Event #97: $1,500 The Closer
Day 2 Completed
2025 World Series of Poker
Event #97: $1,500 The Closer
Day: 2
Event Info
2025 World Series of Poker
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
Buy-in
$1,500
Prize Pool
$4,687,273
Entries
4,297
Level
43
Blinds
1,500,000 / 3,000,000
Ante
3,000,000
Entries
317
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 4297
Filter
Level 43
: Blinds 1,500,000/3,000,000, 3,000,000 ante
In one of the final games of the World Series of Poker, Event #97: $1,500 The Closer No-Limit Hold’em at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, 4,297 total entries were recorded for a prize pool of $4,687,273. Only 317 squeaked through to Day 2, and all returning players were guaranteed a $3,710 payday.
Knockouts were fast and furious, and soon whittled down to 100 before Level 29. The final table was determined in Level 38, and ten hopefuls were gathered in the Horseshoe Event Center for a final table battle. The last man standing was Lukas Zaskodny from Czechia, who was the champion of one of the last events of the summer series, capturing the prestigious bracelet and a substantial cash prize of $648,130.
$1,500 The Closer Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lukas Zaskodny | Czechia | $648,130 |
| 2 | Richard Ali | United States | $432,090 |
| 3 | Lok Chan | Hong Kong | $321,830 |
| 4 | Thang Tran | United States | $241,610 |
| 5 | Adrian Tivadar | Romania | $182,830 |
| 6 | Dylan Lambe | United States | $139,460 |
| 7 | Jimmy Setna | Canada | $107,240 |
| 8 | Victor Caballero | Spain | $83,130 |
| 9 | Tawei Tou | Taiwan | $64,980 |
| 10 | Robert Nemeskeri-Kiss | United States | $51,246 |
Winner's Reaction
Zaskodny is truly living the dream. Alongside his fiancée, Kristyna, the couple have been traveling the world while he competes on the felt. Fresh off their engagement, he proudly shared that “she said yes” during a proposal in Hawaii, and the pair combines leisure with the professional poker circuit.
According to The Hendon Mob, Zaskodny has amassed over $3 million in tournament earnings. He previously captured a World Series of Poker bracelet in Europe in 2017, winning the Pot-Limit Omaha event in Rozvadov. However, this most recent bracelet carries special significance, as it was earned on American soil. He described it as being incredibly meaningful, something he’ll always treasure.
Zaskodny has been playing poker seriously for about 14 years. Before that, he honed his skills casually with friends and family in the Czech mountains, where the game was filled with laughter and good memories. It was during one early tournament, seated at a final table with fellow Czech player Ondrej Goetz, that Zaskodny had a pivotal realization. Witnessing Goetz's focus and skill, he knew he had to make a choice: either quit the game or fully commit to studying and improving. He chose the latter.
His preparation paid off. For the final table, Zaskodny credited his friend Martin Kabrhel for delivering an encouraging pep talk that helped shape his mindset. When asked if there was a turning point where he felt victory was certain, his confidence was clear: “I believed I would win through the entire tournament.”
Final Table Action
The final table was electric with energy, and included a truly international line-up. The chips danced back and forth several times. Zaskodny navigated a tough final table inside the Horseshoe Event Center and battled heads-up against Richard Ali, who has $1,014,586 in tournament earnings according to The Hendon Mob.
American Robert Nemeskeri-Kiss, who has enjoyed multiple deep runs this summer, added another to his resume by finishing in tenth place. Tawei Tou of Taiwan was the next to exit. With today’s payday, he surpasses the $1 million mark in career tournament earnings. Victor Caballero from Spain lost his place in the tournament in seventh spot.
Ali eliminated seventh-place finisher and WSOP bracelet winner Jimmy Setna from Canada. His previous bracelet was won in 2024 in the Tag Team Event, where he partnered with Jason James.
American Dylan Lambe was eliminated in sixth place when Adrian Tivadar secured the win with his snowmen.
Ali knocked out Romania’s Tivadar in fifth place, who secured the largest cash prize of his poker career, and American Thang Tran, the most vocally expressive player at the table, in fourth. This result also marks the biggest recorded cash of Tran's career. During breaks, he was seen doing calisthenics to keep his mind sharp and maintain high energy.
Ali also knocked out Hong Kong’s Lok Chan in third place. Lok previously captured a bracelet in June 2022, winning the $2,500 Mixed Big Bet Event.
At the start of the heads-up match, Ali held the chip lead after defeating most of the final table. Ali held a three-to-one chip lead. However, the heads-up match was where Zaskodny got fired up and put maximum pressure on Ali. The heads-up match did not last long. Zaskodny won four hands in a row to defeat his opponent.
Looking ahead, the couple plans to return home, celebrate both their engagement and his bracelet win with family and friends, and, of course, get some much-needed rest. Kristyna noted how passionate Lukas is about poker, adding that he played nearly every day of the series. This win was a fitting reward for the effort he put in all summer.
Their next stops on the poker tour include Barcelona, Cyprus, and Prague, in search of even more success.
This concludes the live updates for Event #97: $1,500 The Closer No-Limit Hold’em. Be sure to keep it here as PokerNews will be on hand to provide live updates for tournaments from around the world.
