Rayo Kniep
Takes WSOP Circuit ME Title at TVPokerRoom
One of the game of poker’s most colorful characters – Rayo Kniep – defeats Be Primus heads-up to win the Fall 2025 WSOP Circuit Main Event at TVPokerRoom in northern California. Kniep earns $185,458 for winning the 646-entry event, with Primus collecting a career-best $123,603 as runner-up.
A massive chipleader at the end of Day 1A, maintaining the lead through much of Day 2 and at the Day 2 final table, Kniep used his chip-advantage to keep tablemates off-balance and repeatedly in uncomfortable spots. One of his best poker friends – reigning WPT World Champ Scott Stewart – finished seventh, and it was Kniep who delivered the elimination.
That duo by themselves kept the rail entertained throughout Day 2 and at the final table. A postgame photo posted by Kniep as his new Facebook profile photo is, well, one that simply cannot be explained, is possibly a MY EYES moment, but totally encapsulates the playful and unconventional nature of the German-born San Francisco resident who now has a major title on his Hendon Mob poker resume showing more than $1.6 million in career cashes.
Kniep burst onto the poker scene in 2018 by making the WPT Rolling Thunder final table – and arriving wearing a solid-wood tie – one month after finishing runner-up for a circuit ring at TVPokerRom. He went on to add an 18th-place finish in the 2021 WSOP Main Event, 4th in the 2023 WSOP Millionaire Maker, and collected his first circuit ring in a 6-Max at Graton after two more runner-up finishes the previous month at TVPokerRoom.
The event’s final hand saw Kniep pick up Aces against the T-6 of Primus, all the chips went in on the turn only to show a J-5-T-6 board, Primus with two pair. As Kniep did numerous times at the final table, the river Jack produced a better two pair for a come-from-behind win.
Seeing the outcome, Kniep did a semi-sprint through the tournament arena with arms raised in celebration, as those playing in side events offered congratulations and looked on with expressions of “that is SO Rayo!”
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