WSOPE: The Title and €1,140,000 Head to Germany as Daniel Pidun Claims European Championship

The last edition of the WSOPE series at Rozvadov's King's Resort concluded yesterday, providing plenty of thrilling action. Eyes from around the world were glued to the final table of the Main Event, where a coveted bracelet and over a million euros awaited the champion. Let’s dive into how the finale unfolded and what it brought.

Shortly after the game began, short-stacked Matthias Gude (A h Q d < K c K d) was eliminated in 8th place. Soon after, Catalin Pop followed, losing a crucial flip with A c ​​ against Jaatinen's tens. In a dramatic twist, the fairytale ended for Austrian title defender Max Neugebauer, who didn't reclaim his title but took home a respectable 6th place with a prize of €145,000.

The Fairytale of Qualifier Jaatinen

Next to leave the table was Claudio Di Giacomo, who succumbed to Karlic's river flush, exiting in 5th place. German representative Pidun kept a low profile behind the leaders, carefully avoiding significant losses and slowly eyeing the top positions.

After the break, Karlic continued his massive lead, followed by Garcia. Finnish qualifier Teemu Jaatinen, who entered the tournament for just €20 (!), found himself in his final hand with A c ​​ against Pidun's A h ​​J s. Despite his elimination, he created one of the most inspiring stories of the year - turning a €20 satellite into a life-changing €370,000!

A Symbolic Farewell to Rozvadov

Shortly after, the clash of the leaders occurred: Garcia went all-in against Karlic's 4-bet with A c 3 c but ran into tens, ending his dreams in 3rd place. The final heads-up began with a 49m to 16m lead for Karlic, but everything changed in the first hand – Pidun hit a flush on the turn, was called with a set, and stacks evened up rapidly.

The decisive moment arrived over an hour later with a massive preflop cooler: Karlic was dealt J s J c while Pidun held A h A c. The inescapable scenario ended with a preflop 5-bet shove and call, with a blank board changing nothing.

The jubilant champion Pidun rushed to the rail, embraced his opponent, and claimed his bracelet along with a check for €1,140,000. Remarkably, Pidun, the EPT Berlin 2013 winner, plays, as he says, "only once a year," focusing on the family business with mobile parts. Twelve years after his previous European Main Event triumph, he became the man who "turned off the lights" on Rozvadov’s WSOP Europe chapter – as you were informed yesterday, King's Casino announced that WSOP Europe will be moving to Prague in 2026 after eight years. And claiming the most prestigious bracelet with pocket aces couldn't have ended this chapter more symbolically.

The Closer: Lukáš Timko Dominates Czech Heads-Up to Win Bracelet

The farewell to this year's WSOP Europe continued beyond the TV table, where the last bracelet event of WSOPE 2025 – the €1,000 NLH Closer – played out. The final day saw 16 players return from 645 entries, including American pro Shaun Deeb. He concluded his run in this tournament in 9th place.

The final table unfolded with a story even the PR team couldn't have scripted: the 8-year Czech chapter of WSOPE at Rozvadov ended in an all-Czech heads-up. In the battle for the last bracelet, Lukáš Timko outplayed countryman Michal Schuh, claiming his first bracelet and a life-changing cash prize of €158,000.

Heading into heads-up play, Timko had roughly a five-to-one chip lead. Schuh managed to regain some momentum, doubling up with QJ against A6 and taking a few smaller pots from the leader. However, the decision came in a classic coinflip: Timko moved all-in with 5 c ​​and 5 d, and Schuh snap-called with A c ​and K d on a dry Q-high board. The fives held up, and the Czech duel concluded with a handshake.

Source: Kings-Resort, PokerNews, Photo Tomas Stacha