Thursday, 28th March 2024 08:05
Home / Uncategorized / ESPT7 Barcelona: Jerome Brion bags most to end Main Event Day 2

From a 3,447-player field — the biggest in tour history — a still-large group of 862 returned for today’s Day 2 of the ESPT Barcelona Main Event. Now just under 100 players remain, each still with a chance to claim the trophy on Monday.

Of that group, Jerome Brion of France is currently positioned most favorably going forward, having managed to finish today bagging up a stack of 2,468,000.

EPT13_Barcelona-456_Jerome Brion.jpg

Jerome Brion

Following a late surge Louis Salter bagged up the next-most impressive stack with 2,247,000.

EPT13_Barcelona-521_Louis Salter.jpg

Louis Salter

Also near the top of the counts, Nick Mertens wrote an even 2 million on his bag (even if he might be a little above or below), while Michael Rocco (1,997,000) and Ongun Yagci (1,992,000) also earned spots near the top overnight.

EPT13_Barcelona-526_Nick Mertens.jpg

Nick Mertens

There a number of other familiar folks among those surviving to Saturday, among them Christopher Frank (1,250,000), Rodrigo Strong (1,192,000), Lucas Greenwood (1,075,000), Chris Moorman (918,000), Scott Margereson (657,000), Steven van Zadelhoff (445,000), and Joao Vieira (298,000). 

Things moved quickly early on today, and inside the second level of the day the money bubble burst when three players went out on the same hand during hand-for-hand play, the last of whom was Daniel Gecer finishing in 696th.

Once in the money the pace of knockouts accelerated even further — check out our comprehensive live updates throughout the day just below. Cashers today included Arnaud Mattern (140th), Govert Metaal (147th), Fernando Pons (164th), Jannick Wrang (243rd), Luciana Manolea (317th), Sebastian Pauli (370th), Benny Glaser (371st), Andrey Pateychuk (376th), Luca Moschitta (420th), Jonathan Karamalikis (476th), Jonathan Westmorland (513th), Vitaly Lunkin (623rd), Team PokerStars Pro George Danzer (633rd), Erwann Pecheux (675th), and Ricardo Chauriye (690th).

Click here for a full list of counts for all 97 players returning for Day 3, and click here for a complete list of the payouts thus far.

The next group of cashers will be tripling their buy-in, but everyone’s eyeing the five-figure prizes guaranteed to those making the top 27, the six-figure ones for the top six, and that huge €423,600 return on a €1,100 investment up top. 

Play begins tomorrow at 12 noon local time. Join us again then as we continue to find out together who will become the next ESPT Main Event champion. Until then, buenas noches! –MH

9:59pm: Day 2 concludes

They’re done for Day 2, and it appears Jerome Brion pushed ahead of everyone to claim the overnight chip lead. Back in a few to wrap up the day. –MH

9:50pm: Three more hands
Level 22: Blinds 10,000/20,000, Ante 3,000

One, two, three… then the bags. –MH

9:45pm: Vieira’s very short
Level 22: Blinds 10,000/20,000, Ante 3,000

After his 47,000 open was raised to 120,000 by Scott Margereson, Joao Vieira was forced to fold.

He’s very short right now with just 270,000 left. Will he hold on until to Day 3? Will he bust? Or will he double and give himself some breathing room?

FIND OUT AFTER THE COMMERCIAL BREAK!

Just kidding. We’ll let you know in about 10 minutes. –JS

9:42pm: Andreu wins a race to stay alive
Level 22: Blinds 10,000/20,000, Ante 3,000

The standard open at this level appears to be 45,000 and that’s what Scott Margereson raised to when the action folded to him. Javier Andreu then bumped the price of poker up to 186,000 as he moved all-in. When it folded back to Margereson, he tanked before calling off the difference.

Margereson: KJ
Andreu: 1010

A A274A board meant Andreu doubled up, while Margereson slips to 1,050,000. –NW

9:36pm: The Salter show
Level 22: Blinds 10,000/20,000, Ante 3,000

It’s all about Louis Salter right now as he just played three all-in pots in a row.

In the first he cracked Tom Ovesen’s pocket kings with AJ when he turned an ace. Ovesen had about 300,000 and all of it was assimilated into Salter’s stack to take him to around 2,200,000.

His next victim was Daniel Belov who three-bet shoved for about 90,000 with QJ and Salter, who’d already raised, put in the extra with AJ. Yet again it proved to be the winning hand as the 6106A3 board only strengthened his hand.

So could he complete the hat-trick?

He opened to 45,000 with AK and Karim Alleg jammed for 324,000 with pocket jacks. When it folded back to Salter he made the call and Alleg feared the worse. The 5101054 board stayed clean, though, and Salter is back down to around 2,000,000. –NW

EPT13_Barcelona-529_Louis Salter.jpg

Salter surging

9:28pm: Lovgren out after running queens into Mertens’s aces
Level 22: Blinds 10,000/20,000, Ante 3,000

Soon after being seated at her new table, Sofia Lovgren found herself in a three-way hand which ultimately saw herself all-in and Nick Mertens betting the player in between them out of the way.

Lovgren tabled QQ but unfortunately for her had run into the AA of Mertens. The board then brought all low cards — 42477 — and she wished the table good luck before departing.

Less than 120 players remain now, with Mertens currently sitting on a big stack of 1.75 million. –MH

EPT13_Barcelona-341_Sofia Lovgren.jpg

Lovgren leaves

9:20pm: Margereson’s at it, too
Level 22: Blinds 10,000/20,000, Ante 3,000

Just like Chris Moorman, Scott Margereson has been moved tables and also raised from under the gun pretty early into his new seat tenure. He’d have to give it up after a raise and a jam, but still sits with close to 900,000. –JS

9:17pm: They’ve split up
Level 22: Blinds 10,000/20,000, Ante 3,000

It took eight whole hours and eight entire levels, but Chris Moorman and Sofia Lovgren have broken up their big-stack corner. Well, it wasn’t really their decision – their table broke.

Moorman went to his new table and immediately opened from the under the gun to 45,000. However he’d give it up in the face of a 350,000 shove from the big blind.

