Lucien Cohen Takes Down the Biggest Live Poker Tournament in PokerStars History for €676,230
If you have been watching the liveblogs and the live streams of the Estrellas Poker Tour through the official PokerStars channels, it would directly come to notice that Lucien Cohen was among the remaining contestants for the victory in the biggest live event in PokerStars history. With a record-breaking 7,398 entrants, the Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event will go into the history books.
Cohen dominated the road towards the final table and completed his run on the event's penultimate day, securing the victory and the €676,230 first prize. The owner of a pest control company, carrying the nickname ‘’The Ratman’’, slaughtered his rivals towards his victory. The recreational poker player from Paris strikes once again in a grand Main Event, sponsored by PokerStars.
Cohen Dominates the Final Table
With 7,398 entries from 3,291 unique players, the €1,100 Estrellas Barcelona Main Event broke its own record for the biggest live tournament held by PokerStars. The top 1,109 runners shared €7,102,080 in prize money, and as mentioned before, it was recreational poker player Lucien Cohen from Paris who walked away with yet another trophy of a big event, as he won the Main Event of the EPT Deauville 12 years ago.
The 59-year-old Parisian, made it all look very easy at the final stage of the biggest live event in PokerStars history. With 30% of chips in play, on the day, prior to the final table, it was the famous Team Online PokerStars Pro Parker ‘Tonkaaah’ Talbot who bit the dust when his pocket Eights did not start up a come back from just two big blinds. The remaining players all secured themselves €136,850, and a place on the official Final Table:
| Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucien Cohen |  | 65,500,000 | 66 |
| Avihai Smadga |  | 11,000,000 | 11 |
| Petros Karadimos |  | 42,200,000 | 42 |
| Ferdinando D'Alessio |  | 30,100,000 | 30 |
| Danilo Velasevic |  | 40,900,000 | 41 |
| Ankit Ahuja |  | 32,200,000 | 32 |
Final Table Action
The climax of the poker tournament unfolded in an exhilarating manner on the final day. Second-place finisher, Ferdinando D'Alessio, managed to secure a substantial €415,320 prize. In a pivotal hand, D'Alessio boldly executed a check-raise, pushing all his remaining 40 big blinds into the middle with the confidence of holding the top pair on a king-rich flop, with just 20 blinds in the middle. However, his hopes were met with a calculated call from Cohen, who held a king with a superior kicker. The tension escalated as the cards unveiled on the runout, ultimately favoring Cohen and solidifying his lead.
Petros Karadimos, displaying commendable skill throughout, clinched the €294,620 third-place reward. The turning point for Karadimos came when Cohen fearlessly called with a gutshot straight draw, only to complete the straight on the river. The heart-pounding moment not only turned the tide of the hand but also put Karadimos in a make-or-break situation. Despite the odds stacked against him, Karadimos bravely called off his chips, standing by his top pair in an admirable display of determination.
The fourth-place position, accompanied by a noteworthy €232,090 prize, belonged to Danilo Velasevic. Velasevic masterfully navigated a dwindling stack, making a valiant stand with an ace-six hand. However, luck was not on his side as he collided with Cohen's dominating pocket eights, concluding his journey in the tournament.
Ankit Ahuja, a fierce competitor, bowed out in fifth place, taking home €177,810 for his remarkable efforts. The intensity escalated during a preflop showdown, with Ahuja committing all his chips with an ace-six hand. Unfortunately, his aspirations were dashed by Cohen's resolute pocket sevens, leaving Ahuja to hit the showers.
Interestingly, the only elimination that didn't stem from Cohen's prowess came at the hands of D'Alessio. Avihai Smadga's sixth-place finish came with a commendable prize of €136,850. D'Alessio's calculated move involved a bold re-shove with an ace-queen hand, which triumphed over Smadga's ace-eight.
Estrellas Barcelona 2023 Main Event Final Table Results:
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lucien Cohen | | € 767,230 |
| 2 | Ferdinando D'Alessio | | € 415,320 |
| 3 | Petros Karadimos | | € 294,620 |
| 4 | Danilo Velasevic | | € 232,090 |
| 5 | Ankit Ahuja | | € 177,810 |
| 6 | Avihai Smadga | | € 136,850 |
| 7 | Parket Talbot |  | € 105,590 |
| 8 | Igor Kaufman | | € 81,230 |
