If one thing became certain in 2025, it’s that the live poker scene is still growing at a rapid pace. People’s desire to gather around the felted tables and throw some cards can’t be mistaken for anything else, and there’s a massive smorgasbord of events running all year long, all over the world, for players to choose from.
One series that is standing out is The Hendon Mob Championship (THMC). Whether THMC is a part of another event (such as The Festival or the Irish Poker Open) or runs in the form of a standalone festival, it’s a very popular affair. The reasons behind this are that it’s a very well-run event by experienced people, that the THM brand is recognized and respected, and, perhaps to some, that the players who cash the Main Event get a unique THMC flag on their profile on the world’s largest database.
The last THMC of 2025 wrapped up just a few hours ago, as a winner was crowned in the Main Event during the 2025 THMC London. It was a very intriguing event, in which a well-deserved winner claimed the win after an exciting and enjoyable heads-up duel.
Twelve Hours of Excitement
The 2025 THMC London was played December 1-7 at Genting Casino Stratford, London. The seven-day festival held at what was previously known as Aspers Casino offered a five-tournament schedule, where the £280 Main Event naturally was the most prestigious one. The tournament offered seven starting-day flights (including a rake-free Flip & Go), and with a £150,000 guarantee, it was destined to be a very popular affair that would attract many players.
Each starting-day flight played down to 15 % of the field, and those who made it through to Day 2 were all guaranteed a min-cash. Overall, the tournament scored 621 entries, which translated to a £155,250 prize pool. Up top was a juicy £33,280 first-place payout, but not only that; the winner would also get their hand on the coveted THMC trophy, as well as a package to the 2026 Cape Town Million, the annual THMC finale.
Day 2 was scheduled to kick off at 15:15 on Sunday, December 8, but the start was postponed ‘til 17:00 due to the pre-noon turbo- and hyper turbo flights going on a little longer than expected. Ninety-seven brave contestants started the final day, and at the earlier stages, players were falling like dominoes. Big stacks fiested on the smaller ones, and most of the victims hitting the rail instead registered for the £100 Closer. After roughly seven hours of play, 18 hours remained on two tables, and the atmosphere got a little bit more tense (in a good way; the players entered focus mode and were all determined to get crucial and significant pay jumps). Around 2:00 a.m., Alessandro Collaro busted in tenth place, and the nine-handed final table was set. The players went on a short break prior to the late-night showdown.
Within the first hands of the final table, one of the anonymous players remaining went out in ninth place for £1,710. The eight remaining players were all then guaranteed £2,020, something that was very thrilling to them all. The arguably most well-known player at the table, PokerStars commentator Nick Walsh, was one of the biggest stacks at this point, as he had won a big pot with pocket aces the hand right before the final table kicked off.
Bulgarian Angel Popov had been the chip leader for a long time during the middle stages of Day 2, but he had lost some chips here and there going into the final table. He would eventually bust in eighth place for £2,200, devastated to lose all his chips to Asiil Maye. Just a few hands later, the other anonymous player went out in seventh place as his pocket pair was counterfeited on a board that favored Christopher Yong. The player got £2,950 for his achievements and the remaining six players went on a 15-minute break; the levels now went down from 40 minutes to 30, and some stacks were shallow r, and the remaining six players went on a 15-minute break; the levels now went down from 40 minutes to 30, and some stacks were shallow, returning to the twenty-ninth level of the tournament.
Walsh and Terence Jordon were the players with the least amount of chips at this point, both playing fewer than 10 Big Blinds. They were playing tight, presumably hoping for the other one to bust. Walsh would prove to be the next casualty, though, as he bid farewell in sixth place for £4,500. Now being secured £6,520, Jordon got his last chips in the middle, ultimately losing a flip to Yong, which sent him out in fifth place.
Yong, who now played just north of 20 Big Blinds, had presumptions to go very, very deep. He was unlucky, though, as he lost an all-in showdown with pocket queens against the ace-jack of Dimosthenis Ioannidis. Ioannidis had his opponent covered, and as Yong busted in fourth for £9,780, the Greek now held a decent chip lead with three players left.
Five minutes later, Ioannidis and Maye were involved in a big pot. After a three-bet from Maye, Ioannidis forced his opponent all in. “I don’t believe you,” Maye said, and called for his tournament life with king-seven suited. He was up against ace-king and was drawing even slimmer as Ioannidis improved to a pair of aces on the flop. No miracle runout for Maye, who finished third for £15,840.
The stage was now set for a heads-up showdown between Ioannidis and Matthew Skeadas, with Ioannidis holding a two-to-one chip lead. Ioannidis managed to take his opponent’s stack down to 11 Big Blinds during the earlier stages of the one-versus-one duel, but Skeadas then doubled up after being all in with king-jack against queen-jack. Skeadas put up a good fight, but ultimately, his tournament life came to an end. The two players were all in before the flop, Skeadas trailing with queen-jack against the ace-deuce of Ioannidis. No help for Skeadas on the quite monotone board, and that settled it. He finished as the runner-up for £24,530, and as the clock read 5:00 a.m., the tournament came to an end with Ioannidis being declared the winner of the 2025 THMC London Main Event. He took home the £33,680 first-place prize, the stunning trophy, and the 2026 THMC Cape Town Million package after a 12-hour marathon Day 2.
2025 THMC London – Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Dimosthenis Ioannidis | Greece | £33,680 |
| 2 |  Matthew Skeadas | England | £24,530 |
| 3 | Asiil Maye | England | £15,840 |
| 4 | Christopher Yong | England | £9,780 |
| 5 | Terence Jordon | England | £6,520 |
| 6 | Nick Walsh | England | £4,500 |
| 7 | Anonymous | N/A | £2,950 |
| 8 |  Angel Popov | Bulgaria | £2,020 |
| 9 | Anonymous | N/A | £1,710 |
With that, the 2025 THMC season came to an end. THM ran 13 events this year, and it’s very evident that it’s a very appreciated event by all players. The only event officially announced for 2026 so far is the €350 event that will be played during the 2026 Irish Poker Open. That being said, Roland Boothby (Head of Partnership at THM) has confirmed there will be a similar number of events compared to this year, so all players can and should get excited for a 2026 calendar filled with several THMC affairs. This poker.pro journalist was on-site last week in London, covering the event from start to finish, and can vouch that it truly is a well-run event. For sure, it’ll grow even bigger and better next year, and it really adds exciting value to the much-anticipated 2026 live poker calendar.