Lovgren on the other hand is yet to act on her new table. Who wants “the over” on two hands before she restarts her raising ways? –JS

9:11pm: Smaller field, big names
Level 22: Blinds 10,000/20,000, Ante 3,000

From a start of day 862, as the final level starts this field has been whittled down to just 120. There are many big name players left in, including the following:

Lucas Greenwood – 1,025,000
Chris Moorman – 830,000
Steven van Zadelhoff – 660,000
Christopher Frank – 590,000
Sofia Lovgren – 415,000
Joao Vieira – 260,000
Quan Zhou – 220,000
Michael Eiler – 184,000

EPT13_Barcelona-404_Christopher Frank.jpg

Christopher Frank

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
22 10000 20000 3000

8:46pm: Last break of the night

Another 20-minute break has arrived. A reminder — the plan is now only to play one more 60-minute level and then call it a night. –MH

8:44pm: Getting Stronger
Level 21: Blinds 8,000/16,000, Ante 2,000

LAPT9 Chile champ and UKIPT6 Marbella third-place finisher Rodrigo Strong is still alive and kicking in this one. The Brazilian just added a little to chip stack right before the break.

He opened to 32,000 and Ondrej Vinklarek called from the big blind. The pair saw the dealer spread an 89Q flop which they’d both check, taking us to the 6 turn. Vinklarek took a shot with a 41,000 bet, but Strong came along and saw the 3 river. Vinklarek slowed down again by checking which let Strong in to bet 85,000. The strong bet got Vinklarek to fold and Rodrigo raked in the pot.

Strong now has 620,000, while Vinklarek sits with 510,000. –JS

EPT13_Barcelona-416_Rodrigo Strong.jpg

Rodrigo Strong
 

8:39pm: Huge double for Unsal
Level 21: Blinds 8,000/16,000, Ante 2,000

Onur Unsal is up to around 1,000,000 after doubling through Gregory Armand.

It all went in preflop with Unsal holding KK and Armand pocket jacks. A 338A3 board gave both a full-house, but Unsal’s was better. He doubled, while Armand drops to 106,000. –NW

8:32pm: Newport building a stack
Level 21: Blinds 8,000/16,000, Ante 2,000

Nick Newport has been absent from the European poker scene for a couple of years, but he’s made the trip to Barcelona and, so far, it’s paying off. He started the day with an above average 178,500, but has spent a lot of the day grinding out a stack. However, he just won a pot against Said Sadallah to once again climb above the average.

I picked up the action on a Q4Q flop on which Newport check-called a bet of 34,000. The 3 turn checked through and the J completed the board. Newport fired out 88,000 and Sadallah quickly flicked in a chip to signify a call. Newport rolled over AJ and he’s up to around 775,000.

He’s not the only Irishman left in as we’ve also spotted Dan Wilson — he’s got roughly 270,000 at this point. –NW

8:29pm: Sweet for Salter
Level 21: Blinds 8,000/16,000, Ante 2,000

While his brother Jack is over on the side of the room playing in the €50K Super High Roller, Louis Salter is doing some super high rolling of his own here in the ESPT7 Barcelona Main Event. He’s currently sitting with 2.2 million in chips, which may very well give him the chip lead right now.

The latest hand that helped him reach that plateau was against the USA’s Dejuante Alexander. On a K95 flop, Alexander checked and Salter made it 42,000 to play. That bet was called and the result was the K on the turn. Both decided to check to see the 8 river, and Alexander stepped up his aggression with a 95,000 stab.

Salter made the call pretty quickly, and was right. His A9 for a pair of nines was best as Alexander just had Q10 for a busted gutshot. –JS

EPT13_Barcelona-479_Louis Salter.jpg

Louis a-Salter-ing the chip lead

8:22pm: Playing in Tunez
Level 21: Blinds 8,000/16,000, Ante 2,000

Lorenz Huber’s ESPT Main Event run has come to an end after losing the last of his short stack to Gonzalo Tunez. All-in with A7 versus Tunez who had AQ. There was still hope after the K64 flop, but the Q turn sealed it in favor of Tunez and Huber hit the rail.

That’s not the first knockout we’ve reported Tunez delivering today. He’s up to 1.42 million now. –MH

8:12pm: Vold vanquished by Virgilio
Level 21: Blinds 8,000/16,000, Ante 2,000

In a battle of the “V’s” only one could be the victor and it was Virgilio Di Cicco who got the better of Egil Vold.

The latter shoved for 206,000 with pocket tens and Di Cicco reraised all-in for around 300,000 with AQ. The J268Q board was cruel for Vold, who like many before him succumbed on the river. –NW

8:09pm: Change of plans
Level 21: Blinds 8,000/16,000, Ante 2,000

With the pace of knockouts going as they have, it’s been decided to end play a level earlier than planned, meaning they’ll only be playing nine instead of 10 today. That means one more one-hour level after the present one. –MH

8:01pm: Dolezal the don
Level 21: Blinds 8,000/16,000, Ante 2,000

As Level 21 got underway, Thomas Dolezal was busy stacking a big ‘ol pile of chips. When he’d finished stacking them it looked like he had right around 1,450,000. He’s one of, if not the, chip leader at this stage. –NW

7:58pm: No slick trick for Metaal
Level 20: Blinds 6,000/12,000, Ante 2,000

It’s all well and good getting big hands, but winning pots with them is another matter entirely.

Just ask Govert Metaal. He opened to 25,000 and called after Roberto Canali had three-bet to 60,000. On the Q77 flop Metaal check-folded to a c-bet of 45,000. As he did so he showed AK and said, “Five times today and nothing.” –NW

7:51pm: Genoud should have called; Rosadoni’s glad he didn’t
Level 21: Blinds 8,000/16,000, Ante 2,000

Stanislav Ivanov moved all-in for around 100,000 and it folded to Giovanni Rosadoni on the button. He made the call, which Robert Genoud didn’t like too much. It gave him a tough decision — as if suggesting he wanted to be the one who called the all-in — yet he wasn’t looking to play a side-pot. 

He’d give it up after a couple of minutes and the cards were flipped: AJ for Rosadini and KK for Ivanov, the player at risk. The kings looked good right up until the dealer spread the 3A2 flop.

“Nooo!” said Genoud, announcing he would have hit a set of threes.

Oh well, Genoud — it wasn’t meant to be, something Ivanov knows a lot about as a King failed to fall on the turn or river. –JS

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
21 8000 16000 2000

7:38pm: Hold… hold… FML
Level 20: Blinds 6,000/12,000, Ante 2,000

Vincent Gabel has been chatty and sociable much of the afternoon, helping add to the positive vibe at his table. The Belgian’s run just ended around 170th place, although he managed to provide the table one more laugh before he departed.

