Americans Lead the Charge for the Title

Americans Stephen Song, David Coleman, and Rania Nasreddine headline the final six players who will vie for the EPT Barcelona Main Event title on Sunday, with Nasreddine making her second consecutive EPT Main Event final table.

The EPT Barcelona Main Event has turned itself into an outright American invasion, as three of the final six players in contention for the €1.5 million first-place prize also look to break a long dry spell on the opposite side of the Atlantic.

It’s been almost 10 years since a player from the United States has won an EPT title on European soil, dating back to Stephen Graner‘s EPT Prague win in December 2014. The three Americans in question each carry significant weight into their respective title pushes as well.

Stephen Song, who enters Sunday as the chip leader, has a victory in the 2022 WPT Prime Championship and a WSOP bracelet to his name with over $6.5 million in lifetime live tournament earnings. David Coleman is fresh off a win in one of the $25,000 WPT Alpha8 Trifecta events at Wynn Las Vegas over the summer, and his high roller tournament experience will likely suit him well with the big dollar amounts on the line.

And then there’s Rania Nasreddine.

The Tulsa, Oklahoma native made waves this spring during her run at EPT Monte Carlo, where she ultimately finished in third place. Nasreddine has locked up a rare feat by making a second consecutive EPT Main Event final table, and she’ll get her second shot at a major title on Sunday.

The three Europeans still in the hunt are no pushovers by any means. Marius Pertea of Romania sits just behind Song in the chip counts, and after some close calls in the past, he’s finally made his first EPT Main Event final table.

Andrew Hulme of England and Boris Kuzmanovic of Croatia are the two shortest stacks, but well within range. Each set career high water marks at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas over the last two years, but stand to add to those significant sums regardless of where they finish.

After a long Day 6 at Casino Barcelona, the 16 players were finally whittled down to the targeted final six with just 30 minutes left on the clock. Play will resume at 1 p.m. in Barcelona, with live streaming coverage on PokerStars’ broadcast channels starting on a one-hour delay at 2 p.m. local time (8 a.m. ET).

Prize Breakdown for the Final Table

Here’s what the final six will be playing for:

• €1,512,000 ($1,677,205)
• €944,000 ($1,047,144)
• €674,150 ($747,809)
• €518,600 ($575,263)
• €398,950 ($442,540)
• €306,900 ($340,433)

Ahead of Sunday’s restart, this is what you need to know about the six players at the final table of the 2024 EPT Barcelona Main Event.

Player Spotlight: Stephen Song

Current Status

• Chips: 15,150,000 (61 big blinds)

• Age: 29

• Location: Greenwich, Connecticut, United States

• Lifetime Live Tournament Earnings: $6,542,031

• Biggest Lifetime Cash: $712,650 (1st, 2022 WPT Prime Championship)

• Other Prominent Scores:

• $476,990 (2nd, 2022 WSOP $5,000 Six-Handed No Limit Hold’em)

• $341,854 (1st, 2019 WSOP $1,000 No Limit Hold’em)

Performance in the EPT Barcelona Main Event

Stephen Song has achieved remarkable success in his poker career, and his performance thus far in the EPT Barcelona Main Event has been nothing short of masterful. He has consistently ranked among the chip leaders, skillfully managing his stack to avoid major dangers. Notably, he pulled off a dramatic two-outer on the river to eliminate a key opponent at the featured streaming table.

While winning this tournament wouldn’t technically qualify him for poker’s Triple Crown, combining it with his WPT Prime Championship win and WSOP bracelet would elevate him to an elite status in the poker world. Additionally, a victory would more than double his career-best live cash.

Chip Counts Through the Tournament

• End of Day 1: 230,500 (19/625)
• End of Day 2: 459,000 (17/290)
• End of Day 3: 1,382,000 (4/112)
• End of Day 4: 4,130,000 (1/40)
• End of Day 5: 6,725,000 (2/16)

Player Spotlight: Marius Pertea

Current Status

• Chips: 14,575,000 (58 big blinds)

• Age: 44

• Location: Buzau, Romania

• Lifetime Live Tournament Earnings: $374,438

• Biggest Lifetime Cash: $107,754 (1st, 2017 Unibet Open Bucharest €1,000 Main Event)

• Other Prominent Scores:

• $68,153 (4th, 2018 EPT Monte Carlo €2,200 No Limit Hold’em)

• $48,223 (11th, 2017 EPT Monte Carlo Main Event)

• $32,124 (8th, 2018 WPT European Championship in Berlin)

Performance in the EPT Barcelona Main Event

Before this tournament, Marius Pertea’s poker career could be characterized by a series of close calls in major events. He finished 11th on PokerStars’ biggest live stage in Monte Carlo in 2017, and the following year in Berlin, he narrowly missed the final table of the WPT European Championship, finishing in eighth place.

On Day 6, it seemed Pertea might face another painful outcome when he faced Fabiano Kovalski in a massive pot that came down to a coin flip. Holding A♥️7♥️ against Kovalski’s pocket eights on a 9♦️9♥️5♥️ flop, Pertea avoided the flush draw and instead spiked the A♣️ on the turn for a significant double-up.

After spending much of the tournament as one of the short stacks, Pertea now finds himself in the mix, just off the chip lead.

