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 and the prize pool totaled $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 Events Centre for a final table battle. The last man standing was Lukas Zaskodny from Czechia, who was the champion of one of the last bracelet events of the summer series, capturing the prestigious bracelet and a substantial cash prize of $648,130.
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| 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 |
The final table action 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 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, bracelet winner Jimmy Setna from Canada, in seventh place. His previous bracelet was won in 2024 at 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.
Zaskodny is truly living the dream. Alongside his fiancée, Kristyna, the couple has 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, 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.”
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 he 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, and they hope to achieve 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 PokerNewswill be on hand to provide live updates for tournaments from around the world.
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