Shaun Bloom won The Hendon Mob Championship Cape Town Million 2025

The record-breaking tournament The Hendon Mob Championship Cape Town Million 2025 has concluded in Cape Town. The winner was Shaun Bloom, who outperformed the strongest players in South Africa.

The third running of The Hendon Mob Championship Cape Town Million has wrapped up in Cape Town, drawing a record-breaking field and turning into a true festival for South African poker fans. The final table was almost entirely made up of local players, with just one international contender, and ended with a victory for Sean Bloom (Шон Блум). The tournament took place at GrandWest Casino under the Sun International banner and was part of the SunBet Poker Tour series. Tournament Stats: Record Prize Pool and Growing Popularity The third installment of The Hendon Mob Championship Cape Town Million attracted 354 entries at a buy-in of ZAR 8,000 (about $450 USD). For comparison, the previous two editions drew 210 and 299 players respectively, highlighting the event’s rising popularity. The prize pool reached ZAR 2,378,880 (around $137,975 USD), nearly doubling the ZAR 1,250,000 guarantee set by organizers. As a result, 46 players made the money, and the fight for the top prize played out against the backdrop of record payouts and intense competition. Payout Table Total entries: 354 Buy-in: ZAR 8,000 (~$450) Prize pool: ZAR 2,378,880 (~$137,975) Number of payouts: 46 Final Table: Local Dominance and Key Hands At the business end of the tournament, the final table featured mostly South African players. The only foreigner, France’s Kevin Boyer, was the first to bust from the final four. After his exit, the remaining three — Sean Bloom, Alvin Pillay, and Marko Nortje — agreed to a deal to split the remaining prize money. Sean Bloom, who finished fourth in the inaugural event of this series in 2023 for ZAR 115,000, managed to go all the way this time. Following the deal, he became chip leader, claimed the winner’s trophy, and also secured an extra prize — a package for The Hendon Mob Championship 2026. In his winner’s interview, Bloom said: “It’s an amazing feeling to win a poker tournament. Two years ago, I finished fourth, so it’s great to go further this time. I’ve won Main Events and other tournaments in my career, but this event is special: the prize pool far exceeded the guarantee, it was a great score, and I have nothing to complain about.” Key Moments from the Final Day Marko Nortje held the chip lead for most of the final day, playing aggressively and putting pressure on the table. However, at the final table, it was Bloom who managed to catch Nortje twice, allowing him to take the lead three-handed. In one crucial hand, Bloom, holding A-10, deliberately built a big pot against Nortje, knowing he liked to play aggressively with marginal hands. This allowed Sean to double up and take the lead. In another hand, Nortje barreled three streets with pocket fours on a draw-heavy board, but Bloom held on and was ahead, further boosting his stack. Nortje himself knocked out several opponents during the day, including the experienced Kinesh Pather, whose pocket kings couldn’t hold against Nortje’s suited A-8. Jason De Villiers finished seventh, despite being away from the table for over four hours due to a business meeting he had to attend during the first break. Road to the Final: Bustouts, Key Hands, and International Guests The final day began with 46 players, but by the first break, nearly half had been eliminated — the pace of bustouts was relentless. On just the third hand of the day, Jedd Kossew was knocked out, losing A-Q to A-K. Imran Bhojani fell to Cliton Taliwanth at the TV table, while Jaryd Jardien busted in a three-way all-in against Pather. Cliton Taliwanth’s run ended at the three-table stage, losing a flip with A-K to Yoni Lipshitz’s tens. Lipshitz himself was soon eliminated — Marko Nortje got it in with suited Q-J against Lipshitz’s pocket jacks, hit a queen on the turn, and sent him to the rail. Tanith Rothman also made a deep run, finishing 18th despite being short-stacked. Among the few international players to reach the final two tables was Scotland’s Dean Hutchison, a 2023 WSOP Main Event finalist. On the advice of his friend James Rann, he traveled to South Africa and finished 13th after a rollercoaster day. His tournament ended at the hands of Pillay, who got it in with tens against Hutchison’s eights — and remarkably, Pillay was dealt pocket tens four times on the final day. Final Table: Action and Conclusion The final table was short and action-packed, thanks in large part to Marko Nortje’s aggressive approach. However, the 25-year-old chip leader couldn’t close it out, losing two key pots to Bloom and ultimately agreeing to a three-way deal. Final Table Results 1st — Sean Bloom 2nd — Alvin Pillay 3rd — Marko Nortje 4th — Kevin Boyer 7th — Jason De Villiers 13th — Dean Hutchison 18th — Tanith Rothman (The full list of payouts is not included in the original, but key finishers and their positions are listed.) Context: The Series, Venue, and Tournament Significance The Hendon Mob Championship Cape Town Million has been held in Cape Town for three consecutive years and is rapidly gaining traction. The ZAR 8,000 buy-in makes it accessible to a wide range of players, while the substantial prize pool and growing fields attract both local pros and international guests. The event is hosted at GrandWest Casino, operated by Sun International, and its partnership with the SunBet Poker Tour ensures a high standard of organization and extra attention from the poker community. Winning this tournament is a major achievement for any South African player, and for Sean Bloom, this victory adds another highlight to his poker résumé. Along with the cash prize, the winner received an invitation to the next Hendon Mob Championship in 2026, opening doors to further international opportunities. Quotes and Player Insights In his interview, Sean Bloom said he was pleased not only to improve on his previous result (4th place in 2023), but also to win a tournament with a prize pool that nearly doubled the guarantee. He emphasized that he always enjoys winning in poker, and called this event a great one with a “beautiful” score. Bloom also discussed his strategy against Marko Nortje: he aimed to build big pots with strong hands, knowing Nortje could “blow up” with marginal holdings. In one hand with A-10, Bloom intentionally made the play look more like a bluff to maximize value. In another spot with K-J, he felt he was ahead and chose not to raise on the turn; when Nortje made a big, but not all-in, bet on the river, Bloom called, relying on his read of the hand. Throughout the final day, Marko Nortje played aggressively and knocked out several opponents, including Kinesh Pather, whose pocket kings were cracked by Nortje’s suited A-8. However, in the key hands against Bloom, luck deserted him. Jason De Villiers, despite having to leave the table for a business meeting, managed to finish seventh — one of the more unusual stories of the final day. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this story is a great example of how local tournaments can grow, attract more players, and boost prize pools and competition. Even with a relatively modest buy-in (ZAR 8,000, about $450), the prize pool can nearly double the guarantee if organizers engage the community and create appealing conditions for players. The strategies used by the finalists — especially Marko Nortje’s aggressive style and Sean Bloom’s adaptive approach — are worth studying for anyone playing in online clubs. The ability to build big pots with strong hands against aggressive opponents and to make decisions based on hand logic are key skills for success in both live and online tournaments. Additionally, Dean Hutchison’s story shows that playing major events abroad is becoming more accessible, and international experience only raises the level of play. For PPPoker players, this is a reminder not to limit themselves to online tournaments, but to consider traveling to live events, where they can face top competition and test their skills on a bigger stage.