Pavel Plesuv

Pavel Plesuv began his international poker career around 2015, quickly establishing himself as a formidable competitor. One of his earliest notable results came at the King's Casino Prague during the 2015-2016 World Poker Tour season, where he finished runner-up in a WPT event for $130,524. This deep run signaled his arrival on the European poker scene. Over the following years, he accumulated a string of cashes across various European Poker Tour and World Series of Poker events, steadily building his bankroll and reputation.

Plesuv's biggest live cash came in 2023 when he won the World Series of Poker Event #53: $1,500 Millionaire Maker, earning $1,201,564 and his first WSOP bracelet. The event attracted thousands of entrants, and Plesuv outlasted the massive field to capture the seven-figure prize. Earlier, he had claimed a World Poker Tour title at the 2018-2019 WPT Seminole Rock 'N' Roll Poker Open, taking home $504,820 and 1,200 WPT points. He also scored a runner-up finish in the 2022 WSOP Event #86: $10,000 6-Handed No-Limit Hold'em Championship, earning $509,674, and won a Platinum Pass Mystery Bounty at 2022 EPT London for £154,426.

Plesuv has amassed 16 WSOP final tables and over 278 cashes, with total WSOP earnings exceeding $3 million (online and live combined). His live WSOP highlights include:

• 2022: 2nd in Event #86 ($10,000 6-Handed NLHE, $509,674)
• 2022: 11th in Event #67 ($10,000 Super Turbo Bounty, $33,924)
• 2021: 17th in Event #56 ($10,000 6-Handed NLHE Championship, $33,042)
• 2023: 1st in Event #53 ($1,500 Millionaire Maker, $1,201,564)
• 2024: 22nd in Event #97 ($3,000 PLO 6-Handed, $16,454)

In online WSOP events, he finished second in the 2022 Online $600 Deepstack Championship ($92,350) and cashed in numerous other events. His WSOP.com profile (Moldova) lists 1 bracelet, 16 final tables, and total earnings of $7,383,976 across all WSOP brands.

Beyond his WPT title, Plesuv has multiple deep runs on the tour. In the 2019-2021 season, he cashed in the WPT World Championship Mix-Max (85th, $7,350) and WPT World Online Championships Main Event (120th, $6,394). He also has a 23rd-place finish in the WPT WC $1,100 NLH 6-Max at Wynn Las Vegas (2023) and a 6th in another Wynn event for $44,275. At the 2021-2022 WPT Seminole Rock 'N' Roll Poker Open, he placed 15th for $40,860. On the European Poker Tour, he cashed in the 2023 EPT Paris FPS Main Event (75th, €3,980), the 2022 EPT London High Roller (23rd, £17,800), and won the £3,000 Platinum Pass Mystery Bounty at the same festival. Other live results include a 9th-place finish in the 2022 Mediterranean Poker Party Warm-Up ($21,000) and a 19th in the 2021 Wynn Winter Classic Main Event ($30,332).

Plesuv is equally accomplished online, with significant results on PokerStars, WSOP Online, and partypoker. In the 2023 PokerStars WCOOP, he finished 53rd in the $10,300 NLHE Main Event ($26,390) and cashed in other high-stakes events. In the 2023 Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), he placed 34th in the $10,300 Main Event ($29,432) and 407th in the $1,050 Main Event ($2,788). He also logged deep runs in WSOP Online events during the 2021-2023 period, including a 2nd in the 2022 $600 Deepstack Championship and multiple final tables in the Online Super Circuit series on WSOP.com. His total online tournament earnings are estimated to be in the millions, supplementing his live success.

Observers describe Plesuv as a technically versatile player who adapts seamlessly between Texas Hold'em and Omaha variants. He excels in deep-stack situations, displaying patience and precise decision-making. His style is generally aggressive but tempered by careful reads on opponents. Plesuv is known for remaining calm and focused at the table, traits that serve him well in high-pressure final tables. He also demonstrates strong bankroll management and tournament selection, often focusing on high-value events with strong structures.

As of 2025, Plesuv continues to compete regularly, with cashes in 2024 WSOP events including a 22nd in the $3,000 PLO 6-Handed and a 30th in the $1,500 Super Turbo Bounty. He remains ranked in the Global Poker Index top 100 and holds the 215th spot on the all-time live money list with $8,208,274 in earnings. He is widely regarded as Moldova's most accomplished poker player and serves as an inspiration for aspiring players in his home country. With a career spanning a decade, Plesuv's combination of a WSOP bracelet and WPT title places him among the elite in the global poker community.