Justin Zaki Wins PokerGO Cup $25,000 Finale

Justin Zaki has gained the $25,000 buy-in finale on the 2025 PokerGO Cup, incomes $417,000 because the champion. This was the third-largest rating of the Floridian poker professional’s profession. He now has greater than $6.5 million in lifetime earnings after this triumph.

Zaki defeated PokerGO Cup collection champion Joey Weissman heads-up for the title. This was Zaki’s fifth recorded event victory throughout 270 in-the-money finishes.

The win got here with 420 Card Participant Participant of the 12 months factors. This was Zaki’s second last desk of 2025, having positioned third in a $10,000 buy-in occasion on the fortunate Hearts Poker Open for $94,700 and 280 factors. He now sits inside the highest 100 on the POY leaderboard introduced by International Poker.

The primary knockout of the day noticed short-stacked Jesse Lonis get his final ten huge blinds in with Okay-7 trailing the A-4 of Clemen Deng in a battle of the blinds. Deng made aces and eights to win the pot, sending Lonis to the rail in seventh place. The 2-time bracelet earned $59,000 for this end, rising his profession haul to greater than $14.8 million within the course of.

Michael Berk known as off his final 11 or so huge blinds with A-Q going through a small-blind shove from Christian Roberts, who held Okay-3. Roberts drilled prime pair on the flop and held from there to ship Berk dwelling with $81,125. This was already his fourth final-table end of the yr. With 1,450 POY factors, he’s now the Eleventh-ranked participant on the general leaderboard.

5-handed play lasted for round 90 minutes. Finally, bracelet winner Christian Roberts discovered himself in danger with AQ going through the J10 of Zaki, which was raised from the small blind then four-bet shoved excessive of Robert’s three-bet. The board got here down AJ7510 and Zaki made two pair on the top to eradicate Roberts in fifth place ($110,625). This was the second final-table end of the collection for Roberts, who now has greater than $1.9 million in profession earnings.

The very subsequent deal noticed super-short-stack Sam Soverel decide up QQ and get all-in for his final 4 blinds. Sadly for the two-time bracelet winner, he was up in opposition to the AA of Weissman. Neither participant related with the board and Soverel was bounced in fourth place ($147,500). He’s now on the verge of hitting $25 million in lifetime cashes.

.SamSoverel</a> out in fourth after his queens go all the way down to <a href=”https://twitter.com/JoeyWeissman?ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>JoeyWeissman’s aces.

Stream the ultimate desk now. https://t.co/JJUkxh5nRE pic.twitter.com/rpAwmpncbL

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) February 21, 2025

Deng known as off his final 9 huge blinds with Okay5 from the massive blind going through a small-blind shove from Weissman, who held AOkay. Weissman flopped an ace to increase his benefit, and Deng was drawing lifeless by the flip. He secured $206,500 because the third-place finisher, the fourth-largest payday of his profession.

Heads-up play started with Zaki out in entrance with 5,100,000 to Weissman’s 3,745,000.

Weissman was in a position to battle his method into the lead in time for the ultimate two to hash out a deal that redistributed the remaining prize cash a bit, locking up at the very least $350,000 with $417,000 and the trophy up prime.

Not too lengthy after the deal got here the essential hand of the showdown. Weissman limped in from the button for 100,000 complete with 1010 and Zaki raised to 400,000 holding A10. Weissman three-bet to 1,000,000 and Zaki four-bet shoved for 3,925,000 complete. Weissman known as, having his opponent lined by 900,000. The board got here down OkayJ8Q4 and Zaki got here from behind to make an ace-high straight to double right into a commanding lead.

.JoeyWeissman</a> is human in spite of everything! <a href=”https://twitter.com/Justin_Zaki?ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>Justin_Zaki spikes the flip throughout heads-up play.

Stream the ultimate desk on PokerGO. https://t.co/JJUkxh4Q26 pic.twitter.com/ScpCVHUrkP

— PokerGO (@PokerGO) February 21, 2025

It didn’t take lengthy for Zaki to transform that lead into the title. A couple of minutes later Weissman shoved from the button for his final seven huge blinds with Okay2 and Zaki known as with 107. The flop got here down 1010A to all however seal it for Zaki. The 6 flip and 6 river gave him a full home for the win, ending Weissman’s fourth final-table look of the collection in second place.

With one win, two runner-up finishes, and a third-place displaying, Weissman was the clear winner within the series-long factors race. He completed with 758 factors and $930,600 in complete earnings for the competition. With 907 complete PokerGO Tour factors on the yr, Weissman has moved into first place within the season-long PGT standings as nicely.

Weissman additionally shot into the lead within the POY rankings, with seven complete last tables and one title up to now in 2025. He has already gathered 2,477 factors and over $1 million in POY earnings. The bracelet winner now has practically $8.8 million in lifetime cashes.

Remaining Desk Outcomes:

Place
Participant
Earnings
POY Factors
PGT Factors

1
Justin Zaki
$417,000
420
283

2
Joey Weissman
$350,000
350
177

3
Clemen Deng
$206,500
280
124

4
Sam Soverel
$147,500
210
89

5
Christian Roberts
$110,625
175
66

6
Michael Berk
$81,125
140
49

7
Jesse Lonis
$59,000
105
35

Listed below are the highest ten within the last PokerGO Cup collection standings:

Rank
Participant
Factors
Titles
Cashes
Winnings

1
Joey Weissman
758
1
4
$930,600