The World Series of Poker Paradise has crowned another high-profile champion in the Bahamas. Koray Aldemir, the German poker professional best known for his victory in the 2021 WSOP Main Event, captured his second career gold bracelet in Event #12: $10,000 8-Game Mix 6-Handed.
Aldemir topped a field of 115 entries and defeated Brazilian standout Felipe Ramos in heads-up play. The victory came with a top prize of $287,800. With this win, Aldemir becomes the first former Las Vegas Main Event champion to secure a WSOP bracelet since Phil Hellmuth did so in 2023.
The event required an unscheduled third day of play to reach a conclusion. After posing for photos with his newest trophy, Aldemir shared a lighthearted moment with reporters. He compared the new hardware to his massive 2021 Main Event trophy and joked that the new bracelet felt a bit smaller.
Final Table Payouts
The $10,000 buy-in mixed game tournament attracted an elite field. The final results saw Aldemir denying Ramos his first career bracelet, while United Kingdom pro Philip Sternheimer rounded out the top three.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koray Aldemir | Germany | $287,800 |
| 2 | Felipe Ramos | Brazil | $188,900 |
| 3 | Philip Sternheimer | United Kingdom | $128,400 |
| 4 | Chris Klodnicki | United States | $90,100 |
| 5 | Mike Watson | Canada | $65,400 |
| 6 | Dan Shak | United States | $49,200 |
| 7 | Josh Arieh | United States | $38,400 |
Day 3 Action and Key Eliminations
Thirteen players returned for the extended final day. American pro Chris Klodnicki started the session as the chip leader and looked to secure his third WSOP bracelet. Klodnicki maintained his lead as the field narrowed to the final table, sitting ahead of Sternheimer and Ramos in the counts.
Aldemir found early momentum at the final table during a round of Pot-Limit Omaha. He picked up aces and secured a double up through Sternheimer. Sternheimer managed to bounce back shortly after by doubling through Klodnicki in a cooler situation holding kings against queens.
The field thinned further when Josh Arieh exited in seventh place. His bid for an eighth bracelet ended during a round of Seven Card Stud against Aldemir. Following that elimination, a dramatic Razz hand changed the dynamic of the table. Klodnicki managed to eliminate both Dan Shak and Mike Watson in the same hand. By sixth street, Klodnicki had left both opponents drawing dead.
Despite that double knockout, Klodnicki could not ride the momentum to the title. Felipe Ramos surged up the leaderboard and eliminated Klodnicki in fourth place during a round of 2-7 Triple Draw. Ramos continued his run by knocking out Sternheimer in third place.
Heads-Up Battle for the Title
Ramos entered the final duel with a significant advantage. He held a chip lead of more than 3:1 over Aldemir. The match extended late into the night and did not conclude until approximately 3:00 a.m. local time.
Aldemir fought back to level the chip stacks before taking control of the match. A critical turning point occurred in a hand of Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better where Aldemir scooped the pot.
The tournament ultimately ended during a round of No-Limit Hold’em. Aldemir found pocket kings and held against the Brazilian. The hand secured the victory for the German champion and added a second bracelet to his impressive poker resume.
