Federico Faranda Claims Victory & The Golden Ticket to Gackt’s Party in Welcome to USOP to Start Series Strong!

The USOP X Japan Gold Dragon Osaka Series closed out Day 1 in style with a strong return for its Japan debut inside the Dojima River Forum, as Germany’s Federico Faranda captured the title in the one-day event of Welcome to USOP. He outlasted a tough field of 761 entries on the opening day of the festival to lift the iconic trophy. 

After over 11 grueling hours of play, the German pro not only took home the trophy but also secured a priceless seat at the invitation-only GACKT’s Party on October 4.

With a star-studded lineup, several familiar names from the poker community joined the hunt for the representative title, including well-known cosplayer Maguriko; Taiwan-based vlogger and poker influencer Pang-Wei “James” Tsao; Taiwanese influencer Mars Chan; the Japanese–Thai twin brothers Thitisan “Shin” Manomaiphibul and Thanpisit “Ken” Manomaiphibul, creators of the YouTube channel Twins Poker; and Japanese influencer Masaya.

Final Table Results

  1. Federico Faranda*
  2. Yuta
  3. Suzuki 
  4. Yoitsuao
  5. Yuki 
  6. Yoyoyo 
  7. Matsukuri 
  8. Zhang Zihao 
  9. Perusha 

*Winner of the Golden Ticket of GACKT’s Party

Final Heads-Up

Faranda entered the final duel with 4 big blinds behind Yuta, needing only a spark to ignite his comeback. Patiently waiting, his moment arrived with pocket aces. He raise-shoved against Yuta’s queen-high on a clean board, scoring a double-up and kickstarting his final push toward the trophy. On the very next hand, Yuta shoved with king-deuce, and Faranda responded with queen-eight, which connected on the flop for a pair of eights. Just like that, Faranda sent Yuta to the rail, settling for runner-up.

With a timely double-up and flawless execution in the final hands, Faranda turned the tide and claimed the trophy, capping off an impressive run that showcased both patience and precision at the tables.

The spotlight, however, belonged to Germany’s Federico Faranda, who battled back from just 10 big blinds after a late re-entry to capture his first USOP title. Outlasting a massive 761-player field, Faranda credited his success to study, persistence, and determination. His win not only earned him the trophy but also an exclusive ticket to GACKT’s Party. With the Welcome to USOP event wrapped up, all eyes now turn to the festival’s centerpiece — Event #7: Main Event Day1A & Main Event Day 1B, as two of the five opening flights get underway on Day 2.

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