button in Safari
€500 Main Event
Day 2 Completed
2025 Winamax Poker Open Aix-les-Bains
€500 Main Event
Day: 2
Event Info
2025 Winamax Poker Open Aix-les-Bains
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 2
Buy-in
€500
Prize Pool
€1,083,878
Total Entries
2,566
Level
52
Blinds
1,500,000 / 3,000,000
Ante
300,000
Entries
422
Players Left
18
Players Left 1 / 2,566
Filter
Level 39
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
The poker world had better watch out, because The Great Dane Gus Hansen has declared he is getting his appetite back for the tournament format of the game, after at least ten years focusing on cash games.
The Winamax ambassador sits just outside the top ten on 6,500,000, after a huge Day 2 field of 422 players was whittled down to 18 survivors at Casino Grand Cercle d'Aix-les-Bains today, following 12 hours of battle in the record-breaking 2025 Winamax Poker Open Aix-les-Bains.
The field is led by Tristan Vernay (16,000,000), after he went on a rampage in the final session, claiming at least three knockouts, while Nassim Rais (11,300,000) and Mirand Murseli (10,000,000) complete the top three.
All player have locked up a €4,900 payday.
End of Day 2 Top Ten Chip Count
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tristan Vernay | France | 16,000,000 | 80 |
| 2 | Nassim Rais | France | 11,300,000 | 57 |
| 3 | Mirand Murseli | Switzerland | 10,000,000 | 50 |
| 4 | Julien Gadanho | France | 9,600,000 | 47 |
| 5 | Jeremy Cauchard | France | 9,425,000 | 47 |
| 6 | Steven Lamalle | France | 8,725,000 | 44 |
| 7 | Adrien Burgniard | France | 8,675,000 | 43 |
| 8 | Amadou Gassama | France | 8,200,000 | 41 |
| 9 | Nino Bellenger | France | 8,200,000 | 41 |
| 10 | Yacine Adamon | France | 6,975,000 | 35 |
A total of 2,566 entries were obtained in the €500 buy-in event, creating a €1,083,878 prize-pool. Those figures represent the first seven-figure prize pool in the history of the Winamax Poker Open, and surpass the 2022 event in Bratislava.
Hansen is among those eyeing the €135,000 top prize, and he took some time to chat to PokerNews at the conclusion of play, revealing he may be readying to step back into the tournament arena.
Hansen is a true legend of the game, and a hero to many who fell in love with poker during the Moneymaker boom. Amongst his many achievements are a WSOP bracelet win and three World Poker Tour victories, amassing over $10,000,000 in earnings. His 'The Great Dane' nickname is not ironic.
While he acknowledged this event isn't a particularly big buy-in for him, nor would first-place money be life changing, he said "I've really enjoyed playing this week. I lost my appetite for tournaments for a while, maybe ten to fifteen years, I haven't really played them for a long time. It's a different game compared to cash, and my enthusiasm for it is back. It's always nice to be running deep in any poker tournament, and looking forward to the final day, I've got a chance anyway!"
On Aix-les-Bains and the Casino Grand Cercle, Hansen stated "It's my first time here, beautiful town and a great place to play poker. The atmosphere has been great all week, and I've enjoyed meeting everyone."
On his role as an ambassador for Winamax, which he began around 18 months ago, Hansen continued "I believe they are doing great things for the European poker market. They have a really strong group of players as ambassadors, and that appealed to me. Shout-out to my favorite girl, Leo Margets, WSOP final tablist. We have a study group, we all support each other, it’s really nice."
With that, Hansen had to bag his chips, and we'll see how he gets on in the final day.
Day 2 Action
Nearly half the field was gone by the first break, as the knockouts came as at a frantic pace, and players such as Clement Muller and Loic Sa had to endure an early exit.
Varney's stack arose in the final session, as he laid waste to his table. He had Romain Quarrit pipped preflop in a huge pot, and held to start his rise.
Varney then disposed of Pavel Ustinov with rockets, and shortly after sent Hermes Prencipe to the rail. Varney spoke to PokerNews briefly and said he was only here to play for the win, so there could be potential fireworks early tomorrow. With €16,000 in recorded cashes, he is not far off a career-best score.
Amadou Gassama (8,200,000) tangled alot with Hansen in the final stages, including one epic hand where you could cut the tension in the air with a knife, which went Hansen's way.
Brothers Julien Viel (2,930,000) and Eric Viel (2,250,000) have combined cashes of less than €7,000 and are amazingly both through to the final day. What a story it would be if the siblings could pull off a final table together. Their task will be made harder by the fact they have been drawn at the same table for Day 3.
Jose Pimentel Quintas was the last player to exit in Day 2 after busting at the streamed feature table.
The final day will take place at 12:30 p.m. on September 21, where blinds will increase to 40-minute levels, and play will continue until a winner is crowned.
