Diogo Coelho

Diogo Coelho was born in Santo Tirso, Portugal. He began his poker career online, where he adopted the screen name "Piranha." His early success in online tournaments led him to join Polarize Poker, a prominent Portuguese poker training and staking group. Under the guidance of top players such as Rui Ferreira ("RuiNF"), Daniel Custódio, and Xunekas, Coelho refined his skills through rigorous study and analysis. Before transitioning to live events, he had already built a solid online resume, including a 4th-place finish in the 2021 WPT Online $530 WPT500 Knockout for $37,394 and cashes in multiple GGPoker WSOP Online events.

Coelho’s breakout live tournament came in 2023 at the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Paris. At age 27, with less than $70,000 in live earnings, he won the €10,300 EPT Paris High Roller, defeating a tough field to claim €810,500 — his first major title. He followed this up in 2024 by winning the $2,200 Eureka High Roller at EPT Cyprus for $357,048 after a heads-up deal with Michele Guerrini. That same year, he narrowly missed the final table of the WSOP Main Event, finishing 10th for $800,000 — the second-largest live cash of his career. These results have propelled him to seventh place on the Portugal All Time Money List with live earnings exceeding $2.38 million.

Coelho made history for Portugal at the 2024 WSOP Main Event. Entering Day 8 as the second-largest stack among 18 players, he was in strong contention for the final table. However, after losing key pots to Kristen Foxen, his stack dwindled. He was eventually eliminated in 10th place when his A♣J♠ ran into Niklas Astedt’s A♦K♥. The final board of K♠Q♦6♥Q♥8♥ sent Coelho to the rail with $800,000. This result surpassed Pedro Oliveira’s 11th-place finish in 2017 as the best ever by a Portuguese player in the WSOP Main Event. Later in 2024, Coelho also finished 5th in the $5,000 WSOP Online Main Event on GGPoker for $1,421,478 — his largest career payout — alongside fellow Portuguese pro Rui Ferreira, who took third.

Coelho is widely regarded as a solid, disciplined player with a strong grasp of both pre-flop strategy and post-flop decision-making. He is known for his ability to adapt to different opponents and stack depths, particularly excelling in deep-stack scenarios. His approach emphasizes controlling losses in disadvantageous spots rather than forcing action. Coelho credits much of his growth to the structured study environment at Polarize Poker, where he receives advanced analytical tools and specialized coaching. This disciplined routine has been key to his rapid rise in the high-stakes poker world.

In early 2025, Coelho took another step forward by competing in the Triton Poker Series Jeju, a high-stakes circuit featuring the world’s elite. He entered the $25,000 No-Limit Hold'em event, finishing 33rd for $52,000. This debut marked his first appearance in a super-high-roller series and underscored his ambition to compete at the highest levels. With multiple EPT titles, a deep WSOP run, and growing online success, Diogo Coelho continues to represent Portugal on the global poker stage and is considered one of the country's brightest poker talents.

Beyond his own results, Coelho serves as a coach at Polarize Poker, sharing his expertise with fellow Portuguese players. He works alongside top professionals such as Rui Ferreira, Daniel Custódio, and Xunekas, helping to develop training materials and analyze hands. His coaching role reflects his commitment to giving back to the poker community and nurturing the next generation of talent from Portugal.

Coelho began 2025 with a 28th-place finish in the €10,300 EPT High Roller at EPT Malta, earning €19,800. He also cashed in the €1,100 PokerStars Open at EPT Monte-Carlo, finishing 26th for €8,250. His participation in the Triton Super High Roller Series underscores his ability to compete with the world's best. According to PokerNews, his total live earnings have surpassed $2.5 million, with multiple six-figure scores in 2024 alone. Coelho continues to balance online and live play, aiming to add more titles to his already impressive resume.