Dorian Melchers Among Leaders as Final 16 Set for the WSOPE Closer Finale
From a field of 645 entries, only 16 players remain in contention for the final bracelet of the 2025 World Series of Poker Europe. After an action-packed Day 2 of Event #15: €1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Closer, Israel’s Asaf Adato bagged the overnight chip lead with 2,130,000, putting himself in prime position to capture his maiden WSOP title and the lion’s share of the €850,000 prize pool inside King's Resort.
Germany’s Dennis Schaefer (2,030,000) and Czechia's Lukas Timko (1,815,000) round out the top three, while Dorian Melchers (1,670,000) and Mariusz Klabisch (1,635,000) also finished the night above the seven-figure mark.
It was another deep run for Shaun Deeb, who continues to prove why he’s one of the most consistent performers in poker. The eight-time bracelet winner bagged 1,395,000 and remains firmly in contention to end his incredible 2025 campaign with a third bracelet of the year.
Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asaf Adato | Israel | 2,130,000 | 53 |
| 2 | Dennis Schaefer | Germany | 2,030,000 | 51 |
| 3 | Lukas Timko | Czechia | 1,815,000 | 45 |
| 4 | Dorian Melchers | France | 1,670,000 | 42 |
| 5 | Mariusz Klabisch | Poland | 1,635,000 | 41 |
| 6 | Roman Isaienko | Ukraine | 1,475,000 | 36 |
| 7 | Shaun Deeb | United States | 1,395,000 | 35 |
| 8 | Hans Thumann | Germany | 1,210,000 | 30 |
| 9 | Paul Covaciu | Romania | 1,195,000 | 30 |
| 10 | Michal Schuh | Czechia | 1,055,000 | 26 |
Among the other notable names still in the hunt are start-of-day chip leader Hans Thumann (1,210,000) and Canada’s Sorel Mizzi (435,000), who will need to spin it up on the final day if he’s to add a bracelet to his long list of career accolades.
Meanwhile, just three players in the remaining field have previously tasted WSOP success. The aforementioned Deeb leads that trio in the counts, followed by Czech champion Michal Schuh (1,055,000) and Italy’s Fabio Peluso (615,000), all of whom will be aiming to add another piece of hardware to their collections on the final day.
Remaining Payouts
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1 | €158,000 |
| 2 | €105,000 |
| 3 | €71,500 |
| 4 | €49,700 |
| 5 | €35,300 |
| 6 | €25,600 |
| 7 | €18,900 |
| 8 | €14,300 |
| 9 | €11,025 |
| 10-11 | €8,750 |
| 12-15 | €7,050 |
| 16 | €5,850 |
All 16 remaining players have locked up €5,850 but will be eyeing the top prize of €158,000 awaiting the eventual winner, along with the final bracelet of the 2025 WSOPE. The top nine finishers will earn five-figure payouts, with €105,000 for second and €71,500 for third, while a final table appearance will guarantee at least €14,300.
The final day gets underway on October 8, at 2 p.m. local time, with blinds resuming in Level 26 at 20,000/40,000 (40,000 big blind ante) with around 33 minutes left on the clock. Play will continue until a champion is crowned, bringing the curtain down on the 2025 WSOPE.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for all the final-day coverage as the last bracelet of the series is awarded here at King’s Resort Rozvadov.