$3,300 APO Main Event Day 2 | 2025 Australian Poker Open

04-25-2025 19:34 UTC+11

Perry's Main Event Sails Away

Kai Cocklin

Level 18 : Blinds 10,000/20,000, 20,000 ante

The action folded around to John Perry in the small blind, who limped in. Paawan Bansal was in the big blind and bumped it up to 60,000, then Perry shoved for 545,000, sending Bansal into the tank.

"Why didn't I just check," muttered Bansal under his breath. After some more thinking, Bansal called.

John Perry: 4♠4♥ All in
Paawan Bansal: A♠9♠

"HOLD," were the cries from Perry's rail behind him, but it wasn't looking likely after the K♥A♥3♦ flop gave Bansal top pair. No fours arrived on the 6♦7♥ runout, and Perry's Main Event run sailed away into the distance.

Player	Chips	Progress
Paawan Bansal	2,000,000 100,000	100,000
Shayne Sim	Busted
John Perry	Busted

Tags: John Perry Paawan Bansal

04-25-2025 19:14 UTC+11

Wang Finds the Perfect River to Bust Ma

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Kai Cocklin

Level 17 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

A huge pot just went Yuanting Wang's way and left Shengfeng Ma on the sidelines!

Wang had opened and called a three-bet of 85,000 from Ma to see the 2♥7♥5♠ flop, where Wang check-called a bet of 55,000

The 3♠ turn went check-check and the Q♦ hit the river, drawing another check from Wang. Ma then fired 160,000, leaving himself 500,000 behind. Wang took some time and shoved his stack of over a 1,000,000, then Ma went into deep thought.

Around three minutes passed and there was still no decision from Ma, so the clock was called and a 30-second countdown was initiated. During the countdown, Ma called.

Wang then showed he rivered a set with Q♠Q♣, and Ma couldn't believe his eyes as he rolled over A♣Q♥ for top pair. Brutal river for Ma, brilliant river for Wang!

Player	Chips	Progress
Yuanting Wang	2,000,000 950,000	950,000
Shayne Sim	200,000 200,000	200,000
Shengfeng Ma	Busted

Tags: Shengfeng Ma Yuanting Wang

04-25-2025 18:49 UTC+11

New Heights for the APO Main Event in 2025

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Kai Cocklin

Level 17 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

The Australian Poker Open Main Event has taken a major leap forward in its second edition, with the 2025 tournament drawing 690 entries and generating a A$2,001,000 prize pool — up nearly 26% from last year’s 549-player debut.

Held once again at Doltone House Western Sydney at Club Marconi, the flagship A$3,300 buy-in event has already shattered expectations before a champion is even crowned. Last year, Hasan Onay etched his name into history as the inaugural APO Main Event winner, taking home A$284,480 following a heads-up deal with Brazil’s Higor Seibel.

This year’s edition retains the same structure but has attracted an even more impressive field, reinforcing the APO’s rapid rise as one of Australia’s premier poker festivals. The money was reached late on Day 1, and now Day 2 is set to play down to a final table. With the stakes higher than ever and over A$2 million on the line, the stage is set for a thrilling conclusion as a new champion prepares to emerge from this record-breaking field.

Tags: Hasan Onay Higor Seibel

04-25-2025 18:24 UTC+11

Demlakian Doubles; Bansal Has 2,000,000

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Kai Cocklin

Level 17 : Blinds 10,000/15,000, 15,000 ante

Paawan Bansal is sitting with a monster stack of around 2,000,000 and seems to be the chip leader right now. Though, he did just lose some of his fortune.

The action folded to Bansal in the small blind and with a short-stacked Ken Demlakian in the big blind, Bansal shoved. Demlakian quickly called for his stack of 180,000.

Ken Demlakian: 10♥10♠ All in
Paawan Bansal: 7♦3♦

Demlakian was well ahead with his tens and never had to sweat as the runout of K♣2♠4♦9♣A♣ kept him in the lead.

Player	Chips	Progress
Paawan Bansal	2,000,000 900,000	900,000
Ken Demlakian	375,000 175,000	175,000
Shayne Sim	Busted
Alex Yang	Busted

Tags: Ken Demlakian Paawan Bansal

04-25-2025 17:39 UTC+11

Endersby Ends Thatcher's Run After Cracking Kings

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Dan O'Hair

Level 16 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Luke Edwards opened to 25,000 from early position and was three-bet to 87,000 by Travis Endersby from directly behind. It was then folded to Jarrod Thatcher, who shoved for a bit over 200,000 from the small blind.

Edwards got out of the way, but Endersby quickly called to put Thatcher at risk.

Jarrod Thatcher: K♠K♦ All in
Travis Endersby: A♥K♥

The Q♦J♥8♦ flop gave Endersby a Broadway draw in addition to his ace, and the 3♥ improved him further to a flush draw on turn.

