river, solely to be proven the unhealthy information as Dai’s full home despatched him to the rail in fourth place and gave Dai a commanding chip lead.

Placing his newfound chips to work, Dai raised time and time once more preflop and was met with little resistance.

Marcus finally took a stand towards Dai holding pocket fours, however he was unable to carry towards Dai’s ten-three suited to arrange a lopsided match between Dai and Swords. He bowed out in third, the identical place he got here within the $2,500 H.O.R.S.E.

Swords did handle to double up by means of Dai, however he rapidly discovered himself again on the brief stack earlier than calling a shove from Dai holding pocket deuces. Dai’s king-eight discovered a pair of kings on the flop and Swords discovered no assistance on the flip or river, placing an finish to a 15-hour ultimate day and crowning Dai because the Thriller Bounty champion.

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