$3,300 APO Main Event
Day 1d Completed
$3,300 APO Main Event
Day 1d Completed
A long Day 1d lasting nearly 15 levels and attracting 83 entrants has come to an end in the Australian Poker Open Main Event. John Perry emerged as the overall chip leader of the 11 remaining players after bagging up a massive stack worth 982,000. Perry's next-closest competitor for Day 1d is Australia's own Jackson Young, who ended with 763,000. Rounding out the top three was Pranav Bhatt, who bagged up 527,000 here at the luxurious Club Marconi at Doltone House Western Sydney.
Perry, who is a regular in the Australian poker scene with $1.6 million in live-tournament earnings, claimed a few key knockouts late in the evening to surge into the chip lead, including Nelson Dong after cracking Dong's kings on the stone bubble.
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Perry | New Zealand | 982,000 | 98 |
| 2 | Jackson Young | Australia | 763,000 | 76 |
| 3 | Pranav Bhatt | Australia | 527,000 | 53 |
| 4 | Joe Antar | Australia | 483,000 | 48 |
| 5 | Lewis Murray | Australia | 329,000 | 33 |
| 6 | Weiran Pu | China | 253,000 | 25 |
| 7 | Paris Sitzoukis | Australia | 236,000 | 24 |
| 8 | Stev Lackovic | Australia | 189,000 | 19 |
| 9 | Zhen Chen | China | 150,000 | 15 |
| 10 | Adam Kharman | Australia | 134,000 | 13 |
A muted start saw eight players sit down for the beginning of Level 1, but there was no lack of action as players steadily filled more seats throughout the day.
Lewis Murray vaulted up the chip counts early on after eliminating Gavin Ogilvy with a full house versus a straight. From that point on, Murray was able to maintain his momentum into a Day-2 berth.
Paris Sitzoukis also made it through to Day 2, thanks in part to catching a miracle river against Daniel Klinger's pocket aces shortly after late-registration had closed.
Action slowed considerably with 14 players left, with several players managing to double up as tension mounted approaching the Day-2 bubble. After nearly a full level without an elimination, Shanon Sung became another unfortunate victim to Perry after running pocket tens into Perry's pocket queens.
The next two eliminations came rapidly to put an end to Day 1d, first with Ehsan Amiri running pocket sixes into Joe Antar's pocket kings and followed quickly by Dong's elimination to Perry.
The penultimate starting flight for the APO Main Event is Day 1e, which is scheduled to begin at noon on Monday, April 21. All players who failed to earn a Day-2 berth can reenter an unlimited amount of times in the remaining starting flights up until late-registration closes.
Be sure to stick with PokerNews as we continue to bring you the action leading to the next Main Event Champion here at the 2025 Australia Poker Open!
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
982,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
763,000
113,000
|
113,000 |
|
|
527,000
27,000
|
27,000 |
|
|
483,000
33,000
|
33,000 |
|
|
329,000
121,000
|
121,000 |
|
|
253,000
93,000
|
93,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
236,000
94,000
|
94,000 |
|
|
189,000
24,000
|
24,000 |
|
|
150,000
70,000
|
70,000 |
|
|
134,000
51,000
|
51,000 |
|
|
109,000
14,000
|
14,000 |
The remaining 11 players are now bagging and tagging for the night and being handed payout slips for $5,000 for making it to Day 2.
Stay tuned for a recap of Day 1d.
Action folded to the blinds, where Nelson Dong shoved for approximately 50,000 from the small blind. John Perry peeked at his cards and put in calling chips to put Dong at risk.
Nelson Dong: K♠K♣
John Perry: Q♣10♥
Dong was in great shape to double with his cowboys and remained ahead on the 8♦8♥9♦ flop, although it improved Perry to a gutshot straight draw.
The J♣ turn got a collective gasp from everyone at the table, as it vaulted Perry into the lead with a straight.
Dong still had outs to a full house, but the 7♠ river bricked out — ending Day 1d in dramatic fashion.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
982,000
32,000
|
32,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
Busted | |
Joe Antar opened to 20,000 from the hijack and was three-bet by Ehsan Amiri in the cutoff. Action folded back to Antar, who shoved.
Amiri called all in for a bit over 200,000 total and a showdown was held.
Ehsan Amiri: 6♣6♥
Joe Antar: K♠K♦
Amiri would need some help against Antar's cowboys, but the A♠3♦A♥5♦5♥ runout kept Amiri second-best and he was eliminated two spots shy of a Day-2 berth.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
450,000
230,000
|
230,000 |
|
|
Busted |
Pranav Bhatt opened to 20,000 from the hijack and just behind him, Joe Antar shoved for 106,000 total. Action folded back around to Bhatt, who called to put Antar at risk.
Joe Antar: K♠J♠
Pranav Bhatt: K♣10♣
Antar had Bhatt dominated, and the 8♥9♣2♠K♥3♣ runout kept him best with his jack kicker for the double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
500,000
50,000
|
50,000 |
|
|
220,000
65,000
|
65,000 |
Shanon Sung opened on the button and was three-bet by John Perry in the big blind. Sung called.
The flop came 5♦4♥2♥ and Perry checked to Sung, who bet 52,000. Perry then shoved and Sung called all in for his remaining stack.
Shanon Sung: 10♣10♠
John Perry: Q♠Q♥
Sung grimaced upon seeing the bad news, and the A♦J♦ runout failed to improve Sung to eliminate him just a couple spots shy of the Day 2 bubble.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
950,000
330,000
|
330,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
550,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
Busted | |
John Perry opened to 16,000 first to act and was called by Jackson Young in the cutoff and Nelson Dong in the big blind.
Action checked to Young on the Q♥3♥5♣ flop and he bet 19,000. Dong called and Perry folded.
Both players checked on the 3♣ turn and Dong checked a final time after the 10♦ landed on the river.
Young put 55,000 into the middle and Dong looked him up after a bit of thought.
Young tabled 10♠10♣ for a set of tens and Dong sent his hand into the muck — conceding the pot to Young, .
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
650,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
|
620,000
140,000
|
140,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
165,000
110,000
|
110,000 |
|
|
130,000
220,000
|
220,000 |
Shanon Sung shoved for his last 164,000 from early position and was called by Jackson Young in the big blind to be put at risk.
Shanon Sung: 10♠10♥
Jackson Young: A♥Q♣
The 5♠3♦2♣J♠K♣ runout kept Sung ahead with his tens and he found a much-needed double up.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
530,000
120,000
|
120,000 |
|
|
340,000
220,000
|
220,000 |