Seat 5: Andre Akkari, 48, Brazil (4,500,000)
The leading light of Brazilian poker for more than a decade, Andre Akkari has been pivotal in the explosion in popularity of poker in his home country and continues to show that he can mix it with the best. There are now numerous Brazilians in the very top echelons of the world game, and all owe a debt of gratitude to the PokerStars Ambassador from Sao Paulo. He is a well-known figure in the Brazilian media, advocating for poker, and has mentored countless players as they build their careers.
Akkari himself continues to be a tremendous talent at the tables, with a particular affinity for Barcelona. He recorded his first ever tournament cash on European soil here in 2006, and also picked up his best finish at a PokerStars event in this room in 2017, when he finished fifth in what was then the PokerStars Championship. He has cashed in at least one EPT tournament in Barcelona every year for the past 10 years (Covid cancellations notwithstanding).
The latter stages of this EPT Main Event have showcased Akkari’s incredible survival skills. He had the shortest stack of all 32 players when Day 4 ended and was 16th of 16 at the end of Day 5. But Akkari is still there in the final six, with a very good chance of surpassing the payday that came with his World Series bracelet in 2011. Back then, he won $675,117 for victory in a $1,500 event.