A little over nine months ago, Guilherme Kleist was in Prague to compete in the Spin & Go Championship Live, the first event of its kind. He brought his wife along for support, but unfortunately for the 30-year-old Spin & Go pro, things didn’t go his way.

But boy, did they go his way here in Barcelona. After two days of relentless spinning, Kleist is the Spin & Go Championship Live champ, winning the second and much larger edition for €75,000, plus €5,500 in bonus Spinner prizes and an incredible trophy. 

His better half, Rafaela Figueiredo, is once again here to support, but this time around she was also here as a qualifier. The couple gave us one of the best stories of the event–and one that lasted until the final card was dealt.

To get the job done, Kleist has to defeat his fellow Brazilian João Nascimento, a 28-year-old from Rio Grande do Norte, and Krystian Lisowski, a Thailand-based 30-year-old from Poland. All three play Spin & Go’s professionally, so this was no easy match.

“It’s more about the accomplishment than the money,” Kleist said after his victory. And when asked if he was going to defend his title in Paris next year, he let there be no mistake: “For sure.”

READ: Next stop Paris for phenomenal Spin & Go Championship Live

The three-handed poker tournament ran for two days (August 30-31) at the end of an enormous EPT Barcelona festival and the third-largest Main Event in tour history. It was a welcome, rejuvenating burst of excitement as zealous qualifiers arrived from around the world ready to compete for a €100,000 top prize.

To get here, the vast majority of players qualified through leader board competitions. We began with 81 players spread across 27 three-handed tables, and the first two rounds were first-to-three wins. That target increased to four wins for Round 3 and the final.

READ THROUGH OUR DAY 1 DIARY HERE

Before the final, the three players–no doubt out of respect for each other’s skills–decided to make a deal. It changed the proposed payouts of €100,000, €35,000 and €15,000 to €75,000, €42,500, and €32,500. A perfectly understandable outcome considering what this meant to each of them.

This was an insanely entertaining event with an equally insane ending, as it resulted in Kleist winning four consecutive contests.

It was Nascimento who set the pace in the final, taking down both of the opening games. His A♣ 3♣ held against Lisowski’s Q♦ 6♦ to give him an early 1-0-0 lead, and he built on it by defeating Kleist in game 2 with K♦ 8♣ against J♦ 9♣ . 

He came one card away from taking a three-nothing lead, too. Heads-up again against his fellow Brazilian Kleist, Nascimento’s A♦ 4♠ was ahead against Q♣ 9♥ on the A♠ 10♥ 8♥ 3♥ board, but the J♥ completed all of Kleist’s draws. He took Game 3 and killed any potential for a clean sweep.

It was the Kleist show from thereon out. Game 4 went his way, tying things up. Then he took a 3-2-0 lead. You had to feel for Lisowski, who could only watch as the Brazilian train rolled on.

Needing just one more victory, Kleist ousted Lisowski once again to take a 2:1 chip lead into what proved to be the decisive heads-up. Nascimento found a double to even things up, before a huge pot proved near fatal. Nascimento limped for 30, and Kleist made it 150 to go. Nascimento then jammed for 800, and Kleist called. It was A♦ K♣ against Kleist’s 10♣ 9♣ , and the 3♥ 10♦ J♠ 5♣ 9♠ sent almost all the chips Kleist’s way.

Down to his last 100, it was all in the next hand. But somehow, Nascimento actually had a monster with A♦ Q♦ . He was up against K♠ 8♣ and he looked set for a double after the 6♣ 2♦ Q♠ flop. But the K♥ turn sent ripples through the room, and it was all over after the 5♦ river.

Kleist headed straight for Figueiredo, who was almost in tears on the rail.

You can catch up on everything from this event in the article below, but that’s all from PokerStars Blog at EPT Barcelona. See you in Malta!

SPIN & GO CHAMPIONSHIP LIVE BARCELONA

Entries: 81
Dates: August 30-31, 2025

1. Guilherme Kleist (Brazil) – €75,000 (+ €5,000)
2. João Nascimento (Brazil) – €42,500
3. Krystian Lisowski (Poland) – €32,500 (+ €20,000)

FULL PRIZES

Watch the action live from Barcelona:

FINAL TABLE PLAYER PROFILES

Get to know the final three competing for €100,000 and the Spin & Go Championship Live Barcelona title.

JOAO NASCIMENTO

João Nascimento’s story is one dreams are made of. The 28-year-old from Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, qualified for this event from a Step 1 freeroll, and now he’s playing a game with a €100,000 top prize.

Nascimento has been a professional Spin & Go player for the past six years. His cousin first introduced him to the game in 2018, and he’s dedicated himself to it ever since. 

It was his family who really encouraged him to qualify for this event, pushing him to focus on freerolls and give it his all. And look at him now. “I’m very thankful I was able to qualify,” he told us.

He admits he doesn’t have much live poker experience, but you’d never have known based on how cool and calm he was during Round 3, which he won 4-3-2. He says he’s been preparing for this and is ready to take home the trophy.

GUILHERME KLEIST

Guilherme Kleist is one-half of a brilliant qualifier story from this event. 

