SpadePoker Challenger Vol. 2 Sets

SpadePoker Challenger Returns for a Second Edition

The SpadePoker Challenger is back. After a debut edition in June, the series returns to Banco Bratislava for SpadePoker Challenger Vol. 2, running September 25-26, 2026, at the SpadePoker Studio. The event is a collaboration between SpadePoker and Banco Bratislava and will again be staged during the Banco Casino Masters festival.

The second edition keeps the format that defined the premiere: a two-day High Roller with a €550 buy-in, a 100,000-chip starting stack, and 30-minute levels. Registration stays open until the end of level eight, and the top 12.5% of entries are paid. Day one narrows the field to the finalists, who return to the studio to play down to a champion under television cameras. The final table will also be streamed.

Format and Structure

The structure is designed to give players room to maneuver. A 100,000-chip stack with 30-minute levels is deep by the standards of a €550 buy-in event, which typically allows for post-flop play rather than pure preflop shoving. Late registration through level eight gives players who arrive late or bust early a second chance to build a stack.

The payout structure rewards the top 12.5% of the field, a relatively flat percentage that balances the desire to pay more players against the need to keep the top payouts meaningful. The winner also receives a unique trophy, which has become a signature of the series.

What Happened in the First Edition

The inaugural SpadePoker Challenger drew 41 entries, surpassing its original guarantee. Nine players from six countries reached the final day, with six finishing in the money. Polish player Radoslaw Jan Wielewicki became the first champion, defeating Slovak representative Jakub Boško heads-up to take the trophy and €6,770. Boško earned €4,300 for second, while Austrian Josef Ahmed collected €2,950 for third.

Results of SpadePoker Challenger Vol. I:

• 1. Radoslaw Jan Wielewicki (Poland) — €6,770
• 2. Jakub Boško (Slovakia) — €4,300
• 3. Josef Ahmed (Austria) — €2,950
• 4. Denis Dox (Slovakia) — €2,200
• 5. Martin Ilavský (Slovakia) — €1,750
• 6. Philipp Taborsky (Austria) — €1,300

The debut demonstrated that a mid-stakes High Roller can find a place on a busy regional calendar, particularly when paired with a larger festival.

Part of the Banco Casino Masters

SpadePoker Challenger Vol. 2 runs alongside the 45th edition of the Banco Casino Masters, scheduled for September 22-28, 2026. The festival's centerpiece is the traditional Main Event with a €170 buy-in and a €250,000 guarantee. Banco Casino Masters is now in its ninth season and has awarded more than €5,000,000 to players since it began in 2016.

For players considering the trip, the combination of a €550 High Roller and a €170 Main Event offers two distinct buy-in levels within the same festival. The High Roller's two-day schedule and televised final table give it a distinct identity, while the Main Event provides the larger-field experience typical of a festival anchor tournament.

What to Watch

The €20,000 prize pool figure is the headline number for Vol. 2. Whether the event meets or exceeds that amount will depend on turnout, as with any tournament that advertises a guarantee. The first edition's 41 entries and its guarantee overage suggest the series has a foundation to build on.

The televised final table remains a central part of the appeal. Playing down to a winner under cameras adds pressure and exposure that most €550 events do not offer, and the livestream gives the series a reach beyond the players in the room.

For now, the key details are set: September 25-26, 2026, at the SpadePoker Studio in Banco Bratislava, a €550 two-day High Roller with a 100,000-chip starting stack, 30-minute levels, and a €20,000 prize pool. The second winner of the Challenger trophy will be decided there.