Belgian Poker Challenge
 | |
| Sport | Texas Hold 'em |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 |
| Country |  Belgium |
| Most recent champion(s) |  Jean-Vincent Lehut (2025) |
| Official website | pokerstarslive.com |
The Belgian Poker Challenge (BPC) is a tournament sponsored by PokerStars with the winner becoming the Belgian Poker Champion.
History
[edit]The Belgian Poker Challenge (BPC) originated in 2013, when the tournament was held at Casino Middelkerke. The first BPC Main Event had a buy-in of €800, and 381 participants. It was won by Team Pro PokerStars Matthias de Meulder after 7 tournaments, earning €53,459.[1]
Throughout the following years, the series was held alternately between Casino de Spa and Circus Casino Resort Namur.[1] In 2023, the tournament schedule expanded considerably and the number of players also increased. The BPC Main Event in 2023 had 1,332 entries and generated a total prize pool of €1,266,388. It was won by Algerian Omar Lakhdari, earning €206,000.[2]
The 2024 edition of Belgian Poker Challenge was held in May 2024 at Circo Casino Resort Namur, with a €1,100 buy-in and €1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool.[3]
In 2025 the Belgian Poker Challenge has been given a new look and will continue as the PokerStars Open Namur, continuing in Circus Casino Resort and with a €1,100 buy-in and €1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool.[4]
Results
[edit]| Date | Event / City | Players | Prize Pool | Winner | Prize | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 28 May-9 June |
 PokerStars Open Namur €1,100€1,000,000 Guaranteed Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia |
1,572
|
€1,493,400 | Jean-Vincent Lehut[5]
|
€238,000 | [1] |
| 2024 8-20 May |
BPC NAMUR 2024 €1,100 €1,000,000 Guaranteed Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia |
1,259
|
€1,183,791 | Rayane Benounnane[6]
|
€200,000 | [2] |
| 2023 11-21 May |
BPC NAMUR 2023 €1,100 €1,000,000 Guaranteed Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia |
1,332
|
€1,266,388 |  Omar Lakhdari[2]
|
€206,000 | [3] |
| 2022 27 May-6 June |
BPC NAMUR 2022 €1,100 €500,000 Guaranteed Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia |
785
|
€752,813 | Samy Barka[7]
|
€122,762 | [4] |
| 2021 9-19 December |
BPC NAMUR 2021 €1,100 Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia |
CANCELED due Covid-19 restrictions[8][9][10] | ||||
| 2020 25 November -7 December |
BPC NAMUR 2020 €1,100 Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia |
CANCELED due Covid-19 restrictions | ||||
| 2019 29 November -8 December |
BPC NAMUR 2019 €1,100 €500,000 Guaranteed Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia |
743
|
€708,822 | Nicolas Ribeiro[11]
|
€115,000 | [5] |
| 2018 23 November -2 December |
BPC NAMUR 2018 €1,100 €500,000 Guaranteed Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia |
686
|
€657,874 |  Marcin Puczylowski[12]
|
€126,252 | [6] |
| 2018 29 May-3 June |
 BPC SPA €800Casino de Spa, Liège, Wallonia |
686
|
€151,373 | Ahmed Ibrahimi[13]
|
€24,555 | [7] |
| 2017 24 November -3 December |
BPC NAMUR 2017 €1,100 €600,000 Guaranteed Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia |
645
|
€619,200 | Julien Baldassarre[14]
|
€84,728 | [8] |
| 2017 16-21 May |
BPC SPA €800 Casino de Spa, Liège, Wallonia |
208
|
€147,000 | Yves Sergeant[15]
|
€31,000 | [9] |
| 2016 25 November -4 December |
BPC NAMUR 2016 €1,100 Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia |
600
|
€576,000 |  Vlad-Victor Darie[16]
|
€90,602 | [10] |
| 2016 31 May-5 June |
BPC SPA €800 Casino de Spa, Liège, Wallonia |
234
|
€165,153 | Luc Ta[17]
|
€29,069 | [11] |
| 2015 27 November -6 December |
BPC NAMUR 2015 €1,100 Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia |
680
|
€652,800 | Arne Coulier[18]
|
€101,075 | [12] |
| 2015 6-10 May |
BPC SPA €800 Casino de Spa, Liège, Wallonia |
289
|
€202,242 |  Marius Pospiech[19]
|
€37,346 | [13] |
| 2014 28 November -7 December |
BPC NAMUR 2014 €1,100 Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia |
683
|
€654,309 | Arne Coulier[20]
|
€113,820 | [14] |
| 2014 3-7 September |
BPC SPA €800 Casino de Spa, Liège, Wallonia |
260
|
€181,948 | Cheng-Wei Yin[21]
|
€45,026 | [15] |
| 2013 22 November -1 December |
BPC NAMUR 2013 €1,500 Circus Casino Resort Namur, Namur, Wallonia |
470
|
€608,180 | Laurens De Smet[22]
|
€97,304 | [16] |
| 2013 9-15 September |
BPC SPA €800 Casino de Spa, Liège, Wallonia |
369
|
€258,654 | Julien Lannoy[23]
|
€42,595 | [17][18] |
| 2013 8-14 April |
 BPC MIDDELKERKE €800Casino Middelkerke, West Flanders, Flanders |
381
|
€267,015 | Matthias De Meulder[24]
|
€53,459 | [19] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Pokeren - "Belgian Poker Challenge" (in Dutch). pokeren.nl. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ a b Poker Listings - Schroen, Melvin (March 29, 2023). "Omar Lakhdari Wins Belgian Poker Challenge 2023 Main Event in Namur". pokerlistings.com. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ The Hendom Mob - Belgian Poker Challenge 2024 Results
- ^ PokerCity - Kingma, Martijn (April 9, 2025). "Pokerstars Open 2025 volgt BPC op in Namur (28 mei – 9 juni): Spectaculair schema met groot Main Event" (in Dutch). pokercity.nl. Retrieved April 22, 2025.