The 30-year-old from Vila Velha, Brazil (originally from São Paulo) was among those who played the inaugural event in Prague back in December 2004. He brought along his wife, Rafaela Figueiredo, as his +1, and she has since become a Spin & Go pro herself. Both were qualifiers here in Barcelona, and while Figueiredo was eliminated in her opening match, she’s been on the rail to support Kleist every step of his tournament–just like she was in Prague.

Kleist is a top Spin & Go pro in Brazil and qualified for this event in third and final leader board. After his experience in Prague, he says he’s happy to have another shot at the title.

KRYSTIAN LISOWSKI

Krystian Lisowski was the first player through to the final of the Spin & Go Championship Barcelona. The 30-year-old from Poland defeated PokerStars Ambassador AndyPSX heads-up to win his fourth match en route to a 4-1-0 victory.

“I was excited so I didn’t sleep the best last night, maybe four or five hours,” he told us after making the final. “But I woke up today full of energy.

Lisowski now lives in Thailand and works in real estate, managing flats while doing some investing on the side. He considers himself a semi-poker pro and loves to play Spin & Go’s.

“I was sixth in the third [and final] leader board, so I definitely played more,” he says, adding that he then qualified via a tournament for top finishers.

Needless to say, he’s loved the experience here in Barcelona. “It’s been pretty cool, I hope they will make open tournaments like this,” he says. “I know it’s a lot of work for everyone, but it’s a pretty cool experience.”

NASCIMENTO ROUNDS OFF FINAL THREE

João Nascimento has become our third and final finalist, and what a comeback he just pulled off to do it.

Already on three wins in this first-to-four format, Nascimento was heads up against Axel Piñeiro of Argentina, a 26-year-old poker pro from Buenos Aires. Piñeiro had two wins, meaning whatever happened, Nasimento would stay in the game if he lost. Ilari Tiainen of Finland had three, but was out of the game.

Nascimento was very short in the heads-up but managed to double up twice in a row, first with J♦ 3♠ against A♦ 5♥ (a jack on the flop), then with K♦ 5♥ against Q♥ 4♦ (a five on the flop and king on the river).

This gave Nascimento the big chip lead – 1,180 vs 320 – and in the final hand, he had J♣ 2♣ against Piñeiro’s A♦ K♣ . It just wasn’t Piñeiro’s day as the board ran out 3♠ 7♥ 2♦ 3♣ 9♥ to give Nascimento the match.

A huge cheer erupted from the Brazilian rail, and Nasimento’s partner ran on stage to hug him. You couldn’t help but well up–he’d just won the couple at least €15,000, and was now going to play for €100,000.

Emotions continued to run high after James Hartigan reminded him that it was his family who encouraged him to qualify for this event. Nascimento struggled to get the words out, but one thing’s clear: this means the world to him.

KLEIST CLINCHES IT

Brazilian Guilherme Kleist is the second player through to the final, winning his match 4-3-2 against Spain’s David Xarau and Romania’s Claudio Moraru. All three players are professional Spin & Go players.

Kleist is one-half of a brilliant qualifier story from this event. He was among those who played the inaugural event in Prague back in December 2004, where he brought along his wife, Rafaela Figueiredo, as his +1. She has since become a Spin & Go pro herself, and this time, in Barcelona, both of the couple were qualifiers. Figueiredo was eliminated in her opening match, but she’s been on the rail to support Kleist every step of his tournament–just like she was in Prague.

In the final game, both Kleist and Moraru needed one more win to advance. It started to go Kleist’s way when he won a big all-in against Moraru with J♥ Q♥ holding against Q♦ 10♥ . He then eliminated Moraru with pocket fives against queen-jack (a queen hit the flop, but a five landed on the river).

That meant he was heads-up for the win, but the pressure was off. He knew he’d be back for another game if this one didn’t go his way. 

It did, of course. With Figueiredo praying on the rail, Kleist’s A♣ 8♥ beat Xarau’s 3♣ K♥ and took him to four wins.

Kleist will return at 18:00 local time alongside Krystian Lisowski and the winner of the third match, when they’ll play the biggest Spin of their lives.

INCREDIBLE MOMENT FOR MOTHER AND SON

If this clip doesn’t tug your heartstrings, you’re made of stone. It sums up exactly what the Spin & Go Championship Live is all about: a ton of action, an exciting esports atmosphere, and regular players winning huge sums.

Enjoy this tear-jerking moment as online qualifier Claudio Locci and his mother celebrate his €10K Spin from Round 2.

LISOWSKI FIRST TO FINAL, ELIMINATES ANDYPSX

Krystian Lisowski is the first player through to the final of the Spin & Go Championship Barcelona! The 30-year-old from Poland just defeated PokerStars Ambassador AndyPSX heads-up to win his fourth match, en route to a 4-1-0 victory.

It took a brutal set-up for Lisowski to all-but-clinch his final win against the Spanish Team Pro. The completed board read 6♣ 4♥ 7♥ 7♣ 9♣ and AndyPSX, holding J♥ 7♦ for trips, set his opponent all-in. Lisowski called quickly after rivering a flush with K♣ 5♣ , then got the rest from Andy shortly after.

“I was excited, so I didn’t sleep the best last night, maybe four or five hours,” Lisowski told us after making the final. “But I woke up today full of energy.

