The runner-up in the WSOP Main Event marathon is rarely remembered for long after the lights go down.
Lauri Saaskilahti may well be the exception.
The Finnish businessman came within one player of achieving a lofty goal he had scribbled on a piece of paper and tucked safely away in a drawer at the beginning of 2026. It simply read: “Win the WSOP Main Event.”
Lofty? Absolutely. Impossible? Apparently not.
What is most remarkable about Saaskilahti's journey is how he arrived at the heads-up battle with eventual champion Lucas Jumalon and how gracefully he handled coming up short.
PokerOrg caught up with Saaskilahti just before he left Las Vegas yesterday to dig a little deeper into the man behind the intense, fiery blue eyes.
He was leaving town $6,000,000 richer but one bracelet shy of becoming the first Finnish winner in the storied history of the WSOP Main Event.
Looking back now, what stands out regarding your play at the final table?
I played with my heart out there. I hope and believe it was visible in the broadcasts and to all the spectators.
I played many interesting hands. Those are the kind of hands that are the reason I love the game and make poker what it is. I really hope that it also attracts new interest and new players to the game because it's just a fantastic sport to be involved in.
You had a lot of support from all corners of the poker world. That had to feel good.
Yes. I'm truly touched by all the support I received, both online and live, especially after I made the final table. It's been an amazing experience to receive that, and it also warms my heart a lot.
Was it destiny? Saaskilahti versus Jumalon
You and Lucas Jumalon first connected back on Day 5, and you were already joking about eventually playing heads-up. What was it about Lucas that you connected with?
We had some fierce battles on Day 5, and that's when the connection started. When we were at the same table, we talked about our backgrounds, our history, family, and stuff like that.
We became friends with each other in that sense. If I could have chosen one opponent to play heads-up against, it was Lucas.
There might have been some other opponents better for me, because Lucas is a very strong player. But as you said, somehow it felt like it was destiny.
Winning the Main Event had been your goal since the beginning of this year. You came pretty damn close to achieving it.
Honestly, going into the final day, I had a strong feeling that destiny was on my side. Unfortunately, it didn't go my way this time, but all credit to Lucas for taking it down.
Obviously, winning the WSOP Main Event would have been an extremely big deal for me. I know that for Lucas, it's also something extremely big, so, it’s nice to see it happening for him. I'm happy for him.
It became pretty clear from early on at the final table that you weren’t there to ladder up. You were willing to take chances and play to win. Was that the plan coming in?
Yeah, I think that's the approach you need to take if you want to win these kinds of things. I was aware of the ICM pressure in various situations. But I thought out beforehand the kind of spots where I would have the possibility to be aggressive and make strong plays. I think that plan worked out quite nicely.
Less prep, more instinct
You had nearly three weeks between reaching the final table and coming back to play it. Did that break help you?
It definitely benefited me. I really liked the break because I could really recharge my batteries and have a good mindset coming into the final table.
How much preparation did you actually do during those three weeks?
I can say with 99% certainty that I put in the fewest hours of preparation going into the final table of any player. I didn't do anything until the final four days before we came back. I don't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
Well, your approach to preparation seemed to work out for you.
Yes. Results-wise, maybe that was a good approach. I have a feeling that for some people who did heavy training, it may have disrupted their flow or game plan.
I was feeling good and confident going into the final table. Maybe it was a good thing not to overload myself with analysis and technical stuff. I do that kind of work, but it's not the main part of my game.
Did you work with any coaches at all to prepare for the final table?
I had a huge benefit of having some sessions together with Eelis Pärssinen, who I consider one of the very best in the world, and definitely one of the very best players in Finland. We went through some technical spots together where I definitely got some nice help with certain spots you could expect frequently at the final table.
But then again, if you look at the big pots that I played, the training that I had was a little bit irrelevant when it comes to those spots.
A $10 million home game?
There seemed to be a real camaraderie among the final nine despite what everyone was playing for. What was it like from your perspective?
The day before we started the final table, we all saw the final table setup together and went through the practical stuff. Then the WSOP took us out for a double-decker bus ride on The Strip.
You could already sense that it was a very open and friendly atmosphere. It felt like I was playing a home game with friends. Still, putting it into perspective, obviously it didn't feel like that. But everyone was very friendly to each other and realized we were sharing a special experience here together.
The rails were incredibly loud. Did all that noise and energy ever affect your concentration?
Somehow, I was able to keep my focus. I was also trying to enjoy it all because it's such a surreal experience.
It had no negative effect on my play. If anything, you even get a little bit of an extra boost from all the energy.
Greg Mueller’s rail was particularly loud. How intense was it inside the arena?
Greg had an absolutely crazy rail. The noise was just so loud that it started to hurt my ears a little bit. And then Michael Gagliano, sitting next to me, offered me an extra set of earplugs.
Lucas also had a huge rail. My rail wasn't the biggest one, but I'm so proud of how well they did. They cheered me on. It definitely gave me a kind of extra fighting spirit to have them backing me up. I couldn't have wished for a better rail.
And now, $6 million later
This was your first WSOP Main Event experience. What did you think of the structure and the marathon?
It's an amazing experience. Hopefully it's not once in a lifetime. That tournament is just so great to play. There's not any other tournament that even comes close to the atmosphere and the structure of the tournament.
It's also very interesting to play in the sense that the field is a little bit different than a usual main event. You have a much higher share of recreational players and also a lot of top pros in the field. You have to constantly keep that all in mind and adjust your game accordingly.
Are you inspired to play more tournament poker?
I think I want to play a little bit more than what I've been playing so far.
I don't want to play poker full-time, but I will definitely try to play more tournaments than I have so far. Somehow, I have found a good recipe for making deep runs.
What’s next on your poker schedule?
EPT Barcelona is going to start in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, I cannot play the Main Event this year because I have to go to Guatemala for business that week. But I will definitely try to see if I can squeeze some side events into my schedule.
How about this winter's WSOP Paradise?
That would be a nice event to attend. It's already starting to get a little bit colder in Europe. So, I’ll go and enjoy some sunshine and some poker.
You came so close this year. Does that ‘Win the WSOP Main Event’ goal now roll over to 2027?
Obviously, I cannot make that promise. But as an initial plan, I would like to come back next year.
I hope I can someday make another run like this year. But next time, if I make a deep run, I will make sure that I'm the only player left with the chips.
The Main Event was decided in a huge hand in which Saaskilahti faced a potential hero call. The hand has sparked plenty of debate online, with many suggesting that Saaskilahti misread the board. Did he? Find out on Sunday, when he talks through the hand exclusively with PokerOrg.
