Seat 5: Sebastian Ionita, 27, Tecuci, Romania (14,725,000)
If you've noticed a particular piquancy to Sebastian Ionita's play, it's because this 27-year-old is a proud resident of Tecuci. "This is where the mustard is made in Romania!" he says. "It's very famous."
Ionita is not directly involved in the condiments industry, but he still plays an active role in his family business, established by his father in 1991, which sells industrial products for factories. "Welding products, fasteners, hand tools, electric tools," he says.
However, he says that poker is "in his heart" and he has been playing more and more recently, with increasing success. "I don't know if I consider myself professional, but I've been playing for a few years," he says, adding that he is mostly an online player and travels only for major festivals.
This is his third EPT and his final-table appearance represents his best result to date. His biggest career score came for a third-place finish in Cyprus earlier this year, but he also has an outright win to his name, having beaten a field of 477 entries to win a €320 buy-in event in Bucharest last year.
He has travelled alone to Barcelona, but says he is enjoying the experience immensely. "I enjoy playing against very good players," he says.
Ionita today has the opportunity to be only the second Romanian to win an EPT Main Event after Razvan Belea triumphed in Paris in 2023.
Player profiles courtesy of Jan Kores/PokerStars
Tournament Progression
Day 1: 214,000 (18/424, 1b)
Day 2: 213,000 (113/313)
Day 3: 1,067,000 (12/103)
Day 4: 3,670,000 (3/29)
Day 5: 6,820,000 (3/11)
Day 6: 14,725,000 (1/6)
Career Statistics
Career earnings: $300,055
EPT cashes: None
Best EPT result: None
Key Hands
On Day 5, Ionita eliminated former chip leader Martin Nielsen in 17th place after winning a race with eights against ace-jack.
Ionita took the chip lead for the first time at the final table when he went to the river against Anton Suarez. Suarez put out a bet of 2,600,000 and Ionita, holding just a pair of fives on a queen-high board, tanked for several minutes before calling. Suarez could only show a jack-high bluff and Ionita took down the big pot.