Lisowski now lives in Thailand and works in real estate, managing flats while doing some investing on the side. He considers himself a semi-poker pro and loves to play Spin & Go’s.

“I was sixth in the third [and final] leader board, so I definitely played more,” he says, adding that he then qualified via a tournament for top finishers.

Needless to say, he’s loved the experience here in Barcelona. “It’s been pretty cool, I hope they will make open tournaments like this,” he says. “I know it’s a lot of work for everyone, but it’s a pretty cool experience.”

LIVE SCORES / LIVE PRIZES

WHAT HAPPENED ON DAY 1?

From 81 players down to just 9—that’s where things stand after two full rounds of action on Saturday at the Spin & Go Championship Live in Barcelona.

We lost some huge names throughout an exciting first day. PokerStars Ambassadors Jason Koon, Andre Akkari, Alejandro “Papo MC” Lococo, and Nick Walsh spun, but couldn’t get past Round 1.

That leaves Spain’s AndyPSX—a poker and casino content creator and streamer who took part in the inaugural Spin & Go Championship Live in Prague—to rep the red spade in today’s Day 2, where everyone has their sights on the €100,000 top prize.

THE FINAL NINE

Here are the nine players returning for Round 3 at 13:00. local time:

TABLE 1

David Xarau (Spain) – Semi-pro Spin player who has been playing since 2007
Claudio Moraru (Romania) – Defeated Papo MC in Round 2
Guilherme Kleist (Brazil) – Spin pro who also qualified for Spin & Go Championship Live in Prague

TABLE 2

Axel Piñeiro (Argentina) – 26-year-old poker pro from humble beginnings
Joao Nascimento (Brazil) – Qualified from a Step 1 freeroll
Ilari Tiainen (Finland) – Only learned poker a year ago

TABLE 3

AndyPSX (Spain) – PokerStars Team Pro and streamer
Jokin Cendoya (Spain) – Former blacksmith turned poker pro, also competed in Prague
Krystian Lisowski (Poland) – Won a $5,000 prize in Round 1

ROUND 1

The opening day had three starting flights with 27 players each, and Round 1/A had some interesting qualifier stories right out of the gate.

There was Eduardo De Ortegal, the oldest player in the field and a real estate broker from Brazil; Scott Hobson, a Canadian healthcare manager who postponed his bachelor party to play; Cyril Perril, a French taxi driver enjoying his first taste of live poker; and Rafaela Figueiredo, who went from +1 in Prague to a qualifier herself. 

In Round 1/B, we followed Akkari closely as he battled hard in a heads-up decider, as well as defending champion Carlos Gurdiel, whose campaign got off to a great start. German superstar Knossi also gave it his all, but all three were eliminated.

Koon, Papo MC, Walsh and Giada Fang were in the mix for Round 1/C. In fact, Walsh and Fang were on the same table. It’s safe to say Fang has never rooted harder for a player than she did for Walsh at one point—scroll down and read our Day 1 diary to find out what happened.

ROUND 2

The second round brought all 27 everyone back at once. Jokin Ruiz secured his seat in Round 3 by knocking out Italian player Skye Pace. AndyPSX also kept his momentum going, beating Iván Cousillas and Bartosz Dziewierzynski, an electrician from France.

David Xarau made quick work of his Round 2 table, while Axel Piñeiro—the man who busted Adam McKola in Round 1— also advanced. Joao Nascimento booked his ticket too, an especially sweet run since he qualified all the way from a Step 1 freeroll. Rounding out the field, we have Guilherme Kleist, who also played in the inaugural Spin & Go Championship Live in Prague last year.

Watch the full stream from the day below.

DAY 1 DIARY

23:40: ROUND 2 IS UNDERWAY

We have our final 27 in the Spin & Go Championship Live Barcelona! The nine players who make it through will return for Round 3 at 13:00. Watch the action on the live stream above.

TABLE 1

Bartosz Dziewierzynski
AndyPSX
Iván Cousillas

TABLE 2

Matthew Arlow
Claudio Morano
Mateusz Zerko

TABLE 3

Skye Pace
Jokin Ruiz
Davide Bianchini

TABLE 4

Claudio Locci
Krystian Lisowski
Quentin Krug-Basse

TABLE 5

Gerardo Gomez
Michal Resz
David Xarau

TABLE 6

Guilherme Kleist
Danilo Carvalho
Javier Cruz

TABLE 7

Joao Nascimento
Demian Gomez
Alejandro Espana

TABLE 8

Imre Janko
Rodolfo Alvarado
Ilari Tiainen

TABLE 9

Giuseppe Greco
Christopher Runas
Axel Piñeiro

21:50: WALSH FIGHTS FOR FANG

She might not admit it, but Giada Fang has probably never rooted for another player as much as she was just rooting for PokerStars Ambassador Nick Walsh.

The two EPT commentators were on the same table, and after four games, Fang was yet to lock up a win. Walsh had one, but Alejandro Garcia had two, and that meant he was heads-up for the win.

Could Walsh win, not just for himself, but for Fang too? We stuck around to find out.

It started off well. Walsh took a bit chip when his K♣ 2♠ beat Garcia’s A♠ 9♣ , but by this stage, the blinds were so big that every hand was practically an auto-all-in. Walsh lost two all-ins in a row (including a particularly grim runout when he had a dominating ace) and thought he was outta here.

