then 'Add to home screen'
then 'Add to home screen'
Before cards were even in the air at the final table of the $25,000 PLO Main Event at the Onyx High Roller Series, the seven finalists gathered around the feature stage inside the Onyx Club at Merit Royal Diamond Hotel & Spa for a group photo.
As the trophy was placed in front of them, Youness Barakat broke the tension with a playful shout:
“Nino, congratulations on winning this.”
Laughter followed. Hours later, the joke had turned into reality.
After a dramatic and extended heads-up battle against Justin Steinbrenner, Nino Pansier emerged victorious, claiming the trophy and the $1,125,000 top prize — the largest score of his career to date.
“I’m happy I won it. I’m happy I got a nice score here. It’s just another day, but I’m happy to end it successfully,” Pansier said afterward.
$25,000 PLO Main Event – Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nino Pansier | Netherlands | $1,125,000 |
| 2 | Justin Steinbrenner | Germany | $710,000 |
| 3 | Youness Barakat | Italy | $483,000 |
| 4 | Espen Sandvik | Norway | $340,000 |
| 5 | Artur Martirosian | Russian Federation | $250,000 |
| 6 | Lautaro Guerra | Spain | $190,000 |
| 7 | Tomasz Krzesinski | Poland | $143,000 |
A Final Table That Shifted Gears
The day began at a blistering pace. Five players were eliminated within the first 50 hands, setting up an early heads-up clash between Pansier and Steinbrenner.
What followed was anything but quick.
The duel lasted over four hours and more than 90 hands, with the chip lead changing multiple times. Both players traded massive pots, coolers, and dramatic runouts.
The decisive moment came when Pansier turned the nut flush against Steinbrenner’s flopped set — a hand that ultimately sealed the championship.
“He was playing solid. It was back-and-forth the whole time. I got lucky in some crucial hands. That’s probably the main reason I won,” Pansier admitted.
A Growing Force in PLO
Pansier’s live tournament record dates back only to 2021, yet he has quickly built a formidable résumé.
Prior to this event, he had:
- A runner-up finish at WSOP Europe
- Over $1.3 million in live earnings
- A €25,000 PLO victory at EPT Malta
- Another €25,000 runner-up finish at EPT Prague
With this win, his live earnings nearly double.
Notably, nearly all of his recent success has come in Pot-Limit Omaha, highlighting his growing mastery of the four-card format.
Friends, Rivalry & Momentum
Much of the final table atmosphere was fueled by the friendly rivalry between Pansier and Barakat. Their playful exchanges throughout the series added personality to the stage, and Barakat remained on the rail even after finishing third.
“Youness is a friendly guy. We’ve played together a lot. It’s nice having friends around at these series,” Pansier said.
Pansier’s rail also included several high-profile PLO regulars, reflecting the tight-knit community surrounding the game’s elite level.
A Series to Remember
Pansier had already posted a strong result earlier in the festival with a fifth-place finish in the $50,000 PLO Grand Slam. This victory capped off what he described as a memorable first visit to Merit Royal Diamond.
“I really enjoyed it. It was my first time here. It was beautiful, honestly. I’ll definitely be back.”
A Marathon Heads-Up Finish
- Steinbrenner opened with a strong lead
- Pansier surged ahead with nut flushes and full houses
- Massive double-ups shifted control repeatedly
- Multiple pots saw both players freerolling to flush draws
In the final confrontation, Steinbrenner flopped a set and committed his remaining chips. Pansier turned the nut flush draw and completed it on the turn. The river failed to pair the board — and the title was decided.
After nearly twice as many hands as the rest of the final table combined, Nino Pansier lifted the trophy, turning pre-match banter into reality.
The Onyx High Roller Series $25,000 PLO Main Event concludes with a fitting champion, as Pansier adds a career-defining victory to his rapidly expanding poker résumé.
