BSOP Winter Runner-Up Alexandre Couto Reflects on Heads-Up Loss and Ranking Chase

Brazilian poker professional Alexandre Couto added another deep run to his 2026 resume, finishing as the runner-up in the BSOP Winter Main Event. The result, worth R$560,000 (approximately $100,000 USD), is the largest cash of his career and pushes him into a tight race for the BSOP Player of the Year ranking.

Couto, known in the Brazilian poker community as “Ale Olho,” also reached the final table of the BSOP Summer Main Event in January, where he finished fifth. His consistency in the series’ flagship tournaments has made him a contender for the annual title, trailing leader Aloísio Dourado by fewer than 100 points.

The heads-up loss to Antonio Santichio carried an extra sting. Santichio had also defeated Couto in the heads-up of the BSOP Gramado High Roller in 2025. According to Couto, the two joked about a rematch before the final duel, but the cards did not cooperate. “In three hands he doubled up twice and held in a flip,” Couto told Mundo Poker. “He’s a star, a machine.”

Key facts

Short-stack play and strategy takeaways

Couto described a difficult start in the Main Event. He re-entered four times before finally advancing in a turbo satellite. “I spent all my time banks, passed with 36k of the starting 40k, and remained short-stacked the whole time,” he said. His ability to survive and accumulate with a limited stack is a lesson in tournament discipline relevant to video poker players who enter multi-table satellite events or compete in video poker tournaments.

The BSOP Winter also featured the BSOP Championship, a R$25,000 buy-in event with 240 entries. The tournament is down to 24 players, with Renan Bruschi leading the Brazilian contingent and Colombian Carlos Serrano holding the overall chip lead. The champion will earn R$1,150,000. The final table is scheduled for Thursday.

Las Vegas trip and video poker connection

Before the BSOP Winter, Couto spent 35 days in Las Vegas with fellow pros Ramon Pessoa and Fábio Murakami. Although the trip was primarily for live poker, the group’s experience navigating a city known for video poker and slot tournaments adds a layer of familiarity for US-based readers. “35 days of laughter,” Couto said. “None of us spoke English, so every day brought something new.” The Las Vegas poker scene remains a common reference point for video poker players considering a trip to the city.

Ranking battle and next stops

With the BSOP Winter behind him, Couto faces a decision about the remaining events on the calendar. “In Rio Quente I only played the Main and went home. I don’t know what will happen in Florianópolis, but I have to go,” he said. The Florida stop is the next BSOP event, and Couto will need strong results to overtake Dourado for the top spot.

For video poker players who track tournament trends, the BSOP series offers a window into high-level tournament play, bankroll management, and the psychological edge of heads-up competition. Couto’s short-stack survival and his ability to rebound from a difficult start are applicable to any tournament format, including video poker events played in a multi-table structure.

Source: Mundo Poker, “BSOP Winter: Alexandre Couto lamenta ‘freguesia’ para Antonio Santichio, mas celebra bons resultados e briga pelo ranking” – https://mundopoker.com.br/noticias/bsop/bsop-winter-alexandre-couto-lamenta-freguesia-para-antonio-santichio-mas-celebra-bons-resultados-e-briga-pelo-ranking/