But no. He still had 140 chips and a chance. On the next hand, Garcia had J♠ 9♦ and Walsh flipped 3♠ 4♦ . “Oh, this is easy,” he said. “It’s all over.” He was right–he paired his three, and that was good enough to double.

He doubled again the next hand with 9♠ 10♠ (“This one’s for you, Sam Grafton!”) against 7♠ 6♣ . He was back up to 560 chips, and the comeback was on.

Until it wasn’t. The following hand, it was Garcia’s 6♦ 9♥ against Walsh’s 5♥ 8♥ . The 4♥ 9♦ A♠ flop left him drawing thin, and he found no further help on the Q♠ turn or 10♥ river.

“GG,” said Walsh to Garcia, who advances to Round 2. For Fang and Walsh, however, it’s the end of the spin.

20:55: FIRST ONE THROUGH

Hoorah! David Xarau is the first player from 1/C through to Round 2. His clean sweep of three consecutive wins has eliminated Esteban Maquillon and Ronald Carranza.

20:50: THREE IN A ROW REQUIRED

Alejandro “Papo MC” Locodo is having a tough time of it over on his table.

The Argentine–who booked his seat in the event in Friday’s VIP Spin-Off–currently has no chips in front of him. His two opponents, the confusingly named Claudio Maddi and Claudiu Moraru, both have a win each. That means Papo will need to win three in a row.

To give himself the best shot, he’s staying put in his chair in between games, studiously surveying the play.

20:20: ROOTING FOR ROSEL-NAVARRO

Steve Clyde Rosel-Navarro is among the 1/C hopefuls, and after what he and his family have been through, he’s certainly due some run-good.

A former farmer in the Philippines, the Frenchman lost everything when a typhoon hit the island, destroying the farm and its products. His family were forced to move back to France. “We had to start from zero,” he said.

It was in the Philippines that he learned poker and began taking the game seriously. Now that he’s back home working in a furniture shop, he doesn’t have much time for long tournaments, so he focuses on Spin & Go’s.

“I think I’m better in tournaments,” he said, “but I have no time and need my poker game every day! That’s why I play Spins.”

Rosel-Navarro describes himself as a simple person with good instincts, and he’s a good reader of people. “It’s going to be hard to bluff me,” he told us.

20:10: PLAYERS ADVANCING FROM ROUND 1/B (SO FAR)

The second flight ain’t over yet, but here’s who’s through so far:

Krystian Lisowski
Davide Bianchini
Mateusz Zerko
Danilo Carvalho
Gerardo Gomez
Claudio Locci
Christopher Carbonell
Iván Cousillas

19:50: THE FIELD’S TOTAL EARNINGS JUST INCREASED BY $66 MILLION

While Round 1/B is wrapping up, players have already started taking their seats for Round 1/C. The fresh-faced group of 27 comprise online qualifiers, EPT Main Event deep runners, and… uh oh.

Jason Koon is the natural headliner for the flight (you can watch him on the stream at the top of this article) but there are lots of great stories to be found among this lot. We’ll go and watch for a bit, then report back.

19:10: AKKARI’S FIGHT TO THE END

An interesting dynamic developed at Andre Akkari’s table. He was on two wins and only needed one more to advance, but the same was true for France’s Davide Bianchini. The third player at the table, Italy’s Paolo Bellocchi, was on zero. So, we found a good spot on the rail, planted ourselves, and hovered around awkwardly for the next 45+ minutes. 

Here’s what happened.

It started great for Akkari. His two opponents clashed with K♠ 10♠ and A♥ 3♣ , and Bellocchi’s ace-high held up. That sent Bianchini to the rail–but the Frenchman didn’t go far. He desperately needed Bellocchi to get the win and deny Akkari his third victory, so he watched on with baited breath.

Akkari started the heads-up match at a chip disadvantage, but found a great spot to double when he called all in with A♣ 2♦ against 7♥ 6♦ . Unfortunately for the Brazilian, the 3♠ K♣ 3♣ 6♥ J♥ paired Bellocchi and gave him his first win.

This, of course, was music to Bianchini’s ears. He was back in the game. 

A new Spin commenced, and after three levels, Akkari held the chip lead. That all changed when his 6♥ 6♦ lost to Bellocchi’s K♦ 9♥ in a blind-vs-blind pre-flop all-in, though. Akkari became the short stack, but at least his chips went Bellocchi’s way and not Bianchini’s, as only the latter could end it all.

Still with me? Good.

Things only got worse for Akkari when Bianchini doubled up–his Q♥ 5♥ besting Bellocchi’s 9♦ 7♥ . That gave Bianchini almost two-thirds of the chips in play. Akkari managed to claw back into it when he busted Bellocchi with J♥ 8♦ against 4♥ 2♥ (that was all she wrote for the Italian, who made his exit.)

His elimination took them to a decisive heads-up: 900 for Bianchini against 600 for Akkari.

Bianchini jammed the first hand, and Akkari thought for a while before folding. Blinds were 75/150, though, so a clash was imminent, and it all went in on the second hand of the duel: J♥ 8♣ vs Akkari’s 7♠ 10♣ . The board ran out K♣ 8♦ 2♠ 3♦ 6♠ and it was all over. 

