Francisco Penalva Rivas

Francisco Penalva Rivas is a professional poker player from Spain who has made his mark on the European poker scene, particularly through the Vamos Poker Tour (VPT). In 2025, he demonstrated exceptional consistency throughout the year, securing the second-place position in the prestigious VPT Annual Ranking.

Penalva's most significant achievement came in the 2025 VPT "Vamos a Las Vegas" Annual Ranking, where he finished in second place overall with 1,080.78 points. This ranking, which aggregates points from the best five regular VPT festivals plus the Grand Final, placed him behind champion Emmanouil Chalkiotis of Greece but ahead of fellow Spaniard Javier Dopazo in third. As a reward for his runner-up finish, Penalva earned a WPT Main Tour Cyprus Package valued at $5,000, along with a VPT Team Pro sponsorship that included four Main Event entries worth over €1,000, bringing the total package value to over €6,000.

While specific details of Penalva's playing style are not publicly documented, his ability to accumulate points consistently across multiple tournaments suggests a disciplined and strategic approach. In the VPT, where points are awarded for in-the-money finishes across all events, his second-place finish highlights his ability to perform well under pressure and adapt to different tournament structures.

With his VPT Team Pro sponsorship for the 2026 season, Penalva is positioned to compete in major events such as the WPT Main Tour in Cyprus and potentially the WSOP, as the top ranking winner earned a package to the WSOP Main Event. His consistent results in 2025 mark him as one of Spain's rising poker talents on the international stage.