The candles are being lit for next week’s big birthday bash in Barcelona, as the European Poker Tour celebrates 20 years.
It’s an appropriate place to celebrate, and not just because the beautiful Spanish city is one of the jewels in the EPT crown, regularly attracting some of the biggest fields on the circuit. Barcelona was the site of the very first EPT event, back in 2004, so it feels fitting to mark the occasion back where it all began.
The EPT has come a long way in 20 years, so we’ve taken this opportunity to look back at six of our favorite moments along the way.
EPT1 Barcelona - 2004
Where else could we start but with the tournament that got the ball rolling? Things may look and sound a little different to what we’ve become used to; Colin Murray and EPT founder John Duthie are on commentary duties, in the days before James Hartigan and Joe Stapleton made the roles their own.
The trophy seen in the clip below is one of the biggest we’ve ever seen, but the prize wasn’t: Sweden’s Alexander Stevic took just €80,000 for the win - chump change compared to the amounts up top in EPT Main Events today.
EPT3 London - 2006
Founder John Duthie is in the commentary booth again, this time joined by James Hartigan, as his fellow local Victoria Coren (now Victoria Coren Mitchell) flops the nuts heads-up for the title.
Coren plays the hand like a champ, flat-calling a big flop bet and inciting her opponent to shove the turn. As someone known for her eloquence on screen, seeing her speechless in the aftermath of her hometown victory is a surprise to say the least.
The win was the first for a female player on the EPT, and her next win - in Sanremo in 2014 - would make her the first-ever two-time champion. More on that below.
EPT4 Sanremo - 2008
Jason Mercier is a six-time WSOP bracelet winner, but back in 2008 he was a young up-and-coming online grinder. That changed for good when he recorded his first live tournament result - a win at EPT Sanremo that remains one of the biggest scores of his career.
Below you can see the hand that won Mercier the tournament and the pro sponsorship, and set him on the career he’s been enjoying ever since. He’ll always be known for that hero call, however.
Holding 
on a board of 
, Mercier’s opponent Erik Koskas shoved for all his chips holding nothing but air. Mercier went into the tank and came out with the call. The chips went his way, the room went wild, and Mercier went on to have a hall-of-fame career. Below is the moment he won the first live event of a glittering career.
EPT8 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure - 2012
Didn’t know the Bahamas was in Europe? Somehow the PCA formed part of the EPT for longer than you might think, and it was there, on Paradise Island in 2011, that the online legend of 'Isildur1' was finally revealed to be a young Swedish phenom named Viktor Blom.
‘Isildur1’ had arrived on the online high stakes scene like a hurricane, blowing away established pros with a forceful, fearless style of play. Online, he was crushing, but he hadn’t yet proved himself in the live arena. That would change at the 2012 PCA during season 8 of the EPT.
The final table of the Super High Roller featured the likes of Daniel Negreanu, Scott Seiver, Jonathan Duhamel and Mike McDonald. Heads-up against Dan Shak, Blom seized control and didn’t let up.
“You killed me heads-up,” muttered Shak to Blom as the two embraced. Blom took home $1.25M, and added ‘live crusher’ to his resume.
EPT10 Sanremo - 2014
It’s Victoria Coren Mitchell again, becoming the first player to win two EPT titles when she cracked the aces of Italy’s Giacomo Fundaro.
Once again, she induced the shove and called while well ahead. A huge online audience watched as her hand held and she took the title. And once again she reeled in shock when the final card was dealt.
“These people aren’t hugging her, they’re helping to hold her up” said Joe Stapleton in the commentary, as a new poker hero for the 21st century was made before our eyes.
EPT18 Paris - 2024
Barny Boatman has been involved in poker since before many of today’s young guns were born. If you’ve got a Hendon Mob profile, it’s partly because of Boatman; he and his friends were originally known as the Hendon Mob, and built an online database to track their results. The idea caught on.
When he won his first EPT title in Paris earlier this year, the outpouring of emotion and support was clear to see. Few players are held so dear in the international poker community as Boatman.
In the aftermath of his win, PokerOrg spoke to Barny about one of the key hands on his route to the trophy. Watch to hear him describe the action in his own, unique way.
Special thanks to PokerStars for the EPT footage above.