- ^ Hayes, Richard (June 8, 2025). "Jean-Vincent Lehut Dominates PokerStars Open Namur Final Table to Seal Career-Best Score (€238,000)". pokernews.com. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ PokerNews France - Jaudon, Gaelle (May 20, 2024). "Rayane Mokhtar Benounnane Sacré Champion du Belgian Poker Challenge 2024" (in French). fr.pokernews.com. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
- ^ PokerNews France - "Le Français Samy Barka remporte le Belgian Poker Challenge (122.762€)" (in French). fr.pokernews.com. June 6, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ Cards Chat - Smyth, Daniel (November 30, 2021). "Belgian Poker Challenge Cancelled, Fresh COVID Restrictions Sweep Across Europe". cardschat.com. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ Poker Strategy - Carter, Barry (December 1, 2021). "The Belgian Poker Challenge is postponed". pokerstrategy.com. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ APN News - "New Covid-19 Restrictions Lead to the Postponement of Belgian Poker Challenge". apnnews.com. December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ PokerNews France - "BPC Namur: Deal à 3 et la gagne pour Nicolas Ribeiro (115.000€)" (in French). fr.pokernews.com. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ Club Poker - "BELGIAN POKER CHALLENGE : LE MAIN EVENT POUR MARCIN PUCZYLOWSKI" (in French). clubpoker.net. December 3, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ Poker City - Salet, Pieter (June 4, 2018). "BPC Spa: Ahmed Ibrahimi wint Main Event, Ryanne en 'Sikkes side events!" (in Dutch). pokercity.nl. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ Poker City - van Winden, Milko (December 3, 2017). "BPC Namur: Julien Baldassarré te sterk voor Berende en Lybaert" (in Dutch). pokercity.nl. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ Live Poker - "TOURNOI BELGIAN POKER CHALLENGE - 800 € MAIN EVENT" (in French). livepoker.fr. May 22, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ PokerNews France - Sustrac, Matthieu (December 5, 2016). "Belgian Poker Championship : Vlad Darie s'impose à Namur, le High Roller pour Kalidou Sow" (in French). fr.pokernews.com. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ The Hendom Mob - "€ 730 + 70 No Limit Hold'em Main Event 4 Results". thehendonmob.com. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ The Rounder - "Arne Coulier remporte le BPC Namur Main Event back to back !! (€90.075 + €11.000)" (in French). the-rounder.net. December 6, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ The Rounder - "Marius POSPIECH sort victorieux du heads-up final et est notre champion du BPC Spa MAIN EVENT" (in French). the-rounder.net. May 10, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ PokerNews France - "Arne Coulier champion Belgian Poker Challenge Namur 2014 (113.820€)" (in French). fr.pokernews.com. December 7, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ Poker City - Salet, Pieter (September 8, 2014). "Cheng-Wei Yin wint BPC Main Event" (in Dutch). pokercity.nl. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ HLN Belgium - "Laurens De Smet wint officieus BK poker" (in Flemish). hln.be. December 2, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ HLN Belgium - "Julien Lannoy wint eerste grote titel op Belgian Poker Challenge in Spa" (in Flemish). hln.be. September 17, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- '^ 7Sur7 - "Le vainqueur du Belgian Poker Challenge est Matthias de Meulder" (in French). 7sur7.be. April 17, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2023.