EPT Barcelona has produced 20 different Main Event champions since the tournament first appeared on the European poker calendar in 2004. Some winners were already established professionals, others arrived almost unknown and left Spain with career-changing prizes.
Across more than two decades, Barcelona has delivered everything from breakout victories and long heads-up battles to repeat champions and players who later added major titles elsewhere. For poker followers, including readers tracking major live events through BCPoker, the list offers a snapshot of how tournament poker has changed from the early 2000s to the present day.
2004: Alexander Stevic starts the Barcelona story
Alexander Stevic became the first champion in Barcelona when the newly created European tour was still an experiment.
A total of 229 players paid the €1,000 entry fee, with little certainty at the time about how large or important the circuit might eventually become. Stevic collected €80,000 after finishing as the last player standing.
His Barcelona victory was not his only notable result. A few months later, the Swedish player finished third in the season-ending Main Event in Monte Carlo, earning more than twice his Barcelona prize.
Stevic has appeared only occasionally in live tournaments in more recent years, but his place in poker history remains secure as the winner who started the Barcelona tradition.
2005: Jan Boubli defeats a strong final table
Frenchman Jan Boubli entered the 2005 event with considerably more live experience than many players in the field.
A dentist away from poker, Boubli had already finished runner-up in a major Paris tournament in 2003 and accumulated several other respectable results.
The final table in Barcelona contained significantly more famous opponents, including Gus Hansen and Patrik Antonius. Hansen eventually finished fifth, while Antonius took third.
Boubli outlasted them all and earned €426,000. The result remains the largest individual tournament score of his career and represents a substantial part of his overall live earnings.
Even in his mid-70s, Boubli has continued appearing in selected poker tournaments and recorded side-event cashes in Monte Carlo earlier this year.
2006: Bjørn-Erik Glenne denies Phil Ivey
Phil Ivey’s appearance in Barcelona in 2006 immediately attracted attention. At the time he was widely regarded as one of the strongest poker players in the world, and he reached the final table in his first appearance on the European circuit.
Norwegian Bjørn-Erik Glenne had other ideas.
The former chess player built a commanding stack before heads-up play and entered the final duel with roughly a 15-to-one chip advantage over Ivey.
Even a player of Ivey’s calibre could not recover from such a deficit.
Glenne became the first Norwegian champion on the tour and celebrated in front of a loud Scandinavian rail. Before that tournament he had only two recorded live cashes.
He has played relatively little tournament poker since, but his victory remains memorable because he defeated one of the game’s most respected players in a direct heads-up battle.
2007: Sander Lylloff beats his own roommate
Barcelona produced another unusual final in 2007.
Sander Lylloff and Mark Teltscher were sharing accommodation during the tournament and somehow ended up contesting the title against each other.
The event attracted 543 entries and carried a significantly larger €8,000 buy-in.
Teltscher was chasing another major European Main Event title after previously winning in London, but Lylloff stopped him and collected €1,170,700.
Lylloff was better known internationally as an elite backgammon player, and the Barcelona victory did not convince him to abandon that game for a full-time poker career.
His later appearances on the poker circuit have been infrequent, and he has never repeated a result on the same scale. Still, winning more than €1.1 million in one of his relatively limited poker appearances makes his Barcelona run stand out.
2008: Sebastian Ruthenberg adds another major title
Sebastian Ruthenberg was already established among Europe’s leading young players when he arrived in Barcelona in 2008.
The German had previously reached a major European final table, finishing third in Dortmund in 2007, and he had also won a major bracelet event only a few months before Barcelona.
His strong run continued in Spain.
Ruthenberg defeated a field that generated a prize pool worth close to $5 million and earned more than €1.3 million for first place.
At the time, it was a tournament record in Barcelona and the largest live cash of his career.
Jason Mercier finished sixth and Davidi Kitai took third in the same event.
Ruthenberg later became known for helping and mentoring other German players. His tournament activity gradually decreased, and his last major European cash came in 2011.
2009: Carter Phillips becomes the youngest champion
Carter Phillips was only 20 when he won Barcelona in 2009, making him the youngest champion in the event’s history.
The American had developed much of his game online and arrived with an aggressive style that caused serious problems for more experienced opponents.
Phillips dominated the final stages before defeating British professional Marc Goodwin heads-up.
His victory also ended the run of European champions that had defined the event’s first five editions.
Phillips continued to produce strong results after Barcelona, winning major bracelet titles in 2010 and 2012.
His tournament schedule has become much lighter in recent years, but the way he controlled the 2009 final table remains one of the standout performances in Barcelona history.
2010: Kent Lundmark continues Sweden’s success
Swedish players had already enjoyed plenty of strong results in Barcelona before Kent Lundmark reached the final table in 2010.
The 22-year-old was not one of the biggest names among the 758 entries, but his nationality alone was enough to attract attention given Sweden’s reputation for producing talented tournament players.
Lundmark eventually defeated a final table that also included Jesus Cortes and Giuseppe Pantaleo.
