Week 2 of the PNDC Kicks Off with Wins for Mineki, Flesch & Tibuni
Week 2 of the 2025 PokerNews Deepstack Challenge got underway on Tuesday, June 3, as another trio of Daily Deepstack events took center stage at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. The new week opened with 1,524 combined entries across the $200, $250, and $400 tournaments, generating $325,840 in prize pools and paying out more than 230 places.
Three players—Atsushi Mineki, Ryan Flesch, and Eric Tibuni—each booked a win, earning cash, leaderboard points, and momentum as the second weekly sprint toward the $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship began.
$250 Daily Deepstack
A total of 961 players packed the $250 event, making it one of the busiest fields so far in the PNDC. The prize pool reached $192,200, and 146 players made the money, with a $500 min-cash awarded.
The title went to Atsushi Mineki, a 54-year-old from Concord, California, who earned $28,124 after topping a deep and competitive final table. He defeated Emil Simonea (2nd – $19,797) and Scott Krentler (3rd – $14,164) to take the top spot, more than doubling his career earnings in the process.
Among the storylines: Robert Speechley and Julio Torres busted simultaneously on the bubble and split the $500 minimum payout. PokerNews alumni Brandon Bloom also made the money with a min-cash.
Final Table Results – $250 Deepstack
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atsushi Mineki | $28,124 |
| 2 | Emil Simonea | $19,797 |
| 3 | Scott Krentler | $14,164 |
| 4 | Troy Mclain | $10,282 |
| 5 | Shiny Nicolas Galion | $7,576 |
| 6 | Timothy Acker | $5,666 |
| 7 | Jeffrey Butwinick | $4,303 |
| 8 | William Wilson | $3,318 |
| 9 | Brett Kunin | $2,600 |
$400 Daily Deepstack
The $400 tournament drew 265 entries, generating an $87,450 prize pool with 40 players paid and a $812 min-cash.
The win went to Ryan Flesch, a 31-year-old low-stakes tournament grinder who recorded his 95th career cash and picked up $18,385 for the victory. Flesch defeated Sanjeev Kapoor (2nd – $12,500) and Christopher Robertson (3rd – $8,695) on his way to the title.
Final Table Results – $400 Deepstack
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan Flesch | $18,385 |
| 2 | Sanjeev Kapoor | $12,500 |
| 3 | Christopher Robertson | $8,695 |
| 4 | Vamerdino Magsakay | $6,184 |
| 5 | Michael Mcgowan | $4,498 |
| 6 | Antonio Seremet | $3,349 |
| 7 | Alfredo Pacheco | $2,553 |
| 8 | Tristan Tauscher | $1,994 |
| 9 | Raymund Uy | $1,596 |
$200 Daily Deepstack
Rounding out the Day 1 schedule for Week 2, the $200 event welcomed 298 entries, creating a $46,190 prize pool with 45 players paid and a $405 min-cash.
The last player standing was Eric Tibuni, a 34-year-old from Las Vegas, who pocketed $9,402 for the win. Tibuni outlasted Dillon Ellis (2nd – $6,363) and Mark Heitz (3rd – $4,413), while also sharing the final table spotlight with Maria Tibuni, who finished 6th for $1,686.
Final Table Results – $200 Deepstack
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Tibuni | $9,402 |
| 2 | Dillon Ellis | $6,363 |
| 3 | Mark Heitz | $4,413 |
| 4 | George Nikolich | $3,129 |
| 5 | Michael Wiercinski | $2,270 |
| 6 | Maria Tibuni | $1,686 |
| 7 | Bobby Amin | $1,282 |
| 8 | Dylan Ellis | $1,000 |
| 9 | Cornelius Nelson | $799 |
With the Week 2 leaderboard now live, the race to earn a seat in the $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship is officially underway, offering players another shot at points, prizes, and a place in the summer spotlight.