Nacho Barbero Speaks to WPT Global: Everything from Paris to Triton Titles

When Nacho Beat Ivey — and Didn’t Flinch

Starting with the questions we all what to hear about right away, WPT Global asked Barbero what it was like to stare down Phil Ivey in a heads-up battle with a Triton trophy on the line. His answer? Respectful, but unbothered.

WPT Global: What was it like facing Phil Ivey heads-up in that Triton final?
Nacho Barbero: “I play with him every day now, so there’s no reason to be scared.

Playing against Ivey is more fun because he’s unpredictable – he’s seen everything,. It’s an honor to compete with him and Daniel Negreanu. They are the best in the game.”

But don’t expect Nacho to play scared at a final table. That’s just not his style.

Nacho Barbero: “I honestly don’t think about ICM. I just play to win. People at the final table get scared — they want to ladder. They try to do what the solver says is correct. That’s not me. I want to win the trophy. That’s it.”

Kebabs, Card Games, and a “Bye, Mom!”

Now, we’re going back a little bit. Before the Triton trophies and high-stakes heads-up matches, Nacho was just a kid with a deck of Magic cards and a dream. WPT asked him to rewind the clock and talk about where it all started. As it turns out it all started with an invite from a friend.

WPT Global: Let’s go back. How did poker even start for you?

Nacho Barbero: “He said, “‘Why don’t you come to Paris? ‘I looked around, Argentina was on fire, riots everywhere… I said, ‘Okay, bro, I’m going! Bye, Mom!'”

So, he landed in France with little money but plenty of determination.

Nacho Barbero: “We were sneaking into the metro, running from controllers. We were eating the same food every day, like kebabs, for only $5. We had no money.”

That’s where his friend introduced him to NLH. Nacho didn’t know the rules, mixing strong hands with week ones on a daily basis. That’s how he ended up losing his friend’s whole bankroll — $850. As Nacho tells it: “He woke up and I was crying.”

If there’s one piece of advice that the WPT Global ambassador’s taken away from his younger days, it’s this:

GPI Grind and the Crash That Followed

WPT Global turned the conversation toward rankings — specifically, Barbero’s GPI run in 2023 and the toll it took. For a guy who says he doesn’t care about ICM, he sure cared about finishing #1… until he didn’t.

WPT Global: You were in the GPI race not long ago. What was that like?

Nacho Barbero: “About two years ago in 2023, I was first or second for the whole year, but I ended up falling short and finishing second. I was going to every tour, really giving it my all. I had to play everything because the system counts your best 10 scores.”

If you ask Nacho, guys like Jason Koon or Fedor Holz — they get it. You play better when you don’t play everything.

So, Does WPT Global Feel Like the Right Fit?

That felt like enough reminiscing, meaning it was time to turn to Barbero’s role as a WPT Global Ambassador — and why this platform, specifically, felt like the right one to represent.

WPT Global: You signed with us in July. What drew you to the brand?

Nacho Barbero: “Right now, what everyone is really concerned about is the security of the sites. People worry about bots, and I believe the priority for all platforms should be security, keeping players safe and maintaining a fair environment so that recreational players can join without feeling overwhelmed.”

And on what really matters for the future of online poker?

As the conversation wrapped, the topic turned to what’s next. For Nacho, that’s the WPT World Championship in December — and he’s already eyeing another big finish.

WPT Global: You heading to the WPT World Championship in December?

Nacho Barbero: “”I would definitely tell people to go—it’s such a soft field and an amazing $10K event. The U.S. fields are softer than Europe’s. In Europe, you face many tough online pros, making games noticeably tougher. But the WPT $10K event is very accessible, especially with the option to qualify online from home.”

Still Playing. Still Learning. Still Nacho.

Despite the miles traveled and the millions earned, Barbero still approaches poker like he did back in the Paris cafés. He’s still curious, still aggressive, and still unafraid to look foolish if it means learning something new.

Nacho Barbero

I still love the game more than anybody. When I’m not playing Triton, I’m playing mixed cash games or even on my phone—I just love the competition.

That might actually be the real reason his game keeps evolving — he never acts like he’s figured it all out.