Belgian Poker Challenge

The Belgian Poker Challenge (BPC) is a tournament sponsored by PokerStars with the winner becoming the Belgian Poker Champion.

Belgian Poker Challenge
SportTexas Hold 'em
Founded2013
Country Belgium
Most recent
champion(s)
France Rayane Benounnane (2024)
Official websitepokerstarslive.com/fps

History

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The Belgian Poker Challenge originated in 2013, when the tournament was held at Casino Middelkerke. The first BPC Main Event had a buy-in of €800, and 381 participants. It was won by Team Pro PokerStars Matthias de Meulder after 7 tournaments, earning €53,459.[1]

Throughout the following years, the series was held alternately between Casino de Spa and Circus Casino Resort Namur.[1] In 2023, the tournament schedule expanded considerably and the number of players also increased. The BPC Main Event in 2023 had 1,332 entries and generated a total prize pool of €1,266,388. It was won by Algerian Omar Lakhdari, earning €206,000.[2]

The 2024 edition of BPC was held in May 2024 at Circo Casino Resort Namur, with a €1,100 buy-in and €1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool.[3]

Results

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Date Event / City Players Prize Pool Winner Prize Results
2024
8-20 May
  BPC NAMUR 2024 €1,100
€1,000,000 Guaranteed
Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia
1,259
€1,266,388   Rayane Benounnane[4] €200,000 [1]
2023
11-21 May
  BPC NAMUR 2023 €1,100
€1,000,000 Guaranteed
Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia
1,332
€1,266,388   Omar Lakhdari[2] €206,000 [2]
2022
27 May-6 June
  BPC NAMUR 2022 €1,100
€500,000 Guaranteed
Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia
785
€752,813   Samy Barka[5] €122,762 [3]
2021
9-19 December
  BPC NAMUR 2021 €1,100
Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia
CANCELED due Covid-19 restrictions[6][7][8]
2020
25 November
-7 December
  BPC NAMUR 2020 €1,100
Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia
CANCELED due Covid-19 restrictions
2019
29 November
-8 December
  BPC NAMUR 2019 €1,100
€500,000 Guaranteed
Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia
743
€708,822   Nicolas Ribeiro[9] €115,000 [4]
2018
23 November
-2 December
  BPC NAMUR 2018 €1,100
€500,000 Guaranteed
Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia
686
€657,874   Marcin Puczylowski[10] €126,252 [5]
2018
29 May-3 June
  BPC SPA €800
Casino de Spa, Liège, Wallonia
686
€151,373   Ahmed Ibrahimi[11] €24,555 [6]
2017
24 November
-3 December
  BPC NAMUR 2017 €1,100
€600,000 Guaranteed
Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia
645
€619,200   Julien Baldassarre[12] €84,728 [7]
2017
16-21 May
  BPC SPA €800
Casino de Spa, Liège, Wallonia
208
€147,000   Yves Sergeant[13] €31,000 [8]
2016
25 November
-4 December
  BPC NAMUR 2016 €1,100
Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia
600
€576,000   Vlad-Victor Darie[14] €90,602 [9]
2016
31 May-5 June
  BPC SPA €800
Casino de Spa, Liège, Wallonia
234
€165,153   Luc Ta[15] €29,069 [10]
2015
27 November
-6 December
  BPC NAMUR 2015 €1,100
Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia
680
€652,800   Arne Coulier[16] €101,075 [11]
2015
6-10 May
  BPC SPA €800
Casino de Spa, Liège, Wallonia
289
€202,242   Marius Pospiech[17] €37,346 [12]
2014
28 November
-7 December
  BPC NAMUR 2014 €1,100
Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia
683
€654,309   Arne Coulier[18] €113,820 [13]
2014
3-7 September
  BPC SPA €800
Casino de Spa, Liège, Wallonia
260
€181,948   Cheng-Wei Yin[19] €45,026 [14]
2013
22 November
-1 December
  BPC NAMUR 2013 €1,500
Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia
470
€608,180   Laurens De Smet[20] €97,304 [15]
2013
9-15 September
  BPC SPA €800
Casino de Spa, Liège, Wallonia
369
€258,654   Julien Lannoy[21] €42,595 [16][17]
2013
8-14 April
  BPC MIDDELKERKE €800
Casino Middelkerke, West Flanders, Flanders
381
€267,015   Matthias De Meulder[22] €53,459 [18]

