€1,100 Eureka Main Event
Day 4 Completed
€1,100 Eureka Main Event
Day 4 Completed
After a relatively quick four-hour final day, Alejandro Lococo has defeated Bartolomeo Tato heads-up to win the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Prague €1,100 Eureka Main Event and claim the first-place prize of €417,820.
Also known by his stage name "Papo MC", the Argentinian is a rapper, avid poker player, PokerStars ambassador, and hugely influential figure in South America with 2.7 million followers on Instagram, over 2 million on YouTube, and nearly a million on Twitter.
Runner up Tato, hailing from Italy, finished runner-up for €249,000, while the Czech Republic's Jakub Koleckar rounded out the podium with a cash of €174,130. France's Alexandre Reard, one of the favorites coming into the final table, finished in ninth place.
Place | Player | Country | Prize |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Alejandro Lococo | Argentina | €417,820 |
2 | Bartolomeo Tato | Italy | €249,000 |
3 | Jakub Koleckar | Czech Republic | €174,130 |
4 | Jon Kyte | Norway | €131,900 |
5 | Yann Nasser | Luxembourg | €99,920 |
6 | Ville Jantunen | Finland | €75,690 |
7 | Nicolas Cottin | Chile | €57,340 |
8 | Merijn van Rooij | Netherlands | €43,430 |
9 | Alexandre Reard | France | €32,860 |
On last fall's final table of the 2021 WSOP Main Event, Lococo saw a deep run end in seventh place for $1,225,000. This time, the Argentinian star closed it out, marking his second largest-ever tournament score, and his first major tournament win.
The event drew a record field of 3,155 runners, who together created a total prize pool of €3,028,800. A total of 469 players finished in the money across the four-day event.
After breaking through in the international poker world following his final table in the WSOP Main Event, Lococo has once again made headlines as a poker player. While more than familiar with the spotlight as "Papo MC", with the ambassadorship at the world's biggest poker site and the combination of another eye-popping cash, does he consider himself primarily a rapper or poker player these days?
"Both," Lococo laughed when prompted. "I'm a poker player ánd a rapper."
Besides the comparison of his crafts, the question on everyone's lips was how this victory compared to the deep run in the WSOP Main Event, which instantly turned him into a household name outside the LATAM region as well.
"It's two different sensations," the native Spanish speaker explained, before calling in the aid of a translator to give a more in-depth explanation of his feelings.
"Playing the WSOP Main Event gave me an advantage here today. The patience needed in the Main Event, where payjumps ended up in six-figure territory like 200k, half a million, made me feel that there was less pressure here."
Lo Logramos !!!!!!!! 1/3155 ##. Gracias a todos los que mandaron buenas vibras !
— Papo MC ???? (@PapoMcArg)
Where he battled among some of the world's greatest players in Vegas for days on end, including world champion Koray Aldemir, on today's final table, Lococo came in with a massive lead and never really looked back, just once dropping the chip lead to Tato with whom Lococo ultimately ended up heads-up.
After eliminating four out of seven opponents, with Tato meticulously taking care of the other three, the heads-up showdown between the two ended after just a few hands. The final hand saw Lococo call a 25,000,000 all-in bet from Tato on a turn board of . Tato's for a pair of sevens was no match for Lococo's for a pair of aces, which held up on the river.
After answering a few questions in English, Lococo added a few words in Spanish directed to his friends and family.
"Greetings to all my family. I love you so much. I dedicate it to all of them. To my wife who backs me on the other side, to my son, my daughter, and to all the people who give me good vibes."
"Follow your dreams. Don't listen to others," he concluded.
Alejandro Lococo limped his button / small blind, and Bartolomeo Tato raised to 4 million, which Lococo called.
Tato then led out for 4.5 million on the flop, and again Lococo called.
The turn brought the . Nearly immediately, Tato emphatically plunked down a stack of white chips and declared "all-in" for approximately 25 million.
