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Week 2 Completed
2025 WSOP PokerNews Deepstack Challenge
PNDC Updates
Week: 2
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The second week of the PokerNews Deepstack Challenge wrapped up on June 9, with the top ten points earners now confirmed for the PokerNews Deepstack Championship. Held at the 2025 WSOP, Week 2 featured 21 events and over 8,600 total entries, generating more than $1.8 million in prize money.
Tristan Tauscher topped the Week 2 leaderboard with 1,012 points, boosted by a win in the final $250 event on June 9. Tanner Martinelli finished second with 912 points, thanks to a win in the closing $200 tournament and two more cashes.
Dannette Mason secured third place with 828 points, earning her spot with a victory in the largest event of the week, a 1,105-entry $250 tournament on June 8.
Here are the ten players advancing from Week 2:
| Rank | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tristan Tauscher | 1012 |
| 2 | Tanner Martinelli | 912 |
| 3 | Dannette Mason | 828 |
| 4 | Ryan Flesch | 815 |
| 5 | Atsushi Mineki | 814 |
| 6 | Hunter Cole | 793 |
| 7 | Konstantinos Tzinis | 776 |
| 8 | Michael Meza | 759 |
| 9 | Kevin Iacofano | 757 |
| 10 | Ryan Weber | 752 |
PokerNews will be in touch to let you know how you can claim your ticket.
Week 2 of the 2025 PokerNews Deepstack Challenge wrapped on Monday, June 9, following seven days of steady turnout, competitive final tables, and over $1.8 million in total prize pools. Across 21 one-day tournaments, the series attracted 8,663 entries and awarded $332,196 to event winners.
With three events per day—priced at $200, $250, and $400—players had consistent chances to cash, build momentum, and earn leaderboard points in the first leg of this summer-long promotion.
The leaderboard will be updated later today, with the second batch of ticket winners being announced, so stay tuned.
Standout Performances
- Dannette Mason took down Sunday’s $250 Deepstack, which drew 1,105 entries, the largest field of the week. She earned $31,173 to pick up the biggest prize of the week, which put her atop of the PNDC Week 2 leaderbaord.
- Xingyu Liu won the biggest $400 event, banking $18,680 after topping a 271-player field.
- Tristan Tauscher, and Tanner Martinelli were among the players to collect wins on the final day of leaderboard eligibility.
- Across the first two weeks of the PNDC, 17,206 entries have been tallied, creating prize pools worth a combined $3,695,249, with $667,265 going to the champions.
PNDC Week 2 Winners
| Date | Buy-in | Entries | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, June 3 | $250 | 961 | $192,200 | Atsushi Mineki | $28,124 |
| Tue, June 3 | $400 | 265 | $87,450 | Ryan Flesch | $18,385 |
| Tue, June 3 | $200 | 298 | $46,190 | Eric Tibuni | $9,402 |
| Wed, June 4 | $250 | 540 | $116,100 | Kevin Iacofano | $18,629 |
| Wed, June 4 | $400 | 126 | $44,226 | Kyle Sullivan | $10,800 |
| Wed, June 4 | $200 | 219 | $43,800 | George Vigelette | $7,542 |
| Thu, June 5 | $250 | 512 | $102,400 | Hunter Cole | $17,921 |
| Thu, June 5 | $400 | 170 | $56,100 | Mark Lacoste | $13,327 |
| Thu, June 5 | $200 | 260 | $40,300 | Yen-Tuan Chen | $8,542 |
| Fri, June 6 | $250 | 548 | $109,600 | Michael Meza | $18,789 |
| Fri, June 6 | $400 | 149 | $49,170 | John Howe | $12,105 |
| Fri, June 6 | $200 | 284 | $44,020 | Christopher Dixon | $9,073 |
| Sat, June 7 | $250 | 513 | $102,600 | Ryan Weber | $17,951 |
| Sat, June 7 | $400 | 179 | $59,070 | Julien Leideck | $13,884 |
| Sat, June 7 | $200 | 307 | $47,585 | Zhun Wang | $9,564 |
| Sun, June 8 | $250 | 1,105 | $221,000 | Dannette Mason | $31,173 |
| Sun, June 8 | $400 | 266 | $87,780 | Konstantinos Tzinis | $18,447 |
| Sun, June 8 | $200 | 373 | $57,815 | Rodrigo Aldorino | $11,068 |
| Mon, June 9 | $250 | 916 | $183,200 | Tristan Tauscher | $27,166 |
| Mon, June 9 | $400 | 271 | $89,430 | Xingyu Liu | $18,680 |
| Mon, June 9 | $200 | 401 | $22,630 | Tanner Martinelli | $11,624 |
Week 2 of the PokerNews Deepstack Challenge concluded on Monday, June 9, with a packed schedule of three events and over 1,500 combined entries. The $250, $400, and $200 tournaments produced three new champions to close out the week in style. The updated PNDC leaderboard—featuring the top ten players after two weeks—will be revealed soon.
