Poker Hall of Famer John Juanda is among the final 28 players in the 2026 EPT Barcelona Main Event, aiming to repeat his 2015 victory as the tournament nears its final stages
Poker Hall of Famer John Juanda is once again making headlines at EPT Barcelona, progressing to Day 5 of the 2026 Main Event with only 28 players left in contention. Juanda, who previously captured the EPT Barcelona Main Event title in 2015, is now positioned for a rare second win in one of Europe's most prominent live poker tournaments.
Juanda’s 2015 Victory and Current Run
Juanda’s 2015 EPT Barcelona Main Event win remains a highlight of his career, earning him €1,022,593 (approximately $1.2 million at the time) after a three-way deal at the final table. That year, he also joined the Poker Hall of Fame alongside Jennifer Harman. Now, eleven years later, Juanda is back in the spotlight, having advanced through a field of hundreds in the €5,300 buy-in Main Event. He ended Day 4 in 13th place by chip count, having started the day 24th out of 67 remaining players. Notably, Juanda picked up a key pot with pocket kings to eliminate Oleh Pritsak, though he later lost chips in a flip against Albert Grane’s ace-queen.
Prize Pool and Remaining Competition
The 2026 EPT Barcelona Main Event offers a first-place prize of €1,370,050, which would surpass Juanda’s 2015 score and become the fourth largest of his career, according to Hendon Mob records. The final table in 2015 featured notable players such as Rainer Kempe and Steven Warburton, with Juanda ultimately taking the top spot. This year, the competition remains fierce, with former champion Sebastian Malec also advancing deep. Malec, who won the event in 2016 at age 21 and is now fifth on Poland’s all-time money list, sits just behind Juanda in chips. The current chip leaders include Spanish online qualifier Jose Criado, Gerard Carbo, and Dutch professional Joris Ruijs.
EPT Barcelona’s Broader Tournament Context
EPT Barcelona continues to attract top international talent and remains a focal point of the European poker calendar. The Main Event’s €5,300 buy-in and substantial prize pool draw both established professionals and online qualifiers. Live reporting and updates are provided throughout the festival, with PokerNews offering detailed coverage of each day’s action. For context on other high-stakes events at the festival, Kayhan Mokri recently led the €100,000 EPT Super High Roller as the field narrowed, as reported in coverage of the EPT Barcelona Super High Roller.
As the Main Event moves toward its conclusion, the possibility of a repeat champion remains a rare storyline. Juanda’s deep run highlights both the longevity and skill required to compete at the highest levels of live tournament poker.
In major live poker tournaments like the EPT Barcelona Main Event, the prize pool is determined by multiplying the number of entries by the buy-in, minus any tournament fees. The final payout structure is set before play begins, with the largest prizes reserved for the top finishers. Deep runs in these events require players to navigate multiple days of play, survive shifting table dynamics, and adapt to changing stack sizes. For professionals, a single major win can represent a significant portion of their career earnings, while repeat victories at the same event are exceptionally rare due to the size and strength of the fields.
