2024 EPT Barcelona €20K NLH: Gerard Piqué Eliminated

By Mrinal Gujare

29 Aug 2024

Mrinal Gujare 29 Aug 2024

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Image Credit: Danny Maxwell/Rational Intellectual Holdings Limited

A well-known figure from the football world made his way to Casino Barcelona, ready to take on some of the finest poker players in the world at the 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT).

Soccer star Gerard Piqué bought in the €20,000 No-Limit Hold’em tournament, joining poker heavy weights like the Poker Hall of Famer, Erik Seidel, triple crown winner Mike Watson, and online poker dynamite Niklas Astedt.

Piqué isn’t a newbie in the poker universe, having participated in the World Series of Poker and various EPT events. But this time, the World Cup champion fell short on the tables.

Gerard Piqué crashes into rival’s Kings

On Level 8, with blinds resting at 1,000/2,500/2,500 big blind ante, the action folded to Piqué. The Spanish national raised to 5,000 from the small blind position. Jules Dickerson reverted with a raise of 16,000 from the big blind spot.

Piqué thought for a bit before going all-in for nearly 80,000, leading to a quick call from Dickerson, who had Cowboys and a bigger stack.

Gerard Piqué: 2♠2♦

Jules Dickerson: K♣K♥

Piqué had a pair but his rival sat with a better pair which could easily beat him. Situation worsened when the flop brought a King. Now, Piqué was looking to hit quads with the turn and river but that never happened as the cards presented 6♠ and T♥. Piqué tapped the table and exited the tournament area.

Gerard Piqué's Poker History

Piqué made headlines in poker in 2014 at the WSOP in Las Vegas. But his initial recorded cash dates back to 2011. Previously, in 2016, the Spanish football sensation also commented on his love for the card game. He said "I love to compete in many situations and like to compete against the best players in anything, in this case, poker."

"So when I sit down at a table and get to know some of the players, and I know them because they are really good players, I really enjoy it," further added Piqué. In 2019, Piqué finished second in a €25,000 Single-Day High Roller, for a sum of €352,950.

Piqué returned after three years to the EPT felts; this time participating in the €50,000 EPT Super High Roller in Prague. After firing two bullets, Piqué couldn’t make it in the money.

The following year, the 37 year old Spaniard took the sixth spot in the €50,000 Super High Roller Second Chance, for a payday of €65,000.

According to The Hendon Mob, Piqué has $738,611 in total live earnings and stands 43rd in Spain’s All Time Money List.