Event #1: €1,200 No-Limit Hold'em Bounty Hunter Opener
Day 2 Completed
2025 WSOP Europe
Event #1: €1,200 No-Limit Hold'em Bounty Hunter Opener
Day: 2
Event Info
2025 WSOP Europe
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
Buy-in
€1,200
Prize Pool
€435,000
Entries
385
Level
27
Blinds
50,000 / 100,000
Ante
100,000
Entries
59
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 385
Filter
From Football Pitch to Poker Glory, Pawel Wojciechowski Wins WSOPE Bounty Hunter Opener for €58,850*
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
The first bracelet of the 2025 World Series of Poker Europe has been awarded, and it is Pawel Wojciechowski who captured the title in Event #1: €1,200 NLH Bounty Hunter Opener at King’s Resort Rozvadov. The Polish player outlasted a field of 385 entries to secure the €58,850 top prize, along with a coveted WSOPE gold bracelet and a €10,350 ticket to the Main Event.
The tournament marked its debut on the WSOPE schedule and generated a prize pool of €435,000, drawing players from across Europe and beyond looking to kick off the festival in style. Across two opening flights, 59 contenders advanced to Day 2, where the fast-paced bounty format ensured no shortage of action and drama on the road to the final table.
Wojciechowski began the last day as the chip leader and carried that momentum all the way through, overcoming a tough final table that included former EPT champion Jan Bendik, who finished runner-up for €42,150, and France’s Dorian Melchers, who rounded out the podium in third for €31,750. With quick eliminations and plenty of fireworks fueled by the bounty element, the opener set the perfect tone for what promises to be an action-packed festival at King’s.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pawel Wojciechowski | Poland | €58,850* |
| 2 | Jan Bendik | Slovakia | €42,150* |
| 3 | Dorian Melchers | France | €31,750* |
| 4 | Mateusz Sikora | Poland | €25,000* |
| 5 | Ioannis Chorianopoulos | Greece | €20,700* |
| 6 | Franz George | Germany | €7,450 |
| 7 | Georgios Mylonas | Greece | €5,550 |
| 8 | Pablo Heredia | Austria | €4,200 |
| 9 | Amit Buganim | Israel | €3,300 |
*- includes a €10,350 Main Event ticket
Wojciechowski's Words
For Wojciechowski, the victory marks a life-changing moment just a year and a half after he left his full-time job to pursue poker professionally. “It means so much to me,” he said, visibly emotional after the win. “I’m just grateful for this day. I ran so hot, it couldn’t be any other outcome than winning this bracelet.”
He credited much of his run to a string of pivotal setups, particularly pocket aces that appeared multiple times at the final table. “It really felt like destiny. From the beginning of the tournament, everything went my way. I even had the set over set spot, and while that was tough, I took a deep breath, moved on, and then doubled right after the break. That brought me back into it.”
A former footballer, Wojciechowski said his sports background helped him keep composure under pressure. “Bad beats don’t affect me the same way. I know how to recover quickly and focus on the next hand. That mindset made the difference today.”
While he admits he still has work to do, especially in heads-up play and ICM, today was all about celebrating the breakthrough. “I never thought I was going to win it, because the opponents were very tough, much better than me. I just tried to play every hand as well as I could. Today was the day, and it’s an amazing feeling.”
Navigating Ups and Downs
It was by no means smooth sailing for Wojciechowski, who navigated plenty of ups and downs on his way to victory. Starting the day as chip leader certainly helped, and that momentum stayed with him as he dispatched both Modestas Plauska and Luigi Pignataro early on, the latter with pocket aces against ace-king.
Wojciechowski also eliminated Czechia's number-one ranked tournament player, according to TheHendonMob, when his ace-queen was too strong for the ace-jack of Martin Kabrhel.
By the time the final table came around, Wojciechowski sat third in the counts, while runner-up Bendik was chip leader with almost a third of the chips in play. However, things didn't start too well for the Polish player as he found himself in a tricky situation against Pablo Heredia.
Holding pocket fives, Wojciechowski flopped a set and got the chips in on the turn against Heredia, who held pocket queens for a higher set. No miracle one-outer arrived on the river, and Wojciechowski's final table was off to a terrible start.
The luck wasn't against Wojciechowski for long, though, as he clashed in a pot with Bendik which resulted in them both getting their stacks in preflop. Wojciechowski held aces and was up against the big slick of Bendik, and a clean runout later, the eventual champion was back on track.
It's always great to pick up aces, but it's even better when you get dealt them twice at the same final table, especially when you get paid. That was the situation for Wojciechowski as he got his stack in once again with the bullets against the ace-queen of Heredia. The board changed nothing, and Heredia exited in eighth while Wojciechowski climbed to the top of the leaderboard.
Wojciechowski went on to send Georgios Mylonas, Ioannis Chorianopoulos, Mateusz Sikora, and Melchers to the payout desk, which left him with just one player standing between him and the title.
