The EPT Monte Carlo Main Event has reached the last 20! Bernhard Binder is leading the pack and is vying for the €825,000 champion's prize.

Bernhard Binder leads the field with a huge chip advantage after Day 4 of the 2026 EPT Monte Carlo Main Event.

Bernhard Binder leads the final 20 of the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event

The 2026 PokerStars EPT Monte Carlo €5,300 Main Event has officially entered its most intense phase. After four days of fierce competition, Bernhard Binder from Austria has successfully taken the lead with an absolute chip advantage, making him the most favored champion.

This year's EPT Monte Carlo Main Event attracted 1,011 entries, creating a total prize pool of €4,903,350, with the ultimate champion taking home a massive €825,000. Currently, only 20 players remain to advance to Day 5. Binder leads with 4,540,000 chips and is the only player to surpass 100 big blinds.

Second place goes to PokerStars brand ambassador Raul Mestre with 2,910,000 points, still more than 1.5 times behind Binder.

From EPT mini-tournaments to high-stakes top players

Surprisingly, Bernhard Binder's poker career is actually quite recent. He only won his first EPT event in October 2023, finishing 23rd in a $1,100 buy-in event in EPT Cyprus.

In less than three years, he has rapidly risen to the ranks of top high-stakes players, with his live tournament winnings exceeding $13 million, making him a globally renowned new generation of high-stakes professional poker player.

Now, he is back on the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event deep round stage, with a huge chip advantage, and has the opportunity to add another six-figure or even championship-level result.

Key four-bet large pot lays the foundation for leadership

Binder's most important hand on Day 4 came from a huge four-bet pot against then-CL Mehdi Chaoui.

The hand eventually reached the river, where Binder, with top pair and a blocker, successfully made a hero call, beating his opponent's value bet and doubling up to take the lead.

In a post-match interview, Binder stated that he believed his opponent possessed sufficient offensive capabilities, and therefore ultimately chose to trust his judgment and call.

He admitted, "It's a fantastic position to have such a huge lead when there are only 20 players left in a major main event with 1,000 players."

Several top players were eliminated on Day 4.

Day 4 began with 48 players still alive, including Derk van Luijk, the 2024 EPT Monte Carlo Main Event champion. However, he was defeated early on by a strong upset by Jason Wheeler, ultimately finishing in 47th place and winning €16,100.

Jason Wheeler continued his hot streak, not only eliminating Benny Glaser but also accumulating a large number of scorecards.

On the other hand, French star Thomas Eychenne was expected to make another run at the EPT final table, but he suffered a collapse in the final level, doubling down two opponents in a row before being eliminated in 22nd place, winning €28,150.

Boris Kolev, a regular at the EPT, became the last player eliminated on Day 4, ultimately losing to Binder and failing to advance to Day 5.

The minimum guaranteed amount for the last 20 people is €32,350.

The remaining 20 players have all secured at least €32,350 in prize money, while the real big prizes are concentrated at the final table.

The top seven finishers in this year's main event will all receive six-figure prizes, with the champion taking home €825,000, the runner-up €515,000, and the third-place finisher €368,750.

As the final table draws closer, the competition will intensify.

Day 5 is about to begin the final sprint.

Day 5 will officially begin at noon local time on May 9th, with blinds of 20,000/40,000 and an ante of 40,000 big blinds.

The official plan is to determine the final six by the end of Day 5, but the competition may be suspended earlier if it takes too long.

With a huge chip lead, whether Bernhard Binder can maintain his lead and win the EPT Monte Carlo Main Event will be the focus of attention in the global poker world.

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