Manuel Ferrari Wins European Poker Tour Barcelona Main Event

The Ferrari identify has lengthy been synonymous with aggressive excellence. This time round, the first-class efficiency got here on a poker desk as a substitute of on a racetrack. Italy’s Manuel Ferrari overcame a discipline of 1,823 entries within the 2026 PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona €5,300 no-limit maintain’em principal occasion, incomes $1,162,886 and the most important title of his profession after putting a three-way deal.

The 34-year-old has two prior marquee titles at PokerStars-branded festivals, having gained the PokerStars Open Malaga in 2025 for $243,434 and a €2,200 excessive curler at PokerStars Open Campione this January for an additional $102,424. With this newest triumph, his lifetime earnings have grown to almost $1.7 million.

“I have a new trophy in my collection now,” Ferrari informed PokerStars employees after popping out on prime. “I’ve worked towards this goal and finally it happened, so I’m super happy.”

In addition to the trophy and the cash, Ferrari was additionally awarded 2,160 Card Player Player of the Year factors. With 2,553 whole factors, the Caldonazzo native now sits inside the highest 100 within the 2026 POY standings introduced by CoinPoker.

Setting The Stage

The spectacular turnout to Casino Barcelona for this event made it the seventh-largest EPT principal occasion within the tour’s 22-year historical past. The prime 271 finishers all earned a bit of the $10,301,290 prize pool. Mohamed Zazri was the final to depart the event space empty-handed. His pocket fives have been outraced by the A-8 of Josep Ruiz, who spiked an ace on the top to burst the bubble.

Among the various notables to run deep have been Antoine Labat (forty eighth), Brock Wilson (forty first),  Romain Lewis (twenty second), John Juanda (fifteenth), and Matas Cimbolas (eleventh).

The penultimate day started with 13 gamers remaining and Ferrari within the lead. He remained out in entrance after the seven eliminations of the session left simply six contenders. Reigning PokerStars Open Monte Carlo principal occasion champion Joris Ruijs bowed out in ninth place, incomes $147,262 for his efforts.

The remaining two knockouts of the day each concerned the very best beginning hand in maintain’em. Edward Pak received all-in with A♥10♥ trailing the A♠A♦ of Jose Criado. Pak was unable to come back from behind and hit the rail in eighth place ($191,458). The 2024 World Poker Tour World Championship third-place finisher now boasts over $3.4 million in profession earnings. Gerard Carbo (seventh – $248,936) quickly joined him, along with his prime pair of Q♦10♦ on 10♠8♥6♣ working into the A♥A♦ of Xiaosheng Zheng. The overpair held by means of the river to slim the sector to 6.

A New EPT Champion Assured

It didn’t take lengthy for the primary elimination of the ultimate day to reach. 2010 EPT Grand Final champion Nicolas Chouity received his final eight large blinds in with A♥10♥ main the Ok♥J♥ of Criado. The 7♣6♦5♠Ok♣4♣ runout gave Criado a pair of kings and the pot. With that, it was assured {that a} first-time EPT principal occasion champion can be topped on this occasion.

Chouity earned $323,582 because the sixth-place finisher. This was the third-largest rating of the Lebanese participant’s profession. The 40-year-old now has greater than $6.3 million in lifetime cashes to his identify.

Ireland’s Michael Dwyer was the following to hit the rail. The 61-year-old made a stand with A♣10♦, shoving from the button for 15 large blinds. Zheng picked up A♥Q♠ within the large blind and made the decision. Both gamers made aces up on a 8♥6♥4♦A♠6♣ runout, with Zheng’s superior kicker securing him the pot. Dwyer earned a career-best dwell rating of $420,500 because the fifth-place finisher.

Despite scoring that knockout, Zheng was finally the following to move to the payout desk. The 40-year-old raised a hefty chunk of his stack preflop with A♦7♦. Criado then three-bet jammed from the small blind holding 10♠10♥. Zheng referred to as all-in for round 14 large blinds whole and the 9♣8♥2♥5♠4♠ spelled the top of his event. The Chinese participant earned $546,650, a brand new private greatest payday on the circuit.

Let’s Make A Deal

After a little bit of three-handed motion, the ultimate few contenders agreed to pause the clock to debate a potential deal. At the time, roughly six large blinds separated Lukas van Eeden’s prime stack from the quick stack of Manuel Ferrari. They ultimately hashed out an settlement to redistribute the remaining prize cash. The remaining three locked up the payouts beneath, leaving the title and $116,284 to play for.

Criado finally bowed out in third, incomes the seven-figure payout he bargained for. This was the Spaniard’s largest rating by far, simply surpassing his earlier greatest exhibiting of $45,764 for a runner-up end in an €888 buy-in on the 888poker LIVE cease at this identical venue in 2024. Criado’s remaining hand was a traditional preflop race, along with his 7♥7♦ forward of A♦10♣ earlier than the board was dealt. The A♣Ok♣9♥J♠5♥ runout favored Ferrari, although, and gave him roughly a 3:2 lead over van Eeden going into heads-up play.

Ferrari pulled additional forward as the ultimate battle progressed, till his chip benefit had grown to greater than 5:1 ratio. The remaining hand of the event noticed van Eeden shove from the button for 27.5 large blinds with Ok♠6♦. Ferrari made the decision with A♦Q♥ within the large blind and held by means of a A♥6♣4♦Q♣7♦ runout to carry the occasion to a detailed.  Van Eeden, a 40-year-old Dutch entrepreneur, walked away with almost $1.1 million after coming into this occasion with a earlier prime rating of simply $15,000.

Ferrari takes the chequered flag 🏁

Manuel Ferrari is the #EPTBarcelona Main Event champion 🏆successful €1,002,488.

For his runner-up end, Lukas van Eeden collects €927,420 👏 pic.twitter.com/0XseFWl76X

— PokerStars LIVE (@PokerStarsLIVE) August 29, 2026

Final Table Results

Photo credit: Manuel Kovsca / Rational Intellectual Holdings Ltd.