John Juanda is close to his second EPT Barcelona title

Legendary poker pro John Juanda is once again in contention for the EPT Barcelona Main Event title, more than a decade after his first triumph.

More than ten years after his sensational victory at EPT Barcelona, legendary player and Poker Hall of Fame member John Juanda is once again in contention for the title at the main event of this prestigious series. In 2015, Juanda became the EPT Barcelona Main Event champion, earning €1,022,593 (about $1,200,000) after a three-way deal. Now, eleven years later, he has once again reached the late stage of the tournament with a €5,300 buy-in, where only 28 players remain at the start of Day 5. John Juanda: The Legend’s Path to a Second EPT Barcelona Title 2015 was truly a special year for John Juanda. In addition to his victory at EPT Barcelona, where he outplayed strong opponents like German pro Rainer Kempe at the final table, Juanda was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame alongside Jennifer Harman. According to Hendon Mob, that win in Barcelona was the fourth largest of his tournament career. If Juanda manages to win again this year, his new prize of €1,370,050 will push that result down to fifth place in his personal stats. Juanda is one of the key figures of the “poker boom” era, with total live tournament winnings of $26,700,000. His achievements and consistent deep runs in the world’s biggest tournaments have made him a true poker legend. Tournament Progress: Key Hands and Juanda’s Position This year, Juanda started Day 4 in 24th place in chips among the 67 remaining players. Over the course of the day, he significantly improved his position: by the end of the day, he was 13th in the chip count among the 28 players left. One of the key hands was his win with pocket kings against Oleh Pritsak, which allowed Juanda to increase his stack. However, he lost some chips after losing a “coinflip” (a hand where the odds are roughly even) with pocket jacks against Albert Grané’s ace-queen. Despite this, Juanda kept a comfortable stack and continues to fight for his second title. EPT Barcelona 2015 Final Table Results 1st place: John Juanda — €1,022,593* 2nd place: Steve Warburton — €941,613* 3rd place: Denys Shafikov — €773,000* 4th place: Frederik Jensen — €396,500 5th place: Amir Touma — €324,000 6th place: Rainer Kempe — €320,400 7th place: Andreas Samuelsson — €233,500 8th place: Mario Sanchez — €137,080 * — prize after a three-way deal. Other EPT Barcelona Champions Among the Contenders John Juanda is not the only former EPT Barcelona champion who is once again close to victory. Sebastian Malec, who won this tournament a year after Juanda, has also made it to the top 28 and is fighting for a second title a decade after his triumph. At the start of Day 5, Malec is 17th in chips, just behind Juanda. Poland’s Sebastian Malec became EPT Barcelona champion at just 21 years old and now ranks fifth among Poland’s all-time money winners. Last year, he also made a deep run in the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event, confirming his high level of play. The chip leaders heading into Day 5 are Spanish online qualifier Jose Criado, his compatriot Gerard Carbo, and Dutch pro Joris Ruijs. All of them have excellent chances to win one of Europe’s most prestigious tournaments. EPT Barcelona: Significance and Format The European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona is one of the most popular stops on the European poker circuit, attracting hundreds of professionals and amateurs from around the world every year. The series’ main event traditionally draws a large field thanks to its prestige, substantial prize pool, and deep structure. This year’s buy-in is €5,300, and the winner will receive €1,370,050. The EPT Barcelona series runs for several weeks and includes many events with different formats and buy-in levels. This year, PokerNews is providing live text coverage of the main event and other key tournaments at the festival, giving fans and players full access to updates on the action. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, this news is a great example of how experience and perseverance can lead to success on the world’s most prestigious poker stages. John Juanda and Sebastian Malec show that even years after their first triumphs, it’s possible to reach the final stages of major tournaments again if you keep improving your game and gaining experience. By following the action at EPT Barcelona, PPPoker club players can learn tactical decisions and approaches from recognized masters. By analyzing the hands where Juanda and Malec make tough decisions, you can improve your own strategy and prepare for performances in major club series. Moreover, such stories inspire participation in online satellites and qualifiers, which are regularly held in PPPoker clubs. Even if you’re not a world-class pro, consistent work on your game and regular tournament participation can lead to great success and take your poker career to the next level.