Record-Setting Live PokerStars Event Draws 7,398 Entries

The 2023 European Poker Tour Barcelona competition kicked off with the €1,100 buy-in Estrellas Poker Tour essential occasion. The event attracted a large area of 7,398 entries, setting a brand new document for the biggest dwell event ever placed on by PokerStars.

The earlier document was set by the 6,313 turnout for this identical event when it was final held in 2022. That signifies that there was a 17 % improve, year-over-year.

There have been 3,291 distinctive gamers, which signifies that 4,107 re-entries have been made through the occasion. Players from 86 nations turned out for this event. The unprecedented attendance numbers resulted in a closing prize pool of €7,102,080, or greater than $7.7 million when rendered in USD.

The high 1,109 finishers finally made the cash, with payouts starting from $1,890 all the way in which as much as $730,328. That high sum was secured by Lucien Cohen. This was the second-largest payday for the Frenchman, together with his high rating being the almost $1.2 million he took dwelling because the winner of the 2011 EPT Deauville essential occasion. The 59-year-old Parisian now has moe than $2.3 million in lifetime cashes to his identify.

Cohen additionally secured 1,320 Card Player Player of the Year factors for the win. This was his second POY-qualified rating of the 12 months, with one final-table end in a €550 buy-in aspect occasion on the French Poker Series cease in Paris this summer season. As a results of his massive win in Spain, Cohen has climbed inside the highest 300 within the 2023 POY standings introduced by Global Poker.

This event performed out over the course of eight days inside Casino Barcelona. It was initially slated to take seven, however an additional spherical was wanted to slender the document area right down to a champion. After the eight beginning flights had been accomplished, day 2 started on Friday, Aug. 25 with all remaining contenders within the cash.

The high seven finishers on this occasion all cashed for six figures. PokerStars ambassador Parker Talbot, recognized to many by his display identify ‘Tonkaaaap’, completed seventh when his pocket eights bumped into the pocket queens of Ferdinando D’Alessio. The $114,037 he earned from his deep run was the fourth-largest dwell rating on his resume.

The bonus day started with Cohen main the ultimate six. D’Alessio scored the primary knockout of the day, busting Avihai Smadga $147,798. From there on out, Cohen earned each remaining elimination.

After sending Ankit Ahuja (fifth – $192,035), Danilo Velasevic (4th – $250,657), and Petros Karadimos (third – $318,190) to the rail, Cohen held greater than a 4:1 chip lead over D’Alessio going into heads-up play.

D’Alessio had closed the hole a bit by the point the ultimate hand of the event was dealt. With blinds of 1,000,000-2,000,000 and an enormous blind ante of two,000,000, Cohen raised to five,000,000 on the button with Ok8 and D’Alessio known as with Ok4. The flop got here down OkJ10 and D’Alessio checked to Cohen, who made a ten,000,000 continuation guess. D’Alessio check-raised all-in for 77,500,000. Cohen known as with the identical pair and the next kicker. The 8 flip gave him kings and eights. The 7 river was no assist to D’Alessio, who may have chopped with a jack or ten on the tip. Instead, he was eradicated in second place, incomes $448,546 for his efforts.

Here is a take a look at the payouts and POY factors awarded on the closing desk:

Photo credit: Danny Maxwell / Rational Intellectual Holdings Ltd.