Seat 1: Pedro Neves (Portugal) - 6,205,000
Pedro Neves started playing poker when he was 18. In 2019, he made his first trip to Las Vegas and hoped to get more acquainted with live poker afterward. While Covid halted his plans, the 25-year-old returned to the live felt when the EPT came back in March 2022.
Since then, Neves has pushed his live winnings over $400,000 and earned his first six-figure payout (￡111,270 for third place in the UKIPT High Roller at EPT London).
Neves said he played live for about three months last year and plans to dedicate four and a half months to doing it this year — and not just because he enjoys traveling.
“As I’m getting better at it, I start to like it more than online poker,” he said. Neves enjoys the complexity of live tournaments. “There’s more factors to it than online; you have to watch the whole table,” Neves said.
Now guaranteed to set his new career-best score again, Neves stays focused on his game, not the PCA Main Event milestones. That’s what his coach Joao Vieira advised him. “I need to be at my best and not worry about the rest,” Neves said.
It’s worked out for him so far, as the variance took his side on Day 5 when he peeled kings in two all-in pots, winning both to move near the top of the standings and increase his chance to become the first PCA winner from Portugal.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
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6,205,000 | |
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