Renat Bohdanov has enjoyed success at both ends of the buy-in spectrum in poker. The Ukrainian has battled and made final tables in Triton Super High Roller Series events and $25,000 events at the World Series of Poker.
Bohdanov also won a bracelet at WSOP Europe in 2019 in a €350 buy-in event, and a WSOP International Circuit ring in a big field in the Czech Republic.
But Bohdanov’s biggest victory, which came on Friday, settled right into the middle. In a $3,000 buy-in no-limit hold’em event with 1,027 entries, Bohdanov became a two-time WSOP bracelet winner.
The win earned Bohdanov $451,600 and 1,440 Card Player Player of the Year points.
Strong Start For Bohdanov
At the start of day 3, Bohdanov held the slimmest of leads but quickly began to build upon it. He eliminated Bulgarian Boris Kolev, a two-time WSOP bracelet winner in his own right, in eighth place. Bohdanov was ahead with A♠ Q♥ to Kolev’s A♥ J♣ and stayed that way through a clean runout.
Bohdanov picked up another elimination in short order in a brutal cooler spot. Santiago Garza flopped top two-pair with A♥ K♦ but Bohdanov had bottom set with pocket sevens on an A♠ K♠ 7♥ board. There would be no ace or king on the turn and river, and as Bohdanov extended his lead, Garza fell in seventh.
It would not be a clear-cut blitz to victory by any means, though. Bohdanov got caught trying to steal with 6♥ 4♠ in a blind vs. blind spot and doubled Anatoly Nikitin up when he ran into pocket eights. Dennys Ramos made his charge to the top of the chip counts in yet another cooler at this final table. Ramos flopped a set of fives to crack Hattori Lopez’s pocket queens, and after that win Ramos held nearly as much as his four remaining opponents combined.
But Bohdanov wouldn’t be denied on this day. He picked up a crucial double-up with A♣ K♥, and then picked off Ryan Wolfson in fourth place. Bohdanov was slightly behind with Q♥ J♥ to Wolfson’s A♣ 10♣, but the Q♦ turn was the difference maker.
The Comeback
Ultimately, as many no-limit hold’em tournaments tend to do, the tournament hung on a major coinflip. Bohdanov once again picked up A♠ K♦ and called a shove from Ramos, who turned over pocket sevens. The K♥ high flop was all Bohdanov needed to double back into the lead in a massive way.
Ramos quickly fought his way back, and by the time Bohdanov eliminated Tsz Ho Chau in third, the chip counts heading into heads-up play were fairly close.
Ramos opened a 3-to-1 lead, only for Bohdanov to hold in a crucial spot with A♠ 10♣ to Ramos’ A♦ 9♠ for a double. A big call down with second pair put Bohdanov up by 4-to-1, only for Ramos to catch a runner-runner straight to survive and double back.
On what became the final hand, Ramos appeared poised to double once more and reclaim a big lead. On a Q♦ J♠ 10♥ 7♠ board, Ramos pushed all-in with Q♠ 10♦ and Bohdanov found a call with Q♥ 8♥. Ramos had to dodge one of four nines for a straight and three jacks for a chop.
The 9♠ was ultimately the river, though, and in the biggest spot of his poker career Bohdanov found a straight for the victory.
This win represents the single biggest cash of Bohdanov’s career. His previous high score came in 2023, when he finished ninth in the WSOP Paradise $25,000 GGMillion$ High Rollers Championship for $208,300.
Renat Bohdanov locks up his second WSOP bracelet in Event #35: $3,000 Freezeout NLH—proving once again he knows how to close when it counts. #WSOP2025 pic.twitter.com/Iqb8IfdU7z
— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) June 13, 2025
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
| 1 | Renat Bohdanov | $451,600 | 1,440 |
| 2 | Dennys Ramos | $300,830 | 1,200 |
| 3 | Tsz Ho Chau | $212,820 | 960 |
| 4 | Ryan Wolfson | $152,760 | 720 |
| 5 | Anatoly Nikitin | $111,270 | 600 |
| 6 | Hattori Lopez | $82,260 | 480 |
| 7 | Santiago Garza | $61,760 | 360 |
| 8 | Boris Kolev | $47,060 | 240 |
| 9 | Brian James | $36,440 | 120 |
Photo credit: WSOP / Trevor Scott.
