Giuliano Bendinelli wins his first WSOP bracelet after incredible double-ups

Italian poker player Giuliano Bendinelli became the WSOP Europe 2025 champion, winning the Monsterstack after a series of amazing hands and comebacks.

Giuliano Bendinelli once again proves his reputation as the "comeback kid." This time, the Italian claimed victory in Event #4: €2,000 No-Limit Hold’em Monsterstack at the 2025 World Series of Poker Europe, held at King’s Resort. After nearly a full day of intense play, he captured his first WSOP gold bracelet, overcoming incredible hands and a series of miraculous double-ups at the final table, especially in heads-up play against experienced opponent, bracelet winner, and backgammon grandmaster Zdenek Zizka. Context: Series, Venue, Participants The World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) is the European leg of the world’s most prestigious poker tournament series, annually bringing together the strongest players from around the globe. In 2025, the series once again takes place at King’s Resort, one of the largest poker venues in Europe. Event #4: €2,000 No-Limit Hold’em Monsterstack is a tournament with a €2,000 buy-in and a deep starting stack, encouraging deeper and more strategic poker. This tournament attracted 419 players. The total prize pool amounted to €870,000. In addition to cash prizes, each of the ten finalists received a ticket to the WSOPE Main Event worth €10,350, which was included in their payout. Giuliano Bendinelli was already well-known in the poker world for his incredible comeback from a single big blind to win the EPT Barcelona Main Event in 2022. Now, he has added a WSOP bracelet to his achievements, moving closer to the coveted "Triple Crown"—a title awarded to players who win EPT, WPT, and WSOP tournaments. Final Table: Dynamics and Key Moments Bendinelli started the final day as chip leader, but throughout the game his stack was repeatedly reduced, putting him at risk of elimination. When play was down to three tables, he was fifth in chips, but managed to hold on and continue fighting. One of the key hands was his showdown with Alessio La Francesca in 11th place: holding king-queen , Bendinelli won an all-in against his opponent’s ace-king by hitting a queen on the flop. Throughout the final table, Bendinelli often hovered around ten big blinds, forcing him to play carefully and use ICM (Independent Chip Model) strategy, taking the payout structure into account. Thanks to this, he gradually climbed the payout ladder as Ratmir Kesidis, Yehonatan Behor, Ioannis Chorianopoulos, and Daniel Knuth exited the tournament. The turning point was a big double-up: Bendinelli shoved all-in with ace-king , and Silviu Baltateanu called with ace-jack . A king on the flop allowed the Italian to build his stack back up to near the top. The first major clash with Zizka came with five players left. Both were dealt nine-eight suited , while Oleh Okhotskyi had pocket eights . On the flop, both Bendinelli and Zizka hit top pair, but Zizka picked up a flush draw on the turn and made a small bet. After using five time banks, Bendinelli folded, avoiding a potentially dangerous situation. Zizka continued to dominate the final table, knocking out Baltateanu (3rd place) and Okhotskyi (4th place), and entered heads-up play with a four-to-one chip lead. Heads-Up: Incredible Double-Ups and the Finale The final showdown between Giuliano Bendinelli and Zdenek Zizka was a true test of endurance and nerves for both players. Zizka had a significant chip advantage, but Bendinelli repeatedly found ways to stay alive, showing resilience and skill under pressure. In the very first hand of heads-up, Bendinelli was in danger: his sixes against Zizka’s ace-ten suited . However, the flop gave Bendinelli a full house, allowing him to double up and get back in the fight. Soon after, he was again on the brink of elimination with ace-deuce against ace-jack , but the board ran out for a chop, giving him another chance to continue. Zizka kept up the pressure, reducing Bendinelli’s stack to less than ten big blinds. In one key hand, Bendinelli’s ace-eight faced Zizka’s ten-eight and looked like a favorite, but the flop came ace-ten-ten , putting him on the verge of elimination. Unexpectedly, an ace on the turn gave Bendinelli a full house