The €5,300 buy-in PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona Main Event kicked off Sunday at Casino Barcelona, and there was a bit of history in play at the start of the major poker tournament.
John Duthie, the poker legend responsible for creating what has become one of the premier poker tours in the world, took his seat for the Day 1a session. The first player to have ever won an event on the tour built by Duthie, Alexander Stevic, is also competing in the Main Event.
First Winner Remembers the Good Old Days
Stevic, who spoke with PokerNews on the first break of Day 1a, won the EPT Barcelona Open in 2004 for €80,000. The tournament at the time cost just €1,000 to enter and attracted 229 players, far fewer than what the higher buy-in version brings in annually these days.
“Winning the first one is cool in a way because you will always be the first. But, if I could choose, I would probably choose the third of the fourth one because I would have won like a million and a half,” Stevic joked.
Stevic couldn’t pick and choose the EPT event he won. His victory in 2004 was for a much smaller amount than, as he mentioned, the 2005 EPT Barcelona winner, Jan Boubli, who took home €426,000. Last year’s victor in the now €5,300 buy-in EPT Barcelona Main Event, Simon Wiciak, made €1,134,375. But Stevic is still proud of being an EPT champion and has great memories of that special day.
“It was very different 20 years ago than playing a tournament today, that I remember,” Stevic said about his recollection of winning the first EPT. “Because everyone was talking to each other at the table, it was mostly pros in that tournament, actually, because it was so early on that most of the pros traveled back then. But, yeah, everyone was talking. Now, they’ve played two levels, two hours, and no one has said one word.”
“I mean, really, not one word.”
The inaugural EPT champion, despite his displeasure with the lack of banter at the poker tables these days, said he’s still passionate about poker and his love for the game has never diminished. But he also acknowledges the game is tougher in 2024 than it was in 2004.
“The skill, the players today, or the pros today is much higher. It’s much harder. Today, I’d say it’s much tougher,” Stevic said.
The game and the European Poker Tour has grown almost exponentially in the past 20 years. PokerStars took over the tour in 2011 and it’s grown to heights Stevic didn’t anticipate when he won the EPT Barcelona Open.
“I don’t think anyone did back then,” Stevic answered when asked if he saw in 2004 the EPT one day becoming so big. “But television helped a lot, and online helped a lot. It was the beginning of everything, really. But I didn’t think it would grow to this.”
Stevic, who shared a conversation on break with Duthie, got off to a rough start in the Main Event on Sunday. He said he made a huge fold in a big pot but never saw his opponent’s cards. The Swedish poker player was down to less than half his starting stack at the time of publishing.
Follow PokerNews Live Coverage of the EPT Barcelona Main Event
Hello, Jack speaking. I’ve bookmarked your site and make it a habit to check in daily. The information is top-notch, and I appreciate your efforts.
Brilliant! Your blog post on this issue was extremely helpful. Thanks a lot! Feel free to check out my website too.
Bitpanda Login
Bitpanda Login
Bitpanda Login
Bitpanda Login
Bitpanda Login
Bitpanda Login
Bitpanda Login
Bitpanda Login
Bitpanda Login
Bitpanda Login
Bitpanda Login
Bitpanda Login
Bitpanda Login
Bitpanda Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Moonpay Login
Your blog is a beacon of light in the often murky waters of online content. Your thoughtful analysis and insightful commentary never fail to leave a lasting impression. Keep up the amazing work!
wonnderful points altogether, yoou juzt wwon a emblem neww reader.
What could yyou suuggest about yoir submjt that you simply made some dayss in tthe past?
Anyy certain?
I have read some excellent stuff here Definitely value bookmarking for revisiting I wonder how much effort you put to make the sort of excellent informative website
Heey excellent blog! Does running a blog similar to this ake a lot of
work?I ave absolitely no knowleddge of compufer
programming but I wass hopig tto sart my ownn blog inn thee neear future.
Anyway, iff youu hace any recommendations or
tips for neww blog owners please share. I kno this iss ooff topic bbut I
simply wanted too ask. Thanks!
Thank you for the good writeup It in fact was a amusement account it Look advanced to far added agreeable from you However how could we communicate
Hey therre excepptional website! Does unning a blog similar to this tke a lott of work?
I have ver little knowledge of codihg howevver I wass hoping to start my owwn bllg in the near future.
Anyway, should youu ave any suggesions or tops for neew blog
ownesrs please share. I knoow this is offf topic hoiwever I
just wanted too ask. Manny thanks!
Thank you I have just been searching for information approximately this topic for a while and yours is the best I have found out so far However what in regards to the bottom line Are you certain concerning the supply
Somebody essentially lend a hand to make significantly articles Id state That is the very first time I frequented your website page and up to now I surprised with the research you made to make this actual submit amazing Wonderful task
Greatt beaat ! I would likke to apprentice even as you amend our site, how ccan i subsccribe foor a weblog
website? Thhe account aided mme a applicable deal.
I were tny bit acquaintesd oof thgis yohr broadcaet offered
brilljant clpear idea
Thank you for the auspicious writeup It in fact was a amusement account it Look advanced to more added agreeable from you By the way how could we communicate