In a heart-pounding moment that will be remembered by poker fans for years to come, Zewei Ding overcame one of poker’s biggest coolers—his pocket kings against pocket aces—to clinch his first-ever World Series of Poker (WSOP) gold bracelet in the €1,000 NLH Turbo Freezeout event. His spectacular performance at King’s Resort not only secured him the top prize of €35,351, but also cemented his name in WSOP history.
A Poker Dream Comes True
For most poker players, reaching a WSOP final table is a lifelong dream—one that many never achieve. But for Zewei Ding, that dream almost turned into a nightmare right as the final table began. On the very first hand, Ding found himself staring down Dirk Schumacher, who held pocket aces to Ding’s pocket kings, a scenario that almost always spells disaster. But poker is a game of surprises, and a miraculous turn of cards handed Ding an early lead—and the momentum he needed to crush the competition.
From there, Ding dominated the final table of Event #14: €1,000 NLH Turbo Freezeout, eventually defeating Stepan Khachaturyan in an intense heads-up battle. Along the way, Ding’s brilliant play and impeccable timing saw him navigate a field of talented players, all fighting for a share of the €150,000 prize pool.
“It’s really exciting for sure. It takes many years,” Ding shared after his victory, adding that this was his first cash at King’s Resort, making the moment even sweeter.
Event #14: €1,000 NLH Turbo Freezeout Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Zewei Ding | China | €35,351 |
| 2nd | Stepan Khachaturyan | Armenia | €22,730 |
| 3rd | Gal Naim | Israel | €15,134 |
| 4th | De Han Kim | South Korea | €10,448 |
| 5th | Pel Nieuwenhuis | Netherlands | €7,489 |
| 6th | Marco Jansen | Germany | €5,581 |
| 7th | John Trast | Sweden | €4,332 |
| 8th | Erik van Hulst | Norway | €3,508 |
| 9th | Maximilian Huber | Austria | €2,969 |
| 10th | Dirk Schumacher | Germany | €2,632 |
Turbo Action, Big Drama
The Turbo Freezeout event lived up to its name, delivering non-stop action from the first deal. With 20-minute levels, the pace was relentless, and the field of 152 entrants was whittled down to 23 paid spots in under seven hours. Some notable names who missed out on a final table seat included Candido Cappiello, Vivian Saliba, and Tobias Peters.
Once the bubble burst, eliminations came quickly, with players like Or Nezer and Pascal Pflock falling just short of the final table. However, the spotlight belonged to Ding, whose brilliant play helped him take down several key pots and eliminate the competition.
Ding’s Final Table Masterclass
The final table began with Marco Jansen holding the chip lead, but it wasn’t long before Ding made his move. After his kings cracked Schumacher’s aces, Ding shifted into high gear. In a pivotal hand against Jansen, Ding forced the chip leader to fold after committing half his stack, further solidifying his dominance at the table.
From there, Ding dispatched his opponents one by one. A double knockout saw Maximilian Huber and Erik van Hulst sent packing in ninth and eighth place, while Ding kept climbing. Jansen, unable to recover from his earlier confrontation with Ding, was eliminated in sixth place. Ding’s aggressive style left little room for error, and his opponents paid the price.
A Short, Sweet Heads-Up Battle
By the time the heads-up battle began, Ding held a commanding 7:1 chip lead over Khachaturyan. In just five hands, Ding finished the job. Khachaturyan pushed all-in holding five-three offsuit, only to run into Ding’s pocket kings—poetically ending the final table just as it had begun, with Ding’s kings emerging victorious.
As the final card hit the table, Ding stood tall, celebrating his first-ever WSOP gold bracelet. “It takes many years,” he said, reflecting on his journey. But with this win, Zewei Ding’s perseverance and skill finally paid off, marking his triumphant entry into poker’s elite ranks.
