Event #4: €2,000 No-Limit Hold'em 2K Monsterstack | 2025 WSOP Europe

09-23-2025 22:06 UTC+1

Final Two Tables

David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Table	Seat	Player	Country	Chip Count	Big Blinds
37	1	Daniel Knuth	Germany	1,680,000	17
37	2	Jose Gaona	Mexico	2,350,000	24
37	3	Pascal Vos	Netherlands	1,125,000	11
37	4	Giuliano Bendinelli	Italy	3,300,000	33
37	5	Antonios Onoufriou	Cyprus	1,450,000	15
37	6	Yehonatan Behor	Israel	1,200,000	12
37	7	Ioannis Chorianopoulos	Greece	1,100,000	11
37	8	Alessio La Francesca	Italy	4,450,000	45

38	1	Ratmir Kesidis	Greece	1,800,000	18
38	2	Giovanni Giudice	Italy	2,800,000	28
38	3	Stephan Klam	Germany	1,000,000	10
38	4	Michel Karim	Sweden	2,900,000	29
38	5	Silviu Baltateanu	Romania	5,000,000	50
38	6	Oleh Okhotskyi	Ukraine	4,500,000	45
38	7	Zdenek Zizka	Czechia	4,200,000	42
38	8	Karsten Knoebel	Germany	2,300,000	23

Player	Chips	Progress
Silviu Baltateanu	5,000,000
Oleh Okhotskyi	4,500,000 500,000	500,000
Alessio La Francesca	4,450,000 50,000	50,000
Zdenek Zizka	4,200,000 130,000	130,000

Giuliano Bendinelli	3,300,000 300,000	300,000

Michel Karim	2,900,000 90,000	90,000
Giovanni Giudice	2,800,000 300,000	300,000
Jose Gaona	2,350,000 350,000	350,000
Karsten Knoebel	2,300,000 800,000	800,000
Ratmir Kesidis	1,800,000
Daniel Knuth	1,680,000 80,000	80,000
Antonios Onoufriou	1,450,000 420,000	420,000
Yehonatan Behor	1,200,000 350,000	350,000
Pascal Vos	1,125,000 25,000	25,000
Ioannis Chorianopoulos	1,100,000 540,000	540,000
Stephan Klam	1,000,000 390,000	390,000

09-23-2025 21:57 UTC+1

Is Shiina Okamoto Becoming a Poker Superstar? | PokerNews Podcast #915

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Kaelaine Minton

Level 24 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

In the 915th episode of the PokerNews Podcast, Chad Holloway and Mike Holtz are once again joined by Ben Ludlow to talk the latest stories and highlights from the poker world. That includes back-to-back WSOP Ladies Event champ Shiina Okamoto, who was back to her winning ways after taking down the Women's Event at the recently-completed EPT Barcelona. Is it time to start mentioning her name when talking about the G.O.A.T.s of the game?

Speaking of the EPT Barcelona, David Coleman had four runner-up finishes there, while Thomas Eychenne took down the EPT Barcelona Main Event for €1,217,175. It was actually in that tournament that PokerNews spotted Jesse Yaginuma and James Carroll, the two friends who caused quite the controversy over the summer in the WSOP Millionaire Maker, seated next to each other. Strange coincidence, that.

From there, Chad offers highlights from his Wisconsin hangout with Phil Hellmuth, who then went ot New Hampshire for a "Beat the Champ" weekend that saw Brandon Cantu emerge victorious. Hellmuth also remembered the late, great Poker Hall of Fame tournament director Jack McClelland.

Speaking of winners, Grant Hinkle, Nick Rigby, and Maurice Hawkins all took down titles, which are recapped in this episode and inspired Mike to share a Rigby story of his own. Also, a preview of the upcoming PokerGO Tour (PGT) Venetian Las Vegas Classic.

Finally, remember PokerNews is giving away a seat in the World Tournament of Slots (WTOS). You could have an approximate one in 500 chance at a $1,000,000 top prize. Click here to learn more about the WToS.

Subscribe to the PokerNews Podcast on Apple Podcasts here! You can also find us on Spotify as well as our new page on SoundCloud!

Click here to listen to the new PN Podcast!

09-23-2025 21:55 UTC+1

Short Break

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Kai Cocklin

Level 24 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Players are heading on a short break to undertake a two table redraw.

09-23-2025 21:53 UTC+1

Marco Bognanni Eliminated in 17th Place (€6,000)

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Kai Cocklin

Level 24 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Giuliano Bendinelli made it 250,000 to go from the cutoff and Marco Bognanni used a time bank before he moved all in for 300,000 on the button. Daniel Knuth was in the big blind and shoved 1,075,000, and Bendinelli folded.

