Fabiano Kovalski won the High Roller at EPT Barcelona 2026

Brazilian pro Fabiano Kovalski claimed victory in the High Roller tournament at EPT Barcelona 2026, setting a personal record for prize money.

Brazilian professional Fabiano Kovalski achieved the highest result of his career by winning the High Roller title at the 2026 European Poker Tour (EPT) stop in Barcelona. For his victory in the €10,300 buy-in tournament, he received €727,280. This amount became a personal record for him and also brought him closer to the top ten most successful Brazilian players in terms of all-time tournament winnings. Double Success for Fabiano Kovalski at EPT Barcelona 2026 The tournament week turned out to be extremely successful for Kovalski. Just two days before his triumph in the High Roller, he had already celebrated a win in the €3,250 buy-in Mystery Bounty tournament, where he earned €385,430. Thus, in a short period, Fabiano increased his bankroll by more than €1.1 million. Thanks to these results, his total live tournament winnings surpassed the $4,000,000 mark. Now Kovalski is just a step away from entering the top 10 Brazilian players by winnings, trailing only Andre Akkari, whom he could overtake with his next big cash. Final Table: Battle for the Title and Record Prizes The €10,300 No-Limit Hold'em High Roller tournament attracted 429 entries (including re-entries), creating a prize pool of €4,161,300. Sixty-four players made the money, including well-known professionals: Nacho Barbero, Chris Hunichen, Davidi Kitai, Joni Jouhkimainen, Brandon Sheils, Felipe Boianovsky, Jason Wheeler, Brock Wilson, and Aram Zobian, who became the "bubble boy" of the final table. Final Table Results of the €10,300 EPT Barcelona High Roller * The final payouts reflect a heads-up deal between the finalists 1st place: Fabiano Kovalski (Brazil) — €727,280* 2nd place: Igor Picone (Belgium) — €595,920* 3rd place: Gediminas Uselis (Lithuania) — €363,400 4th place: Tommi Lankinen (Finland) — €279,400 5th place: Kalle Parkkinen (Finland) — €215,000 6th place: Alexandre Reard (France) — €165,400 7th place: Paolo Boi (Italy) — €127,200 8th place: Leo Worthington-Leese (United Kingdom) — €104,300 9th place: Fehim Hajdari (Denmark) — €86,900 Finalists’ Performances in Detail Dane Fehim Hajdari was the first to leave the final table, finishing ninth and earning €86,900. Next to bust was Eureka Main Event EPT Cyprus 2024 champion Leo Worthington-Leese, who added the third-largest prize of his career — €104,300 — to his resume. Italian Paolo Boi, winner of the 2024 WSOP bracelet in the $3,000 No-Limit Hold'em event and bronze medalist in the same tournament the previous year, finished seventh and received €127,200. Frenchman Alexandre Reard, who recently surpassed $10,000,000 in career winnings and ranks fourth in the French all-time money list, finished sixth with €165,400. Fifth and fourth places went to representatives from Finland, a country traditionally associated with Pot-Limit Omaha but not as often with No-Limit Hold'em. Kalle Parkkinen finished fifth and received his career-best prize — €215,000. Tommi Lankinen took fourth place, earning €279,400 — also his best result and his second six-figure cash at this EPT Barcelona stop. Lithuanian Gediminas Uselis finished third, turning his €10,300 buy-in into €363,400. This is the second-largest prize of his career, after his victory in the $3,500 EPT Rock 'N' Roll Poker Open Main Event in 2021, where he won $778,490. Heads-Up: Deal Between Kovalski and Picone The final battle for the title was between Fabiano Kovalski and Belgian Igor Picone. Before the heads-up began, the players made a deal that adjusted the prize distribution between first and second place. Thanks to this agreement, Picone received €595,920 instead of the originally scheduled €508,700 for second place, while Kovalski took home €727,280 instead of the initial €814,500. Both players thus set personal records for winnings. The Significance of the Victory for Kovalski and Brazilian Poker The High Roller victory and strong performance in the Mystery Bounty made EPT Barcelona 2026 one of the brightest stops in Fabiano Kovalski’s career. Thanks to these achievements, his total live tournament winnings surpassed $4 million, and he moved closer to the top 10 most successful Brazilian poker players, where Andre Akkari currently holds the tenth spot. This breakthrough not only strengthens Kovalski’s position on the international stage but also highlights the strength and depth of the Brazilian poker school. For many players from Brazil, Fabiano’s success can serve as an inspiring example. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this news can be a great motivation: even players who have not achieved major victories for a long time can make a breakthrough and achieve outstanding results. Fabiano Kovalski’s story shows that persistence, regular play, and participation in various tournament formats can lead to success. It’s also worth noting the variety of tournaments Kovalski played: he excelled both in the High Roller and in the Mystery Bounty format. This highlights the importance of flexibility and being ready to master new poker disciplines, which is also relevant for PPPoker players, where tournaments with different structures and buy-ins are held regularly. Finally, the experience of the EPT Barcelona 2026 finalists proves that making the money is possible even in a very strong field. The main thing is not to be afraid to compete with professionals, to gain experience, and to use the knowledge gained to improve your game in PPPoker clubs.