$250 Daily Deepstack
The biggest winner of the day was 34-year-old SEO manager Tristan Tauscher, who topped a massive 916-entry field in the $250 event to earn $27,166, more than ten times his only other recorded WSOP cash.
After debuting with a min-cash in the $600 Deepstack Bracelet event on June 1, Tauscher quickly locked up a breakout victory that could very well earn him a ticket to the upcoming $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship. Mark Lee ($19,135) and Isua Mbang ($13,692) rounded out the podium in an event that paid 138 players.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tristan Tauscher | $27,166 |
| 2 | Mark Lee | $19,135 |
| 3 | Isua Mbang | $13,692 |
| 4 | Jaymie Virtusio | $9,941 |
| 5 | Vincent Freeman | $7,325 |
| 6 | Kenny Velez | $5,479 |
| 7 | Kenneth Rutledge | $4,162 |
| 8 | Veselin Petrov | $3,210 |
| 9 | David Coffelt | $2,515 |
$400 Daily Deepstack
In the $400 event, Xingyu Liu scored the biggest payday of his career with an $18,680 first-place finish. The 27-year-old warehouse manager had previously placed 417th in the Mystery Millions for $3,680.
Liu defeated a field of 271 entries and a final table that included Jason Spurgetis ($12,725), Michael Holmes ($8,867), and Tim Krist ($6,313).
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xingyu Liu | $18,680 |
| 2 | Jason Spurgetis | $12,725 |
| 3 | Michael Holmes | $8,867 |
| 4 | Tim Krist | $6,313 |
| 5 | Bart Young | $4,594 |
| 6 | Lloyd Frensemeier | $3,420 |
| 7 | Timothy Glab | $2,605 |
| 8 | Shayne Mogilski | $2,032 |
| 9 | Donald Manns | $1,623 |
$200 Daily Deepstack
Finally, WSOP Circuit ring winner Tanner Martinelli added another title to his resume by taking down the $200 event for $11,624. The 34-year-old described himself to PokerNews as a “certified gangsta,” and his performance backed it up.
Martinelli bested 400 other entries and outlasted Alec Jahed ($7,905) and Robert Perkins ($5,505) to close out the tournament and the week.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tanner Martinelli | $11,624 |
| 2 | Alec Jahed | $7,905 |
| 3 | Robert Perkins | $5,505 |
| 4 | Juan Roldanmolinos | $3,915 |
| 5 | Kristian Aquino | $2,844 |
| 6 | Rishi Karia | $2,111 |
| 7 | Andrea Tropea | $1,603 |
| 8 | Suyash Singh | $1,244 |
| 9 | Toney Doan | $989 |
This summer at the WSOP, the PokerNews Deepstack Challenge gives everyday grinders a chance to shine. Play well in the daily $200, $250, $400 Deepstack events, rack up leaderboard points, and you could win a free seat to the $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship.
Last year, eight leaderboard qualifiers made it count, not only earning their way into the Championship, but cashing in it too.
From first-timers to bracelet winners, here’s a look at the players who turned a daily grind into a WSOP payday.
Raymond Chiu
- Finished 254th for $1,743
- Topped the Week 1 leaderboard
Chiu came out swinging, winning back-to-back daily Deepstacks and rode that momentum into the Championship. He was the first qualifier to lock up a seat and one of the first to cash.
William Plitz
- Finished 142nd for $2,458
- Week 1 – 2nd place on the leaderboard
Plitz’s run started with a win in the May 30 daily, which also happened to be his biggest live score ever ($6,475). He backed it up with another deep run in the Championship. Safe to say he made the most of the PNDC.
Georgios Skarparis
- Finished 468th for $1,261
- Week 1 – 9th on the leaderboard
With $1.45 million in live earnings and a WSOP Mini Main title to his name, Skarparis is no stranger to success. Even with all that experience, he still came out for the daily Deepstacks and cashed again in the Championship.
Kenny Hsiung
- Finished 71st for $4,432
- Week 3 – 6th place
Hsiung, who won a WSOP bracelet in 2012, proved he’s still got the chops. He was the highest-finishing leaderboard qualifier in the Championship.
Michael Lin
- Finished 673rd for $1,201
- Week 3 – 10th on the leaderboard
Lin made the final table of the 2022 Deepstack Championship, and while this year’s run didn’t go quite as far, he still bagged another cash. A quiet, consistent presence on the felt.
Artur Stepanyan
- Finished 289th for $1,743
- Week 4 – 8th place
A breakout moment for Stepanyan, who turned a top-10 finish in Week 4 into a solid run in the Championship. It was only his second ever WSOP cash, not bad for someone still early in their WSOP journey.