He might not have made it through, but Akkari told PokerStars afterwards that he really enjoyed playing the event, adding: “This format is definitely going to spread.”

GG, AA.

17:45: DEFENDING CHAMP OFF TO GREAT START

Carlos Gurdiel’s title defence couldn’t have started better. He’s just defeated Mateusz Zerko heads-up, taking the lion’s share of the Slovakian’s chips when his Q♠ 10♥ beat 8♣ 9♦ in a pre-flop all-in. Zerko was left with crumbs and, despite doubling up, was all-in again one hand later. His 9♥ 4♥ lost to Gurdiel’s Q♣ 9♦ .

Ask anyone in the Spanish poker community and they’ll confirm it; Gurdiel is one of the country’s highest-rated Sit & Go turned Spin & Go players. “It’s just my normal job and I’ve been doing this for a long time,” he told us.

A Supernova Elite many times over, Gurdiel’s prowess and prolific volume in short-handed hypers first won him a Platinum Pass to the PokerStars Players Championship in 2023 and then saw him top the second leaderboard to secure his package to the maiden Spin & Go Championship in Prague. No surprise to see him back in Barcelona.

Despite his eventual victory for €25,000, Gurdiel insisted he wasn’t very good at live poker. “But each time I try to do a little better,” he said. “You have to adapt and not give out tells. You have to be really focused.”

17:30: BIANCHINI BESTS AKKARI

Italy’s Davide Bianchini is the first player to get the blue light signifying a victory–no small feat considering he’s at Andre Akkari’s table.

17:25: CARVALHO IS BACK

Like defending champ Carlos Gurdiel, this is not Danilo Carvalho’s first Spin & Go rodeo. We met the professional Spin player when he was battling in Prague back in December, and now the Brazilian is among the 27 1/B hopefuls.

“It’s a very cool experience and a new one for me,” he told us during his first Spin & Go Championship Live experience. “I like to play live tournaments, but to get to play Spin & Go’s live as a Spin professional was great.”

Carvalho only started playing live tournaments last year on the Brazil Series of Poker (BSOP) and already has a trophy, winning a Win The Button event for $4,733.

17:00: ROUND 1/B BEGINS

The second starting flight has now kicked off in the main tournament at Casino Barcelona.

Big names in the mix include Brazilian superstar and Team PokerStars Pro Andre Akkari, Jens “Knossi” Knosalla, and the defending champ from Prague, Carlos Gurdiel.

16:30: ROUND 1/A COMPLETE

Here’s a look at those who advanced:

Quentin Krug-Basse
Bartosz Dziewierzynski
Giuseppe Greco
Axel Piñeiro
Imre Janko
Skye Pace
Joao Nascimento
AndyPSX
Cesar Arcos

16:15: FINAL GAME – ANOTHER DECIDER

There’s just one match yet to conclude in Round 1/A and it’s another Game 7 decider.

Michele Cerbo vs Cesar Arcos vs AndyPSX

15:50: PACE WINS DECISIVE GAME 7

A huge crowd was gathered around Table 6, and with good reason–it was tied 2-2-2, and that meant the first Game 7 decider of this Championship.

All of a sudden, before we could get close, we heard groans on one side of the rail, and whooping cheers on the other. Turns out that Italy’s Skye Pace, a recreational player, had just defeated Anton Ivanov, and that means she’ll advance to Round 2.

15:20: FIVE PLAYERS THROUGH

Five of the nine tables have now finished their matches. The players advancing to Round 2 are:

Quentin Krug-Basse
Bartosz Dziewierzynski
Giuseppe Greco
Axel Piñeiro
Imre Janko

14:50: JANKO SPINS BIGGEST ROUND 1 PRIZE

Every Round 1 table has now drawn its spin card, meaning a player at each table has won an additional prize.

Hungary’s Imre Janko has been luckiest so far, the only player to hit the €5K!

Qualifier Rafaela Figueiredo, whose husband is also playing this event later today, managed to secure the next largest prize of €2K.

Take a look at up-to-date spinner prizes here.

14:30: KRUG-BASSE AND DZIEWIERZYNSKI FIRST THROUGH

We’ve got our first player through to Round 2: Quentin Krug-Basse of France.

Not only has he locked up a seat in the next round, winning his match with a clean sweep (3-0-0), but he also became one of the first players to hit the spinner–a random prize draw in which he won an extra €1K.

As we type, another player — Bartosz Dziewierzynski, whom we wrote about below — has also won all three of the first games in his match. We’ll see him in the next round later tonight.

14:10: ELECTRIC START FOR DZIEWIERZYNSKI

Bartosz Dziewierzynski, an electrician from France, is the first player to get to two wins, while his opponents have yet to win a game.

The 29-year-old’s trip to Barcelona began with a Silver Pass, which he used to play in the PokerStars Open. He’s now onto his second qualifier package of the trip.

Poker is his main hobby. “I’m feeling relaxed,” he told us before play began. “No pressure at all.”

13:40: MCKOLA FIRST PAST THE POST

Adam McKola has just become the first player to win Game 1. He got it in with K♣ 6♠ against Axel Pineiro’s J♠ 5♥ , which got no help.

