Will Kassouf finished in third place, earning a prize before the tournament final in Venice.

The unique format of the La Notte Degli Assi tournament allowed Will Kassouf to receive the third-place prize, despite being eliminated before the final day thanks to the bonus system.

The unique format of the La Notte Degli Assi tournament at the historic Casino di Venezia allowed British pro Will Kassouf to claim a prize equivalent to third place, even though he was eliminated before the final day. The organizers introduced an innovative bonus system called "Caccia al Tesoro" ("Treasure Hunt"), which enabled players to receive significant payouts without having to reach the final table. Tournament Format: Variable Buy-ins and Unlimited Entries The main event of the La Notte Degli Assi series took place at the world’s oldest casino — Casino di Venezia. The organizers guaranteed a prize pool of €1,000,000, attracting 2,630 entries across ten starting flights (Day 1A–1I and Last Chance). Players could participate in as many starting days as they wished, even if they had already qualified for Day 2, and were not required to forfeit any previously qualified stack. At the end of each starting day, all players remaining with chips received a minimum payout of €900, but only their largest stack could be carried forward to Day 2. The buy-in structure was also unusual: the first four flights (Day 1A–1D) had a buy-in of €400, with re-entries costing €300. For the next six flights (Day 1E–1I and Last Chance), the buy-in increased to €600 and re-entries to €400. This approach, combining variable buy-ins and unlimited re-entries, is rarely seen in modern tournaments. The "Treasure Hunt" Bonus: How It Worked The main innovation of the tournament was the "Caccia al Tesoro" — a bonus system with a separate €200,000 prize pool, included within the overall guarantee. In each starting day, the five players with the largest stacks received special tickets for the prize draw. In total, there were 50 tickets — five for each of the ten starting flights. A player could win multiple tickets by finishing in the top five in different flights. The prize draw was conducted in a mystery bounty format — each ticket gave its holder a chance to randomly win one of the cash prizes, ranging from €900 up to €50,000. There was a single top prize of €50,000, with other major prizes of €30,000, €20,000, and €15,000. This format provided extra motivation to build a big stack during the starting days, as it was possible to win a substantial sum even without a deep run in the main event. Will Kassouf: A Major Win Without Reaching the Final Table British professional Will Kassouf, known for his World Series of Poker appearances and his distinctive table talk, decided to try his luck in Venice. He finished in the top five by chip count in the final starting flight, Last Chance, which had 188 entrants. Kassouf started with a stack of 200,000 and managed to build it up to 2,900,000, securing fourth place in the flight and earning a ticket to the "Treasure Hunt." Before the start of Day 2, on October 18 at 2:00 PM, the bonus prize draw was held among the 50 ticket holders. Kassouf was incredibly fortunate — his ticket was drawn for the top prize of €50,000. Although he did not advance to the final day or compete for the main title, this win was nearly equal to the payout for third place in the main event (€56,600). Thus, Kassouf secured one of the tournament’s largest prizes without even reaching the final table, thanks to his strong performance in the starting flight and a lucky envelope draw. Distribution of "Caccia al Tesoro" Bonus Prizes The "Treasure Hunt" bonus prize pool totaled €200,000 and was distributed as follows: Main prize: €50,000 — won by Will Kassouf Major prizes: €30,000, €20,000, and €15,000 — awarded to other starting flight chip leaders The remaining 46 tickets — prizes of €900 and above The bonus payouts were randomly drawn among the 50 participants, each of whom had a chance to win a significant sum, regardless of their further progress in the main event. Dynamics of the Starting Flights and Player Reactions The introduction of the "Caccia al Tesoro" bonus system noticeably changed player strategy during the starting flights. The battle to finish in the top five by chip count became just as important as simply qualifying for Day 2. The opportunity to earn a ticket for the major prize draw motivated players to take more risks and build larger stacks, increasing their chances for an additional payout. The largest bonus prizes went to the chip leaders of the starting flights, making the race for the top spots especially fierce. This mystery bounty format, with its element of chance and substantial prizes, generated considerable interest among players. Both organizers and participants will be watching closely to see if this structure gains popularity in the future, as it allows players to win significant prizes even without a deep run in the tournament bracket. Key Facts and Tournament Statistics Series: La Notte Degli Assi Venue: Casino di Venezia, Venice Guaranteed prize pool: €1,000,000 Total entries: 2,630 Number of starting days: 10 (Day 1A–1I and Last Chance) "Caccia al Tesoro" bonus pool: €200,000 (included in the guarantee) Number of bonus draw tickets: 50 (5 per starting day) Main bonus prize: €50,000 — Will Kassouf Minimum payout for a stack at the end of Day 1: €900 Payout for 3rd place in the main event: €56,600 Date of bonus prize draw: October 18, before the start of Day 2 What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, the experience of La Notte Degli Assi is an excellent example of how new formats can diversify the game and offer additional opportunities for major wins. Mystery bounty formats and separate bonus pools allow players to win significant amounts not only for deep runs in the tournament, but also for strong performances in the early stages. This is especially relevant for those who prefer an aggressive style and know how to build a stack during the starting flights. Organizing tournaments with elements of chance and additional prizes can be a great way to attract new players and boost interest in PPPoker club events. This approach motivates players not only to aim for the final table, but also to play actively throughout the tournament, since anyone who performs well early on has a shot at a big bonus. If you play in PPPoker clubs, pay attention to tournaments with mystery bounty elements and experiment with an aggressive strategy in the early stages. This could be your chance for a major win even without making the final table, just as Will Kassouf did in Venice.