References

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  1. ^ a b Pokeren - "Belgian Poker Challenge" (in Dutch). pokeren.nl. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Poker Listings - Schroen, Melvin (March 29, 2023). "Omar Lakhdari Wins Belgian Poker Challenge 2023 Main Event in Namur". pokerlistings.com. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  3. ^ The Hendom Mob - Belgian Poker Challenge 2024 Results
  4. ^ PokerNews France - Jaudon, Gaelle (May 20, 2024). "Rayane Mokhtar Benounnane Sacré Champion du Belgian Poker Challenge 2024" (in French). fr.pokernews.com. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  5. ^ PokerNews France - "Le Français Samy Barka remporte le Belgian Poker Challenge (122.762€)" (in French). fr.pokernews.com. June 6, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  6. ^ Cards Chat - Smyth, Daniel (November 30, 2021). "Belgian Poker Challenge Cancelled, Fresh COVID Restrictions Sweep Across Europe". cardschat.com. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  7. ^ Poker Strategy - Carter, Barry (December 1, 2021). "The Belgian Poker Challenge is postponed". pokerstrategy.com. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  8. ^ APN News - "New Covid-19 Restrictions Lead to the Postponement of Belgian Poker Challenge". apnnews.com. December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  9. ^ PokerNews France - "BPC Namur: Deal à 3 et la gagne pour Nicolas Ribeiro (115.000€)" (in French). fr.pokernews.com. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  10. ^ Club Poker - "BELGIAN POKER CHALLENGE : LE MAIN EVENT POUR MARCIN PUCZYLOWSKI" (in French). clubpoker.net. December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  11. ^ Poker City - Salet, Pieter (June 4, 2018). "BPC Spa: Ahmed Ibrahimi wint Main Event, Ryanne en 'Sikkes side events!" (in Dutch). pokercity.nl. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  12. ^ Poker City - van Winden, Milko (December 3, 2017). "BPC Namur: Julien Baldassarré te sterk voor Berende en Lybaert" (in Dutch). pokercity.nl. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  13. ^ Live Poker - "TOURNOI BELGIAN POKER CHALLENGE - 800 € MAIN EVENT" (in French). livepoker.fr. May 22, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  14. ^ PokerNews France - Sustrac, Matthieu (December 5, 2016). "Belgian Poker Championship : Vlad Darie s'impose à Namur, le High Roller pour Kalidou Sow" (in French). fr.pokernews.com. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  15. ^ The Hendom Mob - "€ 730 + 70 No Limit Hold'em Main Event 4 Results". thehendonmob.com. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  16. ^ The Rounder - "Arne Coulier remporte le BPC Namur Main Event back to back !! (€90.075 + €11.000)" (in French). the-rounder.net. December 6, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  17. ^ The Rounder - "Marius POSPIECH sort victorieux du heads-up final et est notre champion du BPC Spa MAIN EVENT" (in French). the-rounder.net. May 10, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  18. ^ PokerNews France - "Arne Coulier champion Belgian Poker Challenge Namur 2014 (113.820€)" (in French). fr.pokernews.com. December 7, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  19. ^ Poker City - Salet, Pieter (September 8, 2014). "Cheng-Wei Yin wint BPC Main Event" (in Dutch). pokercity.nl. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  20. ^ HLN Belgium - "Laurens De Smet wint officieus BK poker" (in Flemish). hln.be. December 2, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  21. ^ HLN Belgium - "Julien Lannoy wint eerste grote titel op Belgian Poker Challenge in Spa" (in Flemish). hln.be. September 17, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  22. '^ 7Sur7 - "Le vainqueur du Belgian Poker Challenge est Matthias de Meulder" (in French). 7sur7.be. April 17, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
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