2024 EPT Barcelona: Byron Kaverman Continues Hot Streak By Bagging Third EPT Title in €25K No-Limit Hold’em I (€381,060)

The 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona is in full swing, celebrating its 20th anniversary at Casino Barcelona, and the poker action is off the charts.

Event #14: €25,000 No-Limit Hold’em I was a high-roller slugfest, attracting the cream of the crop. When the chips were counted after an intense day of action, American poker pro Byron Kaverman (cover image) was the last player standing, snagging his third EPT title (and his fourth PokerStars Live win overall) and a whopping €381,060 prize. This win comes hot on the heels of his recent second-place finish in the €12,300 Cuatro Knockout, where he pocketed €119,400.

Kaverman battled it out heads-up against Estonia’s Markkos Ladev, who also had a career-best day, taking home €248,500. This victory pushes Kaverman’s live tournament earnings to over $20.51 Million, cementing his status as a true poker titan.

Meanwhile, in the side events, Marc Mora tasted victory for the first time, outlasting a field of 84 entries to win Event #11: €1,100 Mixed Games: 8-Game for €22,790.

Event #1: €1,100 Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event also wrapped up its starting flights, pulling in a massive 7,138 entries across eight flights. While it fell just short of last year’s record, it still stands as the second-largest field in PokerStars live event history. Day 2 kicked off with 1,066 players returning, all in the money and eyeing a piece of the €6,852,480 prize pool.

The Estrellas Main Event at #EPTBarcelona attracted a massive 7️⃣, 1️⃣ 3️⃣ 8️⃣ entries.

1,066 players will collect at least €1,800, whilst the champion will win €625,000. 🏆

Follow live updates of Day 2 👉 https://t.co/UgEd5zt5YZ#EPT20 ♠️ pic.twitter.com/zu9wZtQgCQ

— PokerStars LIVE (@PokerStarsLIVE) August 30, 2024

Andrew Chen is the chip leader heading into Day 2, boasting a stack of 1,077,000 – the only player to crack the million-chip mark. PokerStars Team Pro Alejandro Lococo is hot on his heels with 896,000. Jose Nadal (882,000), Maksims Uskovs (853,000), and Karol Bogusz (835,000) round out the top five stacks.

From India, Raviteja Obili (205,000) and Krishna Madhariwar (37,000) made it through Day 1C. Two-time GPI Player of the Year (India) Ankit Ahuja also punched his ticket to Day 2, advancing from the last flight, Day 1H, with 137,000 chips.

Back to the high-stakes action of Event #14: NLHE I, where the €25,000 buy-in created a massive €1,104,460 prize pool. The final six players were all guaranteed at least €77,300, but everyone had their eyes on the top prize.

The competition was fierce, with big names like Teun Mulder, Sven Andersson, Erik Seidel, Patrik Antonius, and recent Event #12 winner Kayhan Mokri hitting the rail early on. Seth Davies, Sean Winter, and David Coleman couldn’t make it to the dinner break.

After dinner, Nacho Barbero and Jamil Wakil were eliminated just before the final two tables were set. Sam Greenwood, Jesse Lonis, and Steve O’Dwyer also missed out on the final table.

India’s high-roller sensation Santhosh Suvarna, on a hot streak with deep runs in Event #5 and Event #9, also saw his run in Event #14 come to an end in a dramatic multi-way pot. The action unfolded on a flop of. Jean-Noel Thorel checked, and Suvarna shoved all-in for 59,000. Nick Petrangelo called, Enrico Camosci folded, and Thorel called. The turn brought the , and Thorel checked again. Petrangelo bet 80,000, and Thorel called. The river was the . Thorel checked, Petrangelo bet 100,000, and Thorel called again. Suvarna showed for top pair, Thorel had for a busted flush draw, and Petrangelo showed for two pair, scooping the pot. Suvarna was eliminated, while Thorel, left with just 22,000, managed to double up on the very next hand.

Jean-Noel Thorel‘s tournament eventually ended in tenth place, bringing the final table to an electrifying start with nine players left battling for the title.

Final Table Chip Counts

1. Markkos Ladev – 1,150,000
2. Enrico Camosci – 1,070,000
3. Byron Kaverman – 675,000
4. Nick Petrangelo – 525,000
5. Sam Grafton – 280,000
6. Mike Watson – 260,000
7. Niklas Astedt – 250,000
8. Gerard Pique – 200,000
9. Ren Lin – 100,000

Final Table Recap

The action kicked off with a bang as former football star Gerard Pique made a move, shoving his short stack with pocket nines. Unfortunately for him, Triple Crown winner Mike Watson woke up with . The board ran out , giving Watson trip aces and sending Pique to the rail in ninth place.

Next to go was Event #5 runner-up Ren Lin, finishing in eighth place. Lin, also short-stacked, shoved with , but Mike Watson once again found a premium hand, waking up with . The board bricked out , and Watson’s pocket eights held up, sending Lin packing.

Watson continued his dominance, eliminating Nick Petrangelo on the official money bubble in seventh place. Petrangelo made a move with , but Watson had him crushed with . The board of offered no help to Petrangelo, and he exited the tournament empty-handed.

With the bubble burst, the tension mounted, but it took two long hours for the next elimination. Several players survived close calls before PokerStars Ambassador Sam Grafton decided to gamble his last six blinds against the seemingly unstoppable Mike Watson. Grafton’s was no match for Watson’s , and a board of sealed his fate in sixth place.

The fifth-place elimination came in a tense blind-on-blind battle. Online legend and 2024 WSOP Main Event finalist Niklas Astedt shoved his final ten blinds with , only to be called by Enrico Camosci’s . The board ran out , giving Camosci a pair of tens and sending Astedt to the rail.

Enrico Camosci briefly held the chip lead before his fortunes took a turn. After doubling up Byron Kaverman, Camosci was eliminated in fourth place following a dramatic hand. On a board of , Camosci shoved all-in with for two pair. Mike Watson snap-called with for a straight. The on the river dashed Camosci’s hopes for a full house, and he was out.

The three-handed battle saw a dramatic shift in momentum as Mike Watson‘s once-mighty stack dwindled, leaving him as the short stack. His final hand saw him holding against Markkos Ladev’s . The board ran out , giving Ladev a flush and sending Watson to the rail in third place.

The heads-up duel started with Markkos Ladev (2.69 Million) leading Byron Kaverman (1.91 Million). Kaverman quickly seized control, building a commanding lead. The final hand saw a short-stacked Ladev fold more than half his stack to Kaverman’s shove. Ladev’s last stand with against Kaverman’s fell flat on a board of , crowning Byron Kaverman, the champion amidst a roar of applause from the crowd.

Complete Results (EURO)

1. Byron Kaverman – €381,060
2. Markkos Ladev – €248,500
3. Mike Watson – €171,200
4. Enrico Camosci – €127,000
5. Niklas Astedt – €99,400
6. Sam Grafton – €77,300

Content & Images Courtesy: PokerStars & PokerNews

Keep following PokerGuru for all the latest updates from the 2024 PokerStars EPT Barcelona.