Chip Counts Through the Tournament

• End of Day 1: 73,000 (336/625)
• End of Day 2: 105,000 (206/290)
• End of Day 3: 354,000 (67/112)
• End of Day 4: 700,000 (33/40)
• End of Day 5: 2,535,000 (12/16)

Player Spotlight: David Coleman

Current Status

• Chips: 10,425,000 (42 big blinds)

• Age: 31

• Location: Livingston, New Jersey, United States

• Resides: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

• Lifetime Live Tournament Earnings: $6,648,959

• Biggest Lifetime Cash: $730,300 (1st, 2024 $25,000 WPT Alpha8 Trifecta #3)

• Other Prominent Scores:

• $642,900 (2nd, 2024 Triton High Roller Series Jeju $52,000 Turbo Bounty Quattro)

• $455,000 (2nd, 2021 PokerGO Cup $50,000 No Limit Hold’em)

• $364,000 (2nd, 2021 Super High Roller Bowl Europe $50,000 No Limit Hold’em)

Performance in the EPT Barcelona Main Event

David Coleman has been a prominent figure on the high roller tournament circuit over the past four years, racking up significant earnings. After several tough runner-up finishes, he secured a major victory this summer, winning $730,300 in the WPT Alpha8 Trifecta series at Wynn Las Vegas.

Navigating a field of 1,975 entries is a different challenge compared to facing 100 of the world’s best players, yet Coleman has proven his mettle by reaching the final six in this prestigious event. Like Stephen Song, he has the opportunity to more than double his career-best cash with a win in Barcelona.

Throughout Day 6, Coleman spent time among the shorter stacks but made a significant move by eliminating Alexandre Fournier in seventh place, pushing him into contention as play wrapped up on Saturday.

Chip Counts Through the Tournament

• End of Day 1: 233,000 (18/625)
• End of Day 2: 185,000 (136/290)
• End of Day 3: 615,000 (36/112)
• End of Day 4: 3,900,000 (2/40)
• End of Day 5: 3,570,000 (7/16)

Player Spotlight: Rania Nasreddine

Current Status

• Chips: 8,300,000 (33 big blinds)

• Age: 44

• Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States

• Lifetime Live Tournament Earnings: $1,179,439

• Biggest Lifetime Cash: $473,639 (3rd, 2024 EPT Monte Carlo Main Event)

• Other Prominent Scores:

• $87,750 (8th, 2011 WPT Seminole Hard Rock Poker Showdown $25,000 High Roller)

• $60,380 (1st, 2022 WSOP Circuit Tulsa $400 No Limit Hold’em)

Performance in the EPT Barcelona Main Event

2024 has been a breakout year for Rania Nasreddine, who captured the poker world’s attention with her impressive run to the final table of the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event. Her captivating play not only entertained viewers worldwide but also made history as she achieved back-to-back final tables with her performance in Barcelona.

Nasreddine began Day 6 as the chip leader but faced challenges as the tournament progressed to a single table. She played a crucial role in narrowing the field down to six players, notably eliminating Fabiano Kovalski with her pocket jacks.

A fifth-place finish would match her achievement in Monte Carlo, but with a second chance at glory, Nasreddine is poised to contend for an EPT title.

Chip Counts Through the Tournament

• End of Day 1: 239,000 (14/625)
• End of Day 2: 609,000 (7/290)
• End of Day 3: 1,330,000 (5/112)
• End of Day 4: 2,005,000 (10/40)
• End of Day 5: 7,200,000 (1/16)

Player Spotlight: Andrew Hulme

Current Status

• Chips: 5,525,000 (22 big blinds)

• Age: 36

• Location: Nottingham, United Kingdom

• Lifetime Live Tournament Earnings: $2,281,721

• Biggest Lifetime Cash: $345,000 (18th, 2023 WSOP Main Event)

• Other Prominent Scores:

• $167,864 (4th, 2022 EPT Prague Eureka High Roller)

• $159,319 (1st, 2018 GUKPT London Main Event)

Performance in the EPT Barcelona Main Event

Andrew Hulme has built a successful poker career, amassing nearly $2.3 million in lifetime live tournament earnings. He showcased his skills in the 2023 WSOP Main Event, reaching the final two tables before finishing in 18th place.

Hulme is not only a poker player but also a notable figure in the UK for his appearances on the game show Countdown. He first appeared at just 11 years old, winning a Junior Championship at 13 and later becoming an “octochamp” with eight consecutive victories.

In Barcelona, Hulme has already matched his career-best cash by securing a top-six finish, with potential pay jumps further enhancing his achievement.

Chip Counts Through the Tournament

• End of Day 1: 135,500 (113/625)
• End of Day 2: 437,000 (22/290)
• End of Day 3: 724,000 (25/112)
• End of Day 4: 780,000 (31/40)
• End of Day 5: 1,670,000 (13/16)

Player Spotlight: Boris Kuzmanovic

Current Status

• Chips: 5,275,000 (21 big blinds)

• Age: 37

• Location: Zagreb, Croatia

• Lifetime Live Tournament Earnings: $547,735

• Biggest Lifetime Cash: $133,479 (8th, 2024 WSOP $3,000 Mid-Stakes Championship)

• Other Prominent Scores:

• $62,084 (2nd, Eureka Poker Tour Dubrovnik Main Event)

• $47,674 (19th, 2021 WSOP Europe Main Event)

Performance in the EPT Barcelona Main Event

Boris Kuzmanovic has made significant strides in his poker career, accumulating over $500,000 in live tournament earnings. The 37-year-old computer consultant reached his first major final table at the WSOP this summer, but his performance in Barcelona has eclipsed all previous accomplishments.

As play resumed after the dinner break on Sunday, Kuzmanovic sat in third place in chips. Although he gradually fell down the chip counts, he secured a guaranteed payout that is more than double his previous best by advancing from nine players down to six. With his current stack, he remains a contender for the title.

Chip Counts Through the Tournament

• End of Day 1: 121,000 (153/625)
• End of Day 2: 210,000 (111/290)
• End of Day 3: 270,000 (79/112)
• End of Day 4: 1,230,000 (20/40)
• End of Day 5: 6,565,000 (3/16)

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