Sam Vakili

Sam Vakili achieved several strong finishes in major Australian poker events between 2009 and 2010:

• 2009 Melbourne Championships: Finished 19th in the Main Event ($1,100 buy-in) for AU$5,500.
• 2010 Aussie Millions: Finished 10th in the $1,100 Opening Event for AU$11,430.
• 2010 Melbourne Poker Championships: Finished 6th in the Main Event ($1,100 buy-in) for AU$29,500.
• 2010 APPT Sydney: Finished 8th in Event #7 $1,100 No Limit Hold'em Bounty Event for AU$3,970.

On January 23, 2013, Sam Vakili won the Aussie Millions $1,100 Pot Limit Omaha event (Event 2), defeating a field of 223 players. He entered the final table with 857,000 chips, forming a two-man duel with Giovanni Messina (646,000). Vakili quickly eliminated the other six opponents at the final table and then defeated Messina after a three-hour heads-up battle, claiming his career-high prize of $53,600. Prior to this, he had cashed in four previous Aussie Millions events, including a fourth-place finish in the 2012 $5,000 Heads-up event.

• 2019 The Star Sydney Champs: Finished 18th in the $3,000 buy-in Main Event for A$17,724. He was eliminated on Day 2 when Corey Kempson hit a river flush.

Sam Vakili is known for his solid and patient approach. During the 2013 PLO final table, he leveraged precise hand reading and timing to prevail from a large-stack confrontation. He emphasizes bankroll management and avoids unnecessary risks, allowing him to maintain steady results over the long term.