His reward was €825,000.
Unlike some surprise champions, Lundmark remained active on the European circuit after his victory. He repeatedly reached the later stages of Main Events, finished third in a high roller in 2014 and won a side tournament in London in 2013.
With more than $2.3 million in recorded live earnings, his Barcelona success clearly became part of a broader tournament career rather than an isolated result.
2011: Martin Schleich survives a demanding final
The 2011 Barcelona Main Event attracted 811 entries and produced a final table containing several highly rated players.
Raul Mestre was among the headline names, while Eugene Katchalov was chasing another major achievement.
German player Martin Schleich gradually emerged as the strongest contender as the final dragged deep into the night.
Mestre exited in fifth place and Katchalov finished third, leaving Schleich heads-up against Dragan Kostic.
The match continued beyond 3 a.m. before Schleich finally completed the victory and collected €850,000.
He later removed much of his information from public tournament databases, although he is believed to have remained active online for some time after his Barcelona success.
2012: Mikalai Pobal claims his first Barcelona crown
Belarusian player Mikalai Pobal won one of the most colourful finals in tournament history in 2012.
His final-table opponents included Ilari Sahamies and Joni Joukimainen, who brought a relaxed and entertaining atmosphere to the late stages.
While others exchanged jokes, drinks and novelty hats representing their positions at the table, Pobal remained focused on the tournament itself.
That approach paid off.
He secured the title and earned more than €1 million.
The victory became even more important years later when Pobal returned to the European circuit and won another Main Event in Prague in 2019.
At the time, he became only the second player to win two Main Event titles on the circuit.
Pobal has remained selective with his tournament schedule and also became a co-founder of an iGaming company, but two major titles have ensured his place among the most successful players in the tour’s history.
2013: Tom Middleton turns online pedigree into a live title
Tom Middleton arrived in Barcelona in 2013 already recognised as one of the stronger young British tournament players.
Known online as “hitthehole“, Middleton had built an impressive digital record and was comfortable playing large-field events.
He qualified for Barcelona online and converted that opportunity into the largest live victory of his career.
Middleton collected €942,000 after winning the Main Event.
The victory pushed his reputation to another level and allowed him to expand an already busy schedule of tournaments and cash games around the world.
He has not matched the same live tournament peak since, but has remained a respected and technically strong player.
2014: Andre Lettau wins the 100th Main Event
Barcelona hosted the 100th Main Event on the circuit in 2014, giving the tournament additional historical importance.
Three German players reached the final table, including Andre Lettau.
The tournament turned into another lengthy Barcelona final, eventually leaving Lettau heads-up against American Samuel Phillips.
Lettau completed the victory after a long battle and joined the list of German champions.
The final also became memorable because of the enthusiastic German supporters on the rail and a phrase about a seven arriving that became an inside joke among poker followers.
Hossein Ensan finished third in the event and later achieved even greater results elsewhere, including a major Main Event title and eventually the biggest championship in Las Vegas.
Lettau gradually moved away from professional poker after his Barcelona victory.
2015: John Juanda adds Barcelona to an elite résumé
John Juanda was already one of poker’s most accomplished tournament players when he won Barcelona in 2015.
Before arriving in Spain, he had already collected five major bracelet titles and appeared at numerous major final tables.
The Barcelona field contained 1,694 entries, making Juanda’s run particularly impressive.
He navigated the huge field and added another seven-figure result to a career that had already lasted many years.
Juanda’s total recorded tournament earnings are now close to $27 million.
Although he does not play as frequently as during his busiest years, his ability to remain competitive across several generations of tournament poker has made his career unusually consistent.
2016: Sebastian Malec delivers an unforgettable final
Sebastian Malec produced one of the most memorable winning performances Barcelona has seen.
The 21-year-old qualified for the €5,300 Main Event for a fraction of the full entry price and then worked his way through a field of 1,785 entries.
Heads-up against Uri Reichenstein, Malec became increasingly animated.
He chatted frequently, enjoyed a drink and applied considerable verbal pressure during the final duel.
The defining hand came when Reichenstein held a straight but faced a difficult decision following Malec’s aggressive table talk and action.
Reichenstein eventually called.
Malec revealed a flush and secured the championship.
During the following decade, Malec completed his studies while continuing to play poker. One of his largest subsequent results came in Cyprus in 2024, where he finished second in a high roller and earned around $700,000.
2017: Sebastian Sorensson shocks the professionals
Another Sebastian took the Barcelona title one year later, although Sebastian Sorensson’s background was very different.
The Swedish amateur had almost no significant live tournament experience before qualifying for the event.
He worked in a warehouse and reached Barcelona after earning his seat for a relatively small amount.
Despite his lack of experience, Sorensson handled the final table remarkably well.
He outlasted established professionals including Albert Daher, Andre Akkari and Raffaele Sorrentino.
Commentators nicknamed him “Scarf Guy” because of the Miami Dolphins scarf he wore during the tournament.