After pushing all-in for his last 84,000 from middle position, Gabel watched Steven van Zadelhoff call from the button, and after some thought the blinds eventually get out.

Gabel showed AQ and van Zadelhoff 1010, and in a slightly sing-songy voice Gabel said “one time” as the dealer moved to deal the first the community cards.

There was an ace among them, the flop coming 67A, and in a rhythmic fashion Gabel continued to talk.

“Hold… hold… hold,” he said as the 6 turn appeared.

“Hold… hold… f*@$ my life,” he continued, not changing his tone a bit as the 10 landed on the river. 

The table laughed. “Good luck guys,” sang Gabel as he left. Now van Zadelhoff has about 790,000. –MH

7:37pm: Govert Metaal survives
Level 20: Blinds 6,000/12,000, Ante 2,000

Down to just 174,000, Govert Metaal moved all-in from the button and Gregory Armand then began to tank. He counted out the 168,000 extra that he needed to match Metaal’s shove and set it to one side.

The Frenchman then counted the rest of his stack, which amounted to roughly 78,000. “Can I get away from this?” he said to himself more than anyone else, before turning to Metaal and saying: “Do you want a call? Give me a hint!”

Around 20 seconds passed and Armand added: “I know I have you beat is all!” It was this statement that tipped the balance and it caused a tablemate to call the clock.

A floorperson arrived, announced the usual rules and regulations about having 60 seconds to make a decision and Armand then stood up to make his decision. He’d taken 25-30 seconds of his minute before he moved all-in. The big blind folded and it was time for showdown:

Metaal: A5
Armand: 88

“Keep it low,” said Armand as the dealer prepared to run the board. He didn’t get his wish as the A571010 board improved made Metaal the winner. “F*@$ me, Jesus Christ,” said Armand as he retook his seat when the hand was over. –NW

7:31pm: Rusinovas gets one over on Lovgren
Level 20: Blinds 6,000/12,000, Ante 2,000

It’s the first hit we’ve seen Sofia Lovgren take for a while, but I guess it had to happen at some point.

She made an under-the-gun raise to 26,000 and it folded to Miguel Seoane on the button who called. Aleksandras Rusinovas was in the big blind and he wanted to play a little higher; say… 83,000?

Well, that didn’t faze Lovgren much. She pulled back her initial raise and counted out a whole lot more, which turned into a four-bet to 180,000. Seoane wanted no part of it and got the heck out of the way. But Rusinovas didn’t budge — instead, he shoved.

It was for around 600,000 total, but we never got an exact count because Lovgren folded too quickly. She’s down to 580,000 now. –JS

7:30pm: Eiler elevating
Level 20: Blinds 6,000/12,000, Ante 2,000

As noted in that list of big stacks below, Michael Eiler has done well today, pushing his stack up over 800,000 thus far. The EPT7 Vienna Main Event champion has collected cashes here at this EPT/ESPT Barcelona stop each of the last five years (including this one), and once went as deep as 16th in the ESPT Main Event (in 2012). –MH

EPT13_Barcelona-515_Michael Eiler.jpg

Michael Eiler
 

7:24pm: Bad news for Ben
Level 20: Blinds 6,000/12,000, Ante 2,000

Ben Zech was left shaking his head after he doubled up Dragoljub Martinovic in a hand where he was a significant favorite. Martinovic was all-in for his final 215,000 with AQ and Zech had him crushed with AK.

The Q48 flop favored Martinvoic, though, and he held on the 2 turn and 10 river. He’s up to around 460,000 whilst Zech drops to 380,000. –NW

7:19pm: Kotelnikov pushes off Vieira
Level 20: Blinds 6,000/12,000, Ante 2,000

Joao Vieria opened to 27,000 under the gun and action folded to Russia’s Andrey Kotelnikov in mid-position. He carefully counted out some chips, eventually sliding out a three-bet to 70,000. That wasn’t enough to get Vieira off just yet though, as he came along to the flop.

The dealer fanned the first three community cards — A104 — and it was checked to the Russian. He continued, this time for a little less, 60,000. Again Vieira matched it.

The battle would end on the 6 turn, however, as Kotelnikov jammed after Vieira checked once more. It was too much for the Portuguese player, who folded instantly.

Vieira now has slipped to 575,000, while Kotelnikov is gaining on him with 520,000. –JS

7:15pm: Your chip leaders
Level 20: Blinds 6,000/12,000, Ante 2,000

A scan of the nearly 200 players left reveals a number of players with stacks north of the 800,000-chip mark. Here’s a list of them all, showing Johan Jakobsson enjoying the chip lead as Level 20 continues. –MH

Johan Jakobsson – 1,290,000
Jose Maria Gallegos Tortosa – 1,250,000
Elrik Steinsto – 1,230,000
Fabian Deimann – 1,080,000
Gabor Szabo – 1,040,000
Roberto Canali – 995,000
Chris Moorman – 985,000
Christian Jeppsson – 975,000
Ruben Nils Pleijster – 975,000
Luc Greenwood – 960,000
Carlo Savinelli – 940,000
Frederic Antoine Leonetti – 915,000
Jasper Van Moorsel – 900,000
Michael Eiler – 855,000
Francois Evard – 835,000
Joao Vieira – 800,000

EPT13_Barcelona-501_Johan Jakobsson.jpg

Johan Jakobsson leading the way

6:58pm: More cashers
Level 20: Blinds 6,000/12,000, Ante 2,000

Reaching back through the bustouts to share a few names of those who’ve left us over the last couple of hours, we see Stefan Jedlicka (213th), Pascal Vos (240th), Jannick Wrang (243rd), Darryll Fish (302nd), Hilal Merabet (323rd), Dylan Wilkerson (367th), Ben Warrington (434th), and Per Linde (494th) all among the throng on the rail. –MH

6:51pm: Less than 200
Level 20: Blinds 6,000/12,000, Ante 2,000

Players are back and cards are in the air once more. The big board says there are 198 of them left. The schedule calls for them to play four more one-hour levels before Day 2 will be done. –MH

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
20 6000 12000 2000

6:30pm: Break time

Players are off again on a 20-minute break. –MH

6:29pm: Margereson keeps on moving up
Level 19: Blinds 5,000/10,000, Ante 1,000

The man known as “Aggro Santos” hasn’t slowed down since we last caught up with him. Scott Margereson is up to 800,000 now, his most recent win coming from a hand against Robert Giordano.

