EPT Barcelona 2026 Main Event: Polish Chipleader Kozieja Leads as Prize Pool Tops €8.8 Million

The European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona 2026 festival is in full swing, with the €5,300 Main Event heading into Day 3. A Polish player leads the pack, while several iconic figures remain in contention. Meanwhile, Benny Glaser is closing in on another title in the 8-Game event, and Finland's Jari Nikunlassi has triumphed in the Hyper Turbo Freezeout.

Kozieja Leads the Main Event

The most anticipated tournament of the festival, the €5,300 EPT Main Event, successfully concluded its second day. Late registration remained open until the start of Day 2, attracting an additional 139 players and bringing the total entry count to 1,823. This massive turnout swelled the prize pool to €8,841,550. After a grueling day, only 205 players remain, each guaranteed at least €9,900. The ultimate winner will claim a seven-figure prize of €1,370,050 and the coveted Golden Shard trophy.

Leading the way is Polish representative Grzegorz Kozieja, the only player to surpass the million-chip mark with a stack of 1,040,000. The battle for this prestigious title continues with a strong lineup of former champions and poker legends still in contention. The best positioned among the legends is Mark Teltscher (EPT London 2005 Champion), holding a solid 26th place with 502,000 chips. EPT Barcelona 2016 Champion Sebastian Malec (488,000) sits in 28th place. Other former champions like Anton Wigg (404,000), Simon Wiciak (336,000), poker legend John Juanda (226,000), Barny Boatman (206,000), and Nicolas Chouity (181,000) are still in the mix. Also advancing are Brock Wilson (415,000), Jose Ignacio 'Nacho' Barbero (404,000), and Parker Talbot (343,000).

On the other hand, last year's title defender Thomas Eychenne, who just a day ago won the PS Open High Roller, has been eliminated before reaching the payout stage.

Current Top 10 Standings after Day 2 in Event #31: €5,300 EPT Main Event

Benny Glaser Nearing Another Title

The €3,200 8-Game tournament attracted mixed-games specialists, resulting in 59 entries. The total prize pool amounted to €171,690. By the end of Day 1, the field was whittled down to the final 9 players, all set to share the prize pool, with the winner taking home €51,730. Legendary British specialist Benny Glaser holds the lead going into the final day, having built a solid advantage as he eyes his ninth career victory at EPT events.

Current Standings of Event #44: €3,200 8-Game

Manuel Stojanovic Tops the €15K PLO Final Six

PLO enthusiasts were not left out, as another exciting event unfolded. In the prestigious €15K PLO High Roller, 79 entries created a prize pool of €1,138,074. As the drama unfolded, only 6 finalists remain, with Austria's Manuel Stojanovic leading by a considerable margin, holding a massive stack of 1,700,000 chips. The winner of this tournament will receive €320,474, while all finalists have secured at least €69,500.

Current Standings of Event #43: €15,000 PLO High Roller

Huge Interest in Second Chance

The two-day €2,700 EPT Second Chance event sparked massive interest among players. A total of 844 entries were recorded, pushing the prize pool to €2,046,700. After the completion of flights 1a and 1b, 127 top players remain. Maksim Paniak emerged as the chipleader after the first day, with minimal differences between the players.

Current Top 10 Standings in Event #42: €2,700 EPT Second Chance

Finnish Triumph for Jari Nikunlassi

Lightning-fast action was the hallmark of the single-day €1,050 Hyper Turbo Freezeout. The event drew 275 players, creating a prize pool of €264,000. In the end, it was Finland's Jari Nikunlassi who celebrated, claiming his first EPT trophy and a career-high €48,420 after defeating Canada's Jacob Brickman in heads-up action.

Final Table Results of Event #45: €2,100 Hyper Turbo

Sources: PS Live, Flickr