Simon Wiciak, hailing from La Rochelle, France, has added a new feather to his cap by securing the top spot in the 2023 European Poker Tour Barcelona €5,300 buy-in no-limit hold’em main event. Battling against 2,120 participants, he snagged his inaugural live tournament title along with a handsome 1,134,375 cash prize.
Known in the online poker community for his skills, transitioning to a live, in-person event posed a unique set of challenges for Wiciak. Sharing his winning moment with reporters, he mentioned, “And this was the first time I played an EPT main event.” His earlier accolades include over $100,000 in earnings from 12 other events, with his most significant being $44,700 from the World Series of Poker main event. But now, with this EPT victory, he joins the ranks of poker-made millionaires.
His sheer excitement was evident when he exclaimed, “You want to scream!” He attributed his success to consistent hard work and unwavering support from his team.
This year’s EPT Barcelona was only second in terms of participation to its 2022 counterpart. The Casino Barcelona was bustling with players, leading to a substantial prize pool wich would only reward the top 303 finishers.
Spanning from Aug. 27 to Sept. 3, the tournament’s pace was riveting. The number peaked at 2,120 participants and by day 2, narrowed to a mere 303 contenders. Prominent players such as Patrik Antonius, Stephen Song, and Robin Ylitalo were among those who battled it out.
As the tournament progressed, Wiciak was often at the helm in terms of chips. Major eliminations witnessed were Ezequiel Waigel and Andre Akkari. Towards the finale, after several hard-fought rounds, it was Wiciak and Joao Sydenstricker headsup, after a three way deal was made earlier with Carl Shaw. With €108,975 left for the winner , Wiciak took the win in this prestigious Barcelona event.
Final Table Results 2023 EPT Barcelona Main Event
| Result | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 | Simon Wiciak | France | € 1,134,375 |
| 2 | João Sydenstricker | Brazil | € 1,048,550 |
| 3 | Carl Shaw | United Kingdom | € 901,070 |
| 4 | Santiago Plante | Canada | € 511,300 |
| 5 | Andre Akkari | Brazil | € 393,300 |
| 6 | Ezequiel Waigel | Argentina | € 302,500 |
| 7 | Curtis Knight | Canada | € 232,700 |
| 8 | Robin Ylitalo | Sweden | € 179,000 |
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