Antoine Vranken

Antoine Vranken is a professional poker player from the Netherlands who has built a reputation as a versatile tournament competitor. While he primarily focuses on no-limit hold'em, his success in mixed games has demonstrated his adaptability at the highest levels of the sport. Vranken's career spans both live and online poker, with significant results across multiple major tournament series including the World Series of Poker (WSOP), European Poker Tour (EPT), and World Poker Tour (WPT).

Vranken's defining achievement came in November 2021 at the World Series of Poker Europe, where he captured his first WSOP bracelet in Event #6: €1,650 No-Limit Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha Mixed. The tournament attracted 339 entries, creating a prize pool of €483,075. Vranken defeated a tough final table that included Moncef Karoui (runner-up, €69,831), Carter Newhof (third, €47,286), Claudio Di Giacomo (fourth, €32,787), Stanislav Koleno (fifth, €23,296), Mikkel Plum (sixth, €16,971), Manuel Fritz (seventh, €12,685), Fahredin Mustafov (eighth, €9,734), and Julien Sitbon (ninth, €7,675).

The event required an unscheduled third day of play, with ten players returning to the felt. Vranken started the final day as one of the short stacks with just 17 big blinds, but he remained patient and let the game come to him. "I just waited for good cards today," Vranken told WSOP reporters. "I think I only bluffed once or twice. Last night, I was looking up my opponents and they were all pretty good, so I had to just stay patient."

Vranken played his first significant pot five-handed, calling off his stack with A-J against Carter Newhof's 9-6. Newhof flopped a six, but Vranken spiked a jack on the turn to double up. He then returned to his patient approach, letting Stanislav Koleno bust in fifth and Claudio Di Giacomo get eliminated in fourth before playing another big pot.

Entering heads-up play against Moncef Karoui, Vranken was again at a chip disadvantage but found an early double-up to take the lead. Moments later, the players got all their chips in the middle in a pot-limit Omaha hand. Vranken held pocket kings with one suit while Karoui had pocket aces with no suits. Vranken flopped a full house using his other two cards, and Karoui was unable to spike an ace on the turn or river. The Dutch rail cheered as Vranken secured the bracelet and the €113,000 first-place prize (approximately $126,560 USD).

Remarkably, Vranken had limited experience in the mixed format. "I just started playing Omaha tournaments last week," Vranken laughed after the win. "I played some cash games before but I prefer playing tournaments and I've done well." His winning hand was K♠K♥J♠3♣, and he described the victory as surreal: "I can't believe it. It's real now."

Beyond his bracelet win, Vranken has compiled an impressive record in WSOP-affiliated events. According to WSOP statistics, he has recorded 51 cashes between 2017 and 2026, totaling $411,000 in WSOP earnings, with two wins, nine final tables, and a top cash of $113,000.

One of his standout results came in May 2024 at the WSOP Circuit Holland Casino, where he finished fourth in the €1,100 Main Event for €53,877 ($58,316). He has also posted numerous deep runs in WSOP Circuit events across Europe, including:

• March 2026: 29th place in the €1,500 Main Event (500K GTD) at Holland Casino for $5,400
• November 2025: 62nd place in the €1,500 WSOP Circuit Main Event (€1,000,000 GTD) at King's Resort for €3,600 ($3,924)
• October 2025: 9th place in the €440 Pot-Limit Omaha 6-Max at King's Resort for €1,410 ($1,537)
• September 2025: 13th place in the €2,000 Pot-Limit Omaha event at WSOP Europe for €8,200 ($8,938)
• May 2025: 13th place in the €2,200 Highroller Mystery Bounty at WSOP Circuit Holland Casino for €2,749 ($2,996)
• May 2025: 37th place in the €1,100 Main Event at WSOP Circuit Holland Casino for €4,723 ($5,148)

At the 2025 WSOP in Las Vegas, Vranken cashed in multiple events, including a 151st-place finish in the $1,000 Seniors No-Limit Hold'em Championship for $5,444 and a 294th-place result in the $1,000 Battle of the Ages for $2,099. He also cashed in the $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship and the $300 Gladiators of Poker event.

Vranken has also found success on the World Poker Tour circuit. His WPT results include:

• WPT Prime Amsterdam at Holland Casino (2023): 89th place for $2,167
• WPTDeepStacks Brussels at Grand Casino Brussels Viage (2018-2019): 21st place for $4,868

These results bring his total WPT earnings to $7,035. In addition to his WPT performances, Vranken has multiple cashes in European Poker Tour main events and side events, further solidifying his status as one of the Netherlands' most consistent tournament professionals.

Vranken's playing style is characterized by patience and disciplined hand selection. His approach was on full display during his bracelet run, where he emphasized waiting for good spots rather than forcing action. "I just waited for good cards today," he explained, noting that he rarely bluffed and relied on letting opponents make mistakes.

His willingness to adapt to different formats is also notable. Despite being primarily a no-limit hold'em player, Vranken successfully navigated the mixed NLH/PLO event at WSOP Europe, showing that he can quickly adjust his game when needed. His deep-stack play is marked by careful position management and a preference for avoiding unnecessary risks early in tournaments.

Vranken continues to be an active presence on the European tournament circuit, regularly appearing at WSOP Circuit stops in Holland Casino Venlo, King's Resort in Rozvadov, and Card Casino in Austria. His 2026 results include a 15th-place finish in the €680 NLH Monsterstack at WSOP Circuit Holland Casino Venlo for $1,640 and a 29th-place result in the €1,500 Main Event for $5,400.

With career earnings exceeding $1.58 million and a world ranking around 1880th, Vranken represents the modern professional poker player who balances live tournament success with online play. His first bracelet victory at the 2021 WSOP Europe remains the highlight of his career, but his consistent cashes across multiple series demonstrate that he is not a one-hit wonder. As he continues to compete at the highest levels of European poker, Vranken's patient, disciplined approach serves as a model for aspiring tournament players looking to build long-term success in the game.