The History of the Last Ten Years of the European Poker Tour

The European Poker Tour (EPT) has lengthy been a proving floor for poker’s elite, the place technique, talent, and a little bit of luck collide to crown champions on the grandest phases.

Because the tour progressed from Season 11, it witnessed the emergence of recent skills and unforgettable moments. Every season introduced its personal set of heroes and tales, shaping the legacy of the EPT and solidifying its place as some of the prestigious circuits on this planet {of professional} poker.

This text continues our dive into the historical past of the EPT, following up on half one, which explored the primary ten years of its inception and the champions who outlined that period.

Season 11

The eleventh season of the EPT marked a historic second for Spain as Adrian Mateos turned the primary Spaniard to win an EPT Fundamental Occasion. Mateos’s victory on the 2015 EPT Grand Last in Monte Carlo occurred simply two years after his win on the World Sequence of Poker Europe (WSOPE) Fundamental Occasion on the age of 19.

This season additionally launched Malta as a brand new cease, with Jean Montury claiming victory, and noticed the ultimate EPT occasion held in Deauville, France.

Season 12

Season 12 of the EPT noticed the tour return to Dublin for the primary time since Season 5, the place younger Polish star Dzmitry Urbanovich claimed victory.

This season was additionally notable for John Juanda, changing into the second WSOP Europe Fundamental Occasion champion to financial institution an EPT title. In the meantime, future WSOP Fundamental Occasion winner Hossein Ensan captured the title in Prague.

Triple crown winners Mike Watson and Niall Farrell additionally hoisted trophies above their heads, successful the PCA and EPT Malta, respectively.

Season 13

In 2016, solely three EPT festivals have been held, however they have been full of drama and pleasure. The spotlight of the season was Sebastian Malec’s victory at EPT Barcelona, the place he turned the second Polish participant to win an EPT Fundamental Occasion.

Aliaksei Boika and Jasper Meijer van Putten additionally discovered success in Season 13 however paled compared to Malec’s seven-figure windfall.

PokerStars Championship

In 2017, PokerStars introduced it was to overtake its dwell event schedule. Consequently, the EPT was rebranded because the PokerStars Championship.

There have been seven PokerStars Championship festivals:

BahamasPanamaMacauMonte CarloSochiBarcelonaPrague

The PokerStars Championship was discontinued after one season, with the EPT model returning as soon as extra.

Season 14

The EPT returned in 2018, specializing in Europe, together with a brand new cease in Sochi, Russia. Arsenii Karmatckii emerged victorious in Sochi, changing into solely the fourth Russian to win an EPT title. The season additionally noticed the tour’s common stops in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Prague.

Maria Lampropulos kicked off the season by taking down the PCA Fundamental Occasion for $1,081,100. She turned the primary girl to win the event. She was the EPT’s solely fourth feminine Fundamental Occasion champion, following on from Liv Boeree, Victoria Coren-Mitchell and Sandra Naujoks.

Season 15

2019 was notable for being the primary time the EPT held the identical 5 stops because the earlier 12 months, which led to record-breaking attendance, significantly at EPT Barcelona. Simon Brandstrom of Sweden gained the largest prize of the 12 months at EPT Barcelona, whereas Mikalai Pobal made historical past by changing into the second two-time EPT champion along with his win in Prague.

Season 16 & 17

The coronavirus pandemic drastically impacted the EPT schedule. In 2020, just one dwell occasion befell in Sochi, Russia, the place Ruslan Bogdanov emerged victorious. The next 12 months noticed only one occasion as effectively, with Artur Martirosian successful the EPT Sochi Fundamental Occasion.

Moreover, there have been 20 tournaments held on-line at PokerStars as a part of the inaugural EPT On-line. Sweden’s “WhatIfGod” gained the $5,200 EPT On-line Fundamental Occasion for $1,019,082 after defeating Timothy Adams heads-up.

Season 18

Following the tip of the coronavirus pandemic, the EPT returned to normality, with 5 stops all through 2022. Two stops have been in Prague, Czech Republic, and the tour returned to London, England, for the primary time in eight years. The EPT additionally visited common locations, similar to Monte Carlo and Barcelona.

The EPT returned with a bang, with a number of occasions breaking attendance and prize pool information all year long. The 2022 EPT Barcelona Fundamental Occasion turned the largest of all time, with 2,294 entries recorded. Italy’s Guiliano Bendinelli was the victor in that event and pocketed the €1,491,133 allotted for first place.

Season 19

Two new stops have been introduced as a part of the 2023 EPT season. Paris turned the thirteenth European capital to host a cease on the European Poker Tour, and standard poker vacation spot Cyprus joined the motion.

There have been tales aplenty as PokerStars qualifier Razvan Belea dominated in Paris and Canada’s Mike Watson turned solely the third two-time EPT champion in historical past with victory in Monte Carlo, seven years after beforehand taking down the 2016 PCA Fundamental Occasion.

One other monster EPT Barcelona Fundamental Occasion noticed Simon Wiciak topped champion, earlier than PokerStars ‘Dare to Stream’ winner Gilles Simon turned the inaugural winner of EPT Cyprus. The 12 months was rounded out in beautiful fashion with a memorable comeback for standard Irish participant Padraig O’Neill, who overcame Jon Kyte heads-up after the Norwegian had held a close to unassailable chip lead.

Season 20

The twentieth season of the EPT adopted a well-recognized path, revisiting the identical 5 stops because the earlier 12 months. EPT Paris kicked off the season with a historic turnout, shattering its attendance file. The highlight shone on poker legend Barny Boatman, who triumphed to say his first EPT Fundamental Occasion title. Overcome with emotion, Boatman fought again tears as confetti cannons erupted to have a good time his victory.

Subsequent up was EPT Monte Carlo, the place one more Fundamental Occasion attendance file was damaged. Derk van Luijk emerged victorious from a subject of 1,208 gamers, changing into the second EPT champion of 2024.

The highlight now shifts to EPT Barcelona, the place we await the following participant to etch their title into poker historical past. The season will culminate with stops in Cyprus and Prague, rounding out the EPT’s 20-year historical past.

Calum has been part of the PokerNews group since September 2021 after working within the UK vitality sector. He performed his first hand of poker in 2017 and instantly fell in love with the sport.

Calum has written for varied poker retailers however discovered his house at PokerNews, the place he has contributed to numerous articles and dwell updates, offering insights and reporting on main poker occasions, together with the World Sequence of Poker (WSOP).