European Poker Tour (EPT)'s 20th Anniversary: Looking Back at the Past Ten Years

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Sep 04, 2024 6 min read

The European Poker Tour (EPT) has long been a proving ground for poker's elite, where strategy, skill, and a bit of luck collide to crown champions on the grandest stages.

As the tour progressed from Season 11, it witnessed the emergence of new talents and unforgettable moments. Each season brought its own set of heroes and stories, shaping the legacy of the EPT and solidifying its place as one of the most prestigious circuits in the world of professional poker.

This article continues our dive into the history of the EPT, following up on part one, which explored the first ten years of its inception and the champions who defined that era.

Season 11

The 11th season of the EPT marked a historic moment for Spain as Adrian Mateos became the first Spaniard to win an EPT Main Event. Mateos's victory at the 2015 EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo occurred just two years after his win at the World Series of Poker Europe (WSOPE) Main Event at the age of 19.

This season also introduced Malta as a new stop, with Jean Montury claiming victory, and saw the final EPT event held in Deauville, France.

Season 12

Season 12 of the EPT saw the tour return to Dublin for the first time since Season 5, where young Polish star Dzmitry Urbanovich claimed victory.

This season was also notable for John Juanda, becoming the second WSOP Europe Main Event champion to bank an EPT title. Meanwhile, future WSOP Main Event winner Hossein Ensan captured the title in Prague.

Triple crown winners Mike Watson and Niall Farrell also hoisted trophies above their heads, winning the PCA and EPT Malta, respectively.

Season 13

In 2016, only three EPT festivals were held, but they were packed with drama and excitement. The highlight of the season was Sebastian Malec’s victory at EPT Barcelona, where he became the second Polish player to win an EPT Main Event.

Aliaksei Boika and Jasper Meijer van Putten also found success in Season 13 but paled in comparison to Malec's seven-figure windfall.

PokerStars Championship

In 2017, PokerStars announced it was to overhaul its live tournament schedule. As a result, the EPT was rebranded as the PokerStars Championship.

There were seven PokerStars Championship festivals:

• Bahamas
• Panama
• Macau
• Monte Carlo
• Sochi
• Barcelona
• Prague

The PokerStars Championship was discontinued after one season, with the EPT brand returning once more.

Season 14

The EPT returned in 2018, focusing on Europe, including a new stop in Sochi, Russia. Arsenii Karmatckii emerged victorious in Sochi, becoming only the fourth Russian to win an EPT title. The season also saw the tour’s regular stops in Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Prague.

Maria Lampropulos kicked off the season by taking down the PCA Main Event for $1,081,100. She became the first woman to win the tournament. She was the EPT's only fourth female Main Event champion, following on from Liv Boeree, Victoria Coren-Mitchell and Sandra Naujoks.

Season 15

2019 was notable for being the first time the EPT held the same five stops as the previous year, which led to record-breaking attendance, particularly at EPT Barcelona. Simon Brandstrom of Sweden won the biggest prize of the year at EPT Barcelona, while Mikalai Pobal made history by becoming the second two-time EPT champion with his win in Prague.

Season 16 & 17

The coronavirus pandemic drastically impacted the EPT schedule. In 2020, only one live event took place in Sochi, Russia, where Ruslan Bogdanov emerged victorious. The following year saw just one event as well, with Artur Martirosian winning the EPT Sochi Main Event.

Additionally, there were 20 tournaments held online at PokerStars as part of the inaugural EPT Online. Sweden's "WhatIfGod" won the $5,200 EPT Online Main Event for $1,019,082 after defeating Timothy Adams heads-up.

Season 18

Following the end of the coronavirus pandemic, the EPT returned to normality, with five stops throughout 2022. Two stops were in Prague, Czech Republic, and the tour returned to London, England, for the first time in eight years. The EPT also visited regular destinations, such as Monte Carlo and Barcelona.

The EPT returned with a bang, with several events breaking attendance and prize pool records throughout the year. The 2022 EPT Barcelona Main Event became the biggest of all time, with 2,294 entries recorded. Italy's Guiliano Bendinelli was the victor in that tournament and pocketed the €1,491,133 allocated for first place.

Season 19

Two new stops were announced as part of the 2023 EPT season. Paris became the 13th European capital to host a stop on the European Poker Tour, and popular poker destination Cyprus joined the action.

There were stories aplenty as PokerStars qualifier Razvan Belea dominated in Paris and Canada's Mike Watson became only the third two-time EPT champion in history with victory in Monte Carlo, seven years after previously taking down the 2016 PCA Main Event.

Another monster EPT Barcelona Main Event saw Simon Wiciak crowned champion, before PokerStars 'Dare to Stream' winner Gilles Simon became the inaugural winner of EPT Cyprus. The year was rounded out in stunning style with a memorable comeback for popular Irish player Padraig O'Neill, who overcame Jon Kyte heads-up after the Norwegian had held a near unassailable chip lead.

Season 20

The 20th season of the EPT followed a familiar path, revisiting the same five stops as the previous year. EPT Paris kicked off the season with a historic turnout, shattering its attendance record. The spotlight shone on poker legend Barny Boatman, who triumphed to claim his first EPT Main Event title. Overcome with emotion, Boatman fought back tears as confetti cannons erupted to celebrate his victory.

Next up was EPT Monte Carlo, where yet another Main Event attendance record was broken. Derk van Luijk emerged victorious from a field of 1,208 players, becoming the second EPT champion of 2024.

The spotlight now shifts to EPT Barcelona, where we await the next player to etch their name into poker history. The season will culminate with stops in Cyprus and Prague, rounding out the EPT's 20-year history.

Calum has been a part of the PokerNews team since September 2021 after working in the UK energy sector. He played his first hand of poker in 2017 and immediately fell in love with the game. Calum has written for various poker outlets but found his home at PokerNews, where he has contributed to various articles and live updates, providing insights and reporting on major poker events, including the World Series of Poker (WSOP).

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