The first victory of the 2023 EPT Barcelona festival has been confirmed, as Uruguayan Mathias Duarte took home over $200,000 following his Mystery Bounty victory in the Catalan capital yesterday. With players such as nine-time WSOP bracelet winner Erik Seidel, British tournament crusher Conor Beresford and Chinese powerhouse Quan Zhou all going close, it was a stunning victory for Duarte as the event went to a Uruguayan winner for the second year in a row in the Spanish coastal city.

Bumper Day 2 Registrations Swell Prizepool

Only 56 entries had gone into the prizepool on Day 1 of this event, but as more players arrived in Barcelona for this year’s European Poker Tour festival, so did more entries flow into this first chance for glory. The €10,200-entry event saw 79 entries in the bag before registration closed and that meant a six-figure top prize in tournament terms of €104,500. That, of course, was without the massive bounties on offer, with two €50,000 bounties the highest prizes in that regard.

Some very big names missed out on the money places at the start of Day 2 as the pacesetter of the day, Top Orpaz, cut through the field with a ruthless scythe. Nacho Barbero, himself enjoying a stellar year at the tournament felt, was unable to survive against the Israeli player, with Tom Vogelsang another victim of the chip leader. By the time the money bubble burst, players such as PokerStars ambassador Sam Grafton, Swedish phenom Niklas Astedt and the defending champion Francisco Benitez had all busted.

The final table began at eight, but there was still time for players inside the money places to bust. Polish player Pawel Krol min-cashed for €9,300, as did American Keith Lehr, with fellow Stateside player Martin Zamani bubbling the final table in ninth place, for a score of €11,600. Zamani’s was unable to hit against the of Duarte, as the board of sent the American home just before the final table took place.

Despite winning that crucial flip, Duarte was by no means the big dog, sitting on just 530,000 seventh of the eight players who made the final. The overwhelming chip leader was Orpaz, who sat on 2,575,000 million chips, with Beresford the only other player in seven figures on 1,000,000.

Seidel Slides Out in Sixth

Photos snapped, cameras flashes cooling, the final table got underway, but there was almost not enough time for French player Ouassini Mansouri to get comfortable in his chair before he was leaving it empty. All-in with , he was at risk against the of Orpaz, who hit a straight on the turn as the board played out . Mansouri left for €14,000 in eight but won a bounty of €15,000 to more than double his winnings.

Brazilian player Ramon Kropmanns had even more fortune in bounty terms. Having claimed a bounty chip already, he decided to cash it in while fairly short in chips. It was the right decision, as he revealed the first of two €50,000 bounty prizes.

“Now I can play,” said the Brazilian. Of course, this declaration angered the Poker Gods to the extent that he busted almost immediately. All-in with , he lost out to Orpaz’s as the board of failed to fulfil either the flush draw he had from the flop or straight draw he picked up on the turn. Kropmanns cashed for €18,100 in the tournament, but winning €72,500 in bounties, he ended up winning more than anyone outside the podium places.

Erik Seidel has won big poker events in five decades, but the 1988 WSOP Main Event runner-up and nine-time WSOP event winner couldn’t bag the trophy on this occasion. After an extended period of play where the eventual winner Duarte made himself chip leader at the expense of Tom Orpaz, Seidel slid to the bottom of the leaderboard, doubled up, had dinner and then busted in sixth for €22,700. Committing his chips with , he lost to Orpaz’s ‘Texas Dolly’, as was good enough when the board came . Four-flushed but always the gentleman, Seidel wished his opponents the best of luck as he left the table.

Beresford Falls Just Short, Orpaz Bags Bounty Gold

When the final five began playing, British player Conor Beresford cut a slightly dejected figure, looking like he was nearly out of the door being so short stacked. That wasn’t the case an hour later, as the popular tournament professional almost won the entire event. Dominating then doubling through Orpaz, Beresford went on a heater, but Orpaz continued to deliver the fatal blow to others.

Orpaz won with a gutshot straight to eliminate Quan Zhou in fifth for a total prize of €28,500, the only player at the final not to claim a bounty during the tournament. Soon after, Orpaz was at it again, delivering British Player Patrick Kennedy from the illusion of hope by overcoming his with . It was particularly cruel on Kennedy, as Orpaz saw the board of provide him with a Broadway straight by the turn to leave the British player on the rail with a total of €52,100 in prizes and bounties.

Orpaz lost out in third, as he finally lucked out, his unable to catch Duarte’s . The board of sent the Israeli player home for €48,200 in tournament terms, but he won an astonishing €95,000 in bounties to end up the event’s second biggest winner with a total prize fund of €143,200.

Heads-up, Duarte had 5.5 million chips to Beresford’s 2.4 million and the final duel was over as soon as it had started. On a flop of , Beresford, who had led the betting pre-flop with , continued, getting a call from his Uruguayan opponent. The on the turn didn’t slow the Brit down, Duarte again electing to call.

On the river of , Beresford took a beat but eventually shoved for a million chips. Duarte could no longer hide his emotions, snap-calling with for a rivered Broadway straight and pumped his fist as he celebrated a famous win. With €87,500 in bounties too, Duarte was the biggest winner on the day, going home with just over $205,000 in dollars, representing the biggest win of his poker career and first-ever score over $100,000.

For Beresford, a fine comeback from short stack with six remaining led to him heading to the cash desk for a neat total prize fund of €100,000 exactly.

Mystery solved.