Latvia’s Ralfs Blumbergs secured the top prize in the €10,250 Pot-Limit Omaha Unlimited Re-Entry event at PokerStars EPT Barcelona, winning €303,300 as the festival nears its main event conclusion
Latvia’s Ralfs Blumbergs has emerged as the latest high-stakes winner at the 2026 PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona, taking down the €10,250 Pot-Limit Omaha Unlimited Re-Entry event. The tournament, held at Casino Barcelona, drew 122 entries including re-entries, generating a prize pool of €1,183,400. Blumbergs’ victory adds a €303,300 payday to his poker résumé, as the EPT Barcelona festival approaches its final days.
Final Table and Payouts
The event’s final table featured a mix of established European professionals and rising talents. Blumbergs outlasted a field that included Finland’s Markus Ristola, who finished runner-up for €189,400, and Spain’s Vito Recchimurzo, who took third for €135,500. The remaining final table payouts were: Tommi Lankinen (Finland) €104,200, Biao Ding (China) €80,200, Rasmus Larsen (Denmark) €61,400, and Imad Derwiche (France) €48,500. In total, 17 players reached the money, with notable cashes from Laszlo Bujtas and Niklas Astedt. Filip Lovric of Sweden narrowly missed the official final table, finishing eighth.
Key Moments and Heads-Up Play
Imad Derwiche was the first to exit the final table, collecting €48,500 and moving his career earnings closer to $5.2 million. The eliminations of Rasmus Larsen, Biao Ding, and Tommi Lankinen followed, setting up a three-way battle. After Vito Recchimurzo’s departure in third, Blumbergs faced Markus Ristola in a heads-up contest between two experienced Pot-Limit Omaha specialists. Blumbergs ultimately secured the title and the largest share of the prize pool, while Ristola settled for the runner-up payout.
EPT Barcelona’s High-Stakes Week
The €10,250 PLO event is one of several high buy-in tournaments anchoring the EPT Barcelona schedule. The festival has seen a series of major results, including Klemens Roiter’s recent win in the €25,000 No-Limit Hold’em event, as covered in our report on the €25K EPT Barcelona title. With the €5,300 Main Event approaching its conclusion, attention remains on both established stars and new contenders making deep runs in Barcelona’s signature poker series.
Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) is a popular poker variant in European tournaments, offering larger pots and more action than traditional No-Limit Hold’em. In PLO, players receive four hole cards and must use exactly two in combination with three community cards to make their best hand. The “unlimited re-entry” format allows players to re-enter after busting during the registration period, increasing both the field size and prize pool. High buy-in PLO events like this one attract a mix of seasoned professionals and ambitious newcomers, making for unpredictable and competitive final tables.
