Hun Wei Lee Beats Joe Hachem in Victorian Poker Championship

Hun Wei Lee stops Joe Hachem’s home-soil run

Joe Hachem came within touching distance of another major title in Australia, but the 2026 Victorian Poker Championship $2,500 AUD main event ended with a familiar storyline in a new setting. The 2005 WSOP Main Event champion reached the final two at Crown Melbourne, only to be denied by fellow Australian Hun Wei Lee.

Lee earned $245,000 USD for the victory, while Hachem banked $147,000 for second place. Beyond the numbers, this was a headline-worthy final because it paired one of the most iconic names in Australian poker with one of the country’s strongest modern tournament performers.

Why this final table mattered

Hachem is more than a decorated player; he is a landmark figure in poker history. His 2005 World Series of Poker Main Event win helped spark the poker boom in Australia and made him a reference point for an entire generation of players. Any deep run he makes at home still carries extra weight, because it connects the current live scene with the game’s modern history.

Lee, meanwhile, has been building a résumé that already commands respect. Earlier in the year he won a $25,000 AUD high roller at the revived Aussie Millions for $469,922 USD, and he now has more than $2.3 million in career earnings. Like Hachem, he is also a WSOP bracelet winner, having taken down the $1,050 pot-limit Omaha bounty event at the 2020 WSOP Online.

The road to the final nine in Melbourne

The event drew 715 entries at Crown Melbourne, generating a prize pool worth over $1.1 million USD. The top 89 finishers cashed, and the field included several notable names who made meaningful runs:

• martin Finger finished 85th
• Jarred Graham finished 45th
• Tony Hachem, Joe’s brother, finished 14th

After four starting flights and two more days of combined-field play, the massive field was trimmed down to a final table of nine. That kind of structure rewards patience, adaptability, and the ability to navigate changing stack depths over a long live-event grind.

Lee entered the final table as chip leader, while Hachem started near the bottom of the counts. Still, the veteran found a path to heads-up play and even managed to seize the lead briefly. Lee eventually stabilized, rebuilt momentum, and entered the final hand with better than a 2:1 chip advantage.

The decisive hand: A♣5♦ versus J♦J♣

With blinds at 300,000-600,000 and a 600,000 big blind ante, Hachem raised to 1,600,000 on the button with A♣5♦. Lee responded with a 3-bet jam from the big blind holding J♦J♣.

Hachem called and immediately took control when the flop came A♥7♥3♣. The Q♦ turn left him needing to dodge just one jack on the river to keep his title hopes alive. Instead, the river J♥ gave Lee a winning set and ended the tournament in dramatic fashion.

It was a classic heads-up poker lesson: top pair can look like a lock, but in a shallow-to-medium stack final-stage battle, one card can reverse everything. That’s especially true when ranges are wide, pressure is high, and every decision carries huge payout implications.

Expert take: what Lee’s win means for players

Lee’s victory matters for more than the trophy and payout. It highlights several practical lessons for tournament players.

First, Australia’s live poker ecosystem remains deep and competitive. When a field includes Hachem, Lee, Martin Finger, and other proven names, it signals a healthy high-level environment where local events are producing real championship pressure.

Second, long live tournaments reward endurance as much as aggression. Players preparing for events like this should study structure, stack-to-pot ratio, and late-stage adjustments. If you want to sharpen your tournament game, the poker school section is a good place to start, and poker clubs can provide the volume needed to practice those skills in real games.

Third, Lee’s run is a reminder that heads-up play separates finalists from champions. Many players can navigate a deep field, but closing the deal requires precise push-fold work, disciplined 3-bet decisions, and a willingness to accept variance when the cards are in motion.

Finally, Hachem’s deep run shows that experience still translates into results. Even after two decades at the top level, he remains a dangerous live tournament player and a reminder that elite fundamentals age well.

POY points, momentum, and what comes next

The win earned Lee 1,368 Card Player Player of the Year points, moving him into the top 200 of the 2026 POY standings presented by CoinPoker. Across his two title runs this season, he has now collected 2,124 points.

That kind of momentum matters for players following major series and planning their own schedules. Strong live results are often built on preparation, selection, and bankroll discipline, not just short-term hot streaks. If you’re mapping out your next trip or looking for better value on the circuit, it’s worth checking promotions & bonuses before you book.

Hachem’s runner-up finish added another $147,000 to a career total that is now just shy of $12.9 million, reinforcing his status as one of Australia’s biggest earners. But on this night, it was Lee who closed the final chapter, turning a tough heads-up battle into a major home-soil title.

In the end, the Victorian Poker Championship delivered exactly what live poker fans hope for: a star-studded final, a real swing in the heads-up duel, and a winner whose season is clearly trending upward.

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