Ravee Sundara Wins Texas Poker Open as Rookie Conquers Main Event

‘Sonny’ Sundara, otherwise known as Ravee, won first major trophy this week as he triumphed over a final table featuring Justin Liberto, Viet Vo and Andrew Moreno. The 2025 Texas Poker Open Main Event was a $3,300-entry spectacular and with over $2.09m in the prizepool, three players walked away with around a quarter of a million dollars when the dealing was done.

World Champion Misses Finals Day

Days 1 and 2 saw the field of 699 entries reduced to just 11 survivors in the Texas Poker Open (TPO) Main Event. Houston, Texas was the stunning setting in the Lone Star State as the infamous Champions Club played host to a thrilling finale.

Costing $3,300 to play the TPO Main Event saw fine performances from Kevin Theodore, David Chen, WSOP bracelet winner Asher Conniff, the 2024 WSOP Main Event winner Jonathan Tamayo, WSOP prop bettor Jeremy ‘JBex’ Becker, the PokerGO presenter Jeff Platt, and Philip Hellmuth III, son of the 17-time WSOP bracelet winner and 1989 Main Event winner Phil.

There was a vast $2 million in the guaranteed prizepool in the $3,300-entry event, but that was exceeded after close to 700 entries meant $2,097,000 was the end total to play for. After six Day 1 flights and a massive Day 2, only 11 players survived to Day 3 and the final stage.

Frantic Final Day Starts Fast

Early exits for both Brian Green and Michael Liang reduced the field almost immediately as the final table of nine was reached. The chip leader at that stage began Day 3 with the lead, as Kaleb Harwell held an important chip lead. The final nine saw an instant exit for the popular American professional Justin Liberto, who lost a coinflip to Andrew Moreno to depart in ninth place for $40,000.

Next to go was the chip leader at the start of Day 2, Viet Vo, who left in eighth place for $50,000. His king-queen started and ended behind the ace-seven belonging to Aaron Gao, who held to build his own chances of victory. Those hopes grew further with another elimination, as William Benson’s pocket kings lost to Gao’s ace-king when the latter made a turned nut flush to send Benson home for $60,000 in seventh place.

Out in sixth place for $80,000 was Andrew Moreno. The former major event winner was all-in with a straight draw but fell short against Harwell’s two pair to leave. Soon, a big hand took place when Phu Vo busted in fifth place for $100,000. He made a Broadway straight on the river but that was no good when stacked up against Ravee Sundara’s full house.

Ravee Rules in Lone Star State

Down to four players, there was still the bulk of a million dollars to play for. Jason Bullock claimed $125,000 when his ace-eight fell against against Aaron Gao’s queen-ten suited. That was the point that a deal was discussed and the ICM numbers added up, with each man guaranteed to win almost a quarter of a million dollars.

Soon, Aaron Gao ran queen-deuce into Kaleb Harwell’s pocket tens and the pocket pair held, meaning just $60,000 and the Texas Poker Open belt buckle were on the line as play moved heads-up. The two remaining players agreed on a novel ‘flip’ idea for finding out the winner, assenting to three hands of Pot Limit Omaha to decide the victor. As it transpired, Sundara won all three to become the second-ever Texas Poker Open Main Event champion, winning $283,143 and 283 PGT points.

For Harwell, it was a case of so near and yet so far, as the overnight leader fell short of glory. He did, however, bank an enormous $264,529 as runner-up and that win in itself represents his best tournament poker result by a long margin, trumping his third-place score in the 2023 WSOPC Main Event in Oklahoma. Despite winning almost half a million dollars in prize money, Harwell’s wait for a ranking poker title goes on.