Alexander Ivarsson Goes for Second Title of EPT Barcelona Stop in Main Event
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Alexander Ivarsson didn’t have a six-figure live cash to his name before he won the €2,200 EPT National High Roller at the PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona stop last week for €498,520 ($612,854). But don't be fooled — the Swedish poker pro has had plenty of poker success, both live and online over the past decade.
Ivarsson has been carrying the momentum from his largest career win as he goes deep in the €5,300 Main Event, where he bagged a respectable stack after Day 4 with just 16 players left.
“Yeah, obviously coming from a win then straight into the Main Event, and everything went smooth from the beginning, so I’m playing very confident and I believe in myself.”
"I’m playing very confident and I believe in myself.”
About his win in the high roller, Ivarsson told PokerNews, “It was very nice to finally close a big one out. I got lucky against a couple of the best [players] at the final table. When I won the big three-way all in with the king-queen suited, the show started there. I think I was very lucky to win it.”
EPT Surge
You’ll see a spike in his EPT results on Hendon Mob after 2014 and there’s a good explanation. Ivarsson and his friend and fellow Swede Anton Siden, playing under his former name Anton Bertilsson then, finished 2014 strong at the EPT Prague stop. Ivarsson finished 12th in the €10,300 high roller while Bertilsson final tabled the Main Event, finishing runner-up to Stephen Graner for €582,720 ($722,198). Ivarsson had a piece of his action and both players had a healthy bankroll boost.
“From there we started traveling together and playing the best stops on the EPT,” Ivarsson told PokerNews after Day 4 of the EPT Barcelona Main Event.
They’ve both had their share of live tournament success on the EPT and beyond and Ivarsson had accumulated around half a million dollars in cashes before he more than doubled that with his win at EPT Barcelona. He also had a close call in the 2015 EPT Malta Main Event won by Niall Farrell.
Ivarsson had the chip lead after Day 4 with 16 remaining and slowly bled off chips during the final two tables of play. He was still third in chips with nine remaining and he five-bet shoved his last 41 big blinds in with pocket queens against eventual runner-up Alen Bilic, who called with ace-king suited. A king on the flop ended a promising run for Ivarsson with a disappointing ninth-place finish for €49,560 ($54,593).
EPT Barcelona Main Event
He has a chance for redemption here in Barcelona as the final 16 play down toward a final table on Day 5. Ivarsson is already guaranteed at least €71,400 and would best his career-high score from last week with a top-three finish. If he were to win the €1,659,000 top prize, he would have his first six-figure score and his first seven-figure score within the span of a week.
“I think I have a pretty good clue about what other players are doing so I’m just gonna do my thing.”
No matter the result, it has been quite the poker stop for Ivarsson and his crew. Of a field of 1,988 entries, Ivarsson and his two roommates for the trip all made the money and bagged for Day 4.
“It was a really joyful room,” Ivarsson said.
Siden busted in 44th for €25,650 but Simon Brandstrom and Ivarsson both made it to the penultimate day, both still with a shot at the title.
“Just play good and stick in there,” Ivarsson said of his plan heading to Day 5. “I think I have a pretty good clue about what other players are doing so I’m just gonna do my thing.”
“Obviously it would mean a lot," he said of potentially taking down the title. "I don’t play super much anymore but to get the confirmation and a big cash as well is nice.”
Stick around to find out if Ivarsson can make it two titles in the 2019 EPT Barcelona stop as play winds down to a winner over the weekend. Follow all the live updates right here at PokerNews.
