The first-ever Australian Poker Open has finished up at the Star Gold Coast, with Stephen Chidwick becoming the champion. The leaderboard competition was tough, as Mike Watson and Andras Nemeth claimed the top spots early after earning wins early on in the festival. However, Chidwick earned the Event #5 win which placed him at the top of the leaderboard. By the time the Main Event had concluded, Chidwick had placed himself at the top of the leaderboard, securing the Championship win.
Earning the Championship Win:
The Australian Poker Open 2020 took place from January 25th through February 1st. Players competed in each poker event of the open and as cashouts were earned, so were points for the leaderboard standings. Players were vying for the top position to be named the champion and earn the $50,000 prize.
Once Chidwick earned the win in Event #5, he would gain a prize of A$399,500 which put him at the top spot. However, that would be short-lived, as Nemeth would claim the lead after winning Event #6. It would be the A$100,000 Main Event that helped Chidwick earn the top spot on the leaderboard.
According to the source…
Finishing in 4th place, Chidwick would earn A$280,000 in the Main Event, securing 140 more points. This was just enough to put him over Nemeth by 20 points and claim the Australian Poker Open title at the Star Gold Coast. After the win, Chidwick stated that he hopes there are more events of this style in the future, as they help to judge the ability of a player over multiple tournament events.
Final Standings of Australian Poker Open:
| Place | Player | Points |
| First | Stephen Chidwick | 650 |
| Second | Andras Nemeth | 630 |
| Third | Michael Addamo | 560 |
| Fourth | Mike Watson | 450 |
| Fifth | Luc Greenwood | 360 |
| Fifth | Farid Jattin | 360 |