Lococo thought briefly before dropping a stack of chips forward as well to signify a call.
Bartolomeo Tato:
Alejandro Lococo:
Lococo was well ahead with his flopped top pair and straight draw versus Tato's pair of sevens.
The dealer laid down the on the river to eliminate Tato as the runner-up and give Lococo the title.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Alejandro Lococo |
94,650,000
35,500,000
|
35,500,000 |
Bartolomeo Tato | Busted |
Jakub Koleckar shoved all in for 8,600,000 in the small blind and Alejandro Lococo asked for a count in the big blind. As soon as the amount was confirmed, he flicked the calling chips in.
Jakub Koleckar:
Alejandro Lococo:
Lococo was in a dominating position from the start and remained ahead after the flop.
"Five-six," Koleckar pipped.
Instead, the fell on the turn and the river completed the board, ending Koleckar's run in third place.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Alejandro Lococo |
59,150,000
9,150,000
|
9,150,000 |
Bartolomeo Tato |
35,500,000
-4,600,000
|
-4,600,000 |
Jakub Koleckar | Busted |
Alejandro Lococo and Jon Kyte went to battle many times through the course of the last two days of the tournament. Finally, Lococo got the better of his nemesis once and for all.
Lococo raised to 1.6 million on the button and was met by a jam for 15.5 million. Lococo called to put Kyte at risk and had him dominated.
Jon Kyte:
Alejandro Lococo:
The board did bring some drama as the flop fell to give Kyte a gutshot straight draw and possible backdoor spades. That backdoor draw improved on the turn, but the on the river crushed any hope Kyte had of a double up.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Alejandro Lococo |
50,000,000
18,200,000
|
18,200,000 |
Jon Kyte | Busted |
Level: 38
Blinds: 400,000/800,000
Ante: 800,000
Down to just 2,000,000, Jakub Koleckar went all in on the button and received calls from Alejandro Lococo and Bartolomeo Tato in the blinds. Both active players checked the flop. On the turn, Lococo check-folded to a 3 million bet from Tato.
The cards went on their back and, triumphantly, Koleckar slapped down for a set of fives. Tato had just for a pair of aces, rendering the river moot.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jakub Koleckar |
6,600,000
3,800,000
|
3,800,000 |
Alejandro Lococo raised to 1.5 million in the hijack, and after some thought, Yann Nasser committed his final 1.7 million chips. Lococo called.
Yann Nasser:
Alejandro Lococo:
The flop paired Lococo's eight to give him the lead, which held up through the turn and river, bringing the field to its final four players.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Alejandro Lococo |
31,800,000
8,600,000
|
8,600,000 |
Yann Nasser | Busted |
Ville Jantunen moved all-in from under the gun for 2.5 million and was called by Jon Kyte in the hijack.
Ville Jantunen:
Jon Kyte:
The board came giving Kyte a winning pair of queens and eliminating Jantunen in 6th place.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Jon Kyte | 22,000,000 | |
Ville Jantunen | Busted |
Since the elimination of Alexandre Reard, Bartolomeo Tato has been to the direct left of Alejandro "Papo MC" Lococo, and Tato has ramped up the aggression on the PokerStars Ambassador, repeatedly raising and three-betting him.
In a recent hand, Lococo raised in the hijack to 1.5 million and was quickly three-bet by Tato to 4 million. Lococo called to see the flop.
The duo checked the flop, but on the turn, Tato beat Lococo into the pot after he led for 2 million.
The {10s) fell on the turn and after Lococo bet 7 million, Tato instantly moved all in for a little under 20 million total.
Lococo didn't take long before folding and passing a large stack of white T-500,000 chips to his neighbor who now has a significant chip lead.
Player | Chips | Progress |
---|---|---|
Bartolomeo Tato |
40,100,000
13,100,000
|
13,100,000 |
Alejandro Lococo |
23,200,000
-12,300,000
|
-12,300,000 |