Seat 7: Casimir Seire, 24, Espoo, Finland (6,400,000)
Casimir Seire wanted to become a professional football player, but two major injuries dealt a severe blow to his promising sports career. Seire was 14 and 15 at the time, so he missed critical years for a youth footballer’s development.
Seire instead started playing poker home games with his friends during his early high-school years. Then he discovered Twitch and learned from the streamers, mainly PokerStars Ambassadors Benjamin Spragg and Fintan Hand. On The Mechanics of Poker Podcast, the Finn revealed that Spraggy’s bankroll challenge propelled him to start studying and making progress.
Seire began to improve and climb the ladder, but just when he was on the brink of turning pro, he had to pause to complete his mandatory military service in Finland. Looking back, Seire claimed it actually helped him in the long term, as he returned to a healthy lifestyle and the physical activity he’d missed.
Following his return to the poker tables, Seire has continued to move up the stakes, playing as “Ceis25” at PokerStars. “One day, I want to be the best,” he said on the podcast. “That’s still my goal.”
Seire’s mom is a psychologist, and he’s had support from his parents ever since he decided to give poker a shot. While online has always been his natural environment, Seire has also found his place in live poker. Before coming to EPT Paris, he’s already racked up over $700,000 in live earnings. That tally included five EPT Main Event cashes, the best of which was 19th place at EPT Cyprus 2023.
Seire now has a chance to be a real EPT history maker should he conquer the field here in Paris, as he can become the first player born in the 21st century to win the elusive title. That would also mean he’d end Finland’s 17-year drought; Patrik Antonius and Jens Kyllonen are still the only Finns who have captured the trophy.
Final table bios courtesy of Jan Kores/PokerStars
Career statistics
Earnings: $718,611
EPT cashes: 5
Best result: 19th, 2023 EPT Cyprus
Tournament progression
Day 1: 86,000 (119/284, 1B)
Day 2: 174,000 (104/179)
Day 3: 1,225,000 (14/49)
Day 4: 1,175,000 (15/16)
Day 5: 6,400,000 (2/7)
Key hands
Seire busted WSOP bracelet winner Michael Perrone on Day 3 when Perrone shoved for 383,000 with two nines, but Seire called with pocket tens to earn the knockout.
Seire picked up two big pairs to double up on Day 4, first winning with aces against Nazar Buhaiov, then getting two kings to double off Raphael Bilger.
Seire doubled up again on Day 5 when action folded to Jessica Teusl, who shoved from the small blind. Seire called for 1,280,000 with two jacks and held on against Teusl's king-ten to win the pot. At the final table, Seire fired two bullets on the flop and turn before hitting the nut straight on the river in a pot against Jorge Abreu. Seire then committed most his stack with a bet of 1,900,000, and Abreu folded.