Kayhan Mokri has been a familiar face on the European Poker Tour (EPT) for years, often coming very close to victory with several podium finishes. However, his long-awaited breakthrough finally came last year when he captured the title at the €100,000 Super High Roller event at EPT Barcelona. Now, a year later, Mokri returned to Barcelona for the 20th anniversary of the EPT and did it again, as he defended his title and went back-to-back at this prestigious event.
In 2023, Mokri won by defeating French high roller Jean-Noel Thorel, earning €750,960. This time around, the bar was set even higher as he faced off against American poker pro Seth Davies, who arrived in Spain fresh from his $3.2 million win in Super High Roller Bowl IX. Overcoming the challenge, Mokri emerged victorious once again, this time claiming a career-best €1,372,420.
“No words,” Mokri told during the winner’s interview. “Just very lucky, I guess. And some skill in it, I guess. But very fortunate.”
With a field of 41 elite players, there is a high-pressure atmosphere at the tables, yet despite the tension, Mokri manages to keep the mood light. “I’m playing a game that I love,” he explained. “Once you do something you love, you often get very good at it, and you’re enjoying the moment. So it’s super easy for me, and the people I’m playing with are super friendly and great people; it’s super easy to have fun at the same time.”
Just days before his career achievement, Mokri also took down a €20,000 buy-in event, where he bested Sam Greenwood in a heads-up after the pair made a deal and pocketed €259,646.
It has been an incredible year for the Norwegian, who now boasts over $6 million in live tournament winnings, proving his place among the poker’s best. Mokri surpassed several Norwegian poker legends on the Norway All-Time Money List in the past twelve months, including Johnny Lodden, Thor Hansen, and Annette Oberstad. He now trails only 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event champion Espen Uhlen Jørstad, who sits atop the list with $15 million in live career tournament earnings.
EPT Barcelona €100,000 Super High Roller Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1 |  Kayhan Mokri | Norway | €1,372,420 |
| 2 |  Seth Davies | USA | €895,000 |
| 3 | Sean Winter | USA | €616,600 |
| 4 | Jesse Lonis | USA | €457,400 |
| 5 |  Santhosh Suvarna | India | €358,000 |
| 6 |  Patrik Antonius | Finland | €278,400 |
EPT Barcelona €100,000 Super High Roller Final Table Recap
The €100,000 Super High Roller at EPT Barcelona saw 41 elite players enter, with only six out of the final table of nine walking away with a payout. Unfortunately, the trio of Niklas “Lena900” Astedt, Steve O’Dwyer, and Thomas Santerne hit the rail empty-handed. The last two eliminations were courtesy of Sean Winter, who surged into the chip lead just ahead of Seth Davies, who had earlier knocked out Astedt.
Patrik Antonius was the shortest stack at the table as he made his move with king-jack suited, only to be called by Jesse Lonis holding pocket sevens. The sevens held, sending the Finnish legend out in sixth place. As expected, Santhosh Suvarna was the next to exit after losing a classic coin flip with ace-queen against Kayhan Mokri’s pocket nines.
Davies found himself on the brink of elimination when his all-in with pocket sevens ran into Winter’s pocket kings. However, the Davies’ Northern Cyprus goodrun continued as a seven appeared on the flop, crippling Winter’s stack. Shortly after, Winter three-bet most of his chips with ace-king, only to see Mokri call with pocket eights. The Norwegian successfully dodged all overcards, doubling up yet again.
Lonis took a gamble, shoving with ace-deuce suited from the small blind, and Davies called with king-queen after opening from the cutoff. A king on the flop sealed Lonis’s fate, eliminating him in fourth place. Winter, who had managed to survive a pay jump, went all-in with king-seven suited, but this time, Davies called with pocket tens. The board came 9♠8♣5♥3♣, giving Winter seven outs, and the river brought the 6♠ for a straight, granting Winter a much-needed lifeline in the tournament.
However, Winter soon threw it away in an unsuccessful bluff with jack-four, firing bets on the flop, turn, and river on a board of K♦A♥6♦7♦Q♣. Davies, holding queen-four, made a great call after using three timebank chips to leave Winter with just one big blind, which he lost soon after.
The heads-up battle between Davies and Mokri began evenly matched, but it was all over early in the match. Mokri raised with pocket fives, and Davies called with J♦9♦. The flop brought J♥8♥9♣, giving Davies two pair, and Mokri made a small continuation bet. The turn 5s gave Mokri a set. He cleverly checked, luring Davies into betting his two pair. After a minute’s consideration, Mokri went all-in, and Davies quickly called, with only two jacks and two nines left in the deck to save him.
The river was a blank 8♣ for an incredible back-to-back victory for Kayhan Mokri in the EPT’s €100,000 Super High Roller.
