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The EPT Barcelona has definitely been one of the best events to follow around the world of poker competitions. If anything, it reunited a great crop of skilled players who took their chances at Casino Barcelona. But poker is seldom about chance alone.

Michael Soyza Wins the €10,300 High Roller Event

Michael Soyza, a name that you may have heard about in poker managed to blast his way clear to victory at the 2018 PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona, dominating throughout one of the most nerve-wrecking events on the schedule, namely the €10,300 High Roller. Casino Barcelona hosted the competition which saw Soyza overcome opponents of particular skill and merit, including Kai Lehto and even the well-established professional, Liv Boeree.

Soyza, though, hardly did exceptionally in his first and surprisingly last days. With a proclivity for taking risks, he managed to burn through half of his chips on both his first and last days, putting him in a tight spot. However, hardened by circumstances and previous games in the high rolling segment, Soyza, who is from Malaysia, managed to fight his way back.

He did face tough competition beyond Lehto and Boeree, too. Two more names were there to nearly-prevent Soyza from grabbing the title, and those were Orpen Kisacikoglu and another famed pro, Luc Greenwood.

Soyza’s victory has fetched him €302,500 in tidy, fresh profits. He was followed by Lehto, the runner-up who left the race with €204,500, and only then did the turn of Kisacikoglu come who claimed €133,00.

The rest of the competitors, included Bahram Chobineh from Iran who took €110,100 home. Dario Sammartini from Italy had to settle for €88,880. Boeree hit the sixth spot in the overall standing with €70,000, but her all-time earnings exceed those of Soyza.

Goran Mandic and Luc Greenwood qualified seventh and eight respectively €53,500 and €40,300.

The Rest of the Barcelona Tour

The rest of the event promises to be no less action-packed and exciting, though. Soyza is now considering playing in the Main Event and some of the side events, but he hasn’t quite made up his mind yet.

Soyza is not an amateur in poker either. He has managed to cash out over $2.3 million in his career as a professional poker player. He joined the scene back in 2017, making it his first year when he played full time and dedicated to the game. It was a bold move, especially after he had decided to quit his day job in 2016.

Soyza’s recent poker successes are a sure-fire sign that he has made the right choice by opting out of a job and plunging into the thick of poker. He still has a long, long way ahead of him, especially now that he has gathered the financial means to support his hobby-turned-career-path.

With more high rolling action coming, particularly the €100,000 Super High Roller event part of the €1,100 National Championship, we will see more high-paced poker action take place.

In the meanwhile, we will keep you posted should Soyza decides that it’s time to win any more titles at the Barcelona meet-up.