Kenny Hallaert

Kenny Hallaert, born in Ghent, Belgium, first cashed in a live tournament in 2006. In the early years, his results came primarily in the Netherlands and Las Vegas, where he played smaller buy-in events. His first major breakthrough came in 2011 when he finished sixth in the EPT Deauville Main Event for €155,000 (approximately $210,962). That result marked the largest cash of his early career and put him on the international radar.

In 2015, Hallaert placed fifth in the inaugural WSOP Colossus, earning $183,348, which remained his biggest score until his deep run in the 2016 WSOP Main Event.

Hallaert has one of the most impressive WSOP Main Event résumés of any European player. In 2016, he made the November Nine and finished sixth, earning $1,464,258. He returned to the final table in 2025, where he bagged the chip lead on Day 6 and Day 7 before ultimately finishing fourth for a career-best $3,000,000.

Beyond the Main Event, Hallaert has multiple other WSOP final tables:

• 2017 WSOP Event #36: $5,000 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed – 3rd place ($238,855)
• 2017 WSOP Event #66: $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em – 7th place ($58,083)
• 2017 WSOP Europe Event #10: €111,111 High Roller for One Drop – 10th place (€295,131)
• 2018 WSOP Event #2: $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty – 19th place ($11,950)
• 2021 WSOP Event #83: $1,500 The Closer – 13th place ($22,310)
• 2021 WSOP Event #76: $10,000 Super Turbo Bounty – 13th place ($22,298)

As of early 2026, Hallaert has over 60 WSOP cashes, with total WSOP earnings exceeding $5 million.

Hallaert has also performed well on the European Poker Tour and other major circuits:

• 2017 Caribbean Poker Party Festival $5,300 Millions Finale – 3rd place ($110,000)
• 2017 Caribbean Poker Party Festival $10,300 MILLIONS High Roller – 5th place ($85,000)
• 2020 Aussie Millions A$25,000 Challenge – 7th place (A$131,820)
• 2023 PokerStars EPT Cyprus $5,300 Main Event – 10th place ($74,200)
• 2025 PokerStars EPT Monte-Carlo €2,200 Open High Roller – 5th place (€108,080)
• 2023 PokerStars EPT Paris €5,300 Main Event – 19th place (€43,100)

He also has deep runs in online tournaments, including a 5th place in a $2,100 WCOOP event and cashes in the GGPoker WSOP Online Main Event and WPT World Online Championships.

Hallaert is known for a patient, well-rounded style that emphasizes deep-stack play. He uses positional awareness and strong hand reading to accumulate chips steadily, avoiding marginal spots unless he holds an advantage. His calm demeanor at the table has earned him respect among peers, and he frequently shares insights in post-game analyses. Hallaert's ability to navigate large fields and survive deep into tournaments is a testament to his disciplined approach.

Beyond being a player, Hallaert has contributed significantly to the poker industry. He helped establish the poker rooms at the Namur and Spa casinos in Belgium and has served as a tournament director and live events advisor. In 2024, he joined PokerStars as an ambassador and live events advisor, focusing on protecting recreational players and improving tournament structures. He has also been involved in organizing the Belgian Poker Series, Belgian Poker Challenge, and French Poker Series. Hallaert sits third on Belgium's all-time money list, behind Davidi Kitai and Thomas Boivin.

Hallaert remains an active presence on the live circuit. In 2026, he continued to cash in multiple WSOP events, including a 44th place in Event #44 ($10,000 Super Turbo Bounty) and a 59th place in Event #79 ($3,000 Freezeout). His consistent results across different buy-in levels and formats demonstrate that he remains a formidable competitor more than a decade after his first major score.