Victory for Thomas Eychenne in the EPT Barcelona Main Event
EPT Barcelona Main Event: Thomas Eychenne Takes the Title
The EPT Barcelona Main Event concluded with a thrilling heads-up battle between Romania's Sebastian Ionita and France's Thomas Eychenne.
Sebastian Ionita, who started the day as the chip leader, found himself slipping down the order after a clash with Eychenne. A crucial moment came when Ionita held a straight, and Eychenne attempted an airball bluff, leaving Ionita with a crippled stack.
The heads-up match began with equal stacks, but Eychenne, a heads-up specialist, quickly asserted his dominance. Ionita must have been glad he got a generous deal because Eychenne skillfully stole almost every pot, holding a commanding lead.
The final hand saw Ionita whiff on a straight draw, while Eychenne held two pair. Julian Pineda Lozano was sent to the rail by Eychenne, earning a prize of €379,350.
Eychenne's victory almost doubles his previous biggest score, which was from final-tabling a $25,000 at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in 2023. This marks his first win in the live arena.
The EPT Barcelona Main Event attracted a 2,045-player field, building a prize pool of €9,918,250. The top 304 finishers shared the prize pool.
In the final table results, Eychenne started the final day of the EPT Barcelona Main Event as one of six contenders remaining. Tomasz Brzezinski's day ended when Umberto Zaffagnini called off his under the gun shove with pocket tens and hit a set on the flop.
Eychenne and Ionita agreed to a deal, with €100,000 left for the champion. The player who won the EPT Barcelona Main Event and had previously reached a final table at a PokerStars Caribbean Adventure tournament is Thomas Eychenne. This victory marks a significant milestone in his career, as it is his first-ever live tournament win after having significant poker experience; his history includes previous notable tournament performances such as final tables at the PCA.
Eychenne has also won a seven-figure prize recently, after Leon Sturm took down last week's €100,000 Super High Roller. Eychenne struggled to contain his emotions after winning the EPT Barcelona Main Event, a testament to the importance of this victory in his career.
