The primary €25,000 No-Restrict Maintain’em event of the 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona drew many high-roller poker stars to On line casino Barcelona. After the final card was dealt and the ultimate chip exchanged, Byron Kaverman emerged victorious, claiming the trophy and a €381,060 prize for his efforts.
Simply two days prior, Kaverman had completed second within the €12,300 Cuatro Knockout, incomes €119,400. This time, he went all the way in which, defeating Markkos Ladev in heads-up play. Ladev, who took dwelling €248,500, secured his largest-ever stay money. The remaining €1,104,460 prize pool, generated by 46 entries, was shared by Mike Watson, Enrico Camosci, Niklas Astedt, and Sam Grafton, every incomes at the least €77,300 for reaching the cash.
EPT Barcelona €25,000 No-Restrict Maintain’em Outcomes
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Early Motion
The day started with a flurry of exercise, with gamers like Teun Mulder and Sven Andersson firing a number of bullets earlier than the late registration closed. Nevertheless, the occasion noticed early exits from Corridor of Famers Erik Seidel and Patrik Antonius, together with Kayhan Mokri, the winner of the €20,000 No-Restrict Maintain’em occasion earlier within the sequence.
Seven of the 29 distinctive gamers hailed from america, although Seth Davies, Sean Winter, and David Coleman departed earlier than the dinner break. When play resumed, Nacho Barbero was the primary to be eradicated, with Jamil Wakil following him because the final participant to go earlier than the ultimate two tables.
Sam Greenwood missed out on his third last desk of this EPT, and he was quickly joined on the rail by Santhosh Suvarna and Jesse Lonis.
Steve O’Dwyer additionally failed to select up his second trophy of the sequence, falling in eleventh place. French all-time cash chief Jean-Noel Thorel turned the ultimate desk bubble in tenth.
Earlier than O’Dwyer discovered himself on the unsuitable facet of the rail, he delivered one of many day’s most memorable moments by making a Royal Flush. Seated on the similar desk as soccer legend Gerard Pique, O’Dwyer discovered himself dealing with a stress play from the FIFA World Cup winner, who was making an attempt to use the shorter stacks.
Pique held pocket sixes, whereas O’Dwyer had king-ten of spades. The flop introduced the jack of spades, adopted by the queen of spades on the flip, and at last, the ace of spades on the river, finishing the Royal Flush. Even the normally stoic Irishman could not assist however break right into a small celebration after hitting poker’s most premium hand.
Coincidentally, this hand occurred shortly after Pique talked about to PokerNews that his favourite participant to battle towards on the poker desk was O’Dwyer. Nevertheless, after watching O’Dwyer make a Royal Flush at his expense, Pique is likely to be rethinking that opinion.
Kayhan Mokri Will get His Second EPT Barcelona Title within the €20,000 No-Restrict Maintain’em
Last Desk Motion
The previous FC Barcelona star was unable to get better after O’Dwyer had dented his stack, and he turned the primary final-table casualty. Ren Lin, who had been nursing a brief stack, was the following to go, additionally falling Watson. The latter continued his dominance by knocking out Nick Petrangelo in seventh, with Petrangelo turning into the event’s bubble boy, lacking out on the cash.
The event, which had moved at an honest tempo, slowed down after the bubble burst. It took two hours for the following elimination, with a number of gamers doubling up in all-ins. Watson ultimately knocked out PokerStars Ambassador Grafton earlier than 2024 WSOP third-place finisher Astedt misplaced his remaining ten large blinds in a blind-on-blind battle towards Camosci, who briefly claimed the chip lead.
Camosci’s lead was short-lived, as he doubled up Kaverman in a flip only one hand later. The Italian’s misfortune continued as he ran his two pair into Watson’s straight in a monster pot, leaving him on crumbs. Three-handed, Watson held a big chip lead, however Kaverman rapidly turned the tables, profitable a vital flip to take the lead for the primary time.
Ladev additionally climbed again, by aggressive preflop play, leaving Watson because the quick stack. Watson ultimately acquired his final 12 blinds in with king-nine towards Ladev’s ace-five, and Ladev made a flush to take a small chip lead into heads-up play.
Nevertheless, Kaverman struck first within the heads-up match, securing a two-to-one lead he by no means relinquished. Ladev ultimately put in additional than half of his stack on the river earlier than folding to Kaverman’s shove. His last few blinds went in with nine-deuce towards Kaverman’s ace-nine, and he failed to enhance, sealing his destiny because the runner-up.
Kaverman was topped the champion round 3:15 a.m. native time and rapidly returned to his lodging, clutching his fourth PokerStars trophy. Undoubtedly, he’ll be trying so as to add extra {hardware} throughout the remainder of EPT Barcelona.
