$3,300 APO Main Event
Day 3 Completed
2025 Australian Poker Open
$3,300 APO Main Event
Day: 3
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 3
2025 Australian Poker Open
Buy-in
3,300 AUD
Prize Pool
2,001,000 AUD
Entries
690
Level
31
Blinds
200,000 / 400,000
Ante
400,000
Entries
11
Players Left
1
Level 31
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
For Nelson Dong, tournament poker isn’t about riding momentum or visualizing the win, it’s about staying present and focusing solely on the task at hand.
Today, that mindset earned him A$390,000 and the title of APO Main Event Champion.
Over three days inside the stunning Club Marconi at Doltone House Western Sydney, Dong outlasted a record-setting field of 690 entrants to capture the coveted Australian Poker Open Main Event trophy and the largest share of the A$2,001,000 prize pool.
"While I was playing, I never thought 'Oh my God I'm going to win', Dong explained. "I just took each hand as it came — one at a time — and tried to play the best poker I could."
Dong showcased the grit of a true champion throughout the event, but it was at the final table where he truly shined. Poker phenom Kahle Burns looked poised to take over after building a towering stack, at one point holding half the chips in play with six left. But Dong, with a bit of luck and impeccable timing, doubled through Burns before eliminating him with a dramatic three-outer.
With his toughest opponent vanquished, Dong’s path to victory was smooth. When Dong faced off against Romain Morvan heads-up for the title, it took just two hands to seal the win and the biggest cash of his live-tournament career.
2025 APO Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (A$) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nelson Dong | Australia | $390,000 |
| 2 | Romain Morvan | France | $240,000 |
| 3 | Kahle Burns | Australia | $173,000 |
| 4 | Steven Zhou | Australia | $132,000 |
| 5 | Paawan Bansal | India | $105,000 |
| 6 | Louis Luo | Australia | $81,000 |
| 7 | Chad Awerbuch | Australia | $60,000 |
| 8 | David Pham | Australia | $41,000 |
| 9 | Luke Edwards | Australia | $32,000 |
Winner’s Reaction
“It’s honestly unreal,” Dong said, still soaking in the moment shortly after his tournament victory. "I didn't expect too much, obviously. We had a real tough final table. [There were] a lot of good players still in. Kahle was doing a really good job of managing the table and setting the tone. Toward the end, things just went my way and sometimes poker's just like that."
Eager to hop back into the grind, Nelson shared that any celebrations would have to wait until later in the year.
"There may not be much time for celebration because we've gotta get back on the grind. I'm actually going to Vegas this year as well. We'll see! Maybe later in the year we can celebrate but for now... the grind continues."
Final Day Action
Eleven players returned for Day 3, each hoping to etch their name into APO history. For Yuanting Wang and Kiavash Arbabi, however, the dream ended quickly as both were eliminated within the first 20 minutes to set the stage for a nine-handed final table.
The final table started with a bang as Luke Edwards, holding just five big blinds, moved all in with an ace on the button. Unfortunately for him, David Pham woke up with pocket fours in the big blind and held, sending Edwards out in ninth on the very first hand.
Action slowed from there as the short stacks found room to maneuver. Eventually, it was Pham who broke the stalemate, committing his chips with queen-nine suited against Steven Zhou's ace-jack and failing to improve.
Following Pham's elimination, Burns began to seize control. A well-timed five-bet bluff against Morvan vaulted Burns into the chip lead, and he pressed the advantage, dragging multiple pots to distance himself further from the field.
After crowd favorite Chad Awerbuch bowed out in seventh following a frustrating lack of hands, Burns continued to build momentum, eliminating Louis Luo in sixth with pocket kings. Paawan Bansal soon followed, busting in fifth when his queen-ten failed to catch up to Morvan’s ace-nine.
Four-handed play turned into a marathon, with players exchanging double-ups for more than two levels before the next elimination. Burns won the mini battle of attrition, however, after sending Steven Zhou out in a two-hand sequence to get to three-handed play.
