Germany’s Federico Faranda Claims Maiden USOP Victory in Welcome to USOP to Start Series Strong

The U Series of Poker Osaka 2025 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.

RESULTS

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.

Highlights of the Day

The one who left the field with the most regret was surely Japan’s Yama, whose last chapter of the day began at the hands of Matsukuri and finished with Ima. Yama’s ace-ten found no help on a clean board against Matsukuri’s pocket kings, leaving him crippled with less than a big blind on the bubble. Soon after, Yama was forced to commit his last 5,000 chips from the big blind against Ka-Zu and Ima. When Ima fired on the river, Ka-Zu stepped aside, leaving Yama to face his fate. His ace-high was no good, as Ima revealed a rivered straight to seal Yama’s elimination.

Yama’s heartbreaking bust-out on the bubble was a tough pill to swallow, especially after battling hard throughout the day. Despite falling short of the money, his determined run kept fans engaged, and he will surely be one to watch in future events.
The one who fell just one spot short of the final table was Riku. The Japanese pro flopped a set against Yuki’s eight-six suited, only to find himself up against a flopped nut flush. Left drawing very thin, Riku’s chances were sealed on the turn as another suited four landed, blooming Yuki’s flush into a straight flush and officially ending Riku’s run in tenth place. With that brutal cooler, Riku’s deep run came to a dramatic close, missing the final table by the narrowest of margins.

Winner’s Reaction

I didn’t expect it at the beginning, especially because I busted and re-bought in later before registration closed. I sat down with just 2 big blinds and worked my way up from there,

Faranda reflected when asked if he anticipated crushing a field of 761 entrants. The Italian clearly put in significant effort behind the scenes to achieve his success.

Study hard, don’t give up, and always strive to be the best version of yourself,

he shared, offering insight from his journey as an aspiring poker champion.

To add extra excitement to the event, the champion today also receives a ticket to GACKT’s Party. When asked how he felt about the exclusive invitation, he joked,

I heard there will be a lot of Japanese celebrities, and now there will be a German trying to crush them.

Faranda’s triumph at USOP Osaka 2025 not only highlighted his skill and perseverance on the felt, but also added a personal milestone to his poker journey. From a comeback with just 10 big blinds to claiming the trophy and the coveted GACKT’s Party ticket, his victory will be remembered as one of the festival’s most memorable moments.

Day 1 of USOP Osaka 2025 came to a close. After a strong kickoff with Event #1: Welcome to USOP, the spotlight now turns to the highly anticipated Event #7: Main Event, as two of the five opening flights get underway on Day 2.