Hovhannes Khachatryan

Levon Khachatryan announced himself on the world stage at the 2026 World Series of Poker, finishing second in the $25,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller. The event featured a field of elite players, and Khachatryan entered heads-up with a commanding chip lead over Finnish pro Eelis Paerssinen. However, the match turned on a single, brutal hand: Khachatryan flopped top full house (nines full of kings) and committed all his chips, only to discover Paerssinen had flopped quad nines. The cooler cost him the bracelet but secured a career-best payday of $1,440,680.

Before his 2026 breakout, Khachatryan's live tournament earnings totaled approximately $181,808 with a previous best cash of $32,401. He has primarily played in California and other U.S. venues, building his bankroll and experience. The runner-up finish in the $25K PLO High Roller vaulted him onto the all-time money list and marked him as a dangerous opponent in high-stakes Omaha.

The pivotal hand occurred with blinds at 400,000/800,000 and Khachatryan holding roughly 47 million chips to Paerssinen's 20 million. Khachatryan raised from the button, Paerssinen called, and the flop came K♥9♠9♣. After a continuation bet and call, the turn brought 6♥; both checked. The river J♦ saw Paerssinen bet 3.6 million, Khachatryan raised to 12 million, and Paerssinen shoved for under 18 million. Khachatryan called with K♣9♦ for a flopped full house, but Paerssinen showed 9♥9♦ for quads. Khachatryan later said, "I thought he had king-nine or pocket jacks. I would never put him on nines." The pot gave Paerssinen the lead, and Khachatryan was unable to recover.

Based on available reports, Khachatryan exhibits an aggressive, assertive style. In the heads-up match, he was described as "winning almost every single pot before" the cooler, pressuring his opponent relentlessly. He is comfortable playing deep stacks and applies constant pressure, though the one time he was trapped, it proved fatal. His post-hand interview showed resilience, acknowledging the bad beat while respecting Paerssinen's skill.

Levon Khachatryan's near-miss at the 2026 WSOP is already a part of poker folklore – a story of quads over a full house on the biggest stage. While he didn't capture the bracelet, the $1.44 million score transformed his career and marked him as a player to watch in Pot-Limit Omaha events. He continues to play out of Glendale, California, with a growing reputation as a fierce competitor.