The 888LIVE series is a vibrant poker circuit that first launched in 2015. During its inaugural season, it crossed nearly 20 stops worldwide. However, the series later transitioned to focus on quality over quantity — hosting seven major events annually since 2021.
Most tournaments feature lower to mid buy-ins, appealing mainly to recreational players. Emphasizing community and fun, the series offers opportunities to qualify online, allowing amateurs to play alongside professionals and ambassadors like Ian Simpson, Vivian Saliba, and Lucia Navarro.
A Successful Start to the New Season
The inaugural Main Event of the 2026 season was hosted at Casino Gran Vía in Madrid and delivered everything fans hoped for — great attendance, thrilling moments, and the compelling story of a new champion. The tournament with an €888 buy-in eventually drew 360 entries, creating a prize pool of €273,600. Familiar faces included defending champion Ian Simpson and 888 team members Vivian Saliba and Lucia Navarro.
At the start of the final Day 3, nine players remained, with four of them being Spaniards. However, the chiplead was held by China's Daniel Wu, followed by Spain's Gorka Akerreta (3.66M) and Argentina's Martin Pardo (2.55M). The final table was live-streamed, and you can revisit the recording here:
Soon after the start of the final day, the short stacks were quickly eliminated. The first to exit was local player Nima Jenabi, followed closely by Jake Collins and Jorge Diego. Turlough McHugh, the only Irish player at the final table, climbed one position higher, but fifth place was soon claimed by France's Julien Loire.
The remaining four created an intriguing mix: two young local talents against two seasoned international players. The final heads-up, following the eliminations of Pardo and Wu, featured two Spaniards — Gorka Akerreta vs. Raul Gordo. Both were guaranteed a five-figure payout, but everything was at stake: the trophy, prestige, and a €14,000 difference.
Although Gordo started the heads-up with a slight lead, Akerreta remained unfazed. As the blinds rose to high levels, Gorka increased his aggression and took control of the game. In the last hand of the tournament, the players went all-in pre-flop, with Gordo’s KdQh facing off against Akerreta’s Ah3s. A spade ace on the flop sealed the title for Akerreta, who thus became the champion of the event.
Gorka Akerreta, who only won his spot in the tournament through a €55 online satellite, turned this entry into a stunning €50,000 and claimed a unique champion's trophy. In an interview immediately after the game, Akerreta was beaming with joy. “It's like a dream. Just yesterday, I was an online qualifier with a small stack, and today I'm holding this beautiful trophy.” said the emotional winner.
Final Table Results:
| Position | Player | Country | Prize |
| 1. | Gorka Akerreta | Spain | €50,000 |
| 2. | Raul Gordo | Spain | €36,000 |
| 3. | Daniel Wu | China | €25,000 |
| 4. | Martin Pardo | Argentina | €19,300 |
| 5. | Julien Loire | France | €15,800 |
| 6. | Turlough McHugh | Ireland | €13,000 |
| 7. | Jorge Diego | Spain | €10,300 |
| 8. | Jake Collins | United Kingdom | €7,900 |
| 9. | Nima Jenabi | Spain | €5,900 |
Your NEW 888poker LIVE Madrid Main Event champion!
— 888poker (@888poker) January 18, 2026
Congratulations to Gorka Akerreta, who takes home €50,000 after satelliting into the Main Event for €55! 👏
18+, Play Responsibly.#ad #poker pic.twitter.com/s7uQqBIUvd
Planned Stops for 2026
The year 2026 promises to continue in grand style — organizers have confirmed four major festivals in popular European cities. Each stop will offer a week full of events with accessible buy-ins, culminating in the Main Event. Following the recently concluded stop in Madrid, the series moves to Glasgow in March, heads to Barcelona in May, and wraps up with an October stop in London.
Sources: PokerNews, X
