Sofiane Belkilani

Sofiane Belkilani appeared on the live tournament scene in 2014, finishing 13th in the Unibet Deepstack Open Cannes Main Event for €4,100. Over the next few years, he posted several cashes in France and Italy, including a 10th-place finish in the 2016 Unibet DSO Cannes Main Event (€4,500) and a 4th-place result in the 2015 TexaPoker La Grande-Motte Main Event (€5,021). In 2018, he placed 7th in the WSOP Circuit Cannes Event Cup for €2,765 and 41st in the FPO Cannes Main Event for €1,210.

Belkilani’s career highlight came in May 2019 when he won the France Poker Open Lyon Main Event at the Casino Partouche Le Lyon Vert. The tournament attracted 397 entries (including 55 re-entries), generating a prize pool of €205,804. Belkilani entered the final day as chip leader and overcame a strong final table that included Hakim Kaddour (runner-up, €27,800) and Rémy Murcia (3rd, €18,600). He claimed the title and the top prize of €40,865. In a post-win interview, Belkilani described himself as a cash-game player who plays only 8–10 tournaments per year, noting that variance in tournaments is high and that his focus remains on cash games.

Beyond his FPO win, Belkilani has cashed in several other events. His recorded live results include:

• Unibet DSO Cannes Main Event (2016): 10th place, €4,500
• TexaPoker La Grande-Motte Main Event (2015): 4th place, €5,021
• Italian Poker Open 17 Main Event (2015): 98th place, €1,100
• WSOP Circuit Cannes Event Cup (2018): 7th place, €2,765
• FPO Cannes Main Event (2018): 41st place, €1,210
• Unibet Deepstack Open Cannes Main Event (2014): 13th place, €4,100

Belkilani is known as an aggressive and adaptable player. In his interview after the FPO win, he noted that he is a solid cash-game player and that his tournament success came despite rarely playing them. His approach combines aggression with careful risk management, allowing him to navigate deep runs effectively. He is respected in the French poker community for his technical skills and emotional control at the table.

Belkilani is married and his wife supported him during the FPO final table. He stated that the winnings would fund travel with his family, rather than change his daily life or poker approach. He remains a cash-game specialist who occasionally ventures into tournaments, particularly the FPO series. His victory at FPO Lyon cemented his reputation as a formidable competitor on the French live circuit.