Seat 9: Samuel Fournier, 29, Paris (29,300,000)
Alongside Samuel Bifarella, Samuel Fournier holds one of the most impressive résumés at this final table. With $650,000 in live tournament earnings, including a 3rd place on the Eureka Main Event in Cyprus for $237,000 and several strong results in Parisian clubs, Samuel Fournier’s experience speaks for itself, especially at just 26 years old.
Samuel honed his skills on the smallest stakes at Winamax, his home room. “I started with €1 tournaments and gradually moved up in stakes, pretty quickly.” During an internship while studying finance, he stepped into a Parisian poker club and never left, learning the ropes among the live regulars. “I immediately felt at home in live poker, and I decided to pursue it.”
Even though he’s done a few side jobs, poker has driven his life for years. “I still play online occasionally, mostly on Sundays. I’ve taken a couple of Winamax Series events a long time ago, but it’s really live poker where I feel most comfortable,” he admits.
Affable at the table, especially when he has a lot of chips, Samuel spent much of his time trolling his opponents. Lines like “3-bet 7-2, pressure move” or “with King-3, I’ve got blockers on the Kings” could be heard whenever an opponent folded to one of his many 3-bets.
Qualifying on his very first bullet during Day 1D with a big stack, Samuel admitted he “hadn’t played a single all-in covered hand” throughout the tournament. Without exaggeration, he’s probably the only one in that situation, with a stack that never fell below average over the first three days of the Grande Finale.
A rare sight in Winamax live events, this is the first time he’s made it into the money. Yet this is a tournament he particularly enjoys. “I find the level very heterogeneous, but much stronger than before. And above all, it’s a tournament where you don’t get bored; the atmosphere at the table is great.”
Even with the high stakes at play, one thing is certain: with Samuel Fournier at this final table, boredom won’t be an issue.
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