Friday, 29th March 2024 15:15
Home / Uncategorized / EPT12 Barcelona: Newcomer Michael Egan leads Super High Rollers into final day

 

michael_egan_shr_d2.jpgChip leader Michael Egan
At one point yesterday this Super High Roller was all about the new guys. New players, bidding for elite status, walked up to the registration desk to enter the first big one of the year. But as things closed on day 2, it was not these cast of newbies who held fast at the top, but the same old players that usually grace this end of an event this size. Perhaps we shouldn’t be that surprised.

See for yourself.

1. Dzmitry Urbanovich (Poland) 4,325,000
2. Steve O’Dwyer (Ireland) 2,450,000
3. Christoph Vogelsang (Germany) 4,765,000
4. JC Alvarado (Mexico) 2,485,000
5. Byron Kaverman (United States) 495,000
6. Sylvain Loosli (France) 1,200,000
7. Ivan Luca (Argentina) 2,580,000
8. Paul Newey (United Kingdom) 1,035,000
9. Michael Egan (Australia) 5,410,000

But that’s not exactly true. There’s an exception to the rule in the form of Michael Egan. The Australian not only guarantees his first cash outside of his native Australia tomorrow, but he leads going into the final eight. From down under to up and over, if he can go all the way tomorrow.

The others, well, their’ names are synonymous with success. The likes of O’Dwyer, an EPT Grand Final winner, as well as a Super High Roller winner from Macau last year and the PCA back in January.

Then there’s Vogelsang, who only ever seems to cash in the biggest of events, either on the EPT or in the Big One for One Drop (and who today seemed to play every hand). JC Alvarado came second in this same event in 2012, while Byron Kaverman is fresh off a bracelet and two high roller wins from Las Vegas this year. Ivan Luca also earned a bracelet this past summer, while Paul Newey can take pride in a second Super High Roller final. Oh, and did we mention Dzmitry Urbanovich? Last year’s player of the year and winner of six titles so far this year?

But the shape of tomorrow was determined by the last two levels of the day, with a stream of eliminations.

As Viacheslav Buldygin’s departure burst the bubble there followed a two hour spell that put life back into the event.

Igor Kurganov was the first player to cash, sent to the rail by Egan. O’Dwyer, complete with lucky shoes, was also busy. The shoes you ask. They’re bright yellow things, handmade in Morocco and passed on to O’Dwyer by a Mrs Kanit of Italy, albeit via her son Mustapha. Regardless of their gaudiness, they’re working. O’Dywer busted Stephen Chidwick in 14th and later Ben Tollerene in tenth.

Luca, the open shirted Argentinian, carried on in his usual fashion. Almost aloof in appearance, he carefully, but deliberately, demolished Max Altergott in 13th and then Fedor Holz in 11th, leaving Egan to dispatch Mike McDonald in between. For his part McDonald at least managed some ironic good humour in defeat.

 

This doesn’t tell the whole story of the day. For that you’ll need our hand for hand coverage, which you can find here. But the following might also help fill in the gaps.

There was the late night hyper turbo offering a last minute entry and which would welcome five more players into the ring, alongside the likes of this guy, as well as the the usual youngsters.

There were chips and there were chairs, and as long as you had both there was no risk of you standing out in the crowd, unless you wanted to.

That didn’t include anyone cramming into Casino Barcelona for the Estrellas High Roller, and the Barcelona Cup which is beginning to take on a life of its own.

Back in the high roller we came up with some crucial advice on the Super High Roller best suited to babysit your kids, while normal service resumed at the top of the chip count page.

While that brings the day’s action in the Super High Roller to its natural cliff hanger, recap on everything Estrellas on our live coverage page.

Onwards to tomorrow.

To get all the latest news, chip counts and payouts from EPT12 Barcelona, don’t forget to download the EPT App on both Android or IOS.

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Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

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