It’s a great start for McKola, who was gifted his seat in this event by VIP Spin-Off winner Rory Jennings. Both are PokerStars Ambassadors and host a podcast together, but as Jennings’ child is being christened back home in Blighty tomorrow, he’s relinquished his seat.

13:30: DE ORTEGAL SCORES FIRST KO

Eduardo De Ortegal–one of the oldest players in the field–is one of the first players in the event to knock out an opponent in the opening game.

The 59-year-old Brazilian, who works as a real estate broker, was all-in with K♠ 5♠ on a 3♦ 2♠ 6♠ flop, against Sergi Madero’s 10♠ 10♦ . The K♦ turn gave de Ortegal the lead and the 3♥ river changed nothing.

13:20: OFF AND RUNNING

The first 27 players are in their seats across nine tables, and James Hartigan has just announced those thrilling words. No, not “Shuffle up and deal”. “SPIN… AND… GO!”

PHOTO GALLERY

The live stream cameras can’t capture everything. Get a better idea of what went down in the Spin & Go Championship Live in our photo gallery.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos by Eloy Cabacas and Manuel Kovsca.

MEET THE QUALIFIERS

A throng of excited qualifiers has arrived in Barcelona, ready to battle in Spin & Go Championship Live.

Let us introduce you to eight of those we’ll be following today.

RAFAELA FIGUEIREDO (BRAZIL)

Her husband played in the first Championship in Prague. Now they’re both in Barcelona as qualifiers.

Qualifiers had to battle through tough leader boards to get here, so it wasn’t surprising to see many of the same names from Prague returning to play again in Barcelona. 

What we didn’t expect, however, was that a face we saw on the rail in Prague, cheering on her husband, would be back—this time as a qualifier in her own right.

Rafaela Figueiredo, who ran her own online crochet business for five years, started playing poker professionally at the beginning of the year. We’re not saying it was her husband’s (Guilherme Constantino de Arruda Kleist) participation in the first Spin & Go Championship Live that inspired her, but here she is eight months later, a Spin & Go professional and qualifier to one of the most exciting and exclusive events in poker.

It took a bit of luck (she finished sixth with four packages guaranteed, but two of the players in the top four couldn’t make it). “I celebrated like I’d won big on the lottery,” she said. “I’m very excited to play this event and have fun.”

Figueiredo is coached by her husband, and says she’s really captivated by the Spin & Go game format. Winning the event would be a “dream come true”, and she can’t wait to represent women everywhere in the male-dominated field.

VITO BARONE (ITALY)

A former PokerStars-sponsored player who has become one of Italy’s best spinners.

He might sound like a character from Goodfellas, but Vito Barone is only a gangster on the online felt. The physiotherapist-turned-poker pro is a former PokerStars-sponsored player who became the first Italian to reach 5 million VIP Player Points on the site.

Barone jumped on the Spin & Go wagon early and has since become one of his country’s best players in the format. “Over the years, I’ve learned that patience, calm and emotional management are the most important aspects of the game,” he said. 

He qualified for this event by topping a leader board. “My only expectation is to have fun,” he told us. “Anything can happen. I’m just happy to be at this event to bring my family with me.”

STEVEN CLYDE ROSEL-NAVARRO

This Frenchman was a former farmer in the Philippines, but lost everything when a typhoon hit the island. 

Steve Clyde Rosel-Navarro was forced to move back home to France with his family after a typhoon destroyed the family farm and their products. “We had to start from zero,” he said.

It was in the Philippines that he learned poker and began taking the game seriously. Now that he’s back home working in a furniture shop, he doesn’t have much time for long tournaments, so he focuses on Spin & Go’s.

“I think I’m better in tournaments,” he said, “but I have no time and need my poker game every day! That’s why I play Spins.”

Rosel-Navarro describes himself as a simple person with good instincts, and he’s a good reader of people. “It’s going to be hard to bluff me,” he told us.

CYRIL PERRIL

A French taxi driver enjoying his first taste of live poker at the Spin & Go Championship Live.

What a way to kick off your live poker journey than by booking a seat in the most exclusive event on the tour?

Cyril Perril has been a taxi driver for 20 years in Perpignan, France, near the Spanish border. He says he plays very aggressively and loves fast action, so Spin & Go’s suit him to a T.  “I have no patience for long tournaments!”

He only plays poker recreationally—just getting here is the biggest win of his life so far. “I’m super excited and I can’t wait.”

ANDRE CERQUEIRA CORREA

When he’s not fighting financial crime as a Prosecutor for the Central Bank of Brazil, this former Labor Judge loves to play cards.

Andre Cerqueira Correa has been playing poker for 25 years, but stepped away from the tables when his son was born 14 years ago. These days, his only live poker experience is the occasional home game with friends.

As a prosecutor, Correa is strapped for time—that’s what makes Spin & Go’s so ideal. He says he loves to play all formats of online poker, though.

It was Brazilian pros Andre Akkari and Alexandre Gomes that really got him interested in the game. He may well face off against the former tomorrow…

SCOTT HOBSON

This is the first big tournament for this healthcare manager from Vancouver.

It’s a trip of firsts for Canada’s Scott Hobson. Not only is this his first time in Europe, he’s about to play his first big tournament in the Spin & Go Championship Live. 

