The Spin & Go Championship qualifiers playing in Paris
Table of Contents
The third edition of the Spin & Go Championship Live is rapidly approaching, and that means dozens of qualifiers are currently preparing for a very special trip to Paris (Feb 23-24).
Here you’ll find profiles of some of the players who have booked their seats in one of the year’s most exclusive poker tournaments.
But first, what is the Spin & Go Championship Live, and how did these players win their way into it?
WHAT IS THE SPIN & GO CHAMPIONSHIP LIVE?
A very special event
The Spin & Go Championship Live is a three-handed tournament that will take place during the European Poker Tour (EPT) Paris festival from February 23 – 24, 2026, at Le Palais des Congrès.
It’s an exclusive event with only 81 seats available. To win a live package, players could qualify through one of the three online qualification periods. A select number of special seats were also on offer through live Spin & Go promotions and other online routes.
The event begins with 81 players spread across 27 three-handed tables. Players will play multiple Spin & Go’s until one player has four wins, then the winners progress to Round 2. The nine winners from that round move on to Round 3, after which we’ll have a final table of three.
There’s more than €300,000 in the prize pool, and €150,000 up for grabs if you make the final table.
There are so many elements that make the Spin & Go Championship Live special.
- No direct buy-in – All players must have qualified on PokerStars or at a PokerStars event
- Unique scoring system – Simple and intuitive
- Fast-paced format – Designed for a thrilling competition
- High-value packages – Including travel and expenses
- eSports-style atmosphere – Fan-friendly and easy to follow
MEET THE QUALIFIERS
KEVIN BERMAN
We’ve all felt pressure at the poker table, but that’s nothing compared with what this Spin & Go Championship Live Paris qualifier faced daily throughout his career as a LAPD detective and, later, counterterrorism expert.
Read our full interview with Kevin Berman here.
WILLIAM UNDERWOOD
Name: William Underwood
Age: 30
From & Living in: Mickleton, England
Qualified through: Leader board
Occupation: Professional poker player
Q&A
When did you start playing poker, and how did you get into it?
I first started playing home games at my friend’s house monthly as a teenager. We used to watch Poker After Dark and thought it was great, so we would make our own attempt to recreate it, but with 1/1000000th of the stake.
How did you react when you qualified?
I actually qualified by finishing third…twice! I was in the car on the way back from watching a comedy gig with my dad and sister when I received the email that someone couldn’t make it, and I’d now get their place. I was quite excited. I let out a little “NO WAY, YESSS!” so my dad and sister [were naturally curious].
So yeah, I was pretty happy, especially after reaching two satellite final tables and getting sucked out on twice to bust. Both times, I apparently made a mistake, but I know next to nothing about ICM–Spins have been pretty much my main game my whole poker career, and it is all Chip EV models. But in my head, I got it in super good twice and busted twice, so I was pretty disappointed.
You also qualified for the very first edition of this event in Prague, right?
Yeah, I think my table was the first to finish, and I busted, so I wanted another chance. It was great fun, though, meeting a lot of the people I play online face to face, and I look forward to seeing some faces again.
GUSTAVO VALDIVIA
Name: Gustavo Valdiva
Age: 38
From: Cadereyta Jiménez, Mexico
Living in: Mexico City
Qualified through: Freeroll from the qualifying process
Occupation: Professional poker player
Q&A
When did you start playing poker, and how did you first get into the game?
I started playing poker 18 years ago while I was at university. One night, I was watching television and a poker show caught my attention, so I decided to download PokerStars on my computer. I have always enjoyed strategy games, so I was immediately drawn to the strategic nature of poker and wanted to learn more.
You qualified for the event in Barcelona last year. How does it feel to be playing again in Paris?
I’m very excited to have qualified again for such an important event. Having experienced it last year, I know how special it is, which makes me even more motivated to perform better this time. I’m also very happy to have the opportunity to visit an amazing city like Paris.
What motivated you to try to qualify again, and what does qualifying for this event mean to you?
After being eliminated very early in Barcelona, I was left with the feeling that I could do better, which motivated me to put in a lot of volume during the qualification period to secure a place in the next event.
What are you most looking forward to at this event?
The competitive environment of such a high-level event and the opportunity to perform better this time, while also enjoying the experience, regardless of the outcome.
How are you preparing for the tournament?
I have a lot of experience playing Spins online, but less experience in live poker. I’m planning to play a live tournament in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to gain more live poker experience.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I’ve always really enjoyed the promotions for these kinds of events on PokerStars. In the past, they used to organise the Americas Cup of Poker, and I had the opportunity to qualify three times to represent Mexico, in Punta del Este in 2011, Panama in 2012, and New Jersey in 2016. Those experiences were very special for me and remain some of my favourite memories in poker.
MARKUS GERDLOF
Name: Markus Gerdlof
Age: 46
From & living in: Falun, a small town in the middle of Sweden, about 220km north of Stockholm
Qualified through: $3 SAG Promo
Occupation: Sales manager in the food industry
The biggest motivator for Markus Gerdlof to qualify for the Spin & Go Championship Live in Paris wasn’t the money or glory; it was simply a chance for him to see the City of Light with his wife. He’ll get to do just that later this month as he booked his seat in the exclusive event via a $3 online promotion.
Gerdlof says he started playing poker during the poker boom in the early noughties, but he hasn’t played many big live tournaments. That’s why he can’t wait to take part in Paris. “I’m not a big fan of preparation, so I just play some poker casually both online and live,” he says. “I’m also not the nervous type, so I’ll just go on with my life as usual.”
Gerdlof, a food industry sales manager, lives with his wife and 16-year-old son.
ROMAN ZHESNOVSKYI
Name: Roman Zhesnovskyi
Age: 35
From & living in: Chortkiv, Ternopil region, Ukraine
Qualified through: Freeroll from the qualifying process
Occupation: Currently studying economics and playing poker
When were you first introduced to poker?
Around 15 years ago. I played cheap live tournaments because a poker club had opened and I wanted to try it out, so I quickly learned the rules. Later, I watched YouTube videos and started playing poker more seriously. At first, it was just for fun, but then I started earning money from it. Now I only play online, mostly Spins, as there is a war in our country and there is no live poker at the moment.
You took part in the second Spin Championship in Barcelona. How was that experience?
I had a lot of fun, [lots of] positive emotions in Barcelona. Although luck was not on my side, I am satisfied with my game and the atmosphere at the tournament [was great]. I am looking forward to the event in Paris. It wasn’t easy to qualify, but I did it! I hope that luck will be on my side in Paris.
LEOPOLD REZAR
Name: Leopold Rezar
Age: 39
From & living in: Maribor, the second biggest city in Slovenia
Qualified through: Leader board
Occupation: Degree in economics, currently playing Spin & Gos professionally
“I started playing poker in my university days as home games. I got introduced to Pokerstrategy.com in 2007, which was an online poker school that offered free starting capital to whoever was able to finish their tests. And I have been playing ever since!
“I regularly play Spin & Gos on Pokerstars, so the promotion and qualification were a wonderful surprise on top of my regular play. I am looking forward to having a great experience–I have never been to a big live event before, so this will be very exciting for me.
“For now, I am preparing simply by playing more Spins and studying some GTO solutions.”
MORE ABOUT THE SPIN & GO CHAMPIONSHIP LIVE
Next stop Paris for phenomenal Spin & Go Championship Live
Kleist wins Spin & Go Championship Live Barcelona with wife–a fellow qualifier–by his side
Spin & Go Championship Live Paris qualifying leader boards
Spin-Off Blog / Spin-Off official site
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