The players have made their way to the main feature stage for the start of the final table, and action is underway.
Updates will be provided on a 30-minute delay to match the PokerStars stream. Stay tuned for all the action.
2026 PokerStars EPT Paris
€5,300 Main Event
Day: 6
Event Info
2026 PokerStars EPT Paris
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 6
Buy-in
€5,300
Prize Pool
€7,075,200
Total Entries
1,474
Level
34
Blinds
150,000 / 300,000
Ante
300,000
Entries
7
Players Left
1
Players Left 1 / 1,474
Filter
A week ago, a crowd of thousands flocked to Le Palais des Congres in the heart of the French capital, all with the shared dream of becoming the PokerStars European Poker Tour Paris Main Event champion. That dream is starting to feel like reality for the seven players who return for the final table today at 12:30 p.m. local time.
Portugal’s Jorge Abreu is the player everyone will be trying to track down today. Abreu takes a commanding chip lead with 22,425,000 into the final table, the Golden Shard trophy firmly within his grasp as he controls half the chips in play at the start of the day. The 35-year-old online grinder has had some success on the virtual felt, but his run here this week in Paris has already eclipsed all of his previous live earnings combined.
Final Table Lineup
| Seat | Player | Country | Chip Counts | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Felix Schneiders | Germany | 1,950,000 | 13 |
| 2 | Jorge Abreu | Portugal | 22,425,000 | 150 |
| 3 | Thierry Gogniat | France | 2,950,000 | 20 |
| 4 | Enrico Coppola | Italy | 2,250,000 | 15 |
| 5 | Tomas Jozonis | Lithuania | 3,200,000 | 21 |
| 6 | Nazar Buhaiov | Ukraine | 5,025,000 | 34 |
| 7 | Casimir Seire | Finland | 6,400,000 | 43 |
Leading the pack trying to snatch the title away is Casimir Seire. The youthful Finnish pro can usually be found playing some of the highest stakes tournaments online and has quickly amassed a sizeable live resume, as well, that includes more than $700,000 in earnings and five prior EPT cashes already. He’ll be looking to add a trophy to his collection as he starts the day in second place with 6,400,000.
Among the final seven are two players who have been here before. Tomas Jozonis (3,200,000) finished third in EPT Monte Carlo back in 2018. For Enrico Coppola (2,250,000), the experience of an EPT final table is still fresh in his memory as he was fourth in Monte Carlo just last May. Nazar Buhaiov (5,025,000) and Thierry Gogniat (2,950,000) have also navigated their way through the 1,474-player field to make it this far. Gogniat, a restaurant owner from the Bordeaux region of France, joins his wife Isabel Baltazar, who finished eighth in EPT Barcelona in 2011, as the only couple to make it to an EPT final table.
Felix Schneiders is used to EPT final tables, just not as a player. The GRND on Tour pro is usually doing commentary on the live stream, but this time he finds himself among the final seven, albeit as the short stack with 1,950,000. Schneiders has been followed throughout his entire journey to the final table by his film crew, chronicling his every move for his large community of online followers as the German finally achieved his dream of making it to the grand stage.
The action at the final table picks up with 14 hands remaining in Level 31 with blinds of 100,000/150,000 and a 150,000 big blind ante. Each subsequent level will be 30 hands long. The final seven have all locked up €179,350 for making it here, while the Golden Shard trophy and €1,148,600 first prize awaits one of them by the end of the day.
Final Table payouts
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | €1,148,600 | ||
| 2 | €717,350 | ||
| 3 | €512,400 | ||
| 4 | €394,150 | ||
| 5 | €303,150 | ||
| 6 | €233,200 | ||
| 7 | €179,350 | ||
| 8 | Sami Bechahed | France | €137,950 |
The final table will be streamed on a 30-minute delay on PokerStars’ official YouTube channel. PokerNews will also be providing updates on a delay to match the stream.
