William Kassouf

William Kassouf
Born (1981-12-19) 19 December 1981
London, England
World Series of Poker
BraceletNone
Highest WSOP
Main Event finish		17th, 2016

William "Will" Kassouf (born 19 December 1981) is an English professional poker player. A former solicitor, he is known for his highly verbal table style, which he calls "speech play", and for a controversial run at the 2016 World Series of Poker Main Event that brought him widespread attention.[1][2] As of 2026, he has more than US$2.1 million in live tournament earnings.[3][4][5]

Early life and career

Kassouf was born on 19 December 1981 in London. He trained and worked as a solicitor before taking up poker, building his bankroll in cash games at the Grosvenor Casino The Victoria in London and turning professional in 2013.[1][5] His first significant tournament cash came at the 2009 Irish Poker Tour, where he finished 6th in a €3,200 no-limit hold'em event for €100,800.[3]

2016 WSOP Main Event

Kassouf rose to international prominence during the 2016 WSOP Main Event, where his running commentary and stalling drew both attention and penalties on the ESPN broadcast.[6] In one widely circulated hand he moved all in with 9♥6♣ and induced a fold from Stacy Matuson's pocket queens, tabling his hand with the line "nine-high like a boss".[7] He was eliminated in 17th place for $338,288 when his pocket kings ran into Griffin Benger's pocket aces; during the hand Benger delivered a much-quoted rebuke telling Kassouf to "check your privilege".[8][9] PokerNews named Kassouf's Main Event run one of its top poker stories of 2016.[6]

EPT Prague High Roller (2016)

In December 2016, Kassouf won the €10,300 High Roller at the European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague festival, the last High Roller staged under the EPT brand before the tour was rebranded the PokerStars Championship. Heads-up against Patrick Serda, who held roughly a four-to-one chip lead, the two agreed a deal under which Serda took the larger cash prize of about €719,000 while Kassouf received €532,500 (about US$555,619) along with the trophy and the title of champion.[10][11] It remains his largest live tournament cash.[3]

Later career (2017–2024)

In 2017, Kassouf was signed as an ambassador for Grosvenor Poker.[1] In September 2018, he was found to have palmed £100 in roulette chips at a Grosvenor casino; he acknowledged the incident in a written statement, and his ambassadorship was terminated.[1][7] During the online boom of 2020, he won the €1,100 partypoker Irish Poker Masters Online Main Event on 16 December 2020, defeating a field of 1,341 entries for €215,163 after qualifying through a €109 satellite.[12][5] At the 2023 Irish Poker Open, Kassouf was accused by other players of leaving a cash-game table with chips from a pot he had lost, which he publicly denied.[13]

2025 WSOP Main Event and ban

At the 2025 WSOP Main Event, Kassouf again became a focal point, drawing multiple time penalties and shot clocks for slow play and unsportsmanlike conduct. He finished 33rd for $300,000, busting to Kenny Hallaert on Day 7, and was escorted from the property and barred from the remainder of the 2025 series after continuing his conduct in post-elimination interviews.[14][15][5] In June 2026, he confirmed that he had been reinstated and would return to the WSOP.[16]

Playing style

Kassouf is closely associated with "speech play", an extended form of table talk he uses to provoke reactions and read opponents. The approach has made him a polarising figure, praised by some as skilled psychological play and criticised by others as deliberate needling and slow play, and it has earned him nicknames in the British and American press.[2][1][17]

Personal life

Kassouf is English and worked as a solicitor in London before turning to poker full-time.[1][5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Will Kassouf: Speech Play Genius, Or Most Annoying Player Ever?". Casino.org. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  2. 1 2 "Will Kassouf & Martin Kabrhel – Kings of Speech Play". Somuchpoker. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  3. 1 2 3 "William Kassouf: The Hendon Mob Poker Database". The Hendon Mob. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  4. ↑ "William Kassouf Poker Profile: Net Worth, Earnings & Stats". Somuchpoker. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Will Kassouf: Speech Play & Bio". VIP-Grinders. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  6. 1 2 "Top 10 Stories of 2016, #5: William Kassouf Dominates ESPN". PokerNews. 27 December 2016. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  7. 1 2 "Will Kassouf". PokerNews. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  8. ↑ "William Kassouf Eliminated From WSOP Main Event On Latest ESPN Broadcast". Card Player. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  9. ↑ "Courtroom to Poker Table: Kassouf Rides Verbal Skills to 17th Place in the Main Event". PokerNews. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  10. ↑ "William Kassouf and Patrick Serda Chop €10,300 EPT Prague High Roller". PokerNews. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  11. ↑ "William Kassouf Wins Final EPT High Roller Event". Card Player. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  12. ↑ "Will Kassouf Crowned Irish Poker Masters Main Event Champion". PokerNews. 16 December 2020. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  13. ↑ "Did Will Kassouf Cheat Several Poker Players at the 2023 Irish Open?". PokerNews. April 2023. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  14. ↑ "Will Kassouf Escorted and Banned After Chaotic WSOP Main Event Exit". PokerNews. July 2025. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  15. ↑ "'Americans Can't Take It' – Penalized Will Kassouf Pleads Case at WSOP". PokerNews. July 2025. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  16. ↑ "Unbanned Will Kassouf Confirms Return to World Series of Poker". PokerNews. June 2026. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
  17. ↑ "Will Kassouf, the 'Donald Trump of Poker,' brings the noise to WSOP 2025". Las Vegas Review-Journal. 2025. Retrieved 2026-07-01.
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