Olivier Busquet

Olivier Busquet was born on August 22, 1981, in New York City. He attended The Allen-Stevenson School and Trinity High School, where he competed in chess and played violin in the orchestra. Busquet then studied at Cornell University, earning a degree in philosophy, before working briefly on Wall Street.

Busquet began his poker career online, playing low-stakes no-limit hold'em cash games before discovering heads-up Sit & Go tournaments. Under the screen names "livb112" on Full Tilt and "adonis112" on PokerStars, he became a dominant force in the format. He was the first player to earn $2 million in heads-up SNGs and ultimately amassed an estimated $2.75 million in profit from tens of thousands of matches. Additionally, he accumulated $840,000 in multi-table tournament winnings from those same accounts.

Busquet transitioned to live tournaments in the late 2000s and quickly made his mark. His first major live cash came in the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event, where he finished 244th. He followed that with a 311th-place finish in the 2009 WSOP Main Event. However, his breakthrough came later that year when he won the Borgata Poker Open, a World Poker Tour event, for $925,514. That victory came against the largest field in WPT history at the time.

World Poker Tour

Busquet has one WPT title (Borgata Poker Open 2009) and three WPT final tables. His other deep WPT runs include a 5th-place finish at Thunder Valley in 2016-2017 ($63,013), a 7th at Choctaw in 2016-2017 ($104,842), and a 10th at Bellagio in 2009-2010 ($56,439). In total, he has $1,293,036 in WPT earnings across 17 cashes.

European Poker Tour

Busquet has been especially successful on the European Poker Tour. He won an EPT title in 2014 in Barcelona, taking down the €50,000 Eight-Max event for $1,191,096. He also finished runner-up in the EPT Grand Final High Roller in 2010 ($794,771) and runner-up in the EPT Campione Main Event in 2012 ($570,383). These results contribute to his two EPT titles (including side events) and over $797,590 in EPT earnings.

World Series of Poker

Busquet has 47 WSOP cashes, including 7 final tables and over $2 million in WSOP earnings. His best WSOP finish is 5th in the 2019 $5,000 Six-Handed event ($154,112). He also placed 3rd in the 2015 $1,500 No-Limit Hold'em event ($589,569) and 12th in the 2025 $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em ($48,647). His deepest Main Event run was 244th in 2008, with later cashes in 2019 (259th) and 2026 (1030th).

Busquet is known for his aggressive yet disciplined style, particularly in heads-up and short-handed situations. He relies on mathematical analysis and opponent psychology, often making precise reads at the table. Despite his aggression, he maintains a calm, unemotional demeanor, rarely revealing information through body language. This composed approach has earned him respect among peers and makes him a sought-after commentator and analyst for major poker broadcasts.

Outside poker, Busquet is an avid sports fan and has competed in mixed martial arts. In 2016, he participated in an MMA prop bet against JC Alvarado, winning by technical knockout in the third round to claim $150,000. He also appeared on the final season of Poker After Dark in 2011 and regularly contributes to poker strategy discussions on social media and forums.

Busquet returned to live poker in July 2025, winning the Borgata Summer Poker Open Championship for $255,135. He continued his strong form in 2026, cashing in the WSOP Main Event ($17,500) and finishing 6th in the Winter Poker Open ($85,300). As of 2026, his live tournament earnings exceed $9.1 million, placing him 164th on the all-time money list and 75th among United States players.