Indian Pro Tops APT New Era Money List Winning Largest USD 10K Freezeout Outside of Las Vegas in a Decade

APT CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 SCHEDULE | OFFICIAL RESULTS | PLAYER LISTS | LIVE REPORTING | IMAGES | WINNERS

TAIPEI, TAIWAN, November 28, 2025 – Playing out at the tournament tables of the cavernous Red Space 多元商務空間 and run in partnership with the Chinese Texas Hold’em Poker Club (CTP), the Final Day of the inaugural TWD 311,000 (~USD 10,000) APT Championship Main Event Freezeout saw nine players out of a field of 671 entries return to battle for the lion’s share of richest prize pool in APT history.

All returning players were looking to win the biggest and richest USD 10K buy-in tournament to run outside of Las Vegas in the last decade, and the largest and wealthiest ever to run in Asia.

Over 60 percent of the gigantic TWD 194,080,973 (~USD 6,220,550) in prize money would be distributed at the final table, with all nine finalists guaranteed to make at least TWD 3,047,100 (~USD 97,660).

Each payout rung on the ladder represented significant pay jumps, with the top eight all claiming USD six-figure scores, and the top three all banking upwards of half a million dollars or more.

However, it was the monstrous TWD 37,030,773 (~USD 1,186,880) top prize—the largest Main Event payout the tour has ever awarded—and the Gold Lion APT Championship Main Event Trophy that all nine finalists were aiming for.

It was Nishant Sharma who ascended to poker immortality, entering the final table with a massive 152 big blind stack and remaining in pole position from start to finish to become only the third Indian player in poker history to claim over a million dollars with a single tournament win.

What makes Sharma’s milestone victory all the more impressive is the fact he qualified to the Main Event via a USD 1,700 Step 2 live satellite, earning a massive 69,716 percent ROI on the largest win of his professional career, moving the Mumbai native into the top five on the India All Time Money List.

“No, I haven't [processed it yet]. It will take some time, like probably 2 days or 3 days,” said a shell-shocked Sharma immediately following his victory.

So what were his expectations when coming to the series?

“To be frank, I didn't expect, first of all, that any poker series would have that big of a guarantee in Asia. And for APT to do that like it was a very, very ballsy move,” he stated.

“I thought like, OK, it will go 600, but to go till close to 700... it was great! I know so many Indian players who didn't come, because they were not sure,” said Sharma.

“So I think next year, who knows, maybe like 850 or something…it might get up there, you know.”

So what effect will this gigantic score have on his game moving forwards?

“To be frank, I don't like the limelight, so.. But anyway, if it comes, it comes. At least I'll make more friends because of that,” said Sharma.

Sharma is also not planning on any extravagant splurges with the prize money.

“I'm more of a bankroll nit…” he stated coolly, “you won't be seeing me in a big series and big buy-in tournaments, I won't be playing that unless my game is that good. I'll work on my game and if I think I can beat those stakes, I'll play those. Otherwise I'll invest and make more money off it.”

Front (L-R): Hao Shan Huang, Matas Cimbolas, Alexandru Papazian, Martin Finger Back (L-R): Nishant Sharma, Hao Chuang, Dominik Nitsche, Neng Zhao, John Costiniano

MAIN EVENT FINAL TABLE RESULTS

For Main Event Final Table Player Profiles please CLICK HERE

For Main Event Results please CLICK HERE

The final table proved to be an epic ten-hour marathon spanning close to six 90-minute levels and 192 hands.

While the Indian poker professional only eliminated three of the other eight finalists on his road to the title, Sharma put on a dominating performance against a line up that included four-time bracelet winner Dominik Nitsche, Lithuania's #2 ranked tournament player Matas Cimbolas, and Romania’s #1 ranked tournament player Alexandru Papazian.

“There were 3 players better than me, and to go and win it, it's a big achievement,” a humble Sharma stated.