It wasn't Thatcher's day, as the 9♥ river completed Endersby's flush to send Thatcher to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Travis Endersby	950,000 150,000	150,000
Luke Edwards	600,000 95,000	95,000
Jarrod Thatcher	Busted
Shayne Le Roy	Busted

Tags: Jarrod Thatcher Luke Edwards Travis Endersby

04-25-2025 17:26 UTC+11

Marsland Binks a Queen to Stack McSwiney

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Kai Cocklin

Level 16 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Joshua McSwiney's run in the Main Event has come to an end in an unlucky hand. McSwiney opened and Noel Jaber called on the button. Dale Marsland was in the blinds and shoved his stack of over 500,000, and McSwiney call for around 350,000. Jaber folded.

Joshua McSwiney: A♠K♥ All in
Dale Marsland: A♥Q♥

McSwiney had his chips in good but fell behind on the 7♠J♦Q♠ flop as Marsland paired his queen. There were four extra outs for McSwiney as any ten would give him broadway, but the 2♦A♦ runout was of no help, and he was sent to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Noel Jaber	1,400,000 400,000	400,000
Dale Marsland	900,000 640,000	640,000
Joshua McSwiney	Busted

Tags: Dale Marsland Joshua McSwiney Noel Jaber

04-25-2025 16:57 UTC+11

Prill Shows a Bluff

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Dan O'Hair

Level 16 : Blinds 6,000/12,000, 12,000 ante

Timon Prill and Yuanting Wang were heads up on a board of 7♠4♦J♦Q♠ with around 300,000 already in the middle.

Prill bet 75,000 from the big blind and Wang called.

The 9♥ completed the board and Prill announced he was all in for a bit over 500,000, sending Wang deep into the tank.

Wang struggled over his decision for a couple of minutes, but eventually flung his hand into the muck. Prill immediately turned over 6♣5♠ for a busted straight draw and Wang could only shake his head in disbelief.

Player	Chips	Progress
Timon Prill	1,050,000 330,000	330,000
Yuanting Wang	600,000 600,000	600,000

Tags: Timon Prill Yuanting Wang

04-25-2025 15:59 UTC+11

Dong Sends Xu Packing

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Kai Cocklin

Level 15 : Blinds 5,000/10,000, 10,000 ante

There were around 75,000 chips in the middle on a 4♣8♠2♠ flop when Anthony Xu checked from the big blind and Nelson Dong bet 35,000. Xu thought for some time before he cut out a raise to 80,000, and Dong moved all in! Xu had around 200,000 behind and toyed with the idea of folding, but eventually called to put himself at risk.

Anthony Xu: 10♥8♥ All in
Nelson Dong: Q♠Q♦

Xu almost laid his hand down but perhaps felt he was committed after his flop raise. There were some outs that could prevent Xu's elimination, but neither the 6♥ turn nor A♠ river were the cards he needed, and he was eliminated.

Player	Chips	Progress
Nelson Dong	1,150,000 324,000	324,000
Anthony Xu	Busted

Tags: Anthony Xu Nelson Dong

04-25-2025 15:18 UTC+11

Tran Picks Off McSwiney's Bluff

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Kai Cocklin

Level 14 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

Henry Tran opened from under the gun to 16,000 and Joshua McSwiney peeled out of the big blind.

The flop came down 5♦2♠4♠ and McSwiney led out for 12,000, which Tran called to see the 2♥ on the turn.

Both tapped the table to see the A♥ drill the river, and McSwiney fired an overbet of 80,000. Tran went into the tank for quite some time before he eventually decided to call.

McSwiney then revealed a bluff with 8♣7♦, and Tran's A♣Q♥ was good with a rivered pair of aces.

Player	Chips	Progress
Henry Tran	505,000 120,000	120,000
Joshua McSwiney	122,000 118,000	118,000

Tags: Henry Tran Joshua McSwiney

04-25-2025 14:50 UTC+11

Xu Doubles Through Wang

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Kai Cocklin

Level 14 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

On a flop of 3♠J♦9♦, Anthony Xu had his stack of around 125,000 in the middle and at risk with Yuanting Wang looking to score a knockout.

Anthony Xu: Q♣Q♠ All in
Yuanting Wang: A♠J♣

Wang had flopped top pair with the best kicker, but was behind to the overpair of Xu who held queens. A 4♥ on the turn put Xu one step closer to a double-up, and the 10♥ on the river meant the pot was his, sending his stack to around 325,000.

On the other hand, Wang's stack takes a hit but he still has 1,000,000 to play.

Player	Chips	Progress
Yuanting Wang	1,000,000 150,000	150,000
Anthony Xu	325,000 175,000	175,000

Tags: Anthony Xu Yuanting Wang