Margereson opened to 22,000 on the button, and Giordano called from the small blind to see a 367 flop hit the felt. It checked to the raiser and he continued for 25,000, which was enough to take it down. –JS

6:27pm: Four millionaires
Level 19: Blinds 5,000/10,000, Ante 1,000

From a scan of the room it looks like we have four players who tip over the one million chip mark right now. Those players are Johan Jakobsson, Chris Moorman, Fabian Deimann, and the aforementioned Bartosz Solarczyk. –JS

EPT13_Barcelona-499_Chris Moorman.jpg

Add Moorman to the milly list

6:15pm: Lorca loses to Alexander
Level 19: Blinds 5,000/10,000, Ante 1,000

Jesus Medin Lorca was all-in before the flop and for a moment it seemed as though the push of his chips was going to get through, but sitting next to him was Dejuante Alexander who found a call. 

Lorca showed 1010, and his tentative grin turned to chagrin when he saw Alexander’s KK. The board came 2A357, and Lorca is out. Alexander meanwhile is up around 525,000. –MH

6:10pm: Stacks of chips
Level 19: Blinds 5,000/10,000, Ante 1,000

The average stack is a tick under 400,000 at the moment. Here’s how some of the names and notables are faring against that baseline number:

Bartosz Solarczyk – 1,025,000
Chris Moorman – 960,000
Lucas Greenwood – 850,000
Steven van Zadelhoff – 740,000
Rodrigo Strong – 730,000
Sofia Lovgren – 630,000
Louis Salter – 610,000
Quan Zhou – 420,000
Arnaud Mattern – 390,000
Joao Vieira – 367,000
Govert Metaal – 290,000
Dan Wilson – 230,000

6:04pm: The shark — From one generation to the next
Level 19: Blinds 5,000/10,000, Ante 1,000

“How can you not know Humberto Brenes?”

Vincent Gabel was shocked. You see, Marek Grześka had just copied — or “ripped off,” as we say in the UK — Brenes’ signature move: the all-in shark.

EPT13_Barcelona-502_Vincent Gabel_Marek Grześka.jpg

Vincent Gabel (left) and Marek Grześka (right)

Grześka opened to 22,000, Johan Jakobsson raised to 50,000, and Grześka then shoved. But instead of announcing it verbally or with his chips (okay, he may have whispered it), the young player instead moved his toy shark into the middle of the felt. That got Jakobsson to fold.

After the hand, Gabel asked Grześka if he was aware of Brenes, and couldn’t believe the answer — the young’n had never heard of him.

“You see, Steven?” Gabel said to fellow tablemate Steven Van Zadelhoff. “That’s the difference between our generations!”

“I know who Brenes is, don’t lump us all in together!” replied the bearded Dutchman.

For the next minute or two Gabel then did his best Brenes impression. It involved saying “Shark! SHARRRRRK!” a lot. –JS

EPT13_Barcelona-503_Marek Grześka.jpg

Grześka and shark. N.B.: Any resemblance to Costa Rican sharks or actual sharks is purely coincidental

5:55pm: Holland over Belgium
Level 19: Blinds 5,000/10,000, Ante 1,000

It was a battle of big pairs and Benelux nations as Teunis Kooij (Netherlands, aces) and Jorden Verbraeken (Belgium, jacks) went to war preflop with premium holdings.

The 66865 board kept the aces in front and Kooji, who had 140,000 to start the hand, just had Verbraeken covered, meaning the Belgian was eliminated. –NW

5:50pm: Set for Sette
Level 19: Blinds 5,000/10,000, Ante 1,000

I just saw Alexandre Sette score a huge double-up in a hand where it’s hard to imagine the chips not going in.

With around 300,000 already in the pot on a K3Q flop, Sette got his final 239,000 in the pot with pocket threes and was up against an opponent who had top two pair.

So a a total cooler then, and the turn and river bricked to send a huge pot to Sette who’s up to 780,000. –NW

5:36pm: Tunez takes out Savoja
Level 19: Blinds 5,000/10,000, Ante 1,000

After opening from middle position, Italy’s Lorenzo Savoja watched it fold around to Gonazlo Tunez in the small blind who repopped it to 59,000. The action returned to Savoja who hesitated a beat or two, then announced he was all-in.

A count showed the total bet was 346,000, and Tunez needed about 10 seconds to come to the decision to call. 

Savoja showed AK and Tunez turned over QQ. The board then came nine-high — 99426 — and Savoja lingered a moment before having it confirmed that indeed Tunez had him outchipped.

The Swiss player is up to 750,000 at the moment with about 250 players left. –MH

5:32pm: Tusal takes a turn for the better
Level 19: Blinds 5,000/10,000, Ante 1,000

Sebastian Tusal was all-in for 107,000 with AK against Jean Alves’ QQ, and things looked terrible on the flop. The 10Q7 gave Alves top set and left Tusal drawing pretty thin.

But hold on a minute. He did have a gutshot to dream for, and the dream came true on the J turn giving him Broadway. The 9 river changed nothing and Tusal doubled to 234,000, while Alves dropped to 150,000. –JS

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
19 5000 10000 1000

5:29pm: Lovgren’s keeping it 500
Level 18: Blinds 4,000/8,000, Ante 1,000

The 500-chip was removed from play earlier in this tournament, but one of them decided to go and hide in the big stack of Sofia Lovgren. She’s only just found it, which goes to show how unthreatened her chips have been so far today and she continues to ascend. –JS

5:23pm: Death by quads
Level 18: Blinds 4,000/8,000, Ante 1,000

Ole Olsen is up to 430,000 after eliminating Mirko Dantonio here in Barcelona.

Dantonio was at risk with KQ and Olsen had him in the thick stuff with AA. The 610A2A board made quads for Olsen and Dantonio could only tap the table to indicate “nice hand.” –NW

5:20pm: Baby, I’m a millionaire
Level 18: Blinds 4,000/8,000, Ante 1,000

We have our first chip millionaire in the main event and Bartosz Solarczyk is that man. The Polish player has 1,080,000 and is the chip leader. –NW

EPT13_Barcelona-488_Bartosz Solarczyk.jpg

Viewing a Solarczyk eclipse (of 1 million)

5:14pm:  Running good? You don’t Sey?
Level 18: Blinds 4,000/8,000, Ante 1,000

David Jaoui had gotten short, and KK appeared a swell hand with which to try to swell his short stack. Up against Hassan Sey’s AJ, Jaoui had the best percentage chance of scooping a pot five cards later.