A Clinical Operations Manager at Vancouver General Hospital, Hobson learned poker two decades ago and only ever played freerolls and home games. But recently, he’s started dabbling online a couple of times a week. “I don’t have a lot of time to play MTTs,” he said, “so Spin & Go’s are the best option.”

He’s feeling calm and has low expectations. “If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be,” he said. But a cash would be fantastic—especially considering he’s getting married in late September.

CHRISTOPHER RUNAS

A 52-year-old business owner and recreational player from the Philippines.

Before starting his business in advertising and production, Christopher Runas worked for TV networks and even opened his own poker club in Manila.

He’s been playing poker for 16 years, but these days focuses on Spin & Go’s. “It’s the fast format,” he told us. “And my time zone isn’t good for MTTs.”

He says he can’t wait to play this event. “I’m super excited. Fingers crossed.”

EDUARDO DE ORTEGAL

A 59-year-old real estate broker with just one previous cash for $666.

It will be a great story if Brazil’s Eduardo de Ortegal–one of the oldest players in the field–can go all the way in the Spin & Go Championship Live.

The real estate broker from Brasília is a recreational player with just one previous live cash—$666 at the 2019 BSOP. Despite being a casual player, he says he studies a lot and plays online poker every day.

He’s obviously well-versed in Spin & Go strategy as he finished second on the third and final leader board, winning his package to Barcelona. “I went to the moon,” he said. “I knew I’d achieved something big.”

De Ortegal says it will be a “life-changing experience”.

WATCH THE VIP SPIN-OFF

Consider this an appetiser for tomorrow’s main course.

The Spin & Go Championship Live main stage is getting its first official use with the VIP Spin-off — and there’s a very important prize on the line.

Nine special guests, made up of broadcasters, content creators and PokerStars Ambassadors, are battling in a live Spin & Go for their spot in tomorrow’s Spin & Go Championship Live Round 1.

But who are they? Let’s introduce them match by match.

MATCH 1

RORY JENNINGS

Rory Jennings is a British broadcaster, content creator and PokerStars Ambassador who gained prominence through his football YouTube channel. He’s since expanded his reach by contributing to talkSPORT and co-hosting several podcasts. Jennings has poker experience too, cashing for $46,500 at the PSPC 2023 and €15,550 at the 2023 EPT Barcelona Main Event.

ADAM WOLKE

Adam “SkylineTV” Wolke is a German streamer and content creator who transitioned from gaming to poker. He gained recognition by participating in the poker show Streaming Aces alongside Jens “Knossi” Knossalia.

ADE OLAPIDO

Ade Oladipo is a British sports broadcaster and journalist, renowned for his work with DANZ Boxing, where he leads coverage of major fights. He also co-hosts a podcast with Ariel Helwani and presents on talkSPORT.

MATCH 2

PAPO MC

Alejandro “Papo MC” Lococo is a PokerStars Ambassador with over 2.6 million Instagram followers and $15 million in total live earnings. He took down the $500K Triton Million for a whopping $12 million in December 2024. He’s also a popular battle rapper in Argentina.

KNOSSI

Jens “Knossi” Knossalla is a German entertainer and Twitch streamer—famously dubbed the “King of the Internet”—who first gained major attention by winning the show ‘PokerStars sucht das PokerAss’ in 2011. He’s very active on poker TV shows and live streams.

LUTTI

Alexandre “Lutti” Delattre is a French Twitch partner and former Rocket League caster turned streamer, known for his high energy, improvisational style. He occasionally streams poker alongside his gaming content.

MATCH 3

ANDY PSX

AndyPSX is a Spanish poker and casino content creator and streamer. He is a PokerStars Ambassador and took part in the inaugural Spin & Go Championship Live in Prague.

GIADA FANG

Giada Fang is an Italian doctor-turned-poker pro, and a long-time member of Team PokerStars. She’s part of the Italian EPT commentary team but is also a great player—a former Supernova Elite on PokerStars.

JBZZ

Julian “Jbzz” Dupre is a French poker player and longtime streamer who transitioned from pro gaming (Fortnite, League of Legends, Valorant) to poker. He’s also the newest addition to Team PokerStars.

Scroll back to the top of this post to watch the action live.

PRIZES AND SCHEDULE REVEALED

PokerStars has announced the payouts and tournament structure for the Spin & Go Championship Live, kicking off at EPT Barcelona on Saturday, 30 August.

The highly-anticipated two-day event sees 81 players—73 online qualifiers and 8 special guests—compete in a special fast-paced, three-handed tournament replicating the Spin & Go’s you know and love at home.

It’s going to get wild. But what will they be playing for?

SPIN & GO CHAMPIONSHIP LIVE PAYOUTS

• 1st – €100,000
• 2nd – €35,000
• 3rd – €15,000
• 4th-9th – €3,000
• 10th-27th – €1,000

Note: If 2^nd and 3^rd are tied for wins, this will be a chop.

That means everyone who makes it through the opening round is in the money!

And how about that three-handed final? With €85,000 on the line in payjumps, it’s going to be unmissable. 

