Images courtesy of PokerGO Tour
The Lithuanian player Vladas Tamasauskas has grown in the game over the last few years. Playing and winning in PokerGO Tour high rollers, huge MTTs, and WSOP bracelet events alike, he has become a man to watch on the live poker scene.
Vladas has evolved in poker’s content creation boom, too, with his YouTube channel gaining thousands of new fans as he switched from a poker diary to more focused and entertaining videos about his poker lifestyle.
We caught up with the Lithuanian to discuss where he goes from here as he continues to develop as one of the most exciting talents in the poker world.
Coming of Age in 2025
In the past 12 months, Vladas has enjoyed the best year of his poker life in many ways. Winning the biggest prizes, attracting more attention than ever as a professional in the game, and growing as a content creator and person are all clear to see. We wanted to know what he himself puts that rapid growth down to.
I could answer this question with one word – consistency, says Vladas. I was showing up consistently, putting the energy into it, and not just last year, but years before as well. Step by step, I’m going in the direction that I want.
One of those big wins was in Barcelona, where Vladas, known to many as the ‘Vladiator,’ won an incredible $829,766, coming second to Portuguese player Bernardo Neves.
Coming second in such a €10,300 high roller event is both exhilarating and painful. For Vladas, however, it was miraculous. Coming back from a single big blind on Day 2 to not only reach the money but also almost win the 376-entry tournament outright was highly impressive.
It was a very fun and exciting tournament, and I was having a great time since Day 1. I remember very vividly some hands where I was all-in, and came back from one big blind. There was a big cooler later on Day 3 against Nacho Barbero, where I had pocket aces against his ace-king.
While those memories are good ones, Vladas retains the darker regret of the turning point with two players left.
In one hand heads up, I got bluffed in a huge pot, he says with a rueful smile. I could have played that differently. Other than that, it was a very nice experience from the tournament; it was a great journey.
The Proud Lithuanian
Virtually landlocked between Latvia, Belarus, and Poland, Lithuania is a proud country and in medieval times, was one of the largest states in Eastern Europe. Vladas is filled with pride to come from ‘The Land of Storks’ and credits his upbringing with some of the resilience that he can call on at the poker table.
I think Lithuanians respect money, being a smaller country and not the strongest one economically, especially in the past, it gives people this respect. Maybe being from a smaller country gives more natural competitiveness, because everyone needs to fight more for what they want in the world’s arena.
Growing up, many Lithuanians also played sports, and Vladas was no different. In fact, he and his fellow Lithuanian poker player Matas Cimbolas, who sits second on the Lithuanian All-Time Money List, both enjoyed games from a young age. Vladas is third on that list.
Playing sports like basketball is very common in Lithuania – it helps to build this drive, Vladas reveals. Matas played football growing up, but I played basketball.
Not only has Vladas risen to third in Lithuania’s ranks of poker players, behind only Matas Cimbolas and the poker legend Tony G – otherwise known as Antanas Guoga – he is around $220,000 short of the top 500 players of all-time.
I didn’t know that! Vladas admits. I’ve been looking more at the Lithuanian all-time money list, in which I’m third. I want to be number one, but I’m still a few million short. After that will be looking to conquer the All-Time Money List.
The Travelling Man
While much of Vladas’ success has been in mainland Europe, he has won money playing poker all over the world. Another highlight of his recent success at the felt came in Brazil, where he won the 2025 Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP) High Roller for $135,000. Despite this, it’s his 53rd-place finish in the BSOP Main Event that he recalls more.
Unfortunately, I didn’t win the Main Event, but I won the $10,000 high roller over there. People are very passionate in Brazil about everything they do, and poker is no exception. It doesn’t matter if you play against a Brazilian professional or recreational player; they all give their best and try really hard to win.
It’s not just the competitive nature of Brazilian players that Vladas loves, but their heart. The passion of the country clearly had a huge effect on him while he was in South America.
If they feel something, they are not afraid to show it – all the emotions! he smiles. I love it! All of it combined creates an amazing, vibrant atmosphere. I was in Sao Paolo two months ago, and now I’m in Brazil again for another BSOP series. I fell in love with the country last year, and I’m curious to explore more of it this year… and hopefully win that Main Event!
The 2025 World Series of Poker didn’t quite go according to plan last summer, by Vladas’ own admission. It took a victory in a Wynn Summer Classic for $51,000 to save the series, and he plans to attack Sin City very differently in 2026.
That Wynn trophy did help me to finish breakeven for the summer in Vegas, but I have to admit, the last couple weeks of the WSOP I didn’t feel my best physically. I should have taken a few more days off, as I wasn’t performing my best. There were some good lessons to take moving forward into the next long series.
This year’s WSOP Europe moves from Rozvadov to Prague and also shifts from being an Autumn series to one taking place in the Spring. Vladas is a big fan of the move.
I think it’s a great move, it will help attract more players and have bigger tournaments there. Prague is one of the nicest poker destinations in the world, and I love it. I enjoyed coming to the Main Event in Rozvadov as well and have good memories from there. For this year’s WSOP Europe, I plan to come for the whole series and hunt that bracelet down!
How to Conquer the World
For all the success of 2025, Vladas is laser-focused on what’s coming down the line and has a plan for how to tackle the many major tournaments on offer in 2026.
In terms of selection of tournaments, I have some clear ideas for 2026, but also want to give myself the flexibility and freedom to pick my spots without pre-planning, giving myself the best chance of feeling the most clear about where I want to be.
A great 2026 looks like performing to the best to my abilities at the tables, constantly improving all around, and choosing my spots by listening to myself where I really want to be.
Vladas clearly has the golden combination of belief in his own abilities being tempered by the humility of knowing he has a lot more growth to go through. He has a clear aim for the future in his poker career.
There’s a very good chance that if I do that, winning big trophies will follow, and that’s what I want. GPI Player of the Year is one of those trophies.
Taking plenty from the lessons of the last year could make Vladas Tamasauskas a player to watch in the next 12 months. For someone born into humility and steeped in the discipline of hard work, his poker journey in 2026 could be the most exciting one yet.