The pivotal hand that arguably saw Sharma lay one hand on the trophy came on the 122nd hand played.

The Indian player put Taiwan’s Hao Shan Huang to the test, moving all in from the small blind preflop with pocket twos following a Huang cutoff open.

The former professional Magic the Gathering player made the call with ace king and found himself racing for his tournament life.

Taiwan’s Hao Shan Huang finished in sixth place

Despite pairing his king on the flop, a deuce on the river saw Sharma make a set, sending Huang out in sixth and giving the Indian player over 50 percent of the chips in play.

“That deuces hand… after winning that hand, I had more than 50 percent of the chips in play,” said Sharma in his post match interview.

“I knew, because the other people were like 30 big blinds deep, they had similar sized stacks and now there will be a lot of pressure. After winning that hand I knew that I was going to get heads-up for sure,” he confirmed.

John Costiniano and Nishant Sharma get ready to duke it out for the title

Aided by that all important bit of luck, Sharma closed out the win against the Philippines' John Costiniano after coming into the heads-up confrontation with a 5-to-1 chip lead.

Despite Costiniano managing an early double up, the match was wrapped up in 14 hands with Sharma slow playing kings on the button and the Filipino player checking his option with jack three suited in the big blind.

Costiniano hit trip threes on the flop and played them fast, and Sharma picked up a back door heart draw on the turn, which is where all the rest of chips went in.

An ace of hearts on the river sealed the deal, and after a sporting hug and a handshake with his opponent, Sharma celebrated wildly with his wife and vocal Indian rail.

“I've been running great in MTT's since the last 2 or 3 years, mainly after my marriage, so probably because of her [my wife],” said Sharma when asked how he was feeling.

“She puts a lot of pressure on me, you know, to work hard on my game. I was never that serious, you know, like I mean I was serious, but I never used to grind that hard.”

“Now I have to be more responsible. I have to be able to answer her, so I give more than 100 percent. So I think that is the main change in me since the last 3 or 4 years, you know, so it's been great and I hope I keep doing that and she keeps putting pressure on me,” Sharma said with a chuckle.

“Thank you for the support. The rail was crazy. I'm getting so many messages from my friends, family, everywhere, so thanks for the rail and thanks for all the wishes,” Sharma said with a grin, before heading off into the Taipei night to celebrate.

All tournament information can be found on the APT Championship Main Event Freezeout Final Day tournament page and you can follow all the action via the Main Event Final Day APT Blog.

You can also watch all the action as it happened via the Main Event Final Day live stream on the official APT YouTube channel.

APT Championship Main Event by the Numbers

For Main Event Breakdown by Country/Region please CLICK HERE with a graphic available HERE.

The tours’ inaugural APT Championship Main Event Freezeout drew a sizable 671 entry field of players from 47 different countries and regions from across the globe.

Taiwan made up the highest proportion of the field with 90 entries representing just over 13 percent (13.4%) of the total field.

All other country and region participation was below ten percent, with Japan the next best represented with 66 entries making up close to ten percent (9.8%).

South Korea was the third best represented region, with 53 entries making up just under eight percent (7.9%), with Australia and Hong Kong rounding out the top five tied on 41 entries apiece, each representing six percent (6.1%) of the field.

Thailand's 39 entries made up just under six percent (5.8%), and the USA's 36 entries accounted for just over another five percent (5.4%).

Malaysia and Singapore both provided 35 entries, each representing a further five percent (5.2%) of the field, with Vietnams 25 entries accounting for close to four percent (3.7%) to round out the top ten.

The Philippines and the United Kingdom were tied on 11th with their 24 entries per country making up just over three percent (3.6%) each.

All other country and region participation was below three percent, with China's 21 entries making up 2.5% of the field.

Germany's 17 entries made it the 14th best represented country accounting for 2.4%, while Canada's 16 entries accounted for another 2.4%.

India provided 15 entries, making up 2.2% of the field, with all the remaining countries providing single digit entries.