Seat 1: Rui Sousa, 28, Maia, Portugal, PokerStars qualifier - 9,100,000
It’s been 10 years since Antonio Matias won the EPT Main Event to become the second—and so far last—Portuguese champion. But Matias‘ fellow countrymen have been trying hard to join him on the pedestal. 2018 EPT Barcelona saw Pedro Marques and Rodrigo Carmo bow out in 4th and 5th place, respectively. Carlos Branco and Luis Medina then appeared on subsequent final tables in Prague and Monaco, but they couldn’t convert either. Now Rui Sousa and Giovani Torre are in the limelight here in Barcelona.
28-year-old Sousa hails from Maia, a small town near Porto. He is an experienced player whose standout online results include a WCOOP title as well as a Super Tuesday title.
Sousa has racked up nearly $300,000 in reported live cashes, with his best results coming from PokerStars-sponsored events. His largest score has been $86,400 for a 33rd place in the PSPC, but Sousa will set a new high after he visits the payout desk tomorrow. He’ll collect his third EPT Barcelona Main Event cash, following the 18th place in 2015 and a 48th in 2016.
Rui Sousa’s Main Event run:
| Day | Chip Count | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Day 2 | 210,700 | 21 / 783 |
| Day 3 | 561,000 | 24 / 191 |
| Day 4 | 1,340,000 | 18 / 48 |
| Day 5 | 6,980,000 | 1 / 16 |
| Day 6 | 9,100,000 | 3 / 6 |