Francesco de Vivo

One of the most beloved and well-known players in Everest Poker's Italian community, Francesco de Vivo (raffa.de) has been preparing to live his dream since the moment he fell in love with poker.

Francesco discovered the game in 2006, when he starting playing online at Everest Poker and with poker clubs in his hometown of Turin. Almost immediately, Francesco became a dominant player on the Italian circuit, cashing several times at live events in San Remo and the Casino Venice.

After winning the 2007–2008 Italian Championship, he traded in his real estate career to hit the tables full-time. Francesco now plays online up to 12 hours a day, taking his seat at both tournaments and ring games.

"Everest has a lovely MTT structure, especially for live event qualifiers, and I also enjoy the $5/$10 cash games."

A player recognized throughout Italy’s growing poker scene, Francesco is known for both his friendliness and remarkable consistency. In the relatively short time Francesco has been playing, he has posted cashes at 15 national tournaments – seven of which were at final tables, as well as finishing 15th at the EPT Prague and cashing at the 2008 WSOP Main Event.

“I want to prove my skills on the European circuit and beyond,” says Francesco. “I want to be recognized by both the poker community and the press as a strong, talented player.”

An avid skier and tennis player, Francesco enjoys life’s more simple pleasures when away from the tables. "I sometimes find time to do things like normal people," Francesco says with a smile.