WSOP 2025 Day 32 Recap: Rainer Kempe Grabs First WSOP Bracelet; Blaz Zerjav Wins Second Bracelet of Series

The 34th day of  the World Series of Poker saw three players score titles, including Rainer Kempe finding the first bracelet of his career in the $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty. In the $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better, Blaz Zerjav reached the finish line first for his second bracelet of the summer.

The Super Seniors event also reached a conclusion with Lonny Weitzel winning his first bracelet. Here’s a look at Friday’s action from the Horseshoe and Paris casinos in Las Vegas.

Rainer Kempe Picks Up First Bracelet in a Single Day

Germany’s Rainer Kempe grabbed first gold bracelet and scored $892,701 in Event #72: $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold’em (8-Handed). That haul included an extra $30,000 in bounty winnings. The longtime pro now has more than $23 million in live tournament winnings.

The super turbo format wrapped up in just a single day and Kempe said “it feels like cheating a little bit” because the tournament wrapped up so quickly. Kempe topped a field of 809 entrants that created a $7.7 million prize pool.

Event #72: $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty No-Limit Hold’em (8-Handed) Final Table Results

Blaz Zerjav Denies Huck Seed, Grabs Second Bracelet of Summer

Slovenia's Blaz Zerjav (pictured above) completed the double this summer, securing his second bracelet of the series in Event #69: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better. He topped a field of 6,115 entries for an $816,413 prize pool and top payout of $153,487. Huck Seed ($102,281) finished runner-up and came close to his first bracelet win since 2003.

The win was something “he never dared to dream of,” Zerjav said after securing his second career bracelet. He was also complimentary of his heads-up opponent, who won the WSOP Main Event in 1996.

“He is really tough to play against. I enjoyed every moment of it, and learned a few things,” Zerjav noted. Earlier in the series, Zerjav also won the $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em Six-Handed High Roller earlier in the series for $1.7 million.

Event #69: $1,500 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Final Table Results

Texan Takes Down Super Seniors

Lonny Weitzel, of Texarkana, Texas, came out on top in Event #64 $1,000 Super Seniors No-Limit Hold’em for $356,494 and brings his career live tournament winnings to almost $900,000. The tournament brought in 3,338 players aged 60 and over for a $2.9 million prize pool. Weitzel was thrilled to win some WSOP hardware.

“It’s an achievement. It’s a personal goal for me,” he said afterward. “Money is not as important as getting to win and being in the WSOP in a world-class event like this.”

Event #64 $1,000 Super Seniors No-Limit Hold’em Final Table Results

Final Eight Return in $50,000 Poker Players Championship

Michael Mizrachi has the chance to become the first player to win the $50,000 Poker Players Championship four times if he can seal the deal on Saturday. The six-time bracelet winner leads the remaining eight players with 10,440,000, nearly twice the amount of Andrew Yeh, who sits in second with 5,285,000.

Bryn Kenney sits just behind him with 5,045,000. Mizrachi won the tournament in 2010, 2012, and 2018, and only Brian Rast has also won the PPC three times. Others returning include Ben Lamb, Joao Vieira, and Esther Taylor.

Event #66: $50,000 Poker Players Championship Final Table

Fabrizio Gonzalez Leads Field in $3,000 NLH

Just 16 players remain in Event #68: $3,000 No-Limit Holdem with Uruguay’s Fabrizio Gonzalez leading the pack with 11,525,000 after three days of action. China’s Yilong Wang is second with 8,375,000. The tournament drew 1,882 runners with a $6.2 million prize pool and the winner collects $830,685. Some other players returning include bracelet winners Romain Lewis and Yuliyan Kolev, along with Ren Lin and Olivier Busquet.

Event #68: $3,000 No-Limit Holdem

Defending Champion Leads Final 50 in Ladies Championship

A total of 317 women returned for Day 2 of Event #70: $1,000 Ladies Championship and just 50 return for the third day of play. A familiar name sits at the top of the chip stacks – Japan’s Shiina Okamoto, who won the event last year. The tournament created a $1.2 million prize pool and the winner’s purse is $184,094.

A few other players returning for Day 3 include 2023 champion Tamar Abraham, Susan Faber, JJ Liu, three-time bracelet winner and Poker Hall of Famer Barbara Enright, Maria Lampropulos, Angela Jordison, Robbi Jade Lew, Allyn Shulman, and Jessica Marks.

Event #70: $1,000 Ladies Championship

Schreiber, Schulman, Dzivielevski Return as Chip Leaders in 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship

Matthew Schreiber staged quite a rally after being below a single big bet early in the Day 2 action of Event #71: $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship. He now sits as chip leader with just nine players remaining with 1,835,000.

The lowball action brought in 122 players for a $1.3 million prize pool and first-place payout of $333,054. Some other big names return, including seven-time bracelet winner Nick Schulman and five-time bracelet winner Yuri Dzivielevski.

Event #71: $10,000 Limit 2-7 Lowball Triple Draw Championship

Day 2 in $1,500 Eight Game Set for Saturday With Eveslage, Glantz, Negreanu in the Hunt

The first day of Event #73: $1,500 Eight Game Mix saw Louisiana’s John Cressend end as chip leader with 497,000, followed by Brad Ruben with 397,500. The event produced a field of 789 players for a $1 million prize pool and the winner bags a $184,682 payday.

Just 167 players remain and some of those returning include Jon Turner (323,000), Chad Eveslage (196,000), Yueqi Zhu (180,000), Phillip Hui (173,000), Jake Schwartz (141,500), Matt Glantz (126,000), Brian Hastings (110,500), Daniel Negreanu (55,000), and Brandon Shack-Harris (266,500).

Event #73: $1,500 Eight Game Mix

Day 1C Concludes in Gladiators of Poker

The third starting flight in Event #67: $300 Gladiators of Poker played out on Friday, reaching a total of 16,144 entries for the tournament. That should increase even more during the final starting flight on Saturday with plenty of gladiators left to get in the action. Sweden's Oscar Peleg accumulated 7,285,000 for the overall chip lead in the event.

Event #67: $300 Gladiators of Poker Day 1C