Ivan Ruban Among Final 55 in $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship
For those priced out of higher buy-ins but hungry for deepstack glory, Event #78: $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship loomed large on the 2025 poker calendar. This year’s edition ignited a stampede of 5,667 entries, forging a massive $2,856,168 prize pool. On Day 2, 635 hopefuls returned to the felt at Horseshoe and Paris, Las Vegas. Just 55 remain, each chasing a $302,165 first-place prize and the prestige of a WSOP gold bracelet.
This event carries added significance for PokerNews, as the second-ever sponsored bracelet event, and beyond the coveted gold bracelet, the champion will also receive a unique 24-karat gold PokerNews Deepstack Championship winner's coin as a testament to their accomplishment.
Ivan Ruban returns to Day 3 with 7,410,000, good for third in chips. No stranger to the late stages of massive fields, he’s looking to better his fourth-place finish in this year’s Monster Stack. Standing in his way are Daniel Schill, towering at the top with 12,475,000, and Jason Li, close behind with 9,170,000.
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daniel Schill | United States | 12,475,000 | 124 |
| 2 | Jason Li | Canada | 9,170,000 | 91 |
| 3 | Ivan Ruban | United States | 7,410,000 | 74 |
| 4 | Xizhe Yuan | United Kingdom | 6,305,000 | 63 |
| 5 | Aditya Sushant | India | 5,555,000 | 55 |
| 6 | Martijn Kiers | Austria | 4,885,000 | 48 |
| 7 | Karl Pineault | Canada | 4,815,000 | 48 |
| 8 | Assaf Zeharia | Israel | 4,795,000 | 47 |
| 9 | Thomas Henager | United States | 4,560,000 | 45 |
| 10 | Josias Santos | United States | 4,500,000 | 45 |
Players in the top ten chip counts looking to secure their biggest cash to date include: Xizhe Yuan (6,305,000), Aditya Sushant (5,555,000), Martijn Kiers (4,885,000), Karl Pineault (4,795,000), Assaf Zeharia (4,795,000), Thomas Henager (4,560,000), and Josias Santos (4,500,000).
Over the past five weeks, players have been flocking to participate in the PokerNews Daily Deepstack Challenge in the Horseshoe Las Vegas to try and get a top ten spot on the weekly leaderboard. Tanner Martinelli (1,725,000) is the last remaining leaderboard qualifier and hopes to represent the group with pride as he chases his first WSOP gold bracelet.
Cards will be in the air at 11 a.m. local time, with plans to play down to five players. Each level will last 60 minutes, with a 15-minute break every two levels and a 60-minute dinner break scheduled after Level 33 at approximately 5:30 p.m.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for live and exclusive coverage of the 2025 World Series of Poker!