Nick Walsh: Spin & Go Championship Live in Barcelona opens live poker to whole new audience
PokerStars Ambassador Nick Walsh takes us behind the scenes of Spin & Go Championship Live ahead of EPT Barcelona
Carving out any time for a chat with Nick Walsh, PokerStars Ambassador, in late June 2025 is almost – almost – an impossibility. As he says himself, it’s “pretty full-on” right now.
Only a few weeks out from EPT Barcelona, Walsh has been busy burning the midnight oil, refining, perfecting and creating a Spin & Go Championship Live experience that “players want to be a part of long-term”, he says.
EPT Barcelona will see Spin & Go Championship Live explode into real-life from August 30-31 at the legendary Casino Barcelona with qualifiers well underway. For Walsh, there could be no better venue.
“Barcelona and poker are now globally synonymous”, adds the PokerStars Ambassador. “The city, the casino, the history – it’s the place people dream of winning live events. Also, because so many players already travel out for EPT Barcelona, we get this beautiful mix of top-tier professionals, online crushers, and recreational players all colliding in the same space. For Spin & Go Championship Live that’s the dream. IRL (in real life) Spin & Go becoming a real thing, big winning moments, and all in a city that knows how to deliver on atmosphere.”
Players can expect a “few dramatic twists” at the Spin & Go Championship Live in Barcelona this year, according to PokerStars Ambassador Nick Walsh
In The Beginning
It sounds like a mouth-watering prospect but let’s go back to the beginning for a bit. How did the leap from online to real-world come about?
“I guess someone just thought: ‘What if we could bring the speed and intensity of Spin & Go to the live felt?’ We’d seen how invested players had become in the online format – the rivalries, the leaderboards, the sweat. We knew there was something there.”
Walsh continues: “From there, it was a process of trial and error – building a structure that could keep that speed and adrenaline but translate it into a live atmosphere. It was a collaboration across a lot of departments at the start, but this year we’ve collaborated to allow more stakeholders at PokerStars to add value to this event which I hope the players will feel in Barcelona this year.”
Switching back to the present now, and the intensity of activity for Walsh and the entire PokerStars team involved.
“It’s pretty full-on,” agrees Walsh, “but (it’s) a labour of love for me. In the months leading up to Barcelona, I’m working closely with the PokerStars live events team to make sure the experience we deliver retains the things we enjoyed from the previous Spin & Go Championship while improving on game structure and in-game prize delivery mechanisms. You can expect a few dramatic twists too! I’m really excited for everyone to see how we’ve improved the IRL version of Spins!”
Nick Walsh on Spin & Go Championship Live: “A lot of the players I’ve spoken to are taking this really seriously”
Unique Event
Speaking of the excitement levels. Has he spoken to many players about it? What’s the feeling?
“Buzzing. A lot of the players I’ve spoken to are taking this really seriously. It’s a unique event – you’ve got this perfect storm of a small field, big prize pool, and the chance to be part of something that’s genuinely new.”
He adds: “I think those that have seen or experienced the first Spin & Go Championships understand what a big opportunity qualification can represent now so there’s a lot of excitement but also a real sense of urgency – players know the seats are limited and they’re putting in volume early.”
With only 81 seats up for grabs, the prestige of making it via the qualification route adds another element of intensity to an event which is drawing lots of interest from around the globe.
Walsh nods. “Absolutely. The limited field means every qualifier really counts – there’s no coasting into this event. You’ve got to earn your spot and this year with the prize pool for the Championship.”
Behind the Scenes
Looking deeper into the detail, it’s clear that Walsh’s passion for Spin & Go Championship shines through in the sheer level of work it has taken to get to this point.
“I’ve been working with the team ever since the conclusion of the previous Spin & Go Championship,” he offers. “Figuring out how to take what works online and build a version that works in real life. That’s involved a lot of testing structures online, adapting clocks or mechanics for the live environment, suggesting more exciting prize delivery mechanics and working with our live events team to create something that feels exciting but still fundamentally Spin & Go.
“I want players who qualify to really feel the value of the event we’ve been fleshing out this year – making sure it’s not just a one-off but the start of something players want to be a part of long-term.”
“EPT Barcelona 2022 was one of my all-time favourite events to commentate on”
It takes an incredible team effort to make something of this scale work. Walsh applauds those that have been unstinting in their support and work to date.
“Special shout-out to Samuele Gallinari who is spearheading this endeavour, but the whole team has worked very hard to make this event a thing IRL.”
Looking back at his memories of EPT Barcelona, there’s one year amongst many that he fondly recalls.
“Mostly I have standout memories from commentary at EPT Barcelona. I think EPT Barcelona 2022 was one of my all-time favourite events to commentate on – that atmosphere, the drama, the comeback! If anyone reading has never seen it, it’s a must watch for poker fans.”
What the Future Holds
“We’ve got a format that’s flexible, entertaining, and scalable.”
Could Spin & Go Championship Live at EPT Barcelona be the start of something more?
“I think we’ve only scratched the surface,” enthuses Walsh. “We’ve got a format that’s flexible, entertaining, and scalable. In the future I could see this become a regular tour event where you can buy-in direct even. I recall during the first Spin & Go Championship in Prague last year the number of players busting other events approaching our live event staff asking what we were playing and if they could join in! It’s something different and I believe with the changes we are bringing in this year, it will be much improved on what was already a very enjoyable event last year.”
EPT Barcelona is always well-known for the events and myriad activities that are laid on for the players. – it’s an event players anticipate all year for many reasons. Does Walsh see himself grabbing a moment or two to enjoy some of the outside-casino fun this August?
“When we travel for commentary, we are really all-in on the event, but I try to carve out at least one proper meal and a walk around the Gothic Quarter. The food is unreal, the city’s got so much character. I’ve also been known to sneak off to the beach for a quick recharge between sessions - poker life can be intense, so finding those little moments of calm are key.”
Hard to disagree with that.
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