The pot-limit Omaha action was intense in Tirana, Albania, as the 2025 PLO Grand Slam, hosted by Diamond Poker Series, took center stage at Arena Casino Tirana from January 23-31. With a massive €5 million in guaranteed prize money, the festival featured two marquee events promising seven-figure payouts. The first, a €5,000 buy-in with a €1 million guarantee, was won by Tom Vogelsang. The highlight of the series, however, was the €10,000 championship event with a €2 million guarantee.
The championship drew 191 entries but fell just short of meeting its guarantee. After tournament fees, a total of $1,957,456 was distributed among the top 23 finishers. In the end, Norway’s Tom-Aksel Bedell emerged victorious, claiming the top prize of $455,520—his largest recorded tournament cash. This win pushed Bedell’s career earnings past $4 million. Notably, he earned his entry into the event through a special giveaway in the €5,000 ‘Opener’ for the player who fired the most bullets.
Bedell’s victory also earned him 840 Card Player Player of the Year (POY) points, placing him within reach of the top 30 in the 2025 POY race, presented by Global Poker.
This was the second edition of the PLO Grand Slam, following the inaugural event in late 2023, which featured €3 million in total guarantees. The Arena Casino Tirana is quickly establishing itself as a key hub for high-stakes poker in Albania.
Several notable players made deep runs, including bracelet winners Joni Jouhkimainen (22nd), Max Kruse (20th), Elie Nakache (18th), Dario Alioto (15th), and Ismael Bojang (14th).
Daniel Tordjman knocked out two-time bracelet winner Oleksii Kovalchuk (5th – $134,680) to claim a significant chip lead in the late stages. He then eliminated €5,000 event champion Tom Vogelsang (4th – $167,960), holding 72% of the chips as the tournament entered three-handed play.
However, the shorter stacks fought back, and Bedell seized the lead after winning a massive pot with kings full of sevens against Tordjman. From there, Tordjman struggled and was eventually all-in with 9♣7♥6♠5♦ against Bedell’s Q♥Q♣9♥4♥. The board ran out 8♠8♣7♦8♥Q♦, giving Bedell queens full for the win and sending Tordjman to the rail in third place with $205,400.
This set up a heads-up battle against 2024 WSOP Paradise $100,000 PLO champion Lautaro Guerra. Despite an early double-up, Guerra, facing a significant chip deficit, moved all-in with Q♥J♦9♥5♦ against Bedell’s A♣Q♠Q♣3♣. The final board—A♦8♠4♥5♣7♦—sealed Bedell’s victory, while Guerra secured a $307,840 payday, bringing his career earnings close to $5.3 million.