CEP Perelada 2026: Spanish Poker Championship Finale Set for 20th Anniversary Season
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Spain’s longest-running poker circuit is heading into its final stop of the year, and this one carries extra weight. The CEP turns 20 in 2026, and Perelada will decide not only the last Main Event of the season but also who becomes Spanish Poker Champion.
If you play live poker in Spain, or you’re thinking about a November trip to Catalonia, here’s everything you need to know.
CEP Perelada 2026 at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
| Festival | Campeonato de España de Poker (CEP) by PokerStars – Perelada |
| Dates | 25–29 November 2026 |
| Venue | Casino Perelada, Girona (Day 1A at Casino Barcelona) |
| Main Event buy-in | €500 |
| Starting stack | 30,000 chips |
| Re-entry | Unlimited during late registration (10 levels) |
| Mini CEP buy-in | €250 |
| Online satellites | From €5 on PokerStars Spain |
| Sponsor | PokerStars (since 2018) |
Casino Perelada is one of the most distinctive venues in European poker. It’s set inside a 14th-century castle in the north of Catalonia, close to the French border. It’s a long way from the usual casino floor, which is part of why this stop has become a favourite finale.
Main Event Structure: How the Flights Work
| Flight | Date | Start | Venue | Level Length |
| Day 1A | Wed 25 Nov | 3:30 p.m. | Casino Barcelona | Regular levels* |
| Day 1B | Thu 26 Nov | 3:00 p.m. | Casino Perelada | 45 minutes |
| Day 1C | Fri 27 Nov | 3:00 p.m. | Casino Perelada | 45 minutes |
| Day 1D (Turbo) | Sat 28 Nov | 10:30 a.m. | Casino Perelada | Shorter levels |
| Day 2 | Sat 28 Nov | 4:00 p.m. | Casino Perelada | 50 minutes |
| Day 3 (Final) | Sun 29 Nov | 3:30 p.m. | Casino Perelada | 50 minutes |
*Days 1A, 1B and 1C all use regular blind levels. The published schedule confirms 45-minute levels for 1B and 1C.
Which flight should you choose? If you live in or near Barcelona, Day 1A is the obvious pick, since you don’t have to travel to Girona unless you bag chips. Day 1D is a turbo, so it suits players arriving on Saturday morning, but you’ll be playing a faster structure with less room for mistakes. If you want the deepest play, go for Day 1B or 1C.
With unlimited re-entries during the ten levels of late registration, budget for more than one bullet. At €500, a second entry is a realistic plan for most players.
The Race for Spanish Poker Champion
| Rank | Player | Points | Gap to 1st |
| 1 | Julen Palacios | 3,430 | – |
| 2 | Mehdi Rebai | 3,035 | -395 |
| 3 | Jesús Hervás | 2,815 | -615 |
| 4 | Andrés Justamante | 2,805 | -625 |
| 5 | Daniel Hernández de Lorenzo | 2,765 | -665 |
Palacios built much of his lead with a second-place finish in the Main Event at CEP Barcelona in August. In that same tournament, Mehdi Rebai finished third and Jesús Hervás took the title. That one event shaped the top three of the whole season.
A 395-point lead is comfortable, but it isn’t safe. A deep run in Perelada by Rebai, or a final table from anyone in the top five, could change everything. Places three to five are separated by just 50 points, so the podium is wide open.
Mini CEP standings
| Rank | Player | Points |
| 1 | José María Mesas | 2,240 |
| 2 | Herber Castañeda | 1,883 |
| 3 | Nicolás Perin | 1,735 |
More than 2,100 entries have been registered across the five Mini CEP Main Events so far this season.
What’s at Stake: Season-End Prizes
| Finish | Prize Package | Approx. Value |
| Spanish Poker Champion | 2 PokerStars Gold Passes + €5,000 + anniversary watch (€2,000) | Gold Passes worth $10,300 each, plus €7,000 |
| Runner-up | Gold Pass + Silver Pass + €3,000 | $12,800 in passes, plus €3,000 |
| Third place | Gold Pass + €2,000 | $10,300 in passes, plus €2,000 |
| Top 4 + Mini CEP winner | CEP sponsorship package for 2027 | Varies |
The Gold Pass values come from PokerStars’ Power Path: a Gold Pass is worth $10,300 and a Silver Pass $2,500. They can be used for packages to major PokerStars events such as the European Poker Tour.
So the champion takes home well over €20,000 in combined value before cashing a single hand in Perelada. For a €500 circuit, that’s a serious incentive to keep grinding all season.
