Pierre Chevalier Wins Record-Breaking

Chevalier Captures First WSOPC Gold Ring in Paris

The WSOP Circuit Paris festival at the Partouche Pasino Club produced a milestone result, with local player Pierre Chevalier winning the €1,500 Main Event for €260,000 and his first WSOPC gold ring. The victory came in what organizers billed as a record-breaking field for the tour in Europe.

The Main Event drew 1,282 entries, a figure described as the largest Main Event field in the history of the WSOP Circuit on European soil. The prizepool reached €1,661,472, and 193 players finished in the money.

A Final Table With International Star Power

The final table featured an exceptionally strong lineup, including Belgium's three-time WSOP bracelet winner Davidi Kitai and well-known player Natasha Mercier. Their presence underlined the depth of a field that combined local regulars with internationally recognized professionals.

Chevalier, described as a recreational player, had to reschedule his train ticket home in order to stay for the final table. That decision proved pivotal. From the five-player stage onward, he eliminated every remaining opponent, carrying momentum into heads-up play against fellow Frenchman Hervé Gouzil.

The Decisive Hand

The final hand saw Gouzil move all-in with A♦ T♥ and Chevalier call with K♥ 9♣. The board ran out 7♣ 9♠ T♦ 6♣ K♠, giving Chevalier two pair on the river and sealing a career-defining victory.

Final Table Results

• 1. Pierre Chevalier (France) — €260,000
• 2. Hervé Gouzil (France) — €175,000
• 3. Luca Bernardi (Italy) — €123,000
• 4. Mathieu Selides (France) — €87,000
• 5. Davidi Kitai (Belgium) — €63,000
• 6. Tristan Clemencon (France) — €46,500
• 7. Valentin Blot (France) — €35,000
• 8. Alberto Ah Line (France) — €26,500
• 9. Natasha Mercier (Lebanon) — €20,500

Why the Result Matters

A record-setting Main Event on European soil reflects the continued growth of the WSOP Circuit brand internationally. For a recreational player to outlast a field of more than 1,200 entries — and to close out the final table by eliminating every opponent from five-handed onward — is a rare achievement at this level of tournament poker.

The presence of a multi-bracelet winner such as Kitai at the final table also highlights how WSOP Circuit events in Europe now routinely attract top-tier competition alongside amateur and semi-professional players.

What This Means for Players

For players considering similar events, the Paris stop illustrates a few recurring themes in modern tournament poker:

• Large fields mean deep prizepools, but also long days and high variance.
• Recreational players can and do win major titles when they combine patience with selective aggression.
• Final-table dynamics often reward the player who accumulates chips and applies pressure rather than simply waiting for premium hands.

Chevalier's run — from rescheduling travel plans to eliminating the last four opponents — is a textbook example of how a single deep run can define a tournament career.

Context on the WSOP Circuit

The WSOP Circuit is a global series of regional tournaments that awards gold rings to event winners. Circuit stops are typically held at partner casinos and card rooms, with Main Events serving as the flagship tournament of each festival. Winning a ring is widely regarded as a significant accomplishment in tournament poker, and many players use Circuit events as a path toward larger buy-in series.

The Paris festival's record turnout adds to the tour's expanding footprint in Europe, where stops have grown in both field sizes and prize money in recent years.