The allure of EPT glory brought thousands to the City of Light this week, and the journey finally ends today with one lucky player getting to hoist the trophy in the air. PokerNews will be following the action the entire way, so stay tuned for updates.
Casimir Seire wanted to become a professional football player, but two major injuries dealt a severe blow to his promising sports career. Seire was 14 and 15 at the time, so he missed critical years for a youth footballer’s development.
Seire instead started playing poker home games with his friends during his early high-school years. Then he discovered Twitch and learned from the streamers, mainly PokerStars Ambassadors Benjamin Spragg and Fintan Hand. On The Mechanics of Poker Podcast, the Finn revealed that Spraggy’s bankroll challenge propelled him to start studying and making progress.
Seire began to improve and climb the ladder, but just when he was on the brink of turning pro, he had to pause to complete his mandatory military service in Finland. Looking back, Seire claimed it actually helped him in the long term, as he returned to a healthy lifestyle and the physical activity he’d missed.
Following his return to the poker tables, Seire has continued to move up the stakes, playing as “Ceis25” at PokerStars. “One day, I want to be the best,” he said on the podcast. “That’s still my goal.”
Seire’s mom is a psychologist, and he’s had support from his parents ever since he decided to give poker a shot. While online has always been his natural environment, Seire has also found his place in live poker. Before coming to EPT Paris, he’s already racked up over $700,000 in live earnings. That tally included five EPT Main Event cashes, the best of which was 19th place at EPT Cyprus 2023.
Seire now has a chance to be a real EPT history maker should he conquer the field here in Paris, as he can become the first player born in the 21st century to win the elusive title. That would also mean he’d end Finland’s 17-year drought; Patrik Antonius and Jens Kyllonen are still the only Finns who have captured the trophy.
Final table bios courtesy of Jan Kores/PokerStars
Career statistics
Earnings: $718,611
EPT cashes: 5
Best result: 19th, 2023 EPT Cyprus
Tournament progression
Day 1: 86,000 (119/284, 1B)
Day 2: 174,000 (104/179)
Day 3: 1,225,000 (14/49)
Day 4: 1,175,000 (15/16)
Day 5: 6,400,000 (2/7)
Key hands
Seire busted WSOP bracelet winner Michael Perrone on Day 3 when Perrone shoved for 383,000 with two nines, but Seire called with pocket tens to earn the knockout.
Seire picked up two big pairs to double up on Day 4, first winning with aces against Nazar Buhaiov, then getting two kings to double off Raphael Bilger.
Seire doubled up again on Day 5 when action folded to Jessica Teusl, who shoved from the small blind. Seire called for 1,280,000 with two jacks and held on against Teusl's king-ten to win the pot. At the final table, Seire fired two bullets on the flop and turn before hitting the nut straight on the river in a pot against Jorge Abreu. Seire then committed most his stack with a bet of 1,900,000, and Abreu folded.
Nazar Buhaiov may not be a household name on the EPT, but that might change very soon. The 33-year-old from the small town of Nikopol, in the Dnipropetrovsk region, has already secured his first major result on the tour, and is aiming to go all the way.
“I don't have any trophies, and I want one,” he says, adding that the silverware gives him extra motivation to succeed.
Buhaiov admitted that his past four trips to the EPT had been costly, putting a dent of around €50K into his bankroll. But he knows all about the variance of MTTs, and has more than $1.7 million in live earnings to his name, according to the Hendon Mob, and has enough experience to not let the short-term misses get under his skin.
His most impressive results have all come on the grandest stage, including 28th place in last year's WSOP Main Event after finishing 77th the year before. Deep blind structures, just like the one in the EPT Main Event, suit him well.
“I don't have many hobbies, I just go to the gym,” he says, adding that live poker is where he feels most at home. “I play online only on Sundays.”
Buhaiov is 12th on Ukraine's all-time money list and enters the EPT record books as the 13th Ukrainian at a final table. Oleksii Khoroshenin has remained the nation’s only champ, despite some recent heavy knocks on the door from his countrymen Amir Kokhestani and Mykhailo Ostash, who both finished runners-up last year.