But those aren’t the only prizes on offer throughout the event. The winners of each round will also be drawing cards, hoping to find the Spin card. Whoever pulls it gets to spin the wheel and win additional cash prizes!

Now let’s take a look at the schedule that will get them there.

SCHEDULE

30^th August:

Round 1:

• 13:00 Round 1A (27 Players) – 9 tables (First to win 3 games qualifies) – 5 Hands Per Level
• 16:00 Round 1B (27 Players) – 9 tables (First to win 3 games qualifies) – 5 Hands Per Level
• 19:00 Round 1C (27 Players) – 9 tables (First to win 3 games qualifies) – 5 Hands Per Level

Round 2:

• 22:30 Round 2 – 9 tables (First to win 3 games qualifies) – 5 Hands Per Level

31^st August:

Round 3:

• 13:00 Round 3 – 3 tables (First to win 4 games qualifies) – 5 Hands Per Level
• 18:00 Final – 1 table (First to win 4 games wins) – 5 Hands Per Level

TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE

Starting stack: 500

Blinds:

• 10/20
• 15/30
• 20/40
• 30/60
• 50/100
• 75/150
• 100/200
• 150/300

SPIN & GO CHAMPIONSHIP LIVE RETURNS IN BARCELONA

PokerStars has announced that the electrifying Spin & Go Championship Live will return in 2025 for another exclusive, rapid-fire live event, following the success of the inaugural competition in Prague last December.

Taking place during the iconic EPT Barcelona festival from August 30 – 31, 2025, the field will consist of 81 players who will battle for a €275,000 prize pool over two days, with a massive €100,000 and a championship trophy going to the winner.

This isn’t just another tournament. The Spin & Go Championship Live is an exciting, frenetic live format replicating the three-handed, action-packed Spin & Go’s you play on PokerStars. It’s quick, accessible, and a whole lot of fun.

So, whether you’re a loyal Spin grinder or a casual player looking for a shot at live poker glory, this could be the event for you.

You don’t need to be a pro to get there, and you’ve got multiple shots at winning a full package to the event.

Let’s break down what makes this event special, how you can qualify, and why you won’t want to miss it.

WHAT IS THE SPIN & GO CHAMPIONSHIP LIVE?

The Spin & Go Championship Live is a three-handed tournament that will take place during the European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona festival from August 30 - 31, 2025, at Casino Barcelona.

It’s an exclusive event with only 81 seats available. To win a live package, players can qualify through one of the three qualification periods (more info on that as soon as we get it). A select number of special guest seats will also be included in the line-up.

The event begins with 81 players spread across 27 three-handed tables. Players will play multiple Spin & Go’s until one player has four wins, then the winners progress to Round 2. The nine winners from that round move on to Round 3, after which we’ll have a final table of three.

WHAT MAKES THIS EVENT SPECIAL?

There are so many elements that make the Spin & Go Championship Live special.

This is a one-of-a-kind event. The frenetic nature of Spin & Go’s in the live arena provides an atmosphere akin to a live e-sports event, where fast-paced poker action is combined with an easy-to-follow score system.

It’s also a ton of fun. At the inaugural event in Prague, big crowds gathered to witness the matches take place, creating a fun-filled atmosphere for both players and railbirds alike.

Then there are the huge prizes involved – staggering considering this is essentially a freeroll for the qualifiers (more info on those when they're confirmed).

• No direct buy-in – All seats must be won online at PokerStars
• Unique scoring system – Simple and intuitive
• Fast-paced format – Designed for a thrilling competition
• High-value packages – Including travel and expenses
• eSports-style atmosphere – Fan-friendly and easy to follow

THE SETTING: BARCELONA

Barcelona is one of the most popular and iconic stops on the EPT. There's plenty of fun to be had off the felt at all EPT stops, but it’s especially good in Barcelona, where the casino is right beside the beach and the hills of Catalonia are only a short bus ride away.

This means that players taking part in the Spin & Go Championship Live aren’t just in town to enjoy the poker. Away from the tables, you and your guests can enjoy one of Europe’s most vibrant cities.

Plus, PokerStars always arranges some fantastic activities for players and guests. Last year, these included exclusive catamaran trips out into the Mediterranean, with a delicious brunch served on the high seas. Plus parties (with open bars!), padel tournaments, and more.

WHAT HAPPENED IN PRAGUE?

The inaugural Spin & Go Championship Live took place during EPT Prague in December 2024. Eighty-one players spun. And in the end, all but one had gone.

Spain’s Carlos Gurdiel won the maiden Spin & Go Championship in style, taking down the first-to-six-wins final with a dominating 6-2-2 performance that earned him the €25,000 first-place prize.

One of Spain’s most respected Sit & Go turned Spin & Go players, Gurdiel is a former multiple Supernova Elite player whose skills in super-quick single-table tournaments had already won him a Platinum Pass in the past.

Spin & Go Championship Live (invite only)
Dates: December 14-15, 2024
Entries: 81
Prize pool: €100,000 (split between payouts and mystery envelopes)

1.Carlos Gurdiel (Spain) – €25,000
2. Murilo Monteiro (Brazil) – €15,000
3. Mantas Meskevicius (Lithuania) – €10,000

HEAD TO THE SPIN & GO CHAMPIONSHIP HUB FOR MORE INFO.

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