Strong turnout, top players in attendance, and plenty of memorable stories around the tables: the WSOP Circuit Paris marked a successful return to the capital. Held from September 1 to 14, 2026 at the Partouche Pasino Club, the festival concluded with Pierre Chevalier taking the main event title, which drew 1,282 entrants. A notable comeback for this new address on Avenue de la Grande-Armée.
For two weeks, poker occupied a premier spot just steps from the Arc de Triomphe. The Partouche Pasino Club hosted the World Series of Poker Circuit, the itinerant edition of the famous World Series of Poker. Organized with Texapoker and with PMU Play backing the online component, the event offered thirteen rings: the iconic trophies awarded to the circuit’s tournament champions.
The aim was to bring together casual players and seasoned competitors around a varied lineup. The competitive results and attendance figures show that the bet paid off, with several competitions drawing more than a thousand entrants.
A record-breaking main event and a compelling champion’s story
The Main Event, in other words the flagship tournament, proved to be the festival’s showcase. With a €1,500 buy-in, it drew 1,282 entrants and offered a prize pool exceeding €1.66 million. PokerNews hails this turnout as a record for a WSOP Circuit Main Event staged in Europe. The Paris festival thus earns visibility that reaches far beyond French borders.
The final crowned Pierre Chevalier, winner of €260,000, ahead of Hervé Gouzil in second for €175,000, and Italian Luca Bernardi in third for €123,000. Among the last contenders were also Davidi Kitai, Tristan Clémençon and Natasha Mercier, names well known to poker enthusiasts. But the champion added a more personal touch to the ending: this family man, an occasional player, said he now intends to devote more time to his family life. A touching story behind the most remarkable victory of the fortnight.
Strong turnout from the very first tournaments
The success was also built on the other events. Right from the opening, the €500 Mini Main Event drew 1,118 entries, with Emmanuel Barre taking the title for €76,000. The €300 Colossus logged 1,403 entries, according to PMU Play’s tally. Thibaut Picard claimed the bracelet and €53,000. These two tournaments demonstrate the festival’s ability to rally players at buy-ins lower than the main event’s.
Omar Lakhdari, the man who bagged the brace
Another figure who stood out this edition: Omar Lakhdari, the winner of two events. He first clinched the Mystery Bounty at €500, a format where certain eliminations trigger prize draws. In this 816-entry tournament, he also claimed the two biggest prizes, €50,000 and €25,000, pushing his total earnings to €119,340.
A few days later, he did it again in the €2,500 High Roller, a higher-buy-in event, adding €110,000 to his haul and a second bracelet to his Parisian résumé. This doublé d’Omar Lakhdari will go down as one of the festival’s standout performances.
A fortnight packed with diverse champions and formats
The program’s diversity is mirrored in the rest of the results. Juliane Papazian won the Seniors event for €28,000, Margaux Ponnelle the Ladies for €7,350, and Kamel Atoui the Omaha tournament for €25,500. David Guetta clinched the Knockout. The final day also crowned Carledj Boudaoud in Deepstack, Felipe Gonsalves in the Super High Roller, and Yves Hallague in the Bigstack. Online, Raphaël Bsiri captured the bracelet on PMU Play. A complete roll of honor that reflects the multiple faces of this edition.
Partouche Pasino Club reaffirms its ambitions in Paris
For the Partouche Pasino Club, opened in May 2026, this two-week period marks a milestone. With nearly 5,000 square meters laid out over four levels, dining zones, and a spacious poker salon, the venue was built to host a flagship event of this magnitude. The WSOP Circuit gave tangible form to its international ambitions.
The Avenue de la Grande-Armée now has a venue capable of drawing the big tours and rallying a broad community of players. After a strong season kickoff, the Partouche Pasino Club is cementing itself as a hotspot to watch in Paris’s poker scene.
This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here.
Location
Partouche Pasino Club
10 Avenue de la Grande Armée
75017 Paris 17
Route planner
Recommended age
From 18 to 99 years old
Average duration
2 h