It was all over before it really began, as just three hands into the duel Wojciechowski had his hands on the elusive bracelet. After checking his option preflop, he check-called two streets before check-shoving the river after backdooring the nuts, a queen-high straight, with queen-jack. Bendik had turned two pair and couldn't let it go, which meant he had to settle for second.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for live coverage throughout the 2025 WSOPE, with 14 more bracelets still up for grabs at King’s Resort.
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Jan Bendik limped in from the button and Pawel Wojciechowski checked his option from the big blind.
They both saw a flop of 2♣3♥10♦, where Wojciechowski checked and Bendik bet 150,000. Wojciechowski called to the 9♥ turn, where again he went into check-call mode when Bendik bet 450,000.
An 8♣ hit the river and when Wojciechowski checked for a third time, Bendik went big with a bet of 1,500,000. After burning through a time bank, Wojciechowski shoved, which left Bendik with the decision for his remaining 2,800,000. Shortly after, Bendik called.
Wojciechowski then revealed he had backdoored the nuts with Q♥J♦, and Bendik's 9♦3♣ for two pair was no good.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
15,400,000
5,200,000
|
5,200,000 |
|
||
|
Busted | |
|
||
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Dorian Melchers moved all in for 650,000 in the small blind and Pawel Wojciechowski called in the big blind.
Dorian Melchers: Q♠3♥ 
Pawel Wojciechowski: K♣J♥
The A♠10♥8♥ flop took away some of Melchers' outs as Wojciechowski picked up a straight draw. The turn was the A♣, while the 4♦ fell on the river as Melchers tossed Wojciechowski his bounty card and reached across the table to shake his hand before heading off to the rail in third place.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
10,200,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,200,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
Busted | |
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Dorian Melchers jammed for 275,000 from the button and Jan Bendik called without looking at his cards from the big blind.
Dorian Melchers: A♥6♣
Jan Bendik: Q♣2♥
Melchers took a commanding lead in the hand when the flop of 3♥A♠8♦ came down as he hit top pair. The 4♠ turn gave Bendik a straight draw, but he missed when the 10♥ completed the board, meaning Melchers doubled up to 700,000.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,400,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,300,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
700,000
350,000
|
350,000 |
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Pawel Wojciechowski raised to 200,000 on the button and Dorian Melchers called in the big blind.
The flop came 8♦7♥5♦ and Wojciechowski bet 100,000. Melchers quickly folded.
Wojciechowski again opened to 250,000 on the button a few hands later, and Melchers defended his big blind once more.
Wojciechowski bet 100,000 on the K♠8♣7♥ flop and Melchers folded, leaving himself with just over three big blinds.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,200,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
350,000
600,000
|
600,000 |
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Dorian Melchers made it 300,000 to go from the small blind and Pawel Wojciechowski called from the big blind.
They saw a flop of 10♠2♦10♦, where Melchers continued for 170,000. Wojciechowski then raised to 400,000, and Melchers stuck around with a call.
A Q♦ on the turn brought in the front door flush draw, which drew a check out of Melchers. Wojciechowski then moved all in, and Melchers folded with less than a million behind.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
9,050,000
1,550,000
|
1,550,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,400,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
950,000
1,350,000
|
1,350,000 |
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Jan Bendik raised to 250,000 on the button and Pawel Wojciechowski called in the big blind.
The flop came 7♦2♦Q♠ and Bendik bet 250,000. Wojciechowski quickly folded and Bendik flung his arms in the air in frustration as he flashed 7♠7♥ before taking in the pot.
Wojciechowski then limped in from the small blind, Bendik raised to 300,000, and Wojciechowski called.
Both players checked the J♠10♣7♥ flop. Wojciechowski then led out for 250,000 on the 7♠ turn, and Bendik quickly called.
Wojciechowski bet another 450,000 on the 2♣ river, and this time Bendik tapped the felt and mucked.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
7,500,000
900,000
|
900,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,600,000 | |
|
|
||
|
|
2,300,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Jan Bendik raised the button to 250,000 and Pawel Wojciechowski defended his big blind.
On the 3♣2♥3♦ flop, Wojciechowski check-folded after Bendik bet 250,000.
A few hands later, Wojciechowski made it 200,000 from the button with Dorian Melchers calling from the big blind.
Melchers knuckled the action over to Wojciechowski on the Q♥4♦Q♣ flop, and then folded when Wojciechowski bet 130,000. As he pulled in the pot, Wojciechowski said, "My favorite hand," and flipped over AxAx.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,600,000
100,000
|
100,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,600,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,600,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
Level 27
: Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante
Jan Bendik raised to 250,000 in the small blind and Dorian Melchers called.
Bendik checked dark going to the 7♣5♣4♦ flop, and Melchers checked back. Bendik then bet 325,000 on the 3♥ turn, and Melchers folded.
Melchers then raised to 200,000 on the button and Pawel Wojciechowski three-bet to 650,000 in the small blind. Melchers again gave up his hand.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
6,500,000
200,000
|
200,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
5,800,000
300,000
|
300,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
2,400,000
800,000
|
800,000 |
