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€5,300 Main Event
Day 6 Completed
2026 PokerStars EPT Monte-Carlo
€5,300 Main Event
Day: 6
Event Info
2026 PokerStars EPT Monte-Carlo
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 6
Buy-in
€5,300
Prize Pool
€4,903,350
Total Entries
1,011
Level
32
Blinds
100,000 / 200,000
Ante
200,000
Entries
8
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 1,011
Filter
Level 32
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Over the past year, Roman Stoica has made clear he is a force to be reckoned with at PokerStars European Poker Tour stops. In addition to winning over €300,000 by shipping a mystery bounty event at last year's EPT Barcelona, Stoica made back-to-back deep runs in the prestigious Main Events at EPT Malta and EPT Prague, where he finished 16th and 27th, respectively.
However, Stoica absolutely blew those accomplishments out of the water in the 2026 EPT Monte-Carlo €5,300 Main Event. This time around, Stoica made the final table in a field of 1,011 entries. Once there, it only took him four hours to clean up the competition, etching his name in EPT history as a champion as he walked away with the coveted trophy and €825,000, his largest-ever poker haul. But for Stoica, it was about more than just the money.
"I'm a bit tired, but I'm very happy to become a winner of EPT," he shared in an interview after his victory. "This is the dream of every poker player." This was Stoica's third deep Main Event run in four EPT stops, a consistency he attributes to putting lots of hours into the game: "The secret is to play and practice as much as you can. That's what brings you to the final table and winning the tournament."
Heads-up, Stoica dispatched high-stakes phenom Bernhard Binder in just a couple of hands of play, with Binder adding €515,000, the second-largest share of the €4,903,350 prize pool, to his recent flurry of monster scores. Also at the final table were online qualifier Jose Malpelli, who turned a €250 satelite into €218,300 by finishing in fifth place, and Team PokerStars Pro Raul Mestre, whose third EPT final table was cut short as he exited in seventh.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roman Stoica | Russian Federation | €825,000 |
| 2 | Bernhard Binder | Austria | €515,000 |
| 3 | David Djian | France | €368,750 |
| 4 | Samuel Ju | Germany | €283,550 |
| 5 | Jose Malpelli | France | €218,300 |
| 6 | Longmao Fan | China | €167,850 |
| 7 | Raul Mestre | Spain | €129,050 |
| 8 | Oshri Lahmani | Israel | €99,450 |
Stoica Secures Victory at Breakneck Speed
Stoica entered the final day in the middle of the pack, and at the start, he mostly kept quiet as the other players battled. After Oshri Lahmani and Mestre had booked quick exits from the final table, Stoica doubled up in a crucial flip against Longmao Fan. Stoica moved up to third in chips, while Fan was left short and was eliminated a few hands after.
Stoica won another flip not much later. He knocked Malpelli out in fifth with ace-queen, spiking an ace on the river against Malpelli's pocket nines. Stoica really started to pick up steam at that point and captured the tournament chip lead for the first time shortly after.
With the chip lead acquired, Stoica started pressuring his opponents at every opportunity. Although Binder was the one to bust Samuel Ju in fourth place, Stoica kept winning pots and increasing his lead over his two remaining opponents. Eliminating David Djian in third with a flush against two pair meant Stoica started the heads-up battle against Binder with a three-to-one chip lead.
It only took a few hands for Stoica to claim the title, as he triple-barreled with flopped trips, putting Binder all-in on the river. Binder had made two pair and saw no choice but to call, setting Stoica's victory in stone.
Four hours after sitting down for the final day, Stoica saw his dream of winning an EPT Main Event fulfilled. However, the celebrations would have to wait a bit, as Stoica explained the past six days of tournament poker had taken its toll. "I just want to get to bed and get some rest," he admitted. "At home when I'm back, I will celebrate."
That concludes the PokerNews coverage of the EPT Monte-Carlo Main Event. The EPT will return in the summer as its iconic Barcelona stop runs from August 16-29. Until then, check out our live coverage hub for all the latest from events across the world.
Level 32
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Over six days of poker, Roman Stoica from Russia conquered a field of 1,011 entries to claim the 2026 EPT Monte-Carlo title, the Golden Shard trophy, and the €825,000 top prize.
Stay tuned as a winner's interview and a recap of the final table will follow shortly.
