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The 2025 Free Poker Network (FPN) Desert Dash-for-Cash National Championship is in swing at the Golden Nugget in North Las Vegas and saw a one-day tournament play out Thursday in the form of $200 WPT Passport. Craig Ashley of Office Bar in Illinois battled through the final table to win a $5,000 WPT passport, $200 in cash and entry into Sunday’s Championship event.
The $200 WPT Passport, which awarded a $5,000 passport to any 2025 WPT stop, drew 89 entrants and offered $200 cash and Championship event entry to players who made the final table.
Less than a year ago, Ashley won the FPN ‘Step in the Ring’ National Championship for $12,500 in this same venue. It was a clash of champions as he defeated heads-up opponent Darren Sneed, who won last year’s Tag Team event.
“I’m pretty excited,” Ashley told PokerNews in a winner’s interview. “I wasn’t even sure I was going to play it.”
Read About Last Year’s FPN Championship!
2025 FPN WPT Qualifier Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Prize (In USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Craig Ashley | $5,000 WPT Passport + $200 + Championship Entry |
| 2 | Darren Sneed | $200 + Championship Entry |
| 3 | Jim Knight | $200 + Championship Entry |
| 4 | Barry Nelson | $200 + Championship Entry |
| 5 | Jeremy Anderson | $200 + Championship Entry |
| 6 | Russell Neil | $200 + Championship Entry |
| 7 | Justin Page | $200 + Championship Entry |
| 8 | Isaac Thompson | $200 + Championship Entry |
| 9 | Robin Stene | $200 + Championship Entry |
“They Were Great Players”
The final table included Barry Nelson, Jim Knight and Jeremy Anderson, who joked earlier in the event that he was the “rookie” as he nearly tripled through Ashley and two-time champion Joel Smith, who went out in 11th place near the final table bubble, the same place he finished when he bubbled last year’s Championship event.
“They were great players,” said Ashley. “They were fighting and making it tough.”
Ashley, who has cashed in two FPN Main events but is mainly a cash game player, had his friend Mike Mejia on the rail and the two will play in Saturday’s Tag Team event.
FPN Action at the Nugget
Action kicked off at 5 p.m. local time in the Nugget ballroom. Jack Black was among the players to chip up early, but unfortunately for anyone hoping to play with the School of Rock, Kung Fu Panda and The Super Mario Bros. Movie star, it was a different guy.
The tournament played quickly with 20-minute levels and reached the final table in a matter of hours. There were two all-ins on the money bubble and Steve Schreiner, whose 91-year-old dad and Tag Team partner was there to give out “Wow Girl” rocks, was the unfortunate bubble boy as Anderson doubled up at the other table.
Robin Stene was the first to go at the final table as Isaac Thompson hit runner-runner two pair, but Thompson was next to go after running a suited ace into the pocket kings of Barry Nelson.
Justin Page, Anderson, and Russell Neil were the next three eliminations as stacks got shorter. Nelson and Jim Knight followed suit before a short stack battle between Sneed and Ashley that saw the latter pulling ahead.
PokerNews will also be covering Saturday’s Tag Team Championship and Sunday’s Desert Dash-For-Cash Championship Main Event, where participants will spar for a piece of the $100,000 prize pool and $10,000 in Mystery Bounties. Both events will include live-stream coverage available to watch on YouTube.
Stay tuned as PokerNews will be back on-site at the Golden Nugget tomorrow for continued coverage of the Free Poker Network action.
*Photos courtesy Free Poker Network
Editor & Live Reporter U.S.
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