But the flop came A2Q, producing a faintly audible “oof” from Jaoui in response. 

“I’ve been running so good,” Sey meanwhile said with a head shake as the board completed Q then 5.

Jaoui is out, and Sey is now stacking a cool 890,000. –MH

EPT13_Barcelona-495_Hassan Sey.jpg

It’s been a good day, per Sey

5:10pm: Sued sinks Iemina
Level 18: Blinds 4,000/8,000, Ante 1,000

Manlio Iemina just committed the last of his short stack with 87 and when he saw he was up against David Sued’s 1010 already moved from his chair in anticipation of what was to come.

Indeed, the Q9KQ5 board brought no help, and Iemina exits while Sued stacks around 300,000. –MH

5:07pm: No sign of slowing down
Level 18: Blinds 4,000/8,000, Ante 1,000

We expect the post bubble carnage; we’re used to it. It happens at almost every tournament. What we’re not used to seeing though is that pace of exits continue well after the bubble has burst. It is here in Barcelona with a constant cry of “all-in and call” coming from the dealers.

We were attracted to one such call and found Marius Varanavicius all-in for 67,000 with AK and Sven Lucha having called him with 99. The board was bereft of picture cards as it fell 610824 to eliminate Marius Varanavicius.

A short time later Jan-Eric Schwippert busted out when his A7 failed to spike against pocket queens. –NW

4:58pm: Moorman continues to crush
Level 18: Blinds 4,000/8,000, Ante 1,000

It just gets better and better for Chris Moorman right now. He was already one of the biggest stacks, but he’s added even more.

Online tournament poker’s biggest ever winner raised to 18,000 and got one caller in Ireland’s Jason Tompkins. The duo saw a 6Q8 and both checked, but there would be no checking on the 3 turn. Moorman put in a delayed c-bet of 24,000 and got a call, before the K river hit the felt. Now Moorman’s bet was 40,000, and after a minute or so’s thought Tompkins matched it. He mucked, though, when he saw Moorman’s Q9 for second pair.

Moorman is now playing 785,000. –JS

4:51pm: Van Zadelhoff’s a little lost
Level 18: Blinds 4,000/8,000, Ante 1,000

When you return from a dinner break, players usually return to the exact same seat they left. Their chips are there, after all. But what happens when you return and your table, chair, and chips have all gone?

That’s the situation Steven Van Zadelhoff found himself in after returning from lunch about ten minutes late. His table had been moved — and therefore so had his stack — but he had no idea where he was now sitting.

Luckily, our helpful floor staff tracked his chips down and reunited them with their rightful owner. –JS

EPT13_Barcelona-494_Steven van Zadelhoff.jpg

Reunited: Zadelhoff and chips

4:42pm: Big chips
Level 18: Blinds 4,000/8,000, Ante 1,000

The start of Level 18 has seen the introduction of the green 25K chips and the removal of the 500 denomination chips. Players with big stacks have had plenty of their pink chips exchanged for the green discs with Lucas Greenwood, Sofia Lovgren, and Chris Moorman among those who’ve been furnished with the big chips. –NW

4:39pm: Gomas says “no mas” to Margereson
Level 18: Blinds 4,000/8,000, Ante 1,000

With about 140,000 in the middle and a board showing 68K8Q, we ambled upon one of those tense “standoff”-type scenes over at Scott Margereson’s table. 

From the looks of things, Margereson was the cause of the trouble, having appeared to check from the small blind to his lone opponent, Aldas Gomas, on the button, who’d fired 100,000. At that Margereson had put his entire stack of 233,000 in front of him, sending Gomas into a several-minute-long bout of contemplation.

At last Gomas released his cards, conceding the pot to Margereson who now has about 380,000. Gomas keeps his 205,000. –MH

4:30pm: Back at it
Level 18: Blinds 4,000/8,000, Ante 1,000

Players have returned from their mid-afternoon meal and now are settled in for the latter portion of Day 2. The schedule calls for six more one-hour levels before Day 2 is done. –MH

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
18 4000 8000 1000

3:15pm: Lunch break
Level 17: Blinds 3,000/6,000, Ante 1,000

That’s the end of the level and the 315 remaining players are now on a 75-minute break. Play will resume at 4:30pm local time. –NW

EPT13_Barcelona-498_chips.jpg

Chips in focus

3:09pm: A gift for Gregory
Level 17: Blinds 3,000/6,000, Ante 1,000

Gregory Armand has just received a full double-up. Picking up the action on the A29 flop, Martins Ivanovs checked and Armand slid out 22,500 into the 40,000 pot, which got a call from the Latvian.

We then saw the J turn fall, and this time when Ivanovs checked Armand bet 55,000. He only had 36,000 behind, so he was essentially committed. But that didn’t stop Ivanovs from raising all-in.

Armand stood up as he thought about it.

“Do you have a set? Pocket nines?” he asked, not expecting an answer.

In the end “he had to call,” and turned over his AJ. That was way ahead of his opponent’s A3 and the river card bricked to give the Frenchman the double. –JS

3:03pm: Belgian takes out Bosch
Level 17: Blinds 3,000/6,000, Ante 1,000

Toni Bosch shoved his shrapnel in from the cutoff with K8 and picked up a call from Tim Verheyen, who held K8. The board ran 385A10 and Bosch was eliminated whilst the Belgian is up to 185,000. –NW

2:55pm: Tompkins completes tasty triumvirate
Level 17: Blinds 3,000/6,000, Ante 1,000

Talk about a murderer’s row — Table 16 has three heavy hitters sat next to each other. The terrifying line-up starts with Sofia Lovgren, sitting in Seat 1 and with chips — lots of them. When she looks to her left she’ll see Chris Moorman. The winningest online tournament player of all time isn’t too shabby in the live arena either, having racked up over $4,000,000 in earnings.

Moorman’s got a similar stack to Lovgren (500,000), but has a dangerous and aggressive player to his left in the shape of Jason Tompkins. The Irishman has a fifth place finish in an EPT Main Event on his CV (San Remo, Season 9) and is currently playing around 185,000.

We’ll be keeping an eye on this table to see how things develop. –NW

EPT13_Barcelona-491_Chris Moorman_Sofia Lovgren.jpg

Moorman (left), Lovgren (right), and chips (middle)

2:43pm: Hoedemaker undone
Level 17: Blinds 3,000/6,000, Ante 1,000

Micha Hoedemaker just saw his ESPT Barcelona Main Event run come to an end after pushing with ace-queen, getting called by pocket jacks, then watching both a queen and a jack come among the community cards.

