2025 WSOP PokerNews Deepstack Challenge
Kick off your day with some poker excitement! The opening Daily Deepstack of the day starts at 1 p.m. and promises a thrilling single-day event. With a $250 buy-in, you'll get a solid 25,000 starting stack to work with.
For the latecomers, late registration is open until the start of Level 9, and you can jump back in with unlimited reentries. Each level runs for 30 minutes, with 15-minute breaks sprinkled throughout the day, and a longer 30-minute break after Level 12 to recharge.
Blinds start at 100/100, with the big blind ante in play right from the start. Get ready to shuffle up and deal!
| Level | BB Ante | Blinds | Breaks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | 100-100 | |
| 2 | 200 | 100-200 | |
| 3 | 300 | 200-300 | |
| 4 | 400 | 200-400 | 15 Minute Break |
| 5 | 600 | 300-600 | |
| 6 | 800 | 400-800 | |
| 7 | 1,000 | 500-1,000 | |
| 8 | 1,200 | 600-1,200 | Remove 100 Chips (20 Minute Break) |
| 9 | 1,500 | 1,000-1,500 | |
| 10 | 2,000 | 1,000-2,000 | |
| 11 | 3,000 | 1,500-3,000 | |
| 12 | 4,000 | 2,000-4,000 | Remove 500 Chips (30 Minute Break) |
| 13 | 6,000 | 3,000-6,000 | |
| 14 | 8,000 | 4,000-8,000 | |
| 15 | 10,000 | 5,000-10,000 | |
| 16 | 16,000 | 8,000-16,000 | Remove 1,000 Chips (15 Minute Break) |
| 17 | 20,000 | 10,000-20,000 | |
| 18 | 30,000 | 15,000-30,000 | |
| 19 | 40,000 | 20,000-40,000 | |
| 20 | 60,000 | 30,000-60,000 | Break (15 Minute Break) |
| 21 | 80,000 | 40,000-80,000 | |
| 22 | 100,000 | 50,000-100,000 | |
| 23 | 150,000 | 100,000-150,000 | |
| 24 | 200,000 | 100,000-200,000 | Break (15 Minute Break) |
| 25 | 300,000 | 150,000-300,000 | |
| 26 | 400,000 | 200,000-400,000 | |
| 27 | 600,000 | 300,000-600,000 | |
| 28 | 800,000 | 400,000-800,000 | Break (15 Minute Break) |
| 29 | 1,000,000 | 500,000-1,000,000 | |
| 30 | 1,500,000 | 1,000,000-1,500,000 | |
| 31 | 2,000,000 | 1,000,000-2,000,000 | |
| 32 | 3,000,000 | 1,500,000-3,000,000 |
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Visit our dedicated safer gaming hub for more information about safe and responsible gaming.
In the 897th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Kyna England are joined by PokerNews Ontario Ambassador Kyle Anderson, who fills in for Mike Holtz. The trio discusses the deadly shooting that took place across the street from the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in front of the Bellagio Fountains, and then dives into the color-up controversy involving Tyler Brown, who shared his story with PokerNews.
Kyna then sounds off on the cancelled WSOP Online bracelet event, Michael Lavin won a gold bracelet and an extra $1,000,000 thanks to ClubWPT Gold, and Benny Glaser claimed two bracelets early in the summer. Other tournament winners include Josh Reichard, Brad Ruben, Blaz Zerjav, and Nick Guagenti, who denied Chino Rheem his first bracelet.
After recapping Dusti Smith's win in the Wynn Ladies High Roller and a look ahead to some upcoming poker charity events, Chad shares details on his recent Live Reality Game (LRG) adventure in which he left the WSOP for 10 days to compete in a Survivor-based game, Surviving Reelfoot Season 13, in the woods of Tennessee.
Learn about all those stories and more in the latest episode of the PokerNews Podcast!
Get ready for some poker action! The second Daily Deepstack of the day shuffles up and deals at 4 p.m. This single-day extravaganza comes with a $400 buy-in, giving you a hefty 30,000 starting stack to play with.
Feeling adventurous? Late registration is open until the start of Level 9, around 7:35 p.m., and you can reenter as many times as you like. Each level is a quick 20 minutes, with plenty of 15- and 20-minute breaks to catch your breath and strategize.
Blinds kick off at 100/100, and the big blind ante is in play from the get-go.
| Level | BB Ante | Blinds | Breaks & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | 100-100 | |
| 2 | 200 | 100-200 | |
| 3 | 300 | 200-300 | |
| 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 | Break (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 | Break (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 |
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!
What is the buy-in for the PokerNews Deepstack Championship?
The buy-in for the PokerNews Deepstack Championship event at the 2025 WSOP is $600 - among one of the lowest buy-ins in the Series. We looked to give low-stakes grinders an opportunity to win their way to a coveted WSOP bracelet, and the $600 entry fee is both affordable and offers the chance to win big money from an expected large prize pool.
When is the PokerNews Deepstack Championship?
The PokerNews Deepstack Championship event will be held between July 1-4, 2025. It's the 78th event in the 2025 WSOP.
Where is the PokerNews Deepstack Championship?
The PokerNews Deepstack Championship will be held in a new, vibrant venue near the Horseshoe poker room, Las Vegas.
How Can I Play the PokerNews Deepstack Championship?
Like any other event at the Series, to play the PokerNews Deepstack Championship, simply register from one of the multiple registration desks at the venue.
What is the PokerNews Deepstack Challenge?
The PokerNews Daily Deepstack Challenge is a leaderboard promotion running from May 27 to June 30. Players participating in the daily $200, $250, or $400 deep stack tournaments at the WSOP will earn points. The top 10 point earners each week will receive complimentary seats for the $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship.
What is the leaderboard system?
The leaderboard system will follow the same formula used for the WSOP Player of the Year
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 |