Zdeněk Žižka Wins $1K WSOP NLH – First Bracelet for Czech Backgammon Phenom

Zdeněk Žižka Wins First WSOP Bracelet in $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em, Defeats Shaun Deeb

Zdeněk Žižka, a 26-year-old backgammon grandmaster from the Czech Republic, made poker headlines at the 2025 World Series of Poker by winning Event #84: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em. Outlasting a 1,873-player field, Žižka earned his first WSOP bracelet and the top prize of $232,498.

The tournament generated a prize pool of $1,648,240 and required an unscheduled fourth day to determine a winner. Returning for the final session were Žižka, seven-time bracelet winner Shaun Deeb, and American player Jeffrey Thoney.

Thoney exited quickly in third place, losing a preflop flip when his ace-deuce failed to improve against Deeb’s pocket threes. That left Žižka to face one of the game’s elite in a tense heads-up match.

Deeb began the duel with a commanding chip lead after a dominant summer, but Žižka remained composed and capitalized on shifting momentum. In the final hand, Deeb moved all-in with king-three and Žižka called with pocket deuces. The board ran out J♦ 9♣ 8♥ 6♦ 8♣ — sealing the title for the Czech prodigy.

[Zdeněk Žižka]

2025 WSOP Event #84: $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em – Final Table Results

Zdeněk Žižka (Czech Republic) – $232,498
Shaun Deeb (United States) – $154,906
Jeffrey Thoney (United States) – $112,413
Santiago Maglio (Argentina) – $82,480
Brian Klish (United States) – $61,195
Dinesh Singham (Australia) – $45,917
Logan Kim (United States) – $34,848
Ricky Robinson (United States) – $26,754
Santiago Plante (Canada) – $20,781

From Backgammon Boards to Poker Glory

Žižka is far from an unknown in the competitive world. Ranked second on the prestigious Backgammon Giants list—just behind Japanese legend Masayuki “Mochy” Mochizuki—Žižka has already proven himself among the world’s best strategic minds. His poker career is now catching up, with appearances at the Bombay High Stakes Week, Kings of Tallinn High Roller, and now, a WSOP title to his name.

With this bracelet win, Žižka officially enters poker’s global spotlight and adds a prestigious title to his growing list of achievements across both games.

Shaun Deeb Extends WSOP Player of the Year Lead

Despite the runner-up finish, Shaun Deeb added $154,906 and 532.23 Player of the Year (POY) points to his outstanding 2025 WSOP run. With a victory in the $100,000 PLO High Roller, two second-place finishes, and a third-place result, Deeb now leads the POY race with 4,283.13 points.

Benny Glaser, who captured three bracelets this summer, trails by over 670 points. Scott Bohlman and Martin Kabrhel are also in contention, but no one else has broken the 3,000-point barrier so far.

2025 WSOP Player of the Year Standings (Top 10)

Shaun Deeb – 4,283.13
Benny Glaser – 3,609.35
Scott Bohlman – 3,431.25
Martin Kabrhel – 3,345.76
Joao Vieira – 2,834.16
Blaž Žerjav – 2,708.53
Nick Schulman – 2,675.91
Thomas Taylor – 2,669.77
Dylan Linde – 2,554.05
Daniel Negreanu – 2,548.67

With only a few bracelet events remaining—including the Main Event—Deeb has positioned himself as the clear favorite for the 2025 WSOP Player of the Year crown.