Remaining Payouts
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
| 1 | €135,000 | 7 | €16,900 |
| 2 | €92 000 | 8-9 | €13,450 |
| 3 | €68,000 | 10-11 | €10,200 |
| 4 | €48,000 | 12-14 | €7,850 |
| 5 | €33,000 | 15-17 | €6.150 |
| 6 | €24,000 | 18 | €4,900 |
Stay tuned to PokerNews for all your coverage of what is sure to be a thrilling final day of the Winamax Poker Open Aix-les-Bains.
Level 39
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
| Table | Seat | Name | Chips | Big Blinds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99 | 1 | Adrien Romeuf | 5,875,000 | 29 | |
| 99 | 2 | Adrien Burgniard | 8 ,675,000 | 43 | |
| 99 | 3 | Amadou Gassama | 8,200,000 | 41 | |
| 99 | 4 | Julien Gadanho | 9,625,000 | 48 | |
| 99 | 5 | Nino Bellenger | 8,200,000 | 41 | |
| 99 | 6 | Steven Lamalle | 8,725,000 | 44 | |
| 100 | 1 | Florian Russo-Mangione | 4,525,000 | 23 | |
| 100 | 2 | Gus Hansen | 6,500,000 | 33 | |
| 100 | 3 | Nassim Rais | 11,300,000 | 57 | |
| 100 | 4 | Julien Viel | 2,925 ,000 | 15 | |
| 100 | 5 | Éric Viel | 2,250,000 | 11 | |
| 100 | 6 | Florian Chabert | 5,600,000 | 28 | |
| 101 | 1 | Yacine Adamon | 6,975,000 | 35 | |
| 101 | 2 | Benoit Pierrisnard | 1,950, 000 | 10 | |
| 101 | 3 | Tristan Vernay | 16 ,000,000 | 80 | |
| 101 | 4 | Mirand Murseli | 10,000,000 | 50 | |
| 101 | 5 | Alexis Tremblay | 1,100,000 | 6 | |
| 101 | 6 | Jeremy Cauchard | 9,425,000 | 47 |
Level 39
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Level 39
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
With the elimination of Jose Pimentel Quintas on the feature table, Day 2 has now come to a close at 18 players.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for updated chip counts and a recap of the day.
Level 39
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Nassim Rais opened to 400,000 under the gun, and Hermes Prencipe got his last 625,000 into the middle from the button.
Chip leader Tristan Vernay three-bet to 950,000 from the small blind, and Rais got out of the way.
Hermes Prencipe: Q♣J♠ 
Tristan Vernay: A♥3♠
Prencipe needed some help, but the ace was in the window on the A♣7♥5♣ flop, and there was no unlikely escape on the 6♣K♠ turn and river.
The river led to some more celebrations from Vernay, who now had a rail of supporters watching.
Level 39
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Florian Russo-Mangione opened to 400,000 under the gun, and was met with a three-bet jam from Paul Bourdon in the small blind for around 2,500,000.
Julien Gadanho was in the big blind, and he thought it through for a while, and made the call, prompting Russo-Mangione to get out of the way.
Paul Bourdon: A♣10♣
Julien Gadanho: A♥J♥
Gadanho had Bourdon dominated, and Bourbon was drawing dead by the turn after Gadanho hit a jack on the 4♦2♦2♥J♣K♦ runout.
Level: 39
Blinds: 100,000/200,000
Ante: 200,000
Level 38
: Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
Amadou Gassama raised to 350,000 from the small blind, and Gus Hansen three-bet to 990,000 from the big blind.
Gassama took a bit of time to think, but made the call.
The flop came 7♣6♣2♦, and Gassama quickly checked to Hansen. Hansen took a long time counting out chips, riffling them, and looking at the board before firing out a bet of 680,000. Gassama made a relatively quick call.
The Q♥ turn was checked through to the 10♦ river in rapid fashion. Gassama checked for a third time, and Hansen fired out a bet of 1,030,000, again after spending a good amount of time riffling and counting out chips.
With the tension ratcheting all the time, Gassama went into the tank. There were a mountain of chips in the middle and a crowd had gathered, and you could cut the atmosphere in the air with a knife.
Eventually Gassama took off his sunglasses, sat back in his chair, and after around another minute of thought, flicked his cards to the dealer.
"Bluff?" he enquired hopefully to Hansen, who threw his hands-up and blew out his cheeks in a non-committal manner as he raked in a chunky pot.
Level 38
: Blinds 80,000/160,000, 160,000 ante
A shout of celebration went up from Table 78, and Tristan Vernay was walking away from the table pumping his fists.
All the money went in on the turn against Pavel Ustinov, who put around 2,100,000 in.
Vernay had A♥A♦ and Ustinov J♠10♥, with the board reading Q♠9♥7♠5♥, Ustinov on an up and down versus Vernay's overpair.
The 7♥ river was a brick, much to Vernay's delight.
