Tsuf Saltsberg wins his first trophy in the €3,000 PLO High Roller

Tsuf Saltsberg scored an impressive victory in the €3,000 PLO High Roller event at the King's Million European Poker Championship 2026, making a comeback in the final.

The prestigious €3,000 PLO High Roller, held as part of the King's Million European Poker Championship 2026 at King's Resort, wrapped up with a thrilling and action-packed final day. The title went to Tsuf Saltsberg, who claimed his first-ever live tournament trophy. His path to victory was anything but easy: after a long battle and facing a significant chip deficit heads-up against Oliver Tot, Saltsberg not only managed to even the stacks but ultimately clinched the win, agreeing to an ICM deal and taking down the decisive all-in. Tournament Format and PLO High Roller Highlights The Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) event with a €3,000 buy-in drew 142 entries, including 60 during the late registration period. The total prize pool reached an impressive €500,000. Unlike traditional Texas Hold'em, PLO deals each player four hole cards, and players must use exactly two of them along with three community cards to make a hand. This format is known for its fast pace and demands a deep understanding of hand structures and probabilities. The tournament spanned two days. On the final day, 28 players returned after surviving the opening day’s field. Late registration remained open right up until the start of Day 2, boosting the number of participants and intensifying the competition for prize money. Key Moments and the Champion’s Strategy Payouts were confirmed shortly after late registration closed: the top 22 finishers were guaranteed at least €7,400. After the dinner break, only two eliminations stood between the field and the money, adding extra tension to the bubble—the point where the next player out leaves empty-handed. Here, Oleksii Holubov played a pivotal role by knocking out Viktor Wessman, who became the last player to exit without a payout. Following this elimination, the pace of play settled, and by midnight, the final table of nine was set. The battle for the trophy, however, stretched on for another six hours. Tsuf Saltsberg entered the final table with the third-largest stack, but his approach was far from aggressive: he avoided big confrontations and minimized risk, focusing on steadily climbing the payout ladder. Aside from one knockout at 18th place, Saltsberg didn’t eliminate any other players until the very end of the tournament. Saltsberg described his strategy as aiming to maximize his payouts by moving up through the pay jumps—a plan that paid off perfectly. He had already come close to major success several times, including a runner-up finish at the 2024 World Series of Poker Europe at the same King's Resort. His recent deep run in the €1,500 PLO Championship (11th place) also served as valuable preparation for this event. The turning point for Saltsberg came in a hand against Oliver Tot at the final table, where he made a straight and doubled up, keeping his tournament hopes alive. In heads-up play, despite starting with a four-to-one chip disadvantage, Saltsberg managed to dictate the pace. According to him, he deliberately provoked Tot into playing more aggressively, which ultimately swung the momentum in his favor. After several lead changes, the players agreed to an ICM deal, and the title was decided in a single hand, with Saltsberg coming out on top. Emotions and Support: The Road to a First Title Winning the €3,000 PLO High Roller was not only Saltsberg’s biggest live tournament achievement but also an emotional milestone. As the champion noted, he has been playing poker actively for the past ten years, and for the last five, he has devoted himself almost entirely to PLO—both tournaments and cash games, mainly online. Until now, he hadn’t scored a major win in a live event, and he credits the festival atmosphere and the support of friends as key factors in his success. Saltsberg emphasized that having a supportive group during the series helped him stay confident and focused on results. This result marked the second-largest cash of Saltsberg’s career: for the victory, he earned €87,000. Notably, just a few days earlier, he finished 11th in the €1,500 PLO Championship, further confirming his consistent form and ability to go deep in major series. €3,000 PLO High Roller Final Table Results Below is the payout table and final standings for the tournament’s final table. Payouts marked with an asterisk reflect the ICM deal between the two finalists. 1. Tsuf Saltsberg – €87,000* 2. Oliver Tot – €83,000* 3. Paul Haus – €48,000 4. Eran Carmi – €36,000 5. Alessandro De Michele – €27,500 6. Antoine Vranken – €21,000 7. Bastian Bluem – €16,000 8. Oleksii Holubov – €12,000 9. Viktor Wessman – €9,000 The minimum payout for making the money was €7,400, with 22 players finishing in the money (ITM). The final table was fiercely contested, with every pot hard-fought and the action stretching late into the night. Other Notable Players and Tournament Dynamics The field featured well-known names such as Alessandro De Michele, Antoine Vranken, Bastian Bluem, Eran Carmi, Oleksii Holubov, Oliver Tot, Paul Haus, and Viktor Wessman, each contributing to the drama of the final day. For instance, Oleksii Holubov was responsible for the crucial bubble elimination, while Oliver Tot was Saltsberg’s main rival heads-up, holding a commanding chip lead at the start of their duel. The final day saw plenty of short stacks and rapid all-ins early on, but as the final table approached, play slowed and each elimination became the result of a drawn-out positional battle. Despite his relatively conservative approach, Saltsberg managed to preserve his stack and seize his opportunity in the key moments. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players This story is a clear example of how smart strategy and mental resilience can lead to success even in highly competitive tournaments. For PPPoker club players, it’s a great reminder that building a stack aggressively is important, but so is knowing when to pick your spots and avoid unnecessary risks. Saltsberg showed that a thoughtful survival strategy and playing for pay jumps can be just as effective as constantly applying pressure to opponents. Saltsberg’s victory also highlights the importance of support and team spirit at poker festivals. Even in PPPoker’s online clubs, connecting and sharing experiences with fellow players helps maintain motivation and improve your game. Make the most of the club format to review hands together and exchange strategies. Finally, taking part in tournaments with different structures—as Saltsberg does, playing both online and live, in cash games and tournaments, across various stakes—helps players broaden their poker horizons and be ready for any situation at the table. Apply this approach in your PPPoker clubs: try new formats, play regular tournaments, and don’t be afraid to experiment with your strategy.