The 2023 World Series of Poker Europe moved closer to its conclusion in the late-night hours of Tuesday with Germany's Maurice Nass collecting his first career WSOP gold bracelet. Nass joined the series' long list of first-time bracelet winners by taking down Event #15 at Kings Casino in Rozvadov, Czech Republic, the €550 NLH "The Closer". Nass's triumph in the last event to get underway at Kings brought him a €60,000 payday in addition to the cherished bracelet.
While the WSOP Europe Main Event was gathering toward its final table, Nass completed his victory in the turbo-paced Closer tournament, in just 11 hours of action in the event's second day. The event drew 628 total entries including Nass, who was reportedly playing in his first-ever live WSOP event.
Nass ousted Romania's Traian Stanciu after a see-saw, heads-up battle that saw both players take multiple turns in the lead. In the final hand, with Nass well ahead, Stanciu moved all in with A-8. Nass called with a modest suited J-6, but when a six arrived on the flop and no other help appeared, Nass had locked up the bracelet win. Stanciu settled for €36,600 for the second-place showing.
Best live payday for Nass with win
Nass's recorded tourney results were meager prior to his win in the Closer. His sole WSOP cash came in a 2020 WSOP Online event, and the Hendon Mob database credits him with just over $10,000 in eight recorded cashes, with other seven paydays coming in small events in the Czech Republic. The Closer triumph becomes his largest recorded tourney payday, by a considerable margin.
The event's 628 total entries came from 366 entrants over two starting flights, who also contributed 262 re-entries. All that made for a €298,300 prize pool, which was distributed among the Closer's in-the-money players.
The eight final-table finishers and payouts in the 2023 WSOP Europe Event #15, €550 NLH "The Closer", were as follows:
- Maurice Nass (Germany) - €60,000
- Traian Stanciu (Romania) - €36,600
- Duc Tuan Tran (Vietnam) - €25,900
- Sefora Pop (Romania) - €18,600
- Anthony Mahaut (France) - €13,600
- Bogdan Tilica (Romania) - €10,050
- Theodoor Woolschot (Netherlands) - €7,550
- Roland Israelashvili (United States) - €5,750