Two pivotal hands are all it took to give Dong an overwhelming lead. In the first, Burns made an ill-timed shove holding king-deuce after Dong had opened with pocket queens, which lead to a double up for Dong. Just a few hands later, Dong had Burns all in holding ten-jack against Burns' pocket tens. Dong drilled a jack on the turn and held, knocking one of the most accomplished tournament players out in third.
The heads-up match between Dong and Morvan was a quick one. On just the second hand, Dong picked up pocket kings against Morvan’s ace-jack. All the chips went in preflop, and the board ran clean, securing Dong’s win.
Level 31
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
And just like that, it was all over!
Nelson Dong limped in and Romain Morvan raised to 1,300,000. Dong responded with a three-bet to 2,800,000, and Morvan quickly shoved. Dong snap-called!
Romain Morvan: A♦J♣ 
Nelson Dong: K♥K♣
Dong had a golden opportunity to seal the title — he just needed his Cowboys to hold. The camera crews, media team, and railbirds crowded around as the dealer fanned a flop of 8♠6♥10♠ — a safe one for Dong.
Morvan still had some backdoor possibilities, but it was an ace he truly needed. The 3♥ turn slammed the door on any comeback hopes, leaving Morvan down to just three outs.
The river 6♦ sealed the deal, and with that, Morvan bowed out in second place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
34,500,000
7,500,000
|
7,500,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 31
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
The two finalists are in their seats and heads-up play has begun.
Level 31
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
The two finalists will now take a short break before starting their heads-up duel for the title!
Level 31
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Nelson Dong shoved on the button and Kahle Burns called from the small blind for 6,100,000.
Kahle Burns: 10♠10♥
Nelson Dong: J♣10♦
Burns had a great shot to bring himself back to the top of the leaderboard and his tens kept in front after the dealer put out a flop of 9♦A♠A♣. However, delight soon turned to disaster for Burns as the J♠ on the turn paired Dong's jack. With only one out, Burns didn't stand much chance and the 9♣ river confirmed his elimination in third.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
27,000,000
5,800,000
|
5,800,000 |
|
|
8,200,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 31
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Nelson Dong opened to 800,000 on the button and Kahle Burns shoved for 18,000,000 from the small blind. It was folded back to Dong, who quickly called all in for his last 10,000,000.
Nelson Dong: Q♠Q♣
Kahle Burns: K♦2♦
It was bad timing from Burns, and the 10♣8♦6♠A♣9♦ runout kept Dong best with his ladies for the double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
21,200,000
10,250,000
|
10,250,000 |
|
|
7,300,000
8,600,000
|
8,600,000 |
|
|
||
Level 31
: Blinds 200,000/400,000, 400,000 ante
Steven Zhou raised to 600,000 on the button and was three-bet to 1,500,000 by Kahle Burns in the small blind. Zhou called.
The flop came 6♦J♣10♦ and Burns checked to Zhou, who shoved for 6,400,000.
Burns didn't like it, but announced he probably wasn't folding.
Eventually, Burns did put in a call and a showdown was held.
Kahle Burns: K♥10♣
Steven Zhou: Q♥J♥
Burns had one foot out the door after the 3♠ fell on the turn as he was drawing to just five outs.
It wasn't Burns' time to exit, however, as the K♦ river improved him to an unlikely two pair to award him the double up and leave Zhou short.
After being left with just 75,000 from the hand prior, Zhou was all in and at risk against Kahle Burns.
Steven Zhou: 8♦5♦
Kahle Burns: J♣3♣
Zhou needed to start his spin-up right now if he wanted to get back into contention, but instead he was left on the sidelines as the 8♥6♠J♦10♥9♦ runout meant he was eliminated.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
15,900,000
1,250,000
|
1,250,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level: 31
Blinds: 200,000/400,000
Ante: 400,000
Level 30
: Blinds 150,000/300,000, 300,000 ante
Steven Zhou made it 700,000 from under the gun and Nelson Dong called in the big blind to see a flop of 5♣3♣A♥, which checked through.
The 3♠ dropped on the turn and Dong check-called a bet of 700,000 from Zhou to watch the K♦ hit the river. Both checked it down and Dong's 9♠9♥ was good against the J♣8♣ of Zhou, who missed a flush draw.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
10,950,000 | |
|
|
9,850,000 |