and another miraculous escape. The drama continued when Zizka was all-in with ace-jack against Bendinelli’s king-eight suited . After an ace hit the flop, it seemed all over, but two consecutive diamonds on the turn and river gave the Italian a flush and, for the first time, the chip lead. Zizka briefly regained the advantage, winning with ace-nine against king-queen , but in the final hand of the night, Bendinelli’s pocket jacks held up against Zizka’s ace-ten , sealing victory in one of the most thrilling heads-up battles in recent years. Payout Table: Event #4: €2,000 No-Limit Hold’em Monsterstack All finalists received not only cash prizes but also a ticket to the WSOPE Main Event (€10,350), included in the payout amount. 1st place: Giuliano Bendinelli — €169,850 2nd place: Zdenek Zizka — €105,000 3rd place: Silviu Baltateanu — €75,000 4th place: Oleh Okhotskyi — €57,000 5th place: Daniel Knuth — €44,000 6th place: Ioannis Chorianopoulos — €34,000 7th place: Yehonatan Behor — €26,000 8th place: Ratmir Kesidis — €20,000 9th place: Alessio La Francesca — €15,000 10th place: Giuseppe Zarbo — €12,000 Total prize pool: €870,000. The tournament had 419 entries in total. Winner’s Emotions and Strategy Immediately after his victory, Giuliano Bendinelli admitted he still couldn’t believe what had happened: “It’s been my dream from the very beginning—to win an EPT and a WSOP bracelet. Now I have both titles. Barcelona was my biggest win, but this bracelet is also very special.” He noted that throughout the final day he had to constantly adjust his strategy: “I didn’t have the stack to dictate play at the final table, so I played cautiously and considered ICM. When there were 3-4 players left, I started playing for the win. I won a few showdowns, including a miracle river-to-river, which helped me survive.” Bendinelli emphasized that the heads-up with Zizka was extremely exhausting: “It was crazy. I woke up very early yesterday, and now I haven’t slept for almost a day. I’m very happy, but also incredibly tired. I still can’t process what happened.” He also said he was grateful for the luck that has followed him since 2022, but is also proud of his play: “I’m proud of how I play, but there’s always an element of variance in poker. Since 2022, I’ve been lucky, and I’m grateful for that.” This victory cements Bendinelli’s place in WSOP history and marks another bright chapter in a career already considered one of the most memorable in recent years. Final Day Recap Bendinelli started the final day as chip leader, but by the redraw to three tables had dropped to fifth place. He knocked out Alessio La Francesca in 11th place, winning an all-in with king-queen against ace-king. He was short-stacked for most of the final table, but managed to double up with ace-king against Silviu Baltateanu’s ace-jack. With five players left, he first clashed with Zizka, both holding nine-eight suited, but Bendinelli folded after his opponent’s aggression. Zizka eliminated Baltateanu and Okhotskyi, entering heads-up with a 4:1 chip lead. In heads-up, Bendinelli was on the brink of elimination several times, but miracle rivers and timely double-ups allowed him not only to survive but to win. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players Giuliano Bendinelli’s victory in such an action-packed tournament is a great example of how discipline, smart use of ICM, and mental resilience can lead to success even with a short stack. For PPPoker club members, it’s a reminder: don’t give up, even if you’re down to a minimum stack—good strategy and a bit of luck can turn any hand around. Many key moments in the tournament, such as timely double-ups and well-timed folds at the final table, show how important it is to adapt to the changing dynamics of the game. In PPPoker online clubs, you can practice these skills: play deep stack tournaments, work on ICM decisions, and learn to maintain focus during long sessions—these are the qualities that set champions apart. Finally, Bendinelli’s story inspires not only the pursuit of big prizes but also the development of mental toughness. Even if your opponent has a big advantage, smart play and belief in yourself can lead to victory. Use these lessons in your club games on PPPoker—and maybe you’ll be the one to pull off the next incredible comeback!