Since 2016, Banco Casino Masters has been one of the most popular poker tournaments in the region. In ten years, we've witnessed 44 champions, the latest of whom we met last evening. Emerging from 1,863 entries, this champion made history. All the action was captured by our cameras on a brand-new, stunning stage. If you missed the live stream of the final battles, you can watch the highlights via the link below.
The initial days narrowed the field to 182 players advancing to Day 2. After several hours, the final nine emerged to compete for the title of the 44th Banco Casino Masters champion. Among them was the local favorite Patrik Forro, as well as the seasoned Hungarian player Antonio Karman. Dominik Szuster from Poland entered as the chipleader with over 11M chips.
| Pos. | Player | Country | Chips |
| 1 | SZUSTER DOMINIK | Poland | 11 075 000 |
| 2 | HOFSETH JOHNNY | Norway | 10 875 000 |
| 3 | CHAULET ANDREA | France | 9 950 000 |
| 4 | HAMMERL THOMAS | Austria | 8 875 000 |
| 5 | FORRO PATRIK | Slovakia | 8 350 000 |
| 6 | KARMAN ANTONINO | Hungary | 8 125 000 |
| 7 | TOTH TAMAS | Hungary | 7 100 000 |
| 8 | SHUBIN DMYTRO | Ukraine | 4 675 000 |
| 9 | BASTL | Austria | 4 500 000 |
Szuster's advantage with the largest stack didn't last, and he was the first to leave without the title. Even the experience of Hungarian player Antonio Karman, nearing a million in career poker earnings, was only good enough for fifth place. After eliminating Austrian player Thomas Hammerl, Patrik Forro and Johnny Hofseth agreed on an ICM deal followed by a play-off.
The final heads-up was dominated by local Patrik Forro, who became the 44th champion of Banco Casino Masters, etching his name in the history of this remarkable series. In the last hand of the evening, he found pocket kings which held up against his opponent's ace ten. For his outstanding performance, he took home the champion's trophy and a financial reward of a stunning €35,793 from Banco Bratislava. Congratulations!
44th Banco Casino Masters:
| # | Name | Country | Payout |
| 1. | Forro Patrik | Slovakia | € 35,793 |
| 2. | Hofseth Johnny | Norway | € 31,023 |
| 3. | Hammerl Thomas | Austria | € 18,020 |
| 4. | Bastl | Austria | € 13,190 |
| 5. | Chaulet Andrea | France | € 10,230 |
| 6. | Karman Antonino | Hungary | € 7,650 |
| 7. | Shubin Dmytro | Ukraine | € 5,880 |
| 8. | Toth Tamas | Hungary | € 4,240 |
| 9. | Szuster Dominik | Poland | € 3,330 |
Summer at Banco Bratislava
This summer, Banco Bratislava will host poker festivals and introduce several innovations that every poker fan will love! In July, the third edition of the Slovak Poker Championship will take place with a Main Event guaranteeing €200,000 and a new special PLAYZONE will be introduced, offering tickets, prizes, and a great atmosphere. Complete schedule of the Slovak Poker Championship.
Following that will be the premiere of the new Olympus Poker Festival, featuring innovative formats and mixed games, taking place from 13th to 19th July 2026.
In August, the Swedish Poker Championships will return, for the first time opening its Main Event to all players with a guarantee of €250,000.
The summer festival season will conclude with the traditional Summer Polish Poker Cup, once again bringing together the poker community from across Europe.
