Six years after the lights went darkish on considered one of poker’s most iconic festivals, the Aussie Tens of millions Poker Championship 2026 Offered by CrownBet introduced the collection again to life and defied all expectations.
The long-awaited revival delivered large turnouts all through the schedule, and the $10,600 Most important Occasion was no exception as 770 entrants turned out to chase Aussie Tens of millions glory — good for the fifth-largest Most important Occasion subject in collection historical past.
After 5 hard-fought days on the felt, it was Australia’s personal Malcolm Trayner who emerged as the primary champion of the brand new period of Aussie Tens of millions. Following a dominant efficiency on the remaining desk, Trayner captured a career-best $1,382,198 AUD rating and etched his identify into Aussie Tens of millions historical past.
Aussie Tens of millions 2026 Most important Occasion Closing Desk Outcomes
1Malcolm TraynerAustralia$1,382,198*
2Dean BlattAustralia$1,000,072*
3Dejan BoskovicAustralia$921,030*
4Sheldon MayerAustralia$466,620
5Ricky VikasAustralia$346,500
6Patrick BarbaAustralia$269,500
7Kanaan YoukhannaAustralia$211,750
*Denotes three-way deal
A “Rollercoaster” Victory
Instantly after his victory, Trayner spoke solely to PokerNews and described his win as “unbelievable.”
“I can not categorical how a lot it means to me to win probably the most prestigious event in Australia.”
“I assumed I used to be going to lose heads up,” he admitted. “It was such a rollercoaster journey.”
The final time the Aussie Tens of millions happened, Trayner was grinding $300 buy-in tournaments in Sydney.
“I’ve devoted my life to poker the final eight years. Folks usually see the wins, however they do not see the grind they usually do not see the dropping months. Profitable one thing like this simply means an unbelievable quantity to me. I can not categorical how a lot it means to me to win probably the most prestigious event in Australia.”
Closing Desk Motion
A muted begin noticed the ultimate tablists commerce small pots within the first stage of play and it took about an hour till the primary substantial pot occurred. Within the hand, Patrick Barba, who entered the ultimate desk because the quick stack, bled right down to about seven huge blinds after which shoved preflop with ace-jack. He was seemed up by Sheldon Mayer within the huge blind with queen-six and scored a double up after pairing his ace to get again in competition.
Blatt then scored a few key double ups to keep away from elimination, first after profitable a race towards Dejan Boskovic and once more after selecting up Cowboys towards Ricky Vikas‘ Huge Slick and holding.
Regardless of the sluggish motion, Trayner asserted himself with well-timed aggression and took down greater than his fair proportion of small pots to drag into a considerable chip lead seven-handed.
The primary elimination of the day lastly occurred after Kanaan Youkhanna moved in preflop with ace-jack and misplaced a coin flip towards Boskovic’s pocket nines — leaving Trayner and Boskovic each nicely forward of the pack.
Shortly thereafter, Vikas discovered himself on the quick stack after turning high pair towards Boskovic’s set and paying off a couple of worth bets. Nevertheless, Vikas bounced again with a lucky double up after getting all in preflop with eight-seven suited and making a flush towards Blatt, who flopped journey tens holding ace-ten.
Far and away the quick stack, Barba then dedicated his previous couple of remaining chips with rags and ended up dropping to Blatt with simply king-high in a three-way showdown between himself, Blatt, and Mayer.
Just some fingers later, having secured a pleasant pay bounce, Vikas moved all in excessive of a increase by Trayner holding jack-ten suited. Blatt wakened with ace-jack suited within the huge blind and four-bet jammed to isolate. Trayner complied by folding and Vikas could not enhance — forcing him to accept a fifth-place end.
With not one of the gamers significantly quick, four-handed play opened up the door for loads of postflop motion, and it did not take lengthy for the subsequent huge spot to play out. Holding queen-jack, Mayer opened on the button and Trayner peeled the flop with five-four. Each gamers flopped a pair on the flop, however Trayner turned journeys to drag into the lead. After calling a flip wager, Mayers was confronted with a shove on the river holding high pair and could not get away — sending him to the rail in fourth.
After the elimination of Mayer in fourth place, the event was paused because the three remaining gamers mentioned a possible deal.
At the moment, Trayner held the chip lead with 26,025,000 chips, greater than double Blatt’s chip depend (11,325,000), with Boskovic sitting in third (8,850,000).
The unique payouts had been as follows:
1$1,667,050
2$1,001,000
3$635,250
Following a short dialogue, the trio agreed to an ICM deal. As well as, each Blatt and Boskovic agreed that every would give $25,000 to Trayner, resulting in the next modified payouts:
Malcolm Trayner26,025,000$1,332,198$1,382,198
Dean Blatt11,325,000$1,025,072$1,000,072
Dejan Boskovic8,850,000$946,029$921,030
It was additionally agreed that they’d play on for the trophy, ring, and title of Aussie Tens of millions champion.
When motion obtained again underway, Trayner went straight to work and prolonged his chip lead with a collection of aggressive performs. Blatt and Boskovic then traded locations because the quick stack a few occasions till ultimately Boskovic took a stand towards Trayner holding king-jack suited. Sadly for Boskovic, Trayner had a dominating king-queen and held as much as get the event right down to heads-up.
Heads-Up For Aussie Tens of millions Glory
Trayner sat with a virtually 4:1 chip lead towards Blatt at first of their duel, however Blatt nonetheless had loads of combat left in him.
Blatt closed the hole after a little bit of jousting, first by making a flush after which by getting Trayner to bluff on the pot when Blatt held a full home.
Not lengthy after, Blatt and Trayner obtained right into a preflop elevating warfare that ended with Blatt all in for his event life with ace-ten towards Trayner’s ace-jack. The flop left Trayner two playing cards from turning into the champion, however the flip paired Blatt’s ten to award him an enormous double up and the lead.
Down however not out, Trayner shortly discovered his manner again into the lead after doubling up twice. First by selecting up Huge Slick and getting all in preflop towards Blatt’s ace-six and holding, after which by profitable a flip holding ace-five towards Blatt’s pocket threes.
Two fingers later, it was throughout. Blatt seemed down at ace-ten and opened the motion, just for Trayner to shove excessive with pocket sevens. Blatt shortly dedicated the remainder of his stack, however the board ran out clear for Trayner — sealing the victory and crowning the primary Aussie Tens of millions Most important Occasion champion in six years.
Will Shillibier
Managing Editor
He graduated from the College of Kent in 2017 with a B.A. in German. He additionally holds an NCTJ Diploma in Sports activities Journalism.
