Mateus Simao Zanin

Mateus Simao Zanin secured his biggest live tournament victory at the 2026 Campeonato Paranaense de Poker (CPP) Cascavel, taking down the Super High Roller PKO (R$3,000 buy-in). With 144 entries, Zanin emerged victorious, earning R$37,620 in prize money and an additional R$40,000 in bounties, for a total of R$77,620. The event featured a competitive field and a guaranteed prize pool of R$300,000.

Zanin entered the final table as chip leader with 3,850,000 chips. Early in the final, he delivered a bad beat on João Adão, rivering a flush with A5 against Adão's AA to take the bounty. Later, he lost the lead but recovered by hitting a set on the turn with JJ against Lincoln Furukawa's QQ. After eliminating Furukawa in 4th place, Zanin entered heads-up against Rafael Francez with a dominant stack.

In the deciding hand, Francez raised to 200,000 and Zanin called from the big blind. On a flop of 9-7-J, Zanin check-raised all-in over Francez's 500,000 c-bet. Francez called with Q-10 for an open-ended straight draw and two overcards, while Zanin held 8-4 for a flush draw and a gutshot. The turn brought a J, keeping Francez ahead, but the river 2 completed Zanin's flush, giving him the championship.

Zanin's play at the CPP final table was characterized by aggressive betting and a willingness to put opponents to difficult decisions. He used check-raise all-ins effectively and showed a knack for finding outs in critical spots. His river flush on multiple occasions—including against João Adão and in the final hand—highlighted his ability to apply pressure and capitalize on draws.

Hailing from the interior of Paraná, Brazil, Mateus Simao Zanin is a rising figure in the Brazilian poker scene. While detailed career records before this win are limited, his victory at CPP Cascavel places him among the notable champions of the region. Earlier in the same series, Zanin also finished 4th in the Ultra High Roller event, further demonstrating his consistency at high-stakes tournaments.