Ramon Pessoa Wins NPS Pixbet Fortaleza On Fire Title After Last-Minute Trip

A last-minute decision turned into a championship run for Ramon Pessoa at the NPS Pixbet Fortaleza stop. The two-time Northeast champion and PixPoker ambassador drove from Ubajara to Fortaleza on Wednesday morning, decided on a whim to enter the On Fire tournament, and walked away with the title and R$30,000.

Pessoa defeated a field of 165 entries in the R$750 buy-in event, overcoming French player Tom Arbillot in heads-up play to claim the trophy. The victory came with a personal touch: he dedicated the win to his wife Lorena on her birthday and to his daughters.

Key facts

A spontaneous trip pays off

Pessoa was not originally planning to attend the Fortaleza stop. He had been focused on online play and hesitated to leave home. The decision to travel came together only after he needed to bring his car to the city for a warranty repair.

“I wasn’t coming to this event. I was already kind of locked in online, having some turbulence there too. I’m very attached to my princesses, I didn’t want to leave home. To sum it up: I had to leave the car to swap a part that arrived under warranty. So I went to Fortaleza and decided to play. I made the most of the trip and we arrived like that. A win can never be bad,” Pessoa said.

The heads-up battle

The final table featured nine players, including Alexsandro Jerônimo, Ricardo Andrade, Leandro Shymansk, Cleber Raphael, Jorge Heberson, and Pedro Igor. Francisco Julião finished third, earning R$10,200.

Pessoa entered heads-up play with a significant chip lead over Arbillot, whom he faced for the first time in his long professional career. He described the French player as skilled but unpredictable, along with several other tough opponents at the table.

“He plays well, but he’s a very unpredictable opponent, like others at the table too. But there were several players who play well at the table. So we kept adapting, the deck helped too. And it worked out,” Pessoa commented.

The final hand came when Pessoa moved all-in pre-flop with pocket tens against Arbillot’s king-jack. The board ran out 2-2-2-6-6, giving Pessoa a full house and the title.

A birthday dedication

Pessoa missed the start of Wednesday’s session because of his wife Lorena’s birthday. He dedicated the victory to her and to his daughters.

“Happy birthday to her, and this win is hers. When I mentioned my princesses, she was involved, logically. She, Isabela, Isadora, and Hannah too, who doesn’t live with me, but she’s here. Daddy loves you all!” he said.

Full payout list

The top nine finishers shared the prize pool, with payouts ranging from R$2,100 for ninth place to R$30,000 for first.

Source: Mundo Poker, https://mundopoker.com.br/nps-pixbet/nps-pixbet-fortaleza-ramon-pessoa-vence-frances-no-heads-up-crava-o-on-fire-e-dedica-vitoria-a-esposa-e-as-filhas/