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German recreational player Andre Winkler has continued his standout 2026 campaign by winning the €2,000 EPC Masters at the first-ever King’s Million European Championship, held at King’s Resort in Rozvadov.
Winkler outlasted a field of 346 entries to capture one of only ten King’s Royal Scepter trophies ever produced. He secured €99,600 after agreeing to a heads-up deal with runner-up Marco Giordano, who took home €118,400 of the total €602,040 prize pool.
The win marks the latest milestone in a breakout year for Winkler, who earned his first recorded live cash and a WSOP Ring in May, followed by a seven-figure-field triumph in July at the same venue, where he won over €420,000 in a €590 buy-in event.
Winkler described the victory as the culmination of a goal he had set for himself after spotting the unique Royal Scepter trophies, revealing he had fired numerous bullets throughout the series before finally breaking through.
His run included survival through a precarious all-in moment with just eight big blinds against pocket eights, as well as a composed performance at the final table, where he capitalized on opponents’ missteps, including a costly bluff from Pasquale Casella.
In heads-up play, Winkler overcame an early deficit against Giordano, eventually sealing the win when his queen-ten rivered a flush against Giordano’s king-four. Winkler, who began playing live poker only two and a half years ago, said he plans to play around 100 tournaments this year.
