More and more players crowd into the best poker rooms in Spain to participate in the CEP
Over the last 20 years, the Spanish Poker Championship has established itself as the most acclaimed by the Spanish poker player community, becoming the preferred circuit for thousands of players. What started as a tournament with fewer than 100 people in Barcelona is now one of the most popular festivals on the continent.
This Monday at Casino Barcelona a new event begins, which is expected to be massive – once again – and so here we review the exponential growth of the CEP.
The beginnings in 2006
The first Spanish Poker Championship was played in 2006. At that time, the circuit did not have the backing it has today and was making its first attempts. Despite having far fewer players than now, the public feedback was very positive and, from the start, it was clear that a unique community was forming, with the strength needed to sustain itself over the decades.
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The very first event was held at Casino Barcelona, and the winner was Pedro Muñoz de Jodar
By 2007, attendance had already increased. The first event in Barcelona registered 125 entries, showing clear improvement, while the most popular event ended up being Málaga, with 191 entries. That year also several new cities were added.
To date, the CEP has passed through Gran Canaria, Peralada, Madrid, Barcelona, Mallorca, Tarragona, Málaga, Alicante, Murcia, Valladolid, Donosti, Badajoz, Bilbao, Castellón, Ibiza, Valencia, Coruña, and Sevilla, reaffirming itself as the Spanish Championship par excellence.
Barcelona establishes itself as the main stop
Starting in 2008 something began to happen: the events at Casino Barcelona became the most popular in the entire circuit. With 227 entries, it was the largest of that year. The following year the same happened but this time entries were 407, and in 2009 the CEP tournament surpassed 500 entries for the first time, reaching 547 registrations.
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It was then that new approaches began. What would be the best time of year to hold the CEP Barcelona? It was tried at the end of the year, but it did not have the expected reception. In 2011 it was moved to November and obtained 250 registrations. The following year it was moved back to March and attendance grew again.
Casino Barcelona Became A Key Stop Within The Cep
It was not until 2019 that CEP Barcelona began to be played both at the beginning of the year and in August, and this second visit to the Catalan city ended up becoming a key stop in the history of the CEP.
That same year, CEP Barcelona registered 1,733 entries in its Main Event, becoming the largest tournament in the circuit up to that point. This trend continued to grow until, in 2025, more entries than ever were recorded, with 2,182 registrations in the Main Event.
Birth of the Mini CEP
Another change in the history of the CEP occurred in 2014, when the Mini CEP was played for the first time. This event emerged as a more accessible alternative for those who want to participate in a high-level poker tournament for a fraction of the Main Event’s cost.
Over the years, great Mini CEP champions have passed through, such as Charly Pablos
The most popular Mini CEP took place in 2025, in Barcelona, right in the same series as the Main Event with the highest number of entries. At that time, the Mini CEP had 812 entries and Jorge Rodríguez
Jorge Rodríguez
At the next CEP Barcelona event, which will be held from August 3 to 17, there will also be another Mini CEP that will add points to the annual ranking, currently led by Eric Dubois
Don’t miss your chance to join the great history of the Spanish Poker Championship and reserve your spot for the great festival that is about to land at Casino Barcelona.
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