Samuel Hakopian

Samuel Hakopian is a French professional poker player, born in France, active in international poker tournaments and high-stakes cash games. Known for his aggressive style and ability to apply pressure, he is a core member of the French poker community.

Samuel Hakopian's career highlights include multiple final table appearances in series such as WSOP and EPT. He has won a WSOP gold bracelet and also captured a title at an EPT event, demonstrating consistent high-level performance. Additionally, he has excelled in high-stakes cash games, often competing against top-tier players.

Hakopian is known for extremely aggressive preflop raises and continuation bets. He excels at using position and stack sizes to pressure opponents. At showdown, he sometimes makes unconventional bluffs, forcing opponents to fold. His style requires strong hand-reading skills and psychological warfare, but it is also the key to his success.

Hakopian is one of the representative figures in the French poker scene, with close ties to notable players like Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier. He has mentioned in interviews that he honed his skills through online poker early on before transitioning to live events. At the table, he is known for his calm and patience, though his aggressive moves can sometimes spark controversy.

Recreational players can learn from Hakopian's aggressive style how to use initiative and frequency to apply pressure. However, his approach requires a solid foundation in pot odds calculations and opponent range analysis; otherwise, one can easily fall into the trap of over-bluffing. It is recommended to gradually try this style in low-stakes games, paired with post-session review to refine strategy.