Final table bios courtesy of Jan Kores/PokerStars
Career statistics
Earnings: $1,671,509
EPT cashes: 1
Best result: 65th, 2022 EPT Prague
Tournament progression
Day 1: 29,500 (246/284, 1B)
Day 2: 185,000 (96/179)
Day 3: 380,000 (39/49)
Day 4: 7,375,000 (1/16)
Day 5: 5,025,000 (3/7)
Key hands
Buhaiov began Day 4 near the bottom of the counts, but ended it as chip leader after a number of big pots throughout the day. He first flopped top set of queens against Sami Bechahed, then improved to a full house on the turn. He shoved the river, and Bechahed managed to get away from a straight.
Buhaiov then four-bet to 575,000 and Julien mariani called. Buhaiov bet another 250,000 on the flop and 800,000 on the turn, and Mariani called down to the river. Buhaiov shoved the river for 1,705,000, and Mariani went deep into the tank before folding as Buhaiov moved up close to 5,000,000.
When Tomas Jozonis reached the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event final table in 2018, he had already established himself as a successful online pro. But his run to third place in Monaco was his breakthrough result on the live scene. Eight years later, Jozonis has now joined Matas Cimbolas as a second Lithuanian with two EPT Main Event final table appearances.
Only two other Lithuanians have been to an EPT final table since Jozonis’s first appearance, confirming his status as one of the very best from the region. He has also enjoyed significant success on PokerStars, where he plays as “dartazzzz”.
The 34-year-old used to dream of becoming a professional beach volleyball player, but his promising development was derailed by a series of knee injuries. And, while he has a degree in International Business and Communication, his career shifted towards multi-table poker tournaments.
So far, no Lithuanian has ever lifted the EPT Main Event trophy. Mantas Visockis came the closest 13 years ago in London, but settled for second place behind Ruben Visser. It would be fitting if Jozonis became the first one to go all the way for his nation, considering his track record at EPT and beyond.
Final table bios courtesy of Jan Kores/PokerStars
Career statistics
Earnings: $2,225,256
EPT cashes: 4
Best result: 3rd, 2018 EPT Monte Carlo
Tournament progression
Day 1: 85,000 (89/180, 1A)
Day 2: 418,000 (27/179)
Day 3: 430,000 (35/49)
Day 4: 2,865,000 (6/16)
Day 5: 3,200,000 (4/7)
Key hands
Jozonis doubled up on Day 4 when he turned two pair, aces and fours, and Renato Minicuci called his river shove for 119,000 with a flopped pair of queens. Later that day, Jozonis shoved the river in a pot against Boris Kolev. Kolev ended up burning through eight time banks before calling for his last 675,000 with two queens, but Jozonis showed a full house to win the pot and send Kolev to the rail.
Jozonis doubled up once more when his king-seven outflopped Pawel Wojciechowski's ace-ten late on Day 4. The two opponents tangled in another pot early on Day 5, when Jozonis hit a full house and bet 1,200,000 on the river. Wojciechowski managed to fold trip aces, but his reprieve proved short-lived as he soon after got in his last 2,145,000 with ace-queen, but Jozonis picked up two kings to send Wojciechowski to the rail.
A few months after his fourth-place finish in Monte Carlo and his massive €337,900 payday, Italian player Enrico Coppola is at a second EPT Main Event final table. “It’s an incredible feeling, I’m having so much fun,” he said. “PokerStars should sponsor me now!”
After spending 30 years in Turin, the Italian relocated to Geneva, Switzerland, 15 years ago, where he now runs his businesses. A hospitality professional, he operates several establishments across Switzerland, Italy, and even Dubai.
“Poker is the game of my life,” he says, adding that he mostly plays cash games and a few High Rollers, usually finding Main Events too long for his taste.