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roman Stoica | Russian Federation | €825,000 |
| 2 | Bernhard Binder | Austria | €515,000 |
| 3 | David Djian | France | €368,750 |
| 4 | Samuel Ju | Germany | €283,550 |
| 5 | Jose Malpelli | France | €218,300 |
| 6 | Longmao Fan | China | €167,850 |
| 7 | Raul Mestre | Spain | €129,050 |
| 8 | Oshri Lahmani | Israel | €99,450 |
Level 32
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Roman Stoica limped in on the button. Bernhard Binder was in the big blind, and he raised to 800,000. Stoica called, and the 4♠7♣7♦ flop was fanned.
Binder started with a check, causing Stoica to take the initiative with a bet of 350,000. Binder called to the 9♠ turn, on which he knuckled the table again.
Stoica sized up to 1,100,000. Binder stuck around with another call, seeing the Q♠ river complete the board.
Stoica then put his opponent all in. Binder took off his sunglasses as he assessed the situation. Before his 30-second shot clock ran out, Binder committed his last 3,225,000 to the middle.
Stoica revealed trip sevens with 7♥5♥. Binder was unable to beat it, having rivered two pair with K♦Q♦, and the two players shared a hug before Binder left the TV stage to pick up the €515,000 he had just earned with his runner-up finish.
Level 32
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Roman Stoica raised his button to 400,000, and Bernhard Binder called in the big blind. Stoica tossed in an additional 400,000 on the 7♥5♦6♥ flop, which Binder check-called.
The 7♦ turn then checked through to the 8♠ river, where Binder led out for 725,000. Stoica did not take long before he called.
Binder tabled a missed flush draw with Q♥2♥, and Stoica raked in the chips with 8♦6♦ for two pair.
Level 32
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Roman Stoica limped in from the small blind. David Djian checked his option in the big blind, and bet 250,000 when Stoica checked to him on the 6♦3♦8♣ flop.
Stoica then raised to 900,000, which Djian called. Stoica pushed in 800,000 more on the A♦ turn. Djian wanted to see one more card and slid in more calling chips, after which the 10♥ river completed the board.
Stoica put Djian to the test by moving all in. Djian shook his head a few times but quickly committed his 3,525,000 remaining chips to the pot.
Stoica revealed 10♦9♦ for a flush. while Djian had rivered two pair with his 10♠6♥ to be eliminated.
Level 32
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Bernhard Binder flicked in raising chips worth 400,000 on the button. David Djian matched the bet in the big blind, after which the duo checked both the 5♥2♣7♠ flop and the 8♣ turn.
Djian kept checking as the J♠ appeared on the river. Binder then bet 700,000, and Djian quickly tossed in a calling chip.
Binder tabled top pair with K♥J♣. Djian just shook his head as his A♥6♣ for ace-high was no good, seeing Binder overtake him in the counts.
Level 32
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Bernhard Binder limped in 10♠9♠ in the small blind and called when big blind Roman Stoica made it 700,000 to go with J♦2♣.
Binder check-called Stoica's bet of 450,000 on the 6♦A♦2♠ flop, and he appeared to be rewarded with a flush draw on the J♠ turn.
After Binder checked a second time, however, Stoica fired a pot-sized bet of 2,350,000 with his two pair. Binder opted not to chase his flush, and surrendered the pot by folding.
Level 32
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
David Djian opened to 400,000 on the button. Roman Stoica defended his big blind, after which both players checked the 9♣9♦A♣ flop. The 3♦ turn was also checked through, but Stoica piled in an overbet of 1,700,000 on the 8♣ river.
Djian did not take long before calling with A♥2♦ for aces and nines, but Stoica had rivered a flush with Q♣5♣ to win the big pot and increase his lead over the other two competitors.
Level 32
: Blinds 100,000/200,000, 200,000 ante
Bernhard Binder raised his button to 400,000, Samuel Ju moved all in from the big blind for 1,800,000, and Binder immediately called.
Samuel Ju: 10♠10♣ 
Bernhard Binder: A♠Q♥
Ju flopped a set on J♣10♥2♠ to increase his lead, although Binder had a straight draw to remain in contention.
Binder started cutting out an exact call as the 5♥ turn left him unimproved, but the K♥ river gave the Austrian player Broadway to win the pot, eliminating Ju in the process.
Ju said his goodbyes in fourth place, taking home €283,550 for his efforts.
