2025 WSOP: Backgammon Grandmaster Zdeněk Žižka Wins First WSOP Bracelet ($232,498)

Zdenek Zizka 2025 WSOP Event #84: $1,000 No-Limit Holdem Bracelet Winner

As the 2025 World Series of Poker runs toward the finish line, there are still a handful of bracelet dreams left to be realized, including the Main Event. Event #84: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em was one of the final chances for players to make a splash before the curtain falls on another incredible summer.

From a massive field of 1,873 entrants, only three players returned for an unscheduled fourth day to settle who is bringing home the gold and the biggest piece of the $1,648,240 pie. The trio that bagged for Day 3 were seven-time WSOP bracelet winner Shaun Deeb, rising Czech star Zdeněk Žižka, and lesser-known American player Jeffrey Thoney.

Thoney was quick to hit the rail in third, only after two hands of the final day restart. His ace-deuce shove was called by Deeb’s pocket three that held, setting up a headline-worthy heads-up.

Deeb, fresh off his win in the $100,000 PLO High Roller, began the battle with a better than 2:1 chip lead, but 26-year-old backgammon grandmaster Žižka had the last laugh as momentum shifted multiple times before he sealed the win.

In the last hand, Deeb pushed all-in with king-three, and Žižka called with pocket deuces. The board of J♦9♣8♥6♦8♣ missed Deeb, and Žižka captured his first WSOP title and the $232,498 top prize, for a breakout moment on poker’s biggest stage.

Zdeněk “ZZ” Žižka isn’t just a random name who ran hot. At just 26, he’s already regarded as one of the best backgammon players in the world, voted second in the prestigious Backgammon Giants ranking, only behind the legendary Masayuki “Mochy” Mochizuki. But similar to other young prodigies, he didn’t limit his talents only to over the board and has successfully transitioned into poker as well. We have seen him at several high-stakes events in the past, including the Bombay High Stakes Week, Kings of Tallinn High Roller, and now at the WSOP.

2025 WSOP: Event #84: $1,000 No-Limit Holdem Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1Czechia Zdeněk ŽižkaCzech Republic$232,498
2United States of America Shaun DeebUnited States$154,906
3United States of America Jeffrey ThoneyUnited States$112,413
4Argentina Santiago MaglioArgentina$82,480
5United States of America Brian KlishUnited States$61,195
6Australia Dinesh SinghamAustralia$45,917
7United States of America Logan KimUnited States$34,848
8United States of America Ricky RobinsonUnited States$26,754
9Canada Santiago PlanteCanada$20,781

As for Deeb, yet another deep run has only solidified his lead in the race for the 2025 WSOP Player of the Year title. With two runner-up finishes, a third place, and a victory in the prestigious $100,000 PLO High Roller, Deeb continues to prove why he’s one of the most consistent and dangerous players every summer.

Shaun Deeb 2025 WSOP
Shaun Deeb

His latest $154,906 payday (and 532.23 POY points) extends his lead atop the leaderboard. He now sits 674 points ahead of second-place Benny Glaser, who, despite winning three bracelets this summer, trails the American grinder. Scott Bohlman occupies third with a bracelet in the $2,000 No-Limit Hold’em and two additional final table appearances, while poker’s “bad boy” Martin Kabrhel holds fourth. Everyone else remains under the 3,000-point mark, chasing from the distance.

2025 WSOP Player of the Year Leaderboard

PlacePlayerPoints
1United States of America Shaun Deeb4,283.13
2United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Benny Glaser3,609.35
3United States of America Scott Bohlman3,431.25
4Czechia Martin Kabrhel3,345.76
5Portugal Joao Vieira2,834.16
6Slovenia Blaž Žerjav2,708.53
7United States of America Nick Schulman2,675.91
8Canada Thomas Taylor2,669.77
9United States of America Dylan Linde2,554.05
10Canada Daniel Negreanu2,548.67

* Hands and photos courtesy of PokerNews and WSOP

In This Series

Show all 93 articles

Share this article

Link copied!

About the author

Author

Nathan Fryar

Nathan Fryar is a former professional poker player turned poker author.