Final table bios courtesy of Jan Kores/PokerStars
Career statistics
Earnings: 616,969
EPT cashes: 1
Best result: 4th, 2025 EPT Monte Carlo
Tournament progression
Day 1: 68,500 (152/284, 1B)
Day 2: 354,000 (37/179)
Day 3: 880,000 (24/49)
Day 4: 2,070,000 (10/16)
Day 5: 2,250,000 (6/7)
Key hands
Coppola's chances of making it to another EPT final table appeared bleak when he got in his last 815,000 holding jack-ten on a ten-high board. Nazar Buhaiov, though, had him dominated with queen-ten, and Coppola remained behind going to the river. He managed to spike a flush on the river and earn the fortunate double up.
Coppola doubled up again on Day 5 when he snap-called for 1,395,000 after Tomas Jozonis shoved the big blind. The two players were racing, Coppola with two sixes and Jozonis with ace-jack, and Coppola ended up hitting a set to win the pot and keep his hopes alive.
A restaurateur from the Bordeaux region of France, recreational player Thierry Gogniat has been grinding the live poker circuit for nearly 20 years alongside his wife, Isabel Baltazar, one of the most experienced French players.
While their restaurant, L’Atmosphère, remains their shared professional venture, their passion for poker runs just as deep. Nearly 15 years after his wife’s eighth-place finish at EPT Barcelona 2011, he now finds himself at the final table of the EPT Main Event as well. They are the only husband/wife team to both make it so far.
“I’m a miraculous,” Gogniat said at every break on Day 5, having managed to ladder up pay jumps with his micro-stack. “I was solid when I needed to be. I had lung surgery in November, and the people around me were worried that I wouldn’t be able to handle the long tournament hours — but I’m here, and I feel great!”
The man who has the seven and three of hearts tattooed on his chest has already shattered his previous best live score, which stood at just over $92,000. He will be able to count on the unwavering support of his wife Isabel on the rail, as well as his daughter and grandchildren cheering from afar.
Final table bios courtesy of Jan Kores/PokerStars
Career statistics
Earnings: $576,673
EPT cashes: 2
Best result: 66th, 2018 EPT Monte Carlo
Tournament progression
Day 1: 91,000 (105/284, 1B)
Day 2: 168,000 (108/179)
Day 3: 1,300,000 (12/49)
Day 4: 4,475,000 (2/16)
Day 5: 2,950,000 (5/7)
Key hands
Gogniat busted veteran British pro Neil Channing on Day 3 in a classic flip, his ace-king making two pair to beat Channing's two queens. Gogniat also eliminated Zdenek Zizka in 18th place when his ace-king held against Zizka's ace-ten.
Gogniat was among the chip leaders when he and Sami Bechahed tangled in a massive pot. Gogniat five-bet shoved with ace-king, but Bechahed snap-called for 3,485,000 and turned over two aces. Gogniat was left with just four big blinds approaching the final table. He eventually got in his last 210,000 against both Casimir Seire and Jorge Abreu, and hit a pair of tens on the flop to win the pot and move back up past 1,000,000.
Jorge Abreu has been playing poker professionally since he turned 18. A member of the Polarize Poker community, he last year picked up a huge $750,000 online score, but is now having the best run of his long career in a live event, which will mean his highest live score.
His previous EPT track record included four Main Event cashes, all in Barcelona and all far from the final table. But he has already had a sensational start to 2026, during which Abreu, playing as “Jorginho88” at PokerStars, captured two SCOOP Warm-Up titles just before he arrived at EPT Paris.
Abreu is a typical online grinder who likes his standard routine. Part of the reason why he doesn’t seek live action very often is his strict diet, which consists only of fruit and vegetables. It is easier to keep up with the diet when he’s in his home environment.
That doesn’t mean Abreu doesn’t travel, though. The Polarize Poker community usually spends the SCOOP and WCOOP weeks at a grindhouse. In the past, Brazil’s Florianopolis had been the home base, but for the last two years, the group opted for the Austrian mountains.
