Sylvain Loosli
France
Sylvain Loosli is a French professional poker player best known for finishing fourth in the 2013 WSOP Main Event and winning the €50,000 Super High Roller at EPT Barcelona in 2015. With over $7.9 million in live tournament earnings, he is one of France's most successful players. Loosli also has a strong online background and has cashed in numerous major events worldwide.
Early Life and Background
Sylvain Loosli was born on November 12, 1986, in Toulon, France. He earned a scientific baccalaureate and completed two years of preparatory classes in Marseille before enrolling at INT Management, a business school in Paris. Before poker, Loosli was a top-ranked player in Age of Empires II: The Conquerors in France and also played Counter-Strike. He discovered poker in 2006 during his studies and built his initial bankroll while on Erasmus in Ljubljana, Slovenia, playing cash games under the pseudonym "Patrick8313." In 2010, after graduating, he decided to pursue poker professionally and moved to London, where he shared a house with other players, traveling to destinations like Thailand and Bali to hone his skills.
Rise to Prominence: The 2013 WSOP Main Event
Loosli's breakout moment came at the 2013 World Series of Poker Main Event. He navigated a massive field to reach the November Nine final table. During the three-month break, he accepted a sponsorship from Winamax and prepared intensively with fellow pros Davidi Kitai, Ludovic Lacay, Nicolas Cardyn, and mental coach Pierre Gauthier. He eventually finished in fourth place, earning $2,792,533 — his largest live cash to date. This deep run catapulted him into the international spotlight and solidified his reputation as a formidable tournament player.
Major Tournament Results and High-Stakes Success
Loosli continued to excel after his WSOP breakthrough. In August 2015, he won the €50,000 Super High Roller at EPT Barcelona for €1,224,000 (approximately $1,381,756), his only other seven-figure payday. In 2017, he added a €10,300 Pot Limit Omaha title at the PokerStars Championship Barcelona, collecting €236,400. He also made another deep run in the 2018 WSOP Main Event, finishing 18th for $375,000. Other notable live results include a runner-up finish in a WPT $25,500 High Roller in 2016 ($481,750), an 11th-place finish in the 2022 Wynn Millions ($145,755), and multiple cashes in EPT main events in Paris, Monte Carlo, and Prague.
Online Poker and Modern Career
Loosli has long been recognized as a skilled online player, competing under aliases such as "Patrick8313." In May 2020, he finished second in a PokerStars Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) event for $101,923. During the 2020 WSOP Online on GGPoker, he placed fifth in the $10,000 Super MILLION$ for $398,010 and cashed in several other events. He continues to play a mix of live and online tournaments, including recent appearances at EPT stops and WSOP Circuit events in 2023-2024. As of 2025, his total live tournament earnings exceed $7.95 million, ranking him seventh among French players all-time and 226th globally.
Playing Style
Loosli is known for an aggressive style, frequently applying pressure on opponents in critical spots. He balances aggression with solid fundamentals, adjusting his play based on stack sizes and opponent tendencies. His deep-stack game is particularly strong, as he reads situations well and makes quick decisions. He is also adept at shifting gears during long tournaments, a skill that served him well in his deep Main Event runs.
Trivia and Controversies
In the French poker community, Loosli is sometimes referred to by the nickname "Sly" or simply "Loosli." His background as a top Age of Empires II player is often noted. He has been involved in a multi-accounting controversy that sparked discussion in the online poker world, though details remain limited. Despite this, he remains a respected figure in the poker community, known for his dedication to the game and his steady tournament results.
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