There were Swedish celebrations in Barcelona last night after Simon Brändström scooped the EPT Main Event, winning €1,290,166 after a heads-up deal…
Jag vann fan skiten. https://t.co/pVkgXLVvMb
— Simon Brändström (@SimonBrandstrom) September 1, 2019
For those who don’t read Swedish, Brändström’s tweet states, ‘I won the fucking shit’ – the pro who used to play under the name Simon Persson until he got married ecstatic at his victory.
The tournament had a record-breaking 1988 entries. This made it the biggest EPT Main Event in the 15-year history of the tour, sponsors PokerStars adding their name in 2011.
The Casino Barcelona welcomed back the final table for the 6th day of play, six players still in contention for the crown after another Swede, Johan Storakers, fell yesterday evening.
The #EPTBarcelona Main Event final table is set. These six return at noon to play for €1.659M
🇸🇪 Simon Brandstrom – 18.49M
🇭🇺 Marton Czuczor – 14.45M
🇵🇹 Rui Sousa – 9.105M
🇧🇷 Diego Falcone – 8.635M
🇨🇳 Yunye Lu – 4.5M
🇵🇹 Giovani Torre – 4.45M pic.twitter.com/ECaJcPatdf— PokerStars LIVE (@PokerStarsLIVE) August 31, 2019
The half-dozen survivors from the previous day’s brutal action would be rapidly narrowed down to just two – less than an hour and not even one level required to dismiss four players.
China’s Lunye Li was first to hit the rail, his flopped top pair flushed away on the river by Hungary’s Martin Czuczor, and then Giovanni Torre ran into Czuczor’s big slick to end his title dreams.
Within half an hour there were only three players left as yesterday’s luckiest player Diego Falcone was hit by nasty turned trips, again Czuczor the executioner…
What is happening?
We've been playing for less than 30 minutes and half the #EPTBarcelona Main Event final table has been eliminated.
Diego Falcone the latest to bust, finishing fourth for €436,760.
Watch cards-up coverage at https://t.co/hRFaQAqWdk pic.twitter.com/WI5deifqbK— PokerStars LIVE (@PokerStarsLIVE) September 1, 2019
When Rui Sousa ran into Brändström’s pocket jacks ten minutes later, those tuning in to the live stream were shocked to see just two men sat at the final table.
If they wanted a poker fest, however, they would still get one, but first Brändström and Czeczor had a deal to talk about.
With close to €800k between 1st and 2nd place prizes, the duo decided to ensure they could both claim €millionaire status – if only until the taxman appears with his grubby, greedy paws out.
The final two players have agreed a deal.
Czuczor: €1,253,234
Brandstrom: €1,212,706
To play for: €77,460
Who will win the #EPTBarcelona Main Event?— PokerStars LIVE (@PokerStarsLIVE) September 1, 2019
Some were expecting a short, sharp shove and win/lose heads-up affair, but the pair played for the trophy and the remaining cash as though it was also worth€millions.
The lengthy battle came down to two huge hands, the first a cooler of epic proportions.
🤮
A full-house over full-house cooler has seen the chip stacks reverse in the #EPTBarcelona Main Event. 🥶
Simon Brandstrom (42.85M) leads Marton Czuczor (16.775M).
See who takes the #EPTBarcelona Main Event title at https://t.co/hRFaQAqWdk pic.twitter.com/U8FOT4sucZ— PokerStars LIVE (@PokerStarsLIVE) September 1, 2019
The double-up for Brändström looked set to be handed back a short while later, but Czuczor saw his flopped straight counterfeited by the board on the river.
That would be his last real chance to change the direction of play, and when he lost the race against Brändström’s sixes it was game over, Czuczor still stunned by the turnaround.
The Hungarian had doubled his cash from the EPT Prague Main Event in 2016, but the runner-up spot was the same. As for Brändström, the Swede had almost doubled his entire career earnings in one fell swoop.
EPT Barcelona Main Event Results
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