With half an hour left in Level 17 — after which will come a lunch break — there are 351 players remaining. –MH

2:36pm: Huge pot for Lovgren
Level 17: Blinds 3,000/6,000, Ante 1,000

A bit pot has just shot Sofia Lovgren’s stack up to 620,000. She opened to 13,000 on the button, Chris Moorman gave up his small blind, and Sebastian Pauli called from the big. The dealer spread a 9K10 flop and Lovgren made a continuation bet of 10,000 after it checked to her, and again Pauli called.

We went to the turn and it was the 2. The action went the same, only now Lovgren’s bet was 17,000. The 4 completed the board and after one last check Lovgren put Pauli all-in for around 100,000. He quickly called as if he had no choice but hated it when he saw his K5 for top pair was crushed by Lovgren’s QJ – the absolute nuts. Pauli hit the rail, and Lovgren now had so many chips she struggled to stack them all. –JS

2:25pm: Glaser gets some back
Level 17: Blinds 3,000/6,000, Ante 1,000

We often jest about the curse of the chip leader, but it appears to have struck Benny Glaser today as the Day 1A chip leader of this event is now running on fumes.

The three time WSOP bracelet winner was down to just 16,000 but doubled up when his shove from the small blind with K6 was called by Toni Bosch, who was the original raiser.

Bosch’s A4 started in front but the 946510 board favored Glaser who now has a little more with which to work. –NW

EPT13_Barcelona-405_Benny Glaser.jpg

Benny’s battling

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
17 3000 6000 1000

2:14pm: Glaser down, Wheeler out
Level 16: Blinds 2,500/5,000, Ante 500

Benny Glaser’s Day 2 started so well but somewhere along the way things took a severe turn for the worst. He’s gone from 400,000 to just 32,000 and desperately needs a double up right now.

Meanwhile, Jason Wheeler’s tournament has come to an end. I missed the action but when I arrived I saw the executioner raking in chips having flopped the nut flush, and Wheeler was kindly sliding all of his stacks over his way. –JS

EPT13_Barcelona-467_Jason Wheeler.jpg

Jason Wheeler (left), sitting with Jonathan Karamalikis earlier on Day 2

2:06pm: Chip counts
Level 16: Blinds 2,500/5,000, Ante 500

A smattering of chip counts from around the room:

Steven van Zadelhoff – 705,000
Quan Zhou – 570,000
Lucas Greenwood – 530,000
Chris Moorman – 505,000
Sofia Lovgren – 490,000
Louis Salter – 470,000
Jason Wheeler – 200,000
Luciana Manolea – 197,000
Barny Boatman – 190,000
Dean Lyall – 180,000
Jannick Wrang – 99,000
Arnaud Mattern – 87,000
Martin Mulsow – 75,000
Sebastian Pauli – 60,000
Benny Glaser – 47,000

EPT13_Barcelona-406_Steven van Zadelhoff.jpg

Zadelhoff and running (on the left)

2:01pm: Big win for the Big Ticket
Level 16: Blinds 2,500/5,000, Ante 500

Kevin Garnett is an NBA legend. The future hall-of-famer is known for many things: his menacing competitiveness; his funny interviews; and the staggering amount of money he’s made throughout his career. So much, in fact, that he was given the nickname “The Big Ticket.”

And no, he’s not playing here on Day 2 of the ESPT7 Main Event. But he’s here in name and spirit, as Georgios Giorkatzis from Greece is wearing an NBA top with Garnett’s name on the back — and he just got a whole lot richer thanks to an expensive fold from Finland’s Aku Joentausta.

The pot was huge before the river card – over 100,000. Giorkatzis checked the A4QJ7 board and Joentausta put out a huge bet of 75,000. Garnett…sorry, Giorkatzis then moved all-in for 134,500, meaning it was 59,500 more to call. Thing is, Joentausta had 85,000 behind so it essentially for his life too.

After about three minutes in the tank the Finn said “fin” and threw his hand in the muck. Giorkatzis raked in the chips and now sits with 360,000. –JS

1:53pm: 3,447 players, 85 countries
Level 16: Blinds 2,500/5,000, Ante 500

The 3,447 players participating in the Estrellas Poker Tour Barcelona Main Event came from 85 different countries. Spain predictably sent the most (586 players, or about 17%), with nearby France (467), Italy (256), and Germany (222) the next best represented.

Back by popular demand, it’s the delicious-looking European Poker Tour pie chart giving a fuller picture of where everyone came from in search of an ESPT title (click to embiggen). –MH

ESPT7_Barcelona_Main_Event_player_nationalities.JPG

1:42pm: Vieira holding steady
Level 16: Blinds 2,500/5,000, Ante 500

Joao Vieira ended last night’s final Day 1 flight in strong shape, leading for a time before ending with one of the top stacks. The man from Portgual maintained that steady success here during the first part of Day 2, sitting comfortably behind a stack of 310,000 at present. –MH

1:35pm: Two hands, two exits
Level 16: Blinds 2,500/5,000, Ante 500

Two exits in consecutive hands at table 46 to tell you about now. In the first, Ludovic Soleau three-bet all-in from the small blind for 66,000 and Daniele Primerano, who had opened to 11,000 from the cutoff, called to put the Frenchman at risk. Soleau showed AQ and couldn’t believe that Primerano had called him with J7. He also didn’t like the 797 flop and his lot didn’t improve on the 6 turn or 10 river.

On the following hand Dan Hoeidahl moved all-in from under the gun for right around 30,000 with Q10 and got a call from an opponent holidng K2. It was looking good until the river of a Q7A7K board but the cowboy on fifth street ended Hoeidahl’s tournament.

489 players remain. –NW

1:33pm: First cashers
Level 16: Blinds 2,500/5,000, Ante 500

The field is shrinking fast. Among the players out with min-cashes are Jonathan Westmorland (513th), Goran Mandic (578th), Vitaly Lunkin (623rd), Team PokerStars Pro George Danzer (633rd), Erwann Pecheux (675th), and Ricardo Chauriye (690th). –MH

EPT13_Barcelona-412_George Danzer.jpg

Danzer down

1:28pm: More Margereson
Level 16: Blinds 2,500/5,000, Ante 500

My last post mentioned how we hadn’t discussed Scott “Aggro Santos” Margerson today. Well, here he is again after just taking down a massive pot.