Marco Bognanni: A♦9♥ All in
Daniel Knuth: K♠K♥

Bognanni was behind, but did find a few more outs on the 5♣9♦8♥ flop as he paired his nine. However, none of those outs appeared as the J♦4♦ runout meant he was out in 17th.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giuliano Bendinelli	3,000,000 500,000	500,000

Daniel Knuth	1,600,000 100,000	100,000
Marco Bognanni	Busted

Tags: Daniel Knuth Giuliano Bendinelli Marco Bognanni

09-23-2025 21:52 UTC+1

Zizka, Karim Play a Massive Flip

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David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Michel Karim raised to 200,000 in the hijack and Zdenek Zizka moved all in for 2,090,000 in the big blind. Karim used a few time banks and tanked for a minute before calling.

Zdenek Zizka: A♦K♣ All in
Michel Karim: 6♠6♣

The two opponents were racing for the more than 4,000,000-chip pot, and Zizka took the lead on the A♠10♦9♠ flop with top pair. The rest of the board ran out 3♥2♣ and Zizka doubled up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Zdenek Zizka	4,330,000 2,090,000	2,090,000

Michel Karim	2,990,000 940,000	940,000

Tags: Michel Karim Zdenek Zizka

09-23-2025 21:47 UTC+1

Gaona Hits the River to Double

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David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Giovanni Giudice raised to 200,000 in the cutoff before Jose Gaona moved all in for 1,000,000 in the small blind.

"Can I have a count, because I'm pretty sure I'm calling?" Giudice asked the dealer, and he eventually called to put Gaona at risk.

Jose Gaona: A♣10♥ All in
Giovanni Giudice: 6♦6♣

Giudice remained in the lead with his sixes as the board came J♠8♥4♦3♠, but Gaona spiked the 10♦ on the river and let out a big fist pump while his rail erupted in celebration. He apologized to Giudice for the reaction after the hand, while the chips were pushed over to him.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giovanni Giudice	2,500,000 1,750,000	1,750,000
Jose Gaona	2,000,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Giovanni Giudice Jose Gaona

09-23-2025 21:45 UTC+1

Zoltan Vrancsik Eliminated in 18th Place (€6,000)

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David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Action folded to Oleh Okhotskyi, who raised to 280,000 in the small blind. Zoltan Vrancsik then moved all in for 1,300,000 in the big blind, and Okhotskyi nearly beat him into the pot.

Zoltan Vrancsik: A♠J♠. All in
Oleh Okhotskyi: K♠K♦

Okhotskyi had picked up kings and left Vrancsik looking for an ace to survive. The J♦7♠6♣ flop gave Vrancsik top pair, but he missed the 9♦ turn and 9♣ river and was eliminated in 18th place.

Player	Chips	Progress
Oleh Okhotskyi	4,000,000
Zoltan Vrancsik	Busted

Tags: Oleh Okhotskyi Zoltan Vrancsik

09-23-2025 21:40 UTC+1

Okhotskyi's Jack Good at Showdown

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Kai Cocklin

Level 24 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Giuliano Bendinelli made it 200,000 from the hijack and Oleh Okhotskyi called from the big blind.

The flop came 5♠4♥J♥ where both checked to the 7♦ turn. Okhotskyi bet 150,000 and Bendinelli called.

Both checked the 6♠ river and Okhotskyi took it down with a pair of jacks holding J♣10♣.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giuliano Bendinelli	3,500,000 350,000	350,000

Oleh Okhotskyi	2,900,000 500,000	500,000
Zoltan Vrancsik	1,700,000 300,000	300,000

Tags: Giuliano Bendinelli Oleh Okhotskyi

09-23-2025 21:36 UTC+1

Roman Sahin Eliminated in 19th Place (€6,000)

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Kai Cocklin

Level 24 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Roman Sahin shoved from the cutoff for his last 165,000 and Stephan Klam called in the big blind.

Roman Sahin: Q♦9♠ All in
Stephan Klam: K♦4♦

Sahin was behind, and couldn't catch up as the 3♠4♣7♠6♣J♦ runout meant he was out in 19th.

Player	Chips	Progress
Stephan Klam	1,390,000 260,000	260,000
Roman Sahin	Busted

Tags: Roman Sahin Stephan Klam

09-23-2025 21:33 UTC+1

Paul Knebel Eliminated in 20th Place (€6,000)

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David Salituro

Level 24 : Blinds 50,000/100,000, 100,000 ante

Paul Knebel moved all in for 175,000 on the button and Pascal Vos called in the big blind without looking at his cards.

Paul Knebel: Q♥2♥ All in
Pascal Vos: Q♣Q♠

"Not a bad hand, to be honest," tablemate Giovanni Guidice said to Vos, who happened to wake up with two queens. The board came A♥K♦8♦K♠ and Knebel was already making his exit before his tablemates told him he could still catch an ace to chop the pot. The river was the 2♦ and Knebel finally made his exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Pascal Vos	1,100,000 200,000	200,000
Paul Knebel	Busted

Tags: Pascal Vos Paul Knebel