Through ten full seasons of the eu Poker Tour, we have now always been in a position to depend on two things. Firstly: the tour will visit Barcelona for what is going to be one of the crucial best possible tournaments of the season. Secondly: no Spanish player will win a title.
The facts seem counterintuitive, especially given the continuing buoyant numbers of Spanish players at their home event. This year, there have been 92 Spanish players within the 1,496-strong field; last year there have been 105 within the field of 1,234.
But none has ever raised a trophy, and despite what you might imagine is solely the results of cruel variance, seasoned poker watchers in Spain aren't certain that the tip of the jinx is anywhere close.
Alejandro Hernando of the Spanish information portal Poker Red have been following top-level poker internationally for several years. Hernando has seen Spanish players get close but arise short repeatedly, recalling specifically a undeniable German named Martin Schleich dashing huge home hopes in Barcelona during Season 8.
"If we didn't win in 2011, I BELIEVE we aren't going to win any time," Hernandez said. "Four Spanish players on the final table and no person won. If we didn't win then, then it will be really difficult."
On that fateful day, Schleich beat Juan Perez into seventh, Tomeu Gomila into fifth, Raul Mestre fourth and Dragan Kostic heads up. Kostic's second place finish, like that of Jesús Cortes 12 months before, remains the nearest any Spanish player has come to claiming an EPT title -- and, significantly, it has since become even harder for Spanish players to make inroads at major tournaments.
Since June 2012, Spain has had a regulated marketplace for online poker, with players within the country only capable of compete against their country-folk at sites officially licensed by the Spanish government, comparable to PokerStars.es. While PokerStars and other operators are always happy to follow the particular regulations of individual countries, the smaller player pools that result often prompt many professionals to transport overseas, where they're keen to play online against the most efficient on this planet at unrestricted poker sites.
Furthermore players living in Spain also are susceptible to pay tax on their winnings in live events -- as much as 40 per cent -- which has discouraged the migrants to go back home even for his or her annual poker-playing trip to Barcelona.
Hernado estimates that there can be another 50 or so Spanish players in Barcelona this week if the regulations weren't quite so strict. That additional clutch would contain a number of the most talented players the rustic has produced.
"I don't need to mention that the players listed here are not good enough, however the top ones I FEEL could be here if it was a unique situation," Hernando said. "For the Spanish players who're used to playing online, this can be a technique to meet all together -- those who're in Portugal, those who're within the UK, those in Thailand -- to stick here 15 days together, playing poker, having fun. But it's only a consequence of this Spanish regulation. We should always have much more players here, but it isn't the case."
He added: "WE'RE really upset in regards to the situation, because we all know there are top players who could do really, rather well. But they aren't coming."
For all that, it does still seem as if Spanish players struggle at the EPT in particular, after they have often made a larger splash elsewhere. Adrian Mateos Diaz, who lives in London, won the arena Series of Poker of Europe Main Event in Paris last year, while Andoni Larrabe, who's an in depth friend of Hernando, is a member of this year's November Nine.
Larrabe, who also lives within the UK, is already guaranteed a payout of $730,725 and, fourth in chips a number of the remaining nine, could be hoping for more. If he goes the entire option to the title, which might be worth $10,000,000, Larrabe becomes the second one Spanish player to win the primary Event. Carlos Mortensen triumphed in 2001 and still heads the best-ever Spanish money list.
Mortensen has long-since left Spain and resides permanently within the U.s.a. now, which sets him somewhat aside from the young Spanish grinders creating wealth within the online age. The role model of recent pro tends to be Mestre, who opened one of the vital first poker training sites within the country and has overseen many burgeoning careers. But Mestre himself is something of an EPT nearly-man, having recorded three top ten finishes without converting any right into a win.
Herndo said that details of the various biggest poker results do make it into the mainstream Spanish press, from where the sport will obviously hope to attract new players. But he laments a scarcity of understanding concerning the competitive nature of poker and says the massive paydays are treated by reporters as though they're lottery wins, in place of a hard-won triumph in a sport-like contest.
"They treat the just like the USA treated players 25 years ago," Henando said.
At time of writing, the probabilities seem bleak that the Spanish championship duck could be broken in Barcelona this week. Day 3 began with only ten Spanish players remaining and none had an extremely big stack. Three levels in and none has risen too far up the leader board either.
Nevertheless, and under some duress, Hernando was in a position to get a hold of an inventory of six Spanish players worth watching -- along with the people like Mateos Diaz, Sergio Aido, Leo Margets, Mestre and Ana Marquez, who've already shown their mettle within the past.
Cesar "CesarSPA" Garcia -- A WCOOP bracelet winner on PokerStars, Garcia has amassed $1.2m in online tournament winnings and made the general table of a UKIPT event in London. Has also made the overall table of the Sunday Million, and plays all games.
Juan Pardo -- A PAL of Adrian Mateos Diaz and both will turn 21 this year. They're planning a primary trip to the sector Series of Poker in Las Vegas next year. Lives in Portugal where he plays online.
Alberto Gomez -- Lives between Thailand and London and recorded the most productive results of his career this year in Las Vegas, when he finished runner as much as Doug Polk in a $100,000 Super High Roller event on the Bellagio. It was worth greater than $900,000.
Manuel Saavedra -- Another Portugal-based Spanish grinder, who appeared for the primary time within the poker community a few years ago and has prepare a string of results online. Referred to as a heads-up cash-game player, and in addition plays the Sunday majors. His only recorded live tournament score came in June in Marbella on the Estrellas Poker Tour, but has the sport to make an enormous breakthrough.
Jose Angel "Cejakas14" Latorre -- The most effective six-man sit n go players within the world, who also has a TCOOP title to his name, won in a $109 heads up event in 2012. Based in London, he's widely considered to be one among Spain's best players in all disciplines.
Javier "MuckeDBoY" Tazon -- Five-time Supernova Elite, also living in London, known for taking part in headsup hyper turbos.
Follow all of the action from the tournament floor at the main EPT Barcelona page. There's hand-by-hand coverage within the panel on the top, including chip counts, and have pieces below. There's also EPT Live, that's streaming action from Day 2 of the primary Event.
Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com]
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