Sorensson returned the following year and cashed the Main Event during his title defence.
He has made occasional poker appearances since, but largely stepped away from regular tournament play after collecting his substantial Barcelona prize.
2018: Piotr Nurzynski converts a qualification into €1.3 million
Polish player Piotr Nurzynski looked far more experienced than his résumé suggested during the 2018 Main Event.
The tournament attracted 1,474 entries, yet Nurzynski remained composed throughout the later stages.
He outlasted former champion John Juanda, who finished ninth, as well as Ognyan Dimov in third and future Barcelona winner Pedro Marques in fourth.
Heads-up, Nurzynski defeated China’s Haoxiang Wang and secured a €1.3 million first prize.
At the time, Nurzynski worked as a doctor and was travelling extensively with his girlfriend, often choosing destinations with good surfing.
He had qualified for the tournament online and transformed that seat into a career-defining result.
Nurzynski still appears selectively at major events in cities including Paris, Prague and Cyprus, but has never treated poker as a full-time professional career.
2019: Simon Brändström extends an exceptional run
Simon Brändström arrived in Barcelona during one of the strongest periods of his career.
The Swedish professional was collecting major results across several international tours and had already built a reputation as an elite online tournament player.
His Barcelona victory came between two other major live successes and confirmed his position among Europe’s strongest tournament professionals.
Brändström had turned professional in 2005 and, two decades later, continues to compete at a high level.
Unlike several surprise Barcelona champions, his title arrived as part of a sustained run rather than a single breakout week.
2022: Giuliano Bendinelli wins after the tournament’s return
Barcelona returned in spectacular fashion in 2022 with a record 2,294 entries following the interruption caused by the pandemic.
Italian professional Giuliano Bendinelli had been appearing regularly on the European circuit since 2011, so his victory was built on more than a decade of accumulated tournament experience.
He needed all of it at a difficult final table featuring Scott Margereson, Kayhan Mokri and Fabiano Kovalski.
Bendinelli eventually completed the win and collected €1.5 million.
The victory significantly strengthened his bankroll and was followed by another series of strong results.
In 2025, he added his first major bracelet victory in Rozvadov and has continued appearing regularly at international events.
2023: Simon Wiciak announces himself with a €1.1 million victory
Simon Wiciak produced the biggest result of his career in Barcelona in 2023.
The French player earned €1.1 million after surviving a final table that included Robin Ylitalo, Curtis Knight and Andre Akkari.
Before establishing himself in poker, Wiciak had played football at a high level and later chose engineering as a professional path.
Poker eventually became his main career.
The Barcelona victory accelerated that transition and gave him the bankroll and profile required to travel much more frequently for major tournaments.
He has not yet matched the size of that Barcelona result, but remains active as a professional and continues playing events around the world.
2024: Stephen Song adds another major trophy
American Stephen Song entered the 2024 Barcelona Main Event already enjoying one of the strongest stretches of his career.
He had previously won a major bracelet event in 2019 and another large international tournament in 2022.
Shortly before Barcelona, Song added two more six-figure results in Las Vegas.
His form continued in Spain.
Song played his way through the field before defeating experienced British professional Andrew Hulme heads-up.
The €1.3 million first prize became the largest tournament cash of his career.
Song has maintained a heavy schedule since then and added further significant victories in Las Vegas and South Korea.
His consistency across different buy-ins and tournament formats has established him as one of the more dependable live professionals of his generation.
2025: Thomas Eychenne arrives at the top after years of consistency
Thomas Eychenne’s 2025 Barcelona victory did not come without warning.
The French professional had been collecting deep finishes in major tournaments across Europe and North America for several years.
Before winning in Barcelona, he had finished second in a €25,000 European event and reached a major final table in the Bahamas in 2023.
Eychenne finally converted his consistency into a Main Event title in Barcelona, earning €1.2 million.
His strong form continued afterwards, with two more major final-table appearances in Las Vegas.
Returning as defending champion, Eychenne will once again be considered one of the stronger contenders in the field.
He is now entering the prime years of his tournament career with both experience and proof that he can survive the pressure of a huge Main Event field.
Two decades of champions have shaped Barcelona’s poker history
The list of Barcelona winners shows how unpredictable major tournament poker can be.
Some champions arrived with elite résumés and simply added another trophy. Others qualified cheaply, entered with very limited live experience and produced the performance of their lives.
The tournament has also served as a starting point for longer careers. Players such as Pobal, Song, Bendinelli and Brändström continued collecting major results after their Barcelona victories, while others stepped away from the game after securing one defining payday.
For BCPoker readers following international tournament poker, these 20 champions also illustrate how much the live game has evolved since 2004. Fields have expanded dramatically, prize pools have grown and today’s Main Events attract a mixture of professionals, online specialists and recreational qualifiers from across the world.
Barcelona remains one of the events where a single deep run can change a player’s career and place their name alongside more than two decades of previous champions.
