Mauricio Salazar Sanches

Mauricio Salazar Sanches was born in Medellín, Colombia, and began his poker career on the Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT). He steadily progressed through the regional ranks, building a bankroll and honing his skills before breaking onto the international scene. By 2024, he had crossed the $2 million milestone in career earnings, solidifying his status as a global high-stakes regular. he currently occupies the 2nd position on the Colombia All Time Money List, trailing only Farid Jattin, and he holds a world ranking of 1053.

Salazar Sanches’s career-defining performance came at the 2024 European Poker Tour (EPT) Monte Carlo, where he finished 2nd in the €25,000 No Limit Hold’em High Roller, earning €950,000 (approximately $1,014,502). This remains his largest single cash. On the Triton Poker circuit, he placed 11th in the 2023 Triton Poker Super High Roller Series Montenegro $125,000 Main Event for $406,000. He also demonstrated success in Asia, winning the $10,000 Super High Roller at the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT) Cambodia in May 2025 for $42,811. Other notable results include a €47,100 (≈$54,937) cash in the EPT Barcelona High Roller in 2025, a 12th-place finish in the TLPT Super High Roller Series Main Event in Jeju for $52,000, and a $35,000 cash in the 2025 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, where he finished 459th out of 9,735 entrants. In the 2026 WSOP, he cashed in the $1,500 Monster Stack event for $5,500. His total live tournament earnings stand at $2,566,366 (as of mid-2026), with $2,587,553 reported by some sources.

Salazar Sanches is known for a versatile and highly analytical play style that allows him to compete with the world’s best GTO-focused players. He adapts his strategy between exploitative and balanced ranges, thriving in high-pressure bubble and final-table situations. He leverages his stack effectively against opponents and demonstrates composure under variance. His ability to win both massive-field events and high-stakes fields highlights his range of skills. Observers note he is particularly dangerous when deep-stacked and in heads-up situations.

Salazar Sanches spends much of the year traveling the global circuit, with significant presence in South Korea, Vietnam, and Europe. His 2025 campaign remained strong, with deep runs at the EPT Barcelona and APPT Cambodia, where he won the Super High Roller. He also attended the 2025 WSOP Main Event and the 2026 WSOP Monster Stack event. His historic double-title run at APPT Cambodia further underscores his resilience. He continues to be a formidable regular at the most prestigious tours, including the Triton Series and EPT High Roller events.

In his 2025–2026 campaign, Salazar Sanches recorded notable SMP Poker Index scores reflecting his performance strength. At the 2025 WSOP Main Event (459th, $35,000), his SMP index was 968.48. At the 2026 WSOP Monster Stack (486th, $5,500), his index was 544.59. His victory at the APPT Cambodia Super High Roller (1st, $42,811) earned an index of 558.55. These metrics underscore his ability to achieve deep runs in both massive fields and high-roller events.

Salazar Sanches has excelled in Asia-Pacific tournaments, with a net worth of $59,570 in the region from three events attended, all of which resulted in in-the-money finishes (100% ITM). His biggest win in the region is $42,811 from the APPT Cambodia Super High Roller in May 2025. This perfect record highlights his adaptability to Asian poker circuits and his efficiency in converting buy-ins into cashes.

Beyond his second-place standing on the Colombia All Time Money List, Salazar Sanches also appears on the Latin American All Time Money List, which ranks over 29,800 players across the region. Additionally, he features on the Colombia Number of Cashes leaderboard, reflecting his consistent deep runs across multiple tours. These rankings cement his status as one of Colombia’s most accomplished tournament grinder.