Italy's Gabriele Rossi wins the 888poker LIVE Barcelona Main Event for €110,000.

The 2019 888poker LIVE Barcelona Main Event wrapped up with Italy’s Gabriele Rossi besting the 551-player field and taking home a career-high cash of €110,000 ($122,650).

At the start of the final day, it looked like the final table might have a pair of big-name pros gracing the final table as 2014 World Series of Poker Main Event champion (and 888poker ambassador) Martin Jacobson and 2016 World Series of Poker final table member Fernando Pons were still in the field. It was not to be however as both Jacobson (12th, €6,500) and Pons (13th, €5,500) both bowed out before the final table.

When the final nine took their seats, it was Rossi who was in control holding the chip lead as well as position on his closest competitor, eventual runner-up Cornelis de Jong from the Netherlands who sat in second on the chip counts.

It didn’t take long for the first elimination as the UK’s Jai Saha shoved his remaining 10 big blinds from middle position with As3s only to be called by Spain’s Ferran Corominas who was holding AhQh. The board ran out KhTc6s2dAd giving both players top pair on the river with Corominas’ queen kicker coming into play. Saha’s run ended in ninth place for €8,500.

Rossi eliminated his first final table opponent after Henrik Ahlstroem shoved his short stack in holding Ac7h and Rossi made the call having picked up AdAh. The flop came Jh8c3c, leaving Ahlstroem looking for a little bit of life. The turn was the Qs and it spelled the end for the Swede. The table saw the inconsequential Js river as Ahlstroem hit the rail in eighth place for €11,000, his only recorded live cash to date.

Rossi was back at it moments later when he raised in early position with AcKd only to be shoved on by Spain’s Samuel Hernandez and his AdTs. Rossi snap-called and the dealer put out a board of Ah5h2dJdQd, once again bringing a kicker into play. Hernandez wrapped up in recent place collecting €14,000 for his deep run.

At this point Rossi pulled away from the pack, accumulating a chip lead that was three times that of any other player left. With six players left, Rossi held over half the chips in play.

The play continued six handed for some time until Corominas shoved from the small blind holding 5c5h and Portugal’s Ricardo Pinto made a stand with Ad4c. The QcJh9d6s9h board ran out clean for the pocket fives, sending Pinto to the rail in sixth place for €19,000, just his sixth recorded cash since 2008.

Next, it was time for Italy’s Stefano Schiano to make a move. He shipped his short stack in the small blind with Kc2d and Kristian Larsson looked down at TsTc. After getting a count, Larsson made the call. The flop came Jc7c3h. The 2c turn provided flush outs for Schiano. However, the 9h river spelled the end for the Italian and he fell in fifth place for €26,000.

Corominas’ tournament wrapped up after his stack was crippled by De Jong. Corominas stuck his remaining big blind in the middle with Js2d on the button. He was called by both blinds, Larsson in the small blind holding KcJh and de Jong in the big blind with 5s5c. The board ran out Ad7s3cQc5h giving de Jong a set and sending Corominas home in fourth place with€35,000.

Rossi continued to chip up, amassing a massive lead, when Larsson shoved roughly 15 big blinds holding As7h. Once again Rossi was there with a dominating hand, and he made the call with the AdQd. Larsson’s tournament life was on the line and the pair saw a flop of Ah5s3d. When the Qh hit the turn, Larsson was drawing dead so hitting the 7c river meant little. Larsson picked up €55,000 for his third-place finish, like some of his tablemates it was also a career-high cash for the Norwegian.

Rossi entered heads up play with his commanding chip lead still intact and never let it go during his 40-minute battle with de Jong,

On the final hand, de Jong put in a raise with the AdJs and Rossi made the call holding 5c3c. The run good for Rossi continued as the pair saw a 4s3s3h flop. de Jong shoved 20 big blinds and was snapped off by Rossi and his flopped trips. The As turn gave de Jong some life to go running aces. But the river was the 6s, leaving de Jong to collect €80,000 as the runner-up.

Rossi picked up a big title for poker resume, the trophy, €110,000 for first as well as a $12,600 prize package to represent 888poker in the Main Event of the World Series of Poker.

888poker LIVE Barcelona Main Event Final Table Payouts

1. Gabriele Rossi – €110,000
2. Cornelis de Jong – €80,000
3. Kristian Larsson – €55,000
4. Ferran Corominas – €35,000
5. Stefano Schiano – €26,000
6. Ricardo Pinto – €19,000
7. Samuel Hernandez – €14,000
8. Henrik Ahlstroem – €11,000
9. Jai Saha – €8,500