A Record-Breaking 20th Season
| Stop | Dates | Main Event Entries | Winner |
| CEP Barcelona | 4–15 March | 1,352 | Tullio Bertoli (€65,500, after a heads-up deal) |
| CEP Murcia | Spring | – | – |
| CEP Madrid | 25–31 May | 801 | José Aguilera (€53,500) |
| CEP Barcelona | 3–16 August | 2,205 (record) | Jesús Hervás |
| CEP Málaga | 22–27 September | 1,007 (record) | – |
| CEP Perelada | 25–29 November | Season finale | To be decided |
Barcelona in August drew 2,205 entries, the biggest field in the CEP’s 20-year history. That beat last year’s 2,182 and continued a clear upward trend in the circuit’s flagship event:
| Year | CEP Barcelona Main Event Entries |
| 2023 | 1,960 |
| 2024 | 1,737 |
| 2025 | 2,182 |
| 2026 | 2,205 |
Málaga in September broke the 1,000-entry mark for the first time, with 1,007 entries, well above the previous record of 858.
Spanish live poker is clearly in a strong place. The CEP is now drawing fields that would have looked like EPT numbers a decade ago.
Full CEP Perelada 2026 Schedule
| Date | Time | Tournament | Buy-in |
| Mon 23 Nov | 6:00 p.m. | Main Event Satellite | €115 |
| Mon 23 Nov | 9:00 p.m. | Main Event 1A Accumulator – Casino Barcelona | €115 |
| Tue 24 Nov | 9:00 p.m. | Main Event 1A Accumulator – Casino Barcelona | €60 |
| Wed 25 Nov | 3:30 p.m. | Main Event – Day 1A (Casino Barcelona) | €500 |
| Wed 25 Nov | 6:00 p.m. | Main Event Satellite | €115 |
| Thu 26 Nov | 3:00 p.m. | Main Event – Day 1B | €500 |
| Thu 26 Nov | 8:00 p.m. | Main Event Satellite | €115 |
| Fri 27 Nov | 3:00 p.m. | Main Event – Day 1C | €500 |
| Fri 27 Nov | 6:00 p.m. | Turbo Bounty | €220 |
| Sat 28 Nov | 10:30 a.m. | Main Event – Day 1D Turbo | €500 |
| Sat 28 Nov | 4:00 p.m. | Main Event – Day 2 (late reg closed) | – |
| Sat 28 Nov | 5:00 p.m. | Mini CEP – Day 1 | €250 |
| Sun 29 Nov | 3:30 p.m. | Main Event – Day 3 (Final) | – |
| Sun 29 Nov | 4:00 p.m. | Mini CEP – Day 2 (late reg closed) | – |
| Sun 29 Nov | 5:00 p.m. | Turbo Closer | €115 |
How to Qualify Cheaply
- Online satellites on PokerStars Spain start at €5. This is the cheapest route, but it’s only available to players in Spain, because PokerStars.es is a ring-fenced site.
- Live satellites at €115 run on 23, 25 and 26 November.
- Accumulators at Casino Barcelona (€115 and €60) let you build a stack that carries into Day 1A.
A practical tip: if you’re travelling from outside Spain, the live satellites in Perelada are your best bet. A €115 seat costs less than a quarter of the buy-in, and the fields are usually softer than the Main Event itself.
Our Take
The CEP has done what many national circuits struggle to do: grow year after year without losing its local feel. A €500 buy-in, a historic venue and a genuine title race make Perelada one of the most attractive mid-stakes stops in Europe this November.
Palacios is the favourite to be crowned Spanish Poker Champion, but with less than 700 points covering the top five, the race won’t be over until the cards are in the air on Sunday.
FAQs
1. When and where is CEP Perelada 2026?
From 25 to 29 November 2026 at Casino Perelada in Girona, Spain. Main Event Day 1A is played at Casino Barcelona.
2. What is the CEP Perelada Main Event buy-in?
€500, with a 30,000-chip starting stack and unlimited re-entries during the ten levels of late registration.
3. Who leads the 2026 CEP standings?
Julen Palacios leads with 3,430 points, ahead of Mehdi Rebai (3,035) and Jesús Hervás (2,815).
4. What does the Spanish Poker Champion win?
Two PokerStars Gold Passes, €5,000 and an anniversary watch worth €2,000. The top four also get 2027 CEP sponsorship packages.
5. How can I qualify for the CEP Perelada Main Event?
Through online satellites on PokerStars Spain from €5, or live satellites from €60 to €115 at Casino Barcelona and Casino Perelada.
6. How big was the record CEP Main Event?
CEP Barcelona in August 2026 drew 2,205 entries, the largest field in the circuit’s 20-year history.
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