Action folded to Dmitry Yurasov in the small blind and he made it 12,500 to play. Margereson was in the big blind and he decided to pop it up to 34,000, only to then be four-bet to 70,000. Without much pause Margereson announced all-in, and Yurasov made the call (although he didn’t seem too happy about it).

When the cards were flipped it was clear why. Yurasov had the 1010 — a hand that was too good to fold, but almost destined to either be flipping or behind. Turns out it was the former, as Margereson had the AQ.

The 594 brought nothing for Margereson, and Yurasov was certainly praying that the turn and river stayed low. So the Q turn card was just about the worst imaginable. It preceded the 3 river and just like that Yurasov’s 180,000 shipped to the UK-born Mexico-living pro.

Margereson now has 480,000 — good for just shy of 100 big blinds. –JS

EPT13_Barcelona-470_Dmitry Yurasov_Scott Margereson.jpg

Margereson on the move

1:20pm: Prize pool and payouts
Level 16: Blinds 2,500/5,000, Ante 500

The bubble only burst less than an hour ago, but nearly 200 players have already cashed in the Estrellas Poker Tour Barcelona Main Event. It’s as good a time as any, then, to share some information about the prize pool and payouts.

With 3,447 players the prize pool is a whopping €3,343,590, and it’s being divided among the top 695 finishers with the biggest share of €423,600 going to the winner.

Here’s how the payouts will go at Monday’s final table:

1st: €423,600
2nd: €301,680
3rd: €241,300
4th: €202,420
5th: €163,800
6th: €125,450
7th: €87,350
8th: €62,300

With play resumed, another two dozen have already been knocked out, trimming the field to less than 500. –MH

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
16 2500 5000 500

12:58pm: Break time

After an exciting first couple of levels, players are catching their collective breath as they’ve arrived at the first 20-minute break of the day. –MH

12:57pm: Margereson sticking around (although not in this hand)
Level 15: Blinds 2,000/4,000, Ante 500

We haven’t mentioned Scott Margereson yet today but the beast known as ‘Aggro Santos’ is still hanging around in this one with roughly 200,000. He was in the big blind in this hand and saw a flop, but that was as far as he went.

Frederic Schwarzer opened to 9,000 which got one caller, followed by calls from Dmitry Yurasov in the small blind and Margereson. The flop came down 75K and it checked to Schwarzer, allowing him to continue for 15,000. Only Yurasov called to see the J turn, which both players checked.

We saw an 8 river and Yurasov saw an opportunity to lead out, with a big bet of 48,000. Schwarzer seemed a little confused, a little curious, a little surprised… but in the end he was out, folding his hand and heading off on break. –JS

12:52pm: Greenwood picks off the bluff
Level 15: Blinds 2,000/4,000, Ante 500

Lucas Greenwood is one third of the Greenwood poker playing brethren and whilst his brother Sam may well enter the Super High Roller that’s just begun, Luc is making hay in this event as he’s up to 400,000 after picking off an opponent’s river bluff.

He was facing a bet of 40,000 on a complete board of 54K45 and took some time before calling with pocket nines. His opponent had J10 for the missed flush draw and Greenwood took the pot.

Meanwhile it looks as though Greenwood’s brother, Sam, is signing up for the €50K Super High Roller that is now underway. –NW

12:46pm: One less Morin
Level 15: Blinds 2,000/4,000, Ante 500

Both Romain Morin and Jan Nijmeijer had short stacks and medium-strength hands when they jointly went all-in before the flop just now. Morin had KJ, a better starter than Nijmeijer’s Q8, but five cards later — Q982J — Nijmeijer’s hand was best.

Nijmeijer had Morin outchipped by a few, and so the latter heads to the exit while Nijmeijer gets to continue to battle, albeit still with a short stack. –MH

12:39pm: All Merabets are off
Level 15: Blinds 2,000/4,000, Ante 500

Ooof. It’s been a rough start for French player Hilal Merabet — the man who came into this day second in chips with 410,000. He just got really unlucky to double up Italy’s Elio Melandri, and lose 117,000 in the process.

The money went in preflop — Melandri with Q10 and Merabet with AA. The Q73 flop paired Melandri, but Merabet wasn’t too phased by it. Little did he know that the 10 was about to hit the turn and leave him needing the board to pair. It didn’t, and Merabet has dipped to around 250,000 now. –JS

EPT13_Barcelona-389_Hilal Merabet.jpg

Hilal Merabet

12:31pm: Luciani loses out, Rebollar rolling
Level 15: Blinds 2,000/4,000, Ante 500

The “all in and call!” calls are relentless here during the post-bubble period. Among the many being delivered was one just now from Alessandro Luciani’s table, where the Italian was all-in with AK and at extreme risk versus Jose Valls Rebollar’s AA.

The board rolled out 36K104 to pair Luciani’s king, but that wasn’t enough and he joins the wave of players heading to the cashier. Rebollar has 320,000 now. –MH 

12:24pm: Exits, exits and oh yes, more exits
Level 15: Blinds 2,000/4,000, Ante 500

I think I’d need about 12 arms and as many feet to be able to cover the sheer volume of all-in and calls that are currently taking place in the tournament room. There have been around 55 exits in the 20 minutes since the bubble burst and I caught a couple of them first hand.

Hassan Sey is up to 450,000 after eliminating Mihai Ceuca, the latter got it in with pocket sixes and was up against Sey’s AQ. A queen hit the flop and that was that Ceuca.

One table over Alejandro Perez Torres had a smaller pair, pocket threes and was in deep trouble against Kirill Solovev’s pocket kings. The board bought no help for Torres and he was added to the scores of Level 15 eliminations. –NW

12:15pm: It’s Novikova ’til it’s ova
Level 15: Blinds 2,000/4,000, Ante 500

PokerStars Team Online’s Liliya Novikova is still in this one. In fact, she just picked up a few chips by knocking out Sven Kersten. He moved all-in from the small blind for around 27,000 over a button min-raise, and Novikova re-jammed in the big blind. The original raiser folded and the cards were flipped.

Novikova had the goods with the JJ against the A4, and no Ace hit on the 2QQ4Q runout. She’s up to 120,000 now. –JS

EPT13_Barcelona-399_Liliya Novikova.jpg

Team Online’s Liliya Novikova

12:05pm: Here comes the noise…
Level 15, Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

As you’d expect after the bubble has burst, the amount of all-in and calls we’re hearing is pretty crazy right now. We’ll bring you an update of how many players are left once the dust has settled.

