Online Qualifier Banks $1.2 Million After Winning Record-Breaking EPT

The largest ever European Poker Tour (EPT) main event has concluded thanks to an online qualifier called Piotr Nurzynski.

Online qualifier Piotr Nurzynski has won the EPT Barcelona main event after a four-way deal inside Casino Barcelona. (Image: Casino Barcelona)

Winning his way into the €5,300/$6,150 EPT Barcelona main event for just €250/$290, Nurzynski not only took home over $1 million but beat the biggest field in the tour’s history.

When the registration desks finally closed on August 29, the number of players that had bought into the event was clocked at 1,474.

Attendance Record Falls as Nurzynski Rises

Being a single re-entry tournament, that final number of entries took a little longer to filter in but eventually the ticker stopped at 1,931. That figure not only took the prizepool beyond the $10 million mark but broke the record for the most entrants in an EPT main event.

As the great and the good of the poker world fell by the wayside, a final table of six took centerstage on September 2. Vying to be the latest EPT champion, the remaining players wasted no time in moving their chips around.

First to fall was Matthias Tikerpe, quickly followed by Portugal’s Rodrigo Carmo. With just four players remaining, a deal was struck, allowing chip leader Haoxiang Wang to lock up a $1 million+ payday.

But with an additional $210,000 and a PokerStars Platinum Pass worth $30,000 still up for grabs, the action was far from over.

Wang Dominates but Amateur Gets it Done

Falling soon after the deal was Pedro Marques after his A♣3♣ failed to catch a break against Wang’s pocket tens. Next to succumb to chip leader’s advances was Ognyan Dimov after his K♣7♣ ran into kicker problems against Wang’s K♠8♥.

By the time just two players remained, Wang held a commanding chip lead over Nurzynski. However, a quick double up soon reversed the momentum and with that the recreational player never looked back.

As play went back-and-forth, Nurzynski eventually landed the decisive blow with A♣9♣. Calling from the button and watching as his opponent led out with K♠2♦ on the 6♦K♣A♦ flop, the qualifier eventually moved all-in on the river.

Studying the 6♦K♣A♦7♣ 4♦ board, Wang counted his stacked before calling. When the hands were revealed, the jovial Wang briefly lost his smile before congratulating Nurzynski on what the amateur later described as a “dream come true.”

EPT Barcelona 2018 Main Event Result

1. Piotr Nurzynski – $1,203,658*

2. Haoxiang Wang – $1,118,097*

3. Ognyan Dimov – $842,148*

4. Pedro Marques – $810,520*

5. Rodrigo Carmo – $411,056

6. Matthias Tikerpe – $333,127

*Denotes a deal.