They don’t know where they’ll settle this year yet, even though the PokerStars SCOOP 2026 kicks off tomorrow. Abreu, though, will be busy in Paris, hoping to become Portugal’s fourth EPT Main Event winner, following Joao Barbosa, Antonio Matias, and Pedro Marques.
Final table bios courtesy of Jan Kores/PokerStars
Career statistics
Earnings: $164,176
EPT cashes: 4
Best result: 148th, 2016 EPT Barcelona
Tournament progression
Day 1: 174,000 (27/284, 1B)
Day 2: 366,000 (34/179)
Day 3: 2,250,000 (1/49)
Day 4: 2,745,000 (7/16)
Day 5: 22,425,000 (1/7)
Key hands
Abreu took the chip lead late on Day 3 when he shoved the river in a big pot against Cesar Garcia. Garcia eventually called for 700,000 with a flush, but Abreu had flopped quads to earn the knockout.
Abreu won a flip on Day 5 by hitting a pair of kings on the river to beat Raphael Bilger's pocket fives and send Bilger out in 14th place. Hen then picked up two jacks and called Jessica Teusl's shove for 810,000. Teusl could only show pocket tens and received no help on the board as she was eliminated in 13th.
Abreu began the final table as the chip leader and quickly pulled further ahead when he and Joris Ruijs got all their chips in the middle on the flop. Ruijs had flopped a set of fives, while Abreu had straight and flush draws. Abreu hit his straight on the turn, and Ruijs couldn't improve on the river and busted in ninth place. Sami Bechahed then shoved for 4,325,000 with two nines, but Abreu was lying in wait with two kings to earn yet another bustout and climb past 20,000,000.
Already one of the best-known players in the German poker community, Felix Schneiders has made all the right moves here in Paris to put himself in the global spotlight. Schneiders is a former math student and Magic: The Gathering player who followed many of his fellow Magic players into the more profitable world of poker, starting with low-stakes games online. He was immediately taken by the idea of building a community through poker, and worked with the German online training site Intellipoker to introduce new players to the game.
Schneiders, known as “xflixx” online, first partnered with PokerStars in 2013 to help build the community for recreational players, and he was also able to combine his love for content creation and became an early Twitch streamer, showcasing his poker skills. He switched from cash games to tournaments to make the streams more accessible, and the community continued to grow. Countless players now credit Schneiders with first introducing them to poker via his stream, something that continues to give him immense pleasure.
Gradually, Schneiders began to migrate to the live circuit as well, thanks in no small part to his association with PokerStars, and he is now a familiar sight at the EPT. His GRND on Tour team follows his every move in the big events, streaming all the action with dedicated live commentary and exclusive interviews with the man himself.
In recent years, he has committed himself to improving his game significantly, hiring a poker coach and studying more and more. It has been of significant and dramatic benefit, with Schneiders picking up five EPT Main Event cashes in the past two years, including this first appearance at a final table.
“I'm hungry,” Schneiders said. “I want a trophy.”
Final table bios courtesy of Jan Kores/PokerStars
Career statistics
Earnings: $251,446
EPT cashes: 3
Best result: 48th, 2025 EPT Malta
Tournament progression
Day 1: 157,000 (36/284, 1B)
Day 2: 311,000 (48/179)
Day 3: 1,725,000 (5/49)
Day 4: 2,735,000 (8/16)
Day 5: 1,950,000 (7/7)
Key hands
Schneiders first crossed the 1,000,000-chip mark on Day 3 when he four-bet shoved all in on the flop in a pot against Olivier Fazio.
On Day 5, Schneiders picked up two tens and called when Julien Mariani shoved for 900,000 with ace-seven. As their two rails shouted for cards, Schneiders' pair held on to earn him the knockout. He then flopped top pair holding ace-jack in a pot against Nazar Buhaiov at the final table. Schneiders committed most of his stack with a bet of 875,000 on the river, but Buhaiov managed to get away from ace-nine.
€5,300 Main Event
Day 6 Started
