Andreas ‘Rayo’ Kniep Wins WSOP Circuit Thunder Valley Main Event

Andreas ‘Rayo’ Kniep emerged victorious in the 2025 World Series of Poker Circuit Thunder Valley no-limit hold’em main event. The poker player from Germany, who now calls Northern California home, earned $185,458 and his second career WSOPC gold ring with the victory.

Kniep bagged the chip lead at the end of each day of this tournament, and by the end of the final table, he had all of the chips in play in front of him. Kniep’s career tournament earnings now sit at more than $1.6 million.

“I have to say it was a lot of run good on day 1, and particularly on day 3. I’ll take it. It’s always what I say, you have to enjoy the moment when it goes your way, because there will be other moments when it doesn’t go your way, so I’m enjoying this one,” Kniep told Poker.Org live reporters on site for the event.

Kniep wore some bright articles of clothing for his winner’s photo. Of those props, he said, “You know, you always have to be prepared. Maybe it’s happening, and then when it’s happening, it’s good to be prepared. It’s funny, because I think in the past I was traveling with more of the pink hats, and then the number of pink hats got reduced in my suitcase because my belief in winning was reduced, but I’m back!”

Kniep’s Road To Victory

The $1,700 buy-in event drew 646 entries across three starting flights. The top 98 finishers earned a share of the $1 million guaranteed prize pool, with all of them coming back for day 2 action to play down to the final table.

Kniep extended his lead early at the final table, busting Tony Swift (9th – $13,962). After Derric Haynie bowed out in eighth place ($18,013), Kniep scored his second elimination by busting fellow California resident Scott Stewart. The reigning World Poker Tour World Championship winner added $23,696 to his tally with this seventh-place showing.

That kept Kniep out front. He soon struck again, busting both Sarkis Khachatryan in (6th – $31,776) and Zichuan Huang (5th – $43,421). Chris Elkins bowed out next in fourth place ($60,439) before Kniep scored the penultimate knockout by sending Jennifer Molan home in third ($85,666).

Heads-Up For The Ring

The final showdown began with Kniep holding a 2:1 chip advantage over Ben Primus, who scored a few knockouts of his own along the way. The chips only got into the middle once between the final two players, and it happened fairly early in the match.

There was a raise and call before a flop of J♥10♠5♠. Primus bet 500,000 and Kniep check-raised to 1,250,000. Primus called before the turn fell 6♦. Kniep bet 2,025,000, Primus moved all in, and Kniep called, having the shove well covered.

Primus held 10♣6♠ for tens up and the lead, and Kniep had A♦A♣. The river paired the board with the J♣, and that gave Kniep the better two-pair, the pot, and the title. Primus earned $123,603 as the runner-up, surpassing half of a million dollars in career tournament earnings in the process.

Final Table Results

Photo Credit: WSOP and Poker.Org