The stars finally aligned for Hunter Cichy .

After spending a decade trying to find the right opportunity to visit Australia, the American poker professional flew directly from Dallas to Sydney for three weeks of poker at WPT Australia 2026 .

Cichy arrived with $1,751,106 in recorded live tournament earnings and plenty of experience on the World Poker Tour. His career-best live cash came in 2021, when he finished fourth in the WPT Choctaw Championship for $205,330.

This trip, however, is about more than another tournament result.

A 10-Year Wait Finally Ends

“I’ve wanted to come to Australia for 10 years, but every tournament series always coincided with something important going on in the United States,” Cichy told Somuchpoker.

“This is the first time everything worked out, where the stars aligned and I had a few weeks off from the major circuits in the US and decided to come out here.”

The length of the festival also helped make the decision easier. WPT Australia runs from September 10 to 30 , giving Cichy enough poker to justify the long journey and some time to recover from the flight.

“It also helps that the series is three weeks long, so it gives me more time to acclimate because I’m dealing with a bit of jet lag right now,” he said.

The Star Makes an Immediate Impression

Cichy had only recently arrived when Somuchpoker caught up with him, but The Star Sydney had already made a strong first impression.

“The Star is beautiful. It’s spotlessly clean and well-organised, and the staff actually care about people here, which is very unusual when you compare it to American casinos.”

Cichy was even more direct when describing the difference between the experience in Sydney and what poker players sometimes encounter back home.

“In the United States, my opinion of things is that if you aren’t playing the carnival games, the pit games, they sort of treat you like you’re sub-human scum,” he said. “Here, everybody is actually glad to have me, and I really appreciate that.”

Before making the trip, Cichy had followed the recovery of Australian poker after the disruption caused by the pandemic. The growing tournament scene at The Star and the prizes available in Sydney helped convince him that the time was right.

The return of WPT Australia to Sydney finally gave him the opportunity he had been waiting for.

From the Airport to Sydney Harbour

Cichy landed in Sydney at 7 a.m., but an early arrival meant he could not immediately check into his hotel. Instead of going to sleep, he and his wife set out to see as much of the city as possible.

“I told my wife, ‘Let’s try to kill the jet lag today,’” he said.

After taking care of arrangements at the casino, they boarded a ferry to see Sydney Harbour and the Opera House before walking through the Botanical Gardens and visiting the fish market.

“I’m having a blast,” Cichy said. “I want to do the same thing tomorrow, just go wander around.”

Playing Online at 13 With Dad’s Credit Card

Cichy’s poker story began long before he started travelling the major American circuits. His grandfather taught him the game when he was around 12, and it quickly became a regular part of family life.

It was not long before he found online poker, although his method of getting started came with a warning.

“I started playing online very early using my dad’s credit card,” he said. “I don’t recommend this, but I started playing at Full Tilt when I was, like, 13. By the time I turned 18, I was good enough to play full-time.”

Cichy later wrote Advanced Concepts in No-Limit Hold’em, but his interest in studying poker has gradually moved away from endlessly analysing the same game.

“I enjoy studying new variants of poker. I don’t necessarily like grinding the sims for Hold’em. It can get really monotonous,” he said. “Some of the new variants that are coming out are really, really interesting, and I think that there’s a bright future for poker.”

Now It Is More About the Vibes

Cichy plans to remain in Sydney throughout the festival and wants to play as much of the WPT Australia schedule as possible.

The series opened with the AUD 1,150 Australian Poker Cup , but Cichy is particularly interested in the AUD 5,000 WPT Australia Championship , which runs from September 24 to 30.

“I think the 5K that you’re doing will probably be a blowout,” he said. “It’s perfect timing because it doesn’t really coincide with anything else major going on worldwide, so I think you’ll get a huge turnout for that.”

Results still matter for a player who makes his living at the tables, but Cichy now has the freedom to be more selective about where he plays.

“Once you run a bankroll up to a certain size, you can sort of pick and choose your stops,” he said. “Nowadays I’m more about the vibes, and I really like the environment here. It’s a pleasure to play here.”

His early verdict for other American players considering the journey was equally clear.

“They should make the trip out.”

Cichy can be followed on X at @HunterCichy.

All images courtesy of The Star Sydney Poker