Tom Vogelsang has proven once again why he is a force to be reckoned with in the high-stakes poker world. The Dutch pro, known for his prowess in No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha, conquered the €5,200 Opener at the PLO Grand Slam. Battling through a competitive field of 225 entries, Vogelsang walked away with the prestigious Diamond Poker Series PLO trophy and a massive €234,200 payday.
A Tough Final Table
The final table was stacked with poker talent, including back-to-back final tabler Youness Barakat, 2019 WSOP Main Event champion Hossein Ensan, and PLO bracelet winner Ronald Keijzer. Despite fierce competition, Vogelsang displayed exceptional skill, eventually facing American grinder Sean Rafael in a fast-paced heads-up battle. Rafael took home €158,100 for his impressive runner-up finish, while Nino Pansier secured third place and €108,800.
Tom Vogelsang’s Reaction
“It’s been a while since I’ve won a live tournament, so I’m really happy,” Vogelsang shared after his victory. “Winning a tournament always feels like a relief to me. If you have the chip lead, it feels like your tournament to lose. So I feel relieved first, happy next.”
Tom Vogelsang also noted that he prefers Omaha over Hold’em in tournament settings. “Everyone is good in No-Limit Hold’em, but Omaha tournaments are relatively new. A lot of players are still learning. I’ve been playing more PLO than Hold’em for the last few years, mostly online cash, so it flies under the radar.”
Action-Packed Day 2
The tournament saw 42 survivors return for Day 2, with an additional 26 entries joining before late registration closed, easily surpassing the €1,000,000 guarantee. Early casualties included Diamond Poker Series ambassador Max Kruse and well-known pros like Bernd Gleissner, Joni Jouhkimainen, and Nikolaos Lampropoulos.
As the field thinned, Lautaro Guerra and Gergo Nagy bubbled the money, leaving 27 players guaranteed at least €10,600. Defending champion Aaron Pahlawani also made the money but exited with a min-cash, along with Pavel Izotov. The final table of nine was set after “Lion King” and Espen Myrmo busted in 11th and 10th places, respectively.
The Final Table Breakdown
Andrew Ige was the first to fall, running a failed bluff that left him short-stacked. Meanwhile, Vogelsang took control of the chip lead by catching another bluff from Barakat, who had dominated the tournament until that point.
A critical moment occurred when Pansier got it all in with pocket aces against Keijzer and Harry Casagrande, both holding kings. The board ran clean for Pansier, eliminating two players at once. Ensan was next to exit, running top pair into Rafael’s pocket aces, while Fabian Riebau-Schmithals secured a fifth-place finish after surviving multiple pay jumps with a short stack.
Barakat, aiming to improve on last year’s third-place finish, found himself on the wrong side of variance. He shoved pocket kings into Vogelsang’s pocket aces and was eliminated in fourth place. Three-handed play lasted just ten minutes before Pansier’s aces were cracked by Vogelsang, setting up the heads-up duel.
The Final Hand
Tom Vogelsang began heads-up play with a 2:1 chip lead, but Rafael fought back, briefly taking the lead. However, Vogelsang regained control, setting up the defining moment. Rafael three-bet preflop with pocket aces and moved all in on a dry board, only to be met with Tom Vogelsang’s flopped set of fives. The board bricked out, securing Vogelsang’s victory and sending Rafael home in second place.
A Bright Future for Vogelsang
With this win, Tom Vogelsang cements his reputation as one of the top Omaha players in the game. Despite being his first Daimond Poker Series event, he was thoroughly impressed. “It’s amazing here. I’d love to visit every series. The buy-ins are perfect—not too low, not too high—and apparently, they’re easy to win since I’m one for one.”
This victory adds another prestigious title to Tom Vogelsang’s resume and proves that he is a dominant force in both No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha. With his incredible adaptability and strategic mindset, expect to see his name atop leaderboards for years to come.
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