The second edition of the Spin & Go Championship Live took place during the PokerStars EPT Barcelona 2025, delivering two days of fast‑paced, three‑handed poker action that concluded with Brazil’s Guilherme Kleist crowned champion.
Kleist defeated fellow Brazilian Joao Nascimento heads‑up at the final table, which also featured Poland’s Krystian Lisowski, to claim the trophy, €75,000 in prize money, an additional €5,500 in bonus Spinner prizes, and a seat at the next Spin & Go Championship at EPT Paris in 2026.
This result was a breakthrough on one of the biggest stages for the 30‑year‑old Spin & Go specialist, who has already carved his reputation online but is now firmly established in PokerStars’ new live format.
A Format That Brings Online Thrills to the Live Arena
The Barcelona running of the Spin & Go Championship highlighted the ongoing effort by PokerStars to bring its most popular online invention into a live arena.
Spin & Go tournaments — three‑handed Sit & Gos with randomized prize pools — have been one of PokerStars’ strongest acquisition and engagement drivers for more than a decade. They are quick, engaging, and combine a blend of strategy and luck that has proven hugely popular.
After first being trialed at EPT Barcelona in 2024, the official live championship debuted at EPT Prague 2024, proving not only that players would embrace the format face‑to‑face, but that it could generate the same kind of excitement in a live setting.
This year, Barcelona built on that foundation. Eighty‑one online qualifiers made the trip to Casino Barcelona to battle through four rounds of heats, all designed to mimic the high‑variance rhythm of the online structure.
This year’s festival in Barcelona capped one of the busiest series in PokerStars history, with thousands of players flocking to Casino Barcelona for a packed schedule of events.
Kleist’s Path to Victory
The tournament played out over six three‑handed matches per round, ultimately setting the stage for an exciting final showdown on Day Two. Kleist, who grinds Spins professionally online, leveraged his deep understanding of short‑stack formats to navigate the volatile draws.
The final proved a showcase of flair and adaptability. Against fellow Brazilian Joao Nascimento, Kleist kept the tempo high, capitalizing on thin spots and the relentless all‑in nature that makes the Spin & Go structure so volatile. His victory underscored exactly why PokerStars believes this format connects with a broad spectrum of players — from casual thrill‑seekers to seasoned specialists who have built their careers online.
Kleist’s victory also highlights just how influential online poker in Brazil has become on the global stage, with the country now recognized as one of the strongest communities for poker in the world.
Koon’s Perspective Before the Event
Among the field was PokerStars ambassador Jason Koon, though the American pro did not reach the latter stages. His comments beforehand, first shared ahead of the Spin & Go Championship, proved strikingly accurate.
“Stars asked me if I wanted to do it, and it sounded fun and different,” Koon told Pokerfuse ahead of the event in our in‑depth profile. “Most of the time in the high rollers I’m playing guys I’ve known for 10 years, so this will be fun — some new faces.”
In that same preview, Koon also suggested the format could bridge online and live poker: “There are a lot of people who may not feel comfortable jumping straight into a full live tournament. But they’ve played tens of thousands of Spins online. Bringing that same game live could get them to show up. And because Spins are really fast, anybody can come in and run deep.”
That is exactly what unfolded in Barcelona. The field included 81 online qualifiers, and it was Guilherme Kleist — a dedicated Spin & Go specialist who had also taken part in the inaugural Prague edition — who went on to lift the trophy. His victory embodied the very dynamic Koon envisioned: an online grinder stepping confidently into the live spotlight and running deep on one of poker’s biggest stages.
Why It Matters
The success of the Spin & Go Championship at EPT Barcelona further cements the format’s role not just online, but across PokerStars’ live ecosystem. The production included colorful graphics and staging designed to mimic the online “lottery” buzz, giving fans and players the feel of stepping into a live video game environment.
For PokerStars, it showcases how broad their player funnel can be. Spin & Gos represent a huge slice of online traffic; by offering those same players a chance to qualify for a live version at an EPT, PokerStars brings aspirational value to a format often seen as purely casual. For players, it’s a chance to turn years of online practice into something tangible: a trophy and a major live payday.
Looking Ahead: EPT Paris 2026
As part of his prize package, Kleist has already booked a seat at the next edition of the Spin & Go Championship, to be held at EPT Paris in 2026. With his win, Kleist will now return as the defending champion, while PokerStars looks to expand the live Spin & Go brand even further.
Given the enthusiastic participation in Prague and Barcelona, there is every indication that the momentum will continue. Whether more online grinders like Kleist step into the spotlight or PokerStars’ ambassadors like Koon continue to bring attention to the format, the Spin & Go Championship has already proven it can stand alongside the more traditional EPT events.
Next Stop: Spin & Go Championship Live Heads to Paris
PokerStars has confirmed that following Guilherme Kleist’s victory in Barcelona, the Spin & Go Championship Live will next appear at EPT Paris in February 2026. The format debuted officially at EPT Prague in 2024, and Barcelona marked only its second running. With strong participation and a popular final table set in Casino Barcelona’s unique arena, PokerStars will now carry the event forward as a fixture on the EPT calendar.
From September 1, players on the global PokerStars.com client can play $ 3 Spin & Go tournaments for a chance to win packages to Paris, giving a wide pool of online qualifiers the opportunity to take their seat in the live championship. Qualification paths for Southern Europe customers will also be announced in the coming weeks.
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“We’re really excited about how Spin & Go Live has captured the imagination of our players,” said Sebastian Pico, Associate Director of Key Account Management at PokerStars. “The atmosphere, the arena, and the format gave a great additional buzz to everything else going on at the EPT and we can’t wait to make it even better in Paris next year.”
The Paris running will join a busy year‑end schedule of PokerStars live events. Before then, the EPT continues with EPT Malta from October 1–12, followed by the PokerStars Open Manchester (October 20–26), EPT Prague (December 3–14), and Cannes (December 16–21).
Watch the Action
Fans can relive the high‑energy conclusion of the tournament through PokerStars’ final table replay, which captures Kleist’s triumph and the intense dynamic of the three‑handed battles.
