First French Edition at Casino Grand Cercle
The Winamax Poker Open (WPO) heads to France for the very first time. From September 16–21, the Casino Grand Cercle in Aix-les-Bains will host six days of poker, parties, and festival fun at the foot of the Alps.
After years in Bratislava—where last year’s Main Event drew a record 1,516 entries and crowned Aliosha Staes for €90,000—the WPO now makes its French debut, aiming to attract both local and international players.
€500 Main Event in 6-Max Format
At the heart of the series is the €500 Main Event, played in WPO’s trademark 6-max format. Four starting flights run from September 17 through Friday, with a turbo option on Friday evening. Survivors advance to Day 2 on Saturday, and the champion will be crowned on Sunday.
Highlight Side Events
In addition to the Main Event, the week features:
- €750 Battle Royale (Sept 17–18)
- €1,000 High Roller (Sept 20–21)
- €300 Monster Stack (Sept 20–21)
Other formats include KO events, Sprint tournaments, mystery bounties, and Hit & Run satellites.
Full WPO Aix-les-Bains Schedule
| Date | Time | Buy-in | Event Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 16 | 4:30 p.m. | €250 | NLH – Opener Mystery – Day 1 (Event #01) |
| Tue, Sep 16 | 6:00 p.m. | €110 | Sat Main Event Hit & Run (Event #02) |
| Tue, Sep 16 | 9:00 p.m. | €150 | NLH – Sprint Tuesday (Event #03) |
| Wed, Sep 17 | 12:00 p.m. | €500 | NLH – WPO Main Event – Day 1A (Event #04) |
| Wed, Sep 17 | 1:00 p.m. | — | Opener Mystery – Final Day (Event #01) |
| Wed, Sep 17 | 2:00 p.m. | €750 | NLH – Battle Royale – Day 1 (Event #05) |
| Wed, Sep 17 | 4:00 p.m. | €150 | NLH – Bounty ITM (Event #06) |
| Wed, Sep 17 | 8:00 p.m. | €110 | Sat Main Event Hit & Run (Event #07) |
| Wed, Sep 17 | 9:00 p.m. | €150 | NLH – Sprint Wednesday (Event #08) |
| Thu, Sep 18 | 12:00 p.m. | €500 | NLH – WPO Main Event – Day 1B (Event #04) |
| Thu, Sep 18 | 1:00 p.m. | — | Battle Royale – Final Day (Event #05) |
| Thu, Sep 18 | 4:00 p.m. | €150 | NLH – Desperado KO (Event #09) |
| Thu, Sep 18 | 8:00 p.m. | €110 | Sat Main Event Hit & Run (Event #10) |
| Thu, Sep 18 | 9:00 p.m. | €150 | NLH – Sprint Thursday (Event #11) |
| Fri, Sep 19 | 12:00 p.m. | €500 | NLH – WPO Main Event – Day 1C (Event #04) |
| Fri, Sep 19 | 1:00 p.m. | €400 | NLH – Gladiator (Event #12) |
| Fri, Sep 19 | 7:00 p.m. | €500 | NLH – WPO Main Event – Day 1D Turbo (Event #04) |
| Fri, Sep 19 | 8:00 p.m. | €200 | Sat High Roller Hit & Run (Event #13) |
| Sat, Sep 20 | 12:00 p.m. | — | WPO Main Event – Day 2 (Event #04) |
| Sat, Sep 20 | 1:00 p.m. | €300 | NLH – Monster Stack – Day 1 (Event #14) |
| Sat, Sep 20 | 2:00 p.m. | €1,000 | NLH – High Roller – Day 1 (Event #15) |
| Sat, Sep 20 | 4:00 p.m. | €150 | NLH – Rodeo KO (Event #16) |
| Sat, Sep 20 | 5:00 p.m. | €100 | NLH – Ladies Event (Event #17) |
| Sat, Sep 20 | 9:00 p.m. | €150 | NLH – Sprint Saturday (Event #18) |
| Sun, Sep 21 | 11:30 a.m. | €250 | NLH – Sunday Mystery (Event #19) |
| Sun, Sep 21 | 12:30 p.m. | — | WPO Main Event – Final Day (Event #04) |
| Sun, Sep 21 | 1:00 p.m. | — | Monster Stack – Final Day (Event #14) |
| Sun, Sep 21 | 1:00 p.m. | — | High Roller – Final Day (Event #15) |
| Sun, Sep 21 | 4:00 p.m. | €150 | NLH – Last Chance (Event #20) |
Off-the-Felt Entertainment
True to WPO tradition, the fun extends beyond the tables. The Beer Pong Open kicks things off Wednesday night, followed by darts, quizzes, and more throughout the week. A Christmas market-style food village will serve Alpine specialties, giving the festival its unique local flavor.
Winamax Highlights
- Yoann Kaminisky won the record-breaking Winamax Poker Tour Grand Finale for €175,000.
- Gaëlle Baumann has departed Team Winamax after 13 years.
