This year’s LAPT Punta del Este event has been a huge success, generating a prize pool of US $1,042,260. Forty-eight players made the money, with Barbero taking home US $279,330 for his first prize win.

Going into the final day, the chances were extremely high that a Latin American player would win the event. The final table was made up of three Argentinean players, two Brazilian players, one Colombian player and one local player from Uruguay; Norbert Ludger – who started the final day as chip leader. The only player from outside South America to reach the final table was French PokerStars qualifier Nicolas Cardyn, who cashed $161,550 for second place.

The tournament was held at the Mantra Casino & Resort at Punta del Este, Uruguay’s premier seaside resort. ‘Nacho’ also became only the second Latin American player to win an event on the LAPT circuit after European players dominated the first two seasons of the LAPT. Barbero boasts a strong record in poker tournaments around the world. His most notable recent result was his final-table cash at the LAPT season 2 event in Mar del Plata, finishing 9th for $28,220. ‘Nacho’ has also recorded six cashes at the World Series of Poker including two in the $10,000 main event, the second of which in 2008 was a top 100 finish – 89th for $64,333.

Jose plays online at www.pokerstars.net under the screen name ‘nachobarbero’.