Level 43
: Blinds 1,500,000/3,000,000, 3,000,000 ante
Lukas Zaskodny raised to 7,000,000, and Richard Ali responded with an all-in for 101,400,000. Zaskodny asked for a count, then made the call.
Richard Ali: A♥K♣ 
Lukas Zaskodny: A♦10♣
Ali had Zaskodny dominated, and his rails were shouting for his cards to hold. The flop came 3♠5♣Q♣ and the shouting continued.
The turn Q♦ didn't help Zaskodny, but the river 10♠ changed everything when Zaskodny spiked a pair to eliminate Ali for the championship. Ali finished in second place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
214,800,000
89,800,000
|
89,800,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 43
: Blinds 1,500,000/3,000,000, 3,000,000 ante
Lukas Zaskodny raised to 7,000,000 on the button and Richard Ali defended from the big blind.
Ali checked the 3♥6♦J♥ flop, and Zaskodny bet 5,000,000. Ali quickly check-raised to 18,000,000, which Zaskodny called.
Ali slowed down and checked the 8♣ turn, prompting Zaskodny to bet 15,000,000. After a few moments, Ali folded, and Zaskodny dragged in the pot.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
125,000,000
28,000,000
|
28,000,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
89,000,000
28,850,000
|
28,850,000 |
Level 43
: Blinds 1,500,000/3,000,000, 3,000,000 ante
Richard Ali opened to 6,000,000 on the button, and Lukas Zaskodny called.
The flop came K♣J♣2♦ and both players checked. The turn 10♥ dropped, and Zaskodny fired 7,000,000, which Ali called.
The river K♠ was knuckled by both players. Zaskodny tabled A♦2♣, prompting Ali to muck his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
117,850,000
12,600,000
|
12,600,000 |
|
|
97,000,000
12,600,000
|
12,600,000 |
|
|
||
Level 43
: Blinds 1,500,000/3,000,000, 3,000,000 ante
Lukas Zaskodny raised to 7,000,000 on the button before Richard Ali snap-shoved all in for just over 170,000,000. Zaskodny called, and the cards were tabled.
Lukas Zaskodny: 6♦6♣
Richard Ali: A♦5♠
The flop came out 3♠3♦7♠, keeping Zaskodny in the lead, and the turn 6♥ confirmed his double up, as he improved to a full house.
Ali celebrated when the river 4♣ joined the board, not yet realising his rivered straight was already no good.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
130,450,000
27,550,000
|
27,550,000 |
|
|
84,400,000
28,400,000
|
28,400,000 |
|
|
||
Level 43
: Blinds 1,500,000/3,000,000, 3,000,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
158,000,000 | |
|
|
56,000,000 | |
|
|
||
Level 43
: Blinds 1,500,000/3,000,000, 3,000,000 ante
Lok Chan raised to 7,000,000 from the button with around 1,000,000 behind. Richard Ali jammed from the small blind with the covering stack, and after Lukas Zaskodny folded the big blind, Chan called for the remainder of his stack.
Lok Chan: K♦3♥
Richard Ali: Q♠7♣
Chan was ahead, but Ali had live cards working in his favor. The K♥J♠9♣ flop put Chan in the lead with a pair of kings. Ali immediately turned a straight on the 10♣ turn. The 5♦ river was a brick, and Chan headed to the cashier's desk to collect his third-place payout.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
158,000,000
8,000,000
|
8,000,000 |
|
|
56,000,000
11,500,000
|
11,500,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 43
: Blinds 1,500,000/3,000,000, 3,000,000 ante
Adrian Tivadar opened with 6,400,000 leaving behind one 100,000 chip under the gun. Richard Ali on the button shoved all-in. Thang Tran, who had around 28,000,000 behind, announced all-in, taking all three players to showdown.
Adrian Tivadar: A♣10♣
Thang Tran: A♠A♦
Richard Ali: 9♥7♥
Tran was ahead with aces, but the flop came 3♥6♦8♥ giving Ali a straight draw and a flush draw. The rail went wild as Ali threw his hoodie in the air when the turn 5♦ fell, completing his straight. The dealer completed the board with Q♣ sending both Tivadar and Tran to hit the rails together.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
150,000,000
43,900,000
|
43,900,000 |
|
Busted | |
|
Busted |
Level 43
: Blinds 1,500,000/3,000,000, 3,000,000 ante
Thang Tran moved all in from the cutoff for 10,500,000, before Lok Chan reshoved from the small blind for 13,500,000. The tournament chip leader, Richard Ali, then announced "Y.O.L.O" before calling from the big blind.
Thang Tran: Q♣J♣
Lok Chan: J♠J♦
Richard Ali: K♥5♦
There was no change in the pecking order on the 4♠7♦A♣ flop, and although the 10♣ didn't change who was ahead, it did provide Tran a royal flush draw.
The dealer then burned and turned the 6♣ river, giving Tran a flush and seeing him earn a full triple-up. Meanwhile, Chan won a small side pot as his pocket jacks remained ahead of Ali's king-high.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
106,100,000
16,100,000
|
16,100,000 |
|
|
34,500,000
16,500,000
|
16,500,000 |
|
|
6,000,000
4,500,000
|
4,500,000 |
|
|
||
