EPT Barcelona: Two-time Sunday Million champ Antoine Stackowiak is hunting a live breakthrough
For most players who win the prestigious Sunday Million, the victory is the pinnacle of their poker career. It’s hard to top winning PokerStars’ flagship online event for an enormous sum, but that’s what makes Antoine Stackowiak rare.
He’s not only won the Sunday Million twice, but he achieved both victories this year.
The 27-year-old pro from Onnaing, France is currently deep in the European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona Main Event, which he qualified for in a €250 direct satellite on PokerStars.FR. He’s hoping to secure a breakthrough live result that would eclipse his online success.
“It would be very special,” he says. “It’s a great pleasure to play these events.”
“I LOVED THE GAME IMMEDIATELY”
Antoine Stackowiak began his poker journey the same way that countless players before and after him did. He learned the game in small home games with friends in his teens and was the one out of the pack who became enthralled.
“I started playing with friends in between university classes,” he says. “I loved the game immediately and quickly started to study poker.”
Four years later Stackowiak was doing well enough on the tables to turn pro, and he’s lived in the poker hotbed of Malta for the past three years.
He’s enjoyed some live results – including a win in a €100 buy-in event Dublin for €3,640 – but nothing like the online success he had earlier this year.
Two Sunday Millions in a year for Antoine Stackowiak
SUNDAY MILLION SUCCESSES
First, Antoine Stackowiak won the Sunday Million on the .COM client as part of the Bounty Builder Series, earning himself a six-figure score. Then amazingly, he picked up a second Milly title on .FR, where he plays behind the screen name “costakopp”.
The €250 buy-in edition of the Sunday Million was part of the Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP) series and Stackowiak defeated 4,567 players to win €111,466, including €49,755 in bounties.
“The first win, it was unbelievable,” he says. “The second time was just great. I know it’s very rare, especially to win it twice in the same year.”
The second victory couldn’t have come at a better time. Stackowiak’s bankroll had taken some hits in the months after the win. “I was very fortunate,” he says.
Day 3 main event de l’EPT barcelona à midi 💪 ITM 303 left 1M5 on top 🔥@PokerStarsFR pic.twitter.com/g526kLUxeb
— costakopp (@Antoine_Stacko) August 30, 2023
He’ll need to finish in ninth place in the EPT Barcelona in order to eclipse that score. It’s a big ask, but Stackowiak’s online prowess clearly shows he’s up to the task.
“I hope I can go very far in this event,” he says. “My qualifier experience has been very good. I really love the city and the event has been great.
“Now I just hope I can have a big rail of French players if I make the final table!”
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