Aleksei Vandyshev won the €5,200 PLO Grand Slam in Prague

Aleksei Vandyshev claimed victory in the prestigious PLO Grand Slam Prague tournament with a €5,200 buy-in, becoming the champion of the Diamond Poker Series.

Aleksei Vandyshev claimed victory in the PLO Grand Slam Prague tournament with a €5,200 buy-in, held as part of the Diamond Poker Series at the All Inn casino. This success marked the Russian player's first major achievement in live Pot-Limit Omaha tournaments, despite his impressive track record in other disciplines. Context: Diamond Poker Series and Tournament Status The PLO Grand Slam Prague tournament with a €5,200 buy-in took place as part of the prestigious Diamond Poker Series, known for its strong fields and substantial prize pools. The venue was the All Inn casino in Prague—one of the key locations for European poker. The tournament's guaranteed prize pool was €1,000,000, which attracted many well-known professionals specializing in Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO). A total of 182 entries were registered in the tournament, creating an impressive prize pool. PLO is a type of poker where players receive four hole cards and must use exactly two of them in combination with three community cards on the board. Unlike the more popular No-Limit Hold'em, in PLO the bet size is limited by the size of the pot, making the game more dynamic and demanding in terms of calculating outs and equity. Aleksei Vandyshev’s Poker Journey to the PLO Grand Slam Before this event, Aleksei Vandyshev was already well-known in the poker community thanks to his successes in No-Limit Hold'em. His achievements include several five-figure cashes, a final table at a WPT Main Event with a win of just over $100,000, and victory in the WSOP Online Main Event in 2021, where he earned over $2,500,000. However, prior to the PLO Grand Slam, Vandyshev had not cashed in any live Pot-Limit Omaha tournaments. Despite his lack of experience in live PLO tournaments, Vandyshev not only made it to the final table but also claimed victory, defeating recognized Omaha specialists. Final Day Action: Key Hands and the Climax Eleven players returned for the final day, including such notable names as WSOP bracelet winner and three-time Diamond Poker Series champion Dario Alioto. Alioto was the first to be eliminated that day. On the final table bubble, a crucial hand took place between Vandyshev and Kan Ying. Ying was all-in with pocket aces, but Vandyshev hit a set of kings on the turn, allowing him not only to knock out his opponent but also to take the chip lead heading into the final table. From that point, Vandyshev began to play aggressively, regularly putting opponents in tough spots and scooping many pots without showdown. After Veselin Karakitukov was eliminated in ninth place, Vandyshev became the first player to reach a stack of over 10 million chips. A key moment came in a hand against 2022 WSOP Europe Main Event champion Omar Eljach: Vandyshev hit a broadway straight on the river and got maximum value, leaving Eljach with a short stack. Eljach managed to move up one spot after Vandyshev eliminated Carlo van Ravenswoud (8th place), but soon after, Eljach himself exited in seventh place. The situation changed dramatically with five players left. Aku Joentausta, who was second in chips, played a hand with pocket aces perfectly, trapping Vandyshev. After this hand, Vandyshev went from chip leader to short stack, while Joentausta held more than half the chips in play with four players remaining. Vandyshev later commented on this episode: "It was a huge blow for me. Aku found great aces and just called preflop. In this spot, you can only play with aces, and he had them. I lost and was left with a short stack, but I was already happy to make the final table and stayed calm." Joentausta continued to build his lead: he knocked out Cesar Garcia (4th place), then forced Finnish pro Juha Helppi (3rd place) to fold, entering heads-up against Vandyshev with a six-to-one chip advantage. However, Joentausta was unable to capitalize on his lead. Vandyshev was on the brink of elimination but hit a straight on the river to double up. Shortly after, he caught his opponent bluffing and regained the chip lead. Joentausta came close to evening the stacks several times, but Vandyshev ramped up the aggression again and gradually whittled down his opponent’s stack. In the decisive hand, Joentausta was all-in with two pair, while Vandyshev had a "wrap"—a draw with many outs to a straight. On the river, Vandyshev completed a broadway straight and became the champion of the PLO Grand Slam Prague with a €5,200 buy-in. Final Table Results of PLO Grand Slam Prague €5,200 1st place: Aleksei Vandyshev — €218,550 2nd place: Aku Joentausta 3rd place: Juha Helppi 4th place: Cesar Garcia 5th place: Sampo Ryynanen 6th place: Sebestyen Balint 7th place: Omar Eljach 8th place: Carlo van Ravenswoud 9th place: Veselin Karakitukov Vandyshev took home the top prize of €218,550, marking his first major live PLO tournament win. The other payouts and amounts were not specified in the original. Winner’s Quotes and Emotions After his victory, Aleksei Vandyshev immediately registered for the €10,000 PLO Championship, which was also part of the Diamond Poker Series. In a brief interview with PokerNews during a break, he shared his impressions: "I have no words. Heads-up was a bit stressful, I was left with a very short stack, but managed to come back and win. Now I’m already in a new tournament, so I’m focused, but very happy." Vandyshev also noted that he considers himself an amateur in PLO: "I’m an amateur in Omaha. This game is more fun, there are a lot of strong opponents who play better than me. It was tough, especially at the final table. I just love playing PLO. Today I got lucky, and it proves that anyone can win." Key Participants and Their Achievements Many well-known players took part in the tournament, including: Dario Alioto — WSOP bracelet winner and three-time Diamond Poker Series champion Omar Eljach — 2022 WSOP Europe Main Event champion Juha Helppi — Finnish professional, regularly achieving high results in major tournaments Aku Joentausta — finalist and Vandyshev’s main opponent in heads-up Also in the money: Carlo van Ravenswoud, Veselin Karakitukov, Cesar Garcia, Sampo Ryynanen, Sebestyen Balint, Kan Ying Such a lineup highlights the high level of the tournament and the significance of Vandyshev’s victory. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this news is a great illustration that even players without much experience in a particular discipline can succeed at major series if they approach the game with the right mindset and are not afraid to experiment. Aleksei Vandyshev, a No-Limit Hold'em specialist, managed to adapt to the specifics of PLO and defeat recognized masters of the format. This example shows: you shouldn’t be afraid of new formats and tournaments with tough fields. Regular practice, studying the nuances of PLO, and being ready for aggressive play can bring results even in the most challenging conditions. For PPPoker players, participating in club PLO tournaments can be excellent training before high-level live events. Moreover, Vandyshev’s story is a reminder of the importance of psychological resilience. Even after becoming a short stack and facing setbacks, he managed to stay calm and see it through to victory. This quality is especially valuable in club games, where the dynamics and pressure from opponents often come to the forefront.