Jorge Abreu Dominates EPT Paris 2026 Main Event as Festival Concludes

The 2026 European Poker Tour (EPT) Paris festival at Le Palais des Congrès has officially wrapped up, marking a successful return to one of the tour’s most iconic stops. Over the course of the event, the series drew elite international fields across 12 action-packed days, culminating in a Main Event finale that can only be described as a decimation of anyone who got in Jorge Abreu ‘s way.

Main Event: Abreu’s Commanding Performance

Portuguese professional Abreu claimed the EPT Paris Main Event title, earning €1,148,600 and the Golden Shard trophy. Abreu entered the final day holding more than half of the total chips in play, an advantage he never truly relinquished. He maintained this lead through a mixture of consistent aggression and critical pots, including a pivotal double-knockout early in the day that solidified his position; Abreu went on to eliminate all but one of his final table opponents.

While he faced pressure from a boisterous final table and a noisy German rail, Abreu credited his success to a “come back” mantra, a mental strategy he used to reset his focus during breaks. His victory over Germany’s Felix Schneiders in heads-up play cemented his status as the champion of the 1,474-player field.

Watch the Final Hand that secured Abreu’s Victory

The Winner’s Perspective

Despite the dominant nature of his win, Abreu remained humble regarding the role of variance in high-stakes tournament poker. Speaking after his victory, he noted:

“I don’t see myself as an EPT champion. I mean, I think there’s a lot of luck involved in this event, obviously. And for you to get to the final table, for you to win, you have to be really lucky. The poker gods helped me a lot, you know what I mean? So what I want is to do the best I can, see what I can get better at, because I made a lot of mistakes throughout this six days.”

Abreu also reflected on the importance of his mental preparation, explaining how he handled the tension of the final table:

“In the break, I started breathing. I started to say this mantra that I have, like ‘come back, come back, come back,’ which for me means to come back to the present moment. Because sometimes you get, you know, really distracted and stressed out and anxious. I felt myself getting distracted. I felt my confidence was sliding away, and after that break, I became more composed, and I felt way better.”

A Career-Defining Moment for Felix Schneiders

While Felix Schneiders fell just short of the title, his runner-up finish was a landmark moment for the German streamer and his dedicated community. After entering the final day as the shortest stack, Schneiders navigated his way to a career-best €717,350 payout.

Reflecting on his journey, Schneiders emphasized that his success was about more than just the result:

“I just feel happy and proud and relieved. And I’m the most happy about this amazing rail… They were here when it wasn’t going well, and they’re here when it’s going great. So this is what matters to me. The money, the trophy, doesn’t matter, but now to celebrate this second place feels like a big win to me”.

Despite the massive score, Schneiders remains focused on his long-term goals and his commitment to his viewers:

“To be honest, it won’t change too much. We will just keep doing what we do, because I still have a job to do. I have to win the trophy… And I never did this for the money. So this won’t change a thing”.

#22 EPT Main Event (5,300 EUR)

Total Prize USD

$8,348,735

Total Prize

€7,075,200

Entries

1,474

ITM

215

#	Payout	Player	SPI
1	€1,148,600 $1,355,350	JA Jorge Abreu Portugal	6,843.68
2	€717,350 $846,475	FS Felix Schneiders Germany	4,839.21
3	€512,400 $604,630	EC Enrico Coppola Italy	3,951.20
4	€394,150 $465,095	CS Casimir Seire Finland	3,421.84
5	€303,150 $357,715	NB Nazar Buhaiov Ukraine	3,060.59
6	€233,200 $275,175	TJ Tomas Jozonis Lithuania	2,793.92
7	€179,350 $211,635	TG Thierry Gogniat France	2,586.67
8	€137,950 $162,780	SB Sami Bechahed United States of America	2,419.61
9	€106,150 $125,255	JR Joris Ruijs Netherlands	2,281.23

Check the 215 Payouts & Results ...

Asian Players in the Spotlight

The high-stakes side events at EPT Paris featured notable results from prominent Asian players, who navigated highly competitive European fields throughout the series.

Thai high-stakes specialist Punnat Punsri continued his strong form, securing a podium finish in the €12,300 PokerStars Cuatro Knockout. His runner-up result netted him a total payout of €85,300, a figure bolstered by his performance in the event’s bounty-heavy structure.

Japanese vlogger Masato Yokosawa also made a significant impression, navigating a 45-entry field in the €10,200 NLH event. Yokosawa finished third, taking home €62,640.

Looking Ahead: The 2026 EPT Schedule

With the Paris stop complete, the European Poker Tour continues its 2026 circuit with two major upcoming festivals:

• EPT Monte Carlo : The tour heads to the coast for a festival running from April 30 to May 10, 2026.

• EPT Barcelona: The circuit will return in late summer, with the festival scheduled for August 16–29, 2026.