Michael Beattie
- Finished 224th for $1,936
- Week 4 – 9th place
Beattie has over $300K in live earnings and knows how to find a payday. He added another cash prize to the pile from the PokerNews Deepstack Championship.
Hsing-Hsiung Tai
- Finished 464th for $1,261
- Week 4 – 10th place
No big headlines or flashy scores, just a solid grind from Tai, who turned his final qualifying spot into a Championship cash.
The PokerNews DeepStack Championship returns to the World Series of Poker from July 1–4 at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas.
If you’re dreaming of winning a WSOP bracelet without a five-figure bankroll, this is your shot. The $600 buy-in event offers a deep 30,000-chip starting stack, a Main Event-style structure, and one re-entry. Day 1 levels are 40 minutes; Days 2–4 move to 60 minutes.
Last year’s event saw 5,110 entries and a $2.6 million prize pool. Hector Berry won the bracelet and $282,876.
Register in person at the WSOP main registration area or skip the lines with the WSOP+ app.
Want to win a seat? Enter the daily $200/$250/$400 DeepStacks between May 27 and June 30. The PokerNews DeepStack Challenge leaderboard awards 10 seats each week—50 in total.
View the full blind structure here.
Wrap up your day with some thrilling poker action! The final Daily Deepstack of the day kicks off at 8 p.m. as a single-day showdown. With a $200 buy-in, you'll start with a 20,000 stack of chips.
For those who like to make a dramatic entrance, late registration is open until the start of Level 6 (approx 10:20 p.m.), and you can reenter as many times as you want until then. Each level lasts 20 minutes, with plenty of 15-minute breaks throughout the evening.
Blinds start at 100/100, and the big blind ante is in play right from the start. If this event runs long, the tournament director reserves the right to suspend play and resume the following day.
| Level | BB Ante | Blinds | Breaks / Chip Removals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | 100-100 | |
| 2 | 200 | 100-200 | |
| 3 | 300 | 100-300 | |
| 4 | 400 | 200-400 | |
| 5 | 600 | 300-600 | |
| 6 | 800 | 400-800 | Remove 100 Chips (20 Minute Break) |
| 7 | 1,000 | 500-1,000 | |
| 8 | 1,500 | 1,000-1,500 | |
| 9 | 2,000 | 1,000-2,000 | Remove 500 Chips (15 Minute Break) (Reg. ends) |
| 10 | 3,000 | 2,000-3,000 | |
| 11 | 4,000 | 2,000-4,000 | |
| 12 | 6,000 | 3,000-6,000 | |
| 13 | 8,000 | 4,000-8,000 | |
| 14 | 10,000 | 5,000-10,000 | |
| 15 | 16,000 | 8,000-16,000 | |
| 16 | 20,000 | 10,000-20,000 | Remove 1,000 Chips (15 Minute Break) |
| 17 | 30,000 | 15,000-30,000 | |
| 18 | 40,000 | 20,000-40,000 | |
| 19 | 60,000 | 30,000-60,000 | |
| 20 | 80,000 | 40,000-80,000 | |
| 21 | 100,000 | 50,000-100,000 | |
| 22 | 150,000 | 100,000-150,000 | 15 Minute Break |
| 23 | 200,000 | 100,000-200,000 | |
| 24 | 300,000 | 150,000-300,000 | |
| 25 | 400,000 | 200,000-400,000 | |
| 26 | 600,000 | 300,000-600,000 | |
| 27 | 800,000 | 400,000-800,000 | |
| 28 | 1,000,000 | 500,000-1,000,000 | 15 Minute Break |
| 29 | 1,500,000 | 1,000,000-1,500,000 | |
| 30 | 2,000,000 | 1,000,000-2,000,000 | |
| 31 | 3,000,000 | 1,500,000-3,000,000 | |
| 32 | 5,000,000 | 2,000,000-5,000,000 | |
| 33 | 6,000,000 | 3,000,000-6,000,000 | |
| 34 | 8,000,000 | 4,000,000-8,000,000 |
Ready to show off your skills and compete for amazing prizes? The PokerNews Daily Deepstack Challenge is here from May 28 to June 24, and it’s your time to shine! Play in daily WSOP deep stack tournaments, earn points, and score fantastic rewards—including seats to the $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship and some cool memorabilia.
Want to see how you’re doing? Track your progress, check out the latest standings, and get all the updates on our leaderboard page. Click the link below to dive into the action!
Before the 2025 World Series of Poker started, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz were joined by Joey Ingram and Christina Gollins on the PokerNews Podcast to host the show's first-ever Fantasy Draft!
After reviewing the scoring system and choosing team names, a draft was conducted and the stakes were set. The owner of the worst team will buy the winning three teams a nice Las Vegas dinner. Plus, fans can choose which team they're rooting for, and if that team wins, they'll be entered into a random giveaway.
Who was drafted early? Who was put on the bench? And who wasn't drafted at all?
Find out in this episode of the PokerNews Podcast:
