For this 2025 version of The Grand Finale of the Winamax Poker Tour, Winamax and Texapoker selected to depart Paris for the primary time ever in 14 years and head to the Pasino Grand in Aix-en-Provence. A profitable determination, because the match broke all information: 357,000 entries within the on-line qualifiers, 9,505 contributors throughout the 11 stay qualifying freerolls, and three,503 entries within the €500 Foremost Occasion. However in the long run, just one participant triumphed at Monday’s ultimate desk: Yoann Kaminisky.
Sporting the native crew Olympique de Marseille jersey, he raised the champion’s sword and took dwelling €175,000 after defeating Patrice Espinasse heads-up — a participant who certified by a freeroll stage and turned €0 into €127,500 because of his second place.
Outcomes of the Winamax Poker Tour 2025
Winner’s Response
The 28 year-old panel beater jumped into this WiPT from Day 1A — his very first €500 buy-in match. Regardless of an unsuccessful first bullet, the second hit the mark. And it’s secure to say he skilled this deep run with nice depth, by no means hiding his feelings. Proof of that? His victory roar, which awoke all of Aix-en-Provence, appeared like a launch after all of the strain he had constructed up. “I barely slept the night time earlier than the ultimate desk, my thoughts was racing,” he calmly admitted proper after his win.
Already the day earlier than, ranging from the ultimate three tables redraw, he had been significantly expressive each time he discovered himself in all-in and name conditions. “I believed I used to be finished,” he stated, recalling a flip with 22 gamers left. Later, with a clenched fist, he celebrated his profitable palms in the course of the huge battle he fought towards Oscar Genix (14th – €10,000), which actually put his nerves to the check. He ultimately knocked out Genix by cracking Aces on the river, after having already doubled by the opponent he thought-about “probably the most harmful,” the eleventh within the 2025 WSOP Foremost Occasion Malcolm Franchi (sixteenth – €8,080).
Upon reaching the ultimate desk, Kaminisky’s mantra was clear: “I knew I had nothing to lose however the whole lot to realize.” But it surely wasn’t till the heads-up that the daddy of a younger boy started to consider victory was actually doable, after he eradicated Jean-Yves Lestrade in third place in a large pot because of a set hit on the flip.
This hand propelled him into a powerful chiplead for the ultimate showdown towards Espinasse, which ended swiftly in victory. “I didn’t have my shot in the course of the heads-up, so no regrets,” stated Espinasse, who graciously congratulated the winner. “Make good use of it,” he informed Kaminisky as he left.
The qualifier, whose achievement deserves recognition, needn’t fear — Kaminisky is preserving his toes firmly on the bottom regardless of this large success. “I’ll have a bankroll to play a bit extra stay, however I’m not going to do the circuit. I used to be imagined to play the €250 WSOP-C subsequent week in Aix-en-Provence, however I believe I’ll skip it. I promised my son a home with a pool, in order that’s the plan.”
No Again-to-Again Win for Jérémy Cauchard
The principle attraction heading into the ultimate desk was Jérémy Cauchard, who had a novel likelihood to drag off an unbelievable back-to-back win after he completed first out of three,448 entries in final yr’s version. However because the shortest stack among the many 9 finalists, he wanted an early double-up to maintain hope alive. That’s precisely what occurred simply minutes after play resumed, earlier than he double-up a second and a 3rd time.
The defending champion even managed to climb into the chip counts after taking an enormous pot from Lestrade. However minutes later, the chilly bathe got here from Espinasse in a preflop confrontation of Ace-Queen of golf equipment vs. Ace-Queen, which was a flush for the freeroll qualifier. Shortly after, the identical two gamers went all-in once more. Espinasse was forward and stayed forward, ending Cauchard’s extraordinary run simply earlier than the dinner break. Cauchard didn’t handle the back-to-back, however on high of the €170,000 he gained final yr, he nonetheless walks away with €35,700.
“I’m just a little gutted, however I’m actually happy with what I completed,” stated the 2024 champion proper after his elimination. “Final yr, I used to be among the many chip leaders the entire method, however this yr it was a little bit of a rollercoaster. I attempted to hold on as a result of I got here in tremendous quick, but it surely’s been a loopy journey — so truthfully, simply happiness.”
The Winamax Poker Tour will hit the street throughout France once more subsequent yr for an additional version. Within the meantime, the Winamax crew will cease in Marrakech from Could 20 to 25 for the Sismix, then uncover Aix-les-Bains from September 16 to 21 for a brand-new WPO.
PokerNews will after all be on web site to cowl these occasions… however for now, the stay reporting crew will keep on the Pasino Grand, the place the WSOP Circuit Aix-en-Provence Foremost Occasion will happen from April 17 to 21.