Chris Moorman is one of many helping to whittle down the field. He opened to 8,500 and was shoved on by Almir Gusalovic for around 40,000. It folded back to Moorman who instantly called, and here’s why: AA.

That was crushing Gusalovic’s K4, and he got no help on the 3367Q board. Moorman is up to around 480,000. –JS

EPT13_Barcelona-410_Sofia Lovgren_Chris Moorman.jpg

Moorman, less focused than Sofia Lovgren

11:50am: The bubble has burst!
Level 15, Blinds 2,000-4,000 (500 ante)

So with 698 players left and four all-ins the equation was simple. If three of the four all-in players busted out then everyone else would be in the money.

EPT13_Barcelona-438_Bubble.jpg

Bubble time!

Two of the first three went the way of the big stack so it was all down to the last of all-ins to decide if they’d need to be another round of hand for hand play. It was to play out on table 43 and Toby Stone – the tournament director – announced the action to the hungry masses.

There was already a 638 flop on the felt when he arrived and it was time for the players to turn their cards over. It was Daniel Gecer who was at risk, he was first to show and opened KK. A good hand, but not as good as Andre Comemale as the Frenchman had pocket aces.

The 7 turn and 9 river meant that Gecer was eliminated and the remaining 695 players are now in the money. –NW

EPT13_Barcelona-442_Bubble_Daniel Gecer.jpg

Gecer goes

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
15 2000 4000 500

11:37am: Hand for hand
Level 14, Blinds 1,500-3,000 (500 ante)

At 699 players, we went into hand for hand play. However, there was only one all-in/call/elimination on the last hand which saw Sebastian Barhs Malec sent to the rail by Ben Zech. The latter opened, Malec jammed for around 40,000 and Zech called with KQ. It was up against Malec’s 77 but that hand was crushed on the 9KQ flop. The 9 turn and K river only improved Zech to a full house and that was that.

698 players remain, so we’re two away from the hard bubble and three busts away from the money.

11:25am: Romero runs out of chips
Level 14, Blinds 1,500-3,000 (500 ante)

Gustavo Paredes Romero is one of the players who’s fallen just short of the money here in Barcelona. He had about eight big blinds left by the time he committed them holding 99 and got a call from Jerome Brion, who had AK.

An ace on the flop sent Romero to the rail. –NW

11:10am: Almost bubble time
Level 14, Blinds 1,500-3,000 (500 ante)

The clock has been paused and Toby Stone is delivering instructions to the players. No doubt one of those is for players to stay in their seats during the bubble period so staff can get between tables. It’ll never happen though, much like the blinds rising, it’s a fact of tournament poker that they’ll be a crowd at whichever table looks like bursting the bubble.

There was also an instruction to the dealers, any all-in and call must now be announced. The tension is ramping up here as the bubble is getting closer. –NW

11:05am: No faking
Level 14, Blinds 1,500-3,000 (500 ante)

This reporter is going to hold his hands up and say he thought Silvestro Sotera was auditioning for a movie whilst he was watching this hand.

The situation was as follows, there were 711 players left and 695 will make the money. Sotera was under-the-gun and only had a handful of blinds left, 22,000 to be precise so just over seven big blinds.

So when he started to tank the natural assumption was that he was stalling for time, no one at his table seem too bothered about this. Some looked at their phones, others simply stared into space. No one seemed remotely interested in calling the clock.

It seemed only a matter of time before Sotera would drop this façade and push his cards over the line, but instead he pushed his chips over the line and moved all-in. One by one the other players folded and he survived. –NW

10:57am: What Joao want me to do?
Level 14: Blinds 1,500/3,000, Ante 500

Portugal’s Joao Vieira ended the day strong yesterday with 232,000. He hasn’t had the greatest start today, having dipped to 165,000.

In a hand I just caught, he was contemplating whether or not to call Didac Garcia Diaz’s all-in. Vieira had bet 12,000 into a 30,000 pot on a Q52 flop, after which Diaz jammed for 42,000.

After a while Vieira started talking. “What should I do?” he asked.

EPT13_Barcelona-402_Joao Vieira.jpg

Vieira ponders

“TIME,” said Diaz instantly, calling the clock.

About halfway into the countdown he laid it down. –JS

10:55am: The end of Bassand
Level 14, Blinds 1,500-3,000 (500 ante)

Raise, re-raise, shove, call. That’s how a lot of all-ins go and it’s how the one between Francisco García and Jean-Marc Bassand played out over on table 61. Bassand played the role of the raiser/shover with AK and García snapped him off with pocket aces.

The board teased Bassand as it came 642K6 to give him hope on the river which didn’t arrive. –NW

10:48am: Wheeler fortune
Level 14: Blinds 1,500/3,000, Ante 500

US pro Jason Wheeler can be found playing just about anything – from the big high rollers to smaller side events. He’s currently in a good position to make the money here today, having just won a nice pot that took his stack up to 220,000.

I picked up the action on a 4105 flop, and Wheeler had just called a bet from Russia’s Aleksandr Kashevarov. The turn came the Q and Aleksandr bet again – 13,000. Wheeler bumped it up to 36,000 and it was insta-called. That took us to the 9 river, putting four hearts on board. Aleksandr went back to his preferred amount – 13,000 – and Wheeler quickly called. Both had flushes, but Wheeler’s KQ was best over his opponent’s 10J. –JS

10:40am: Show me the money!
Level 14, Blinds 1,500-3,000 (500 ante)

Breaking: the winner of the ESPT7 Barcelona Main Event will receive €423,600 whilst 695 players will make the money with a min-cash worth €1,100. We’re about 50 off the money right now and we’ll bring you the full payout structure as soon as we can. –NW

10:35am: Double quick time
Level 14, Blinds 1,500-3,000 (500 ante)

It’s been a rapid fire start with at least 60 players losing the last of their chips during the opening 30 minutes and the number of players left has now dipped under 800.

Dan Heimiller, Vladislav Donchev, Leif Iversen, Adrien Allain, Mikal Blomlie and Vladimir Geshkenbein are among those to have fallen during the opening level of Day 2. –NW

10:32am: Raiser Glaser
Level 14: Blinds 1,500/3,000, Ante 500

Benny Glaser ended Day 1A as chip leader, and he’s already busted a player here today to increase his stack even more.

The UK’s three time WSOP bracelet winner opened to 6,500 from early position and got callers in Francois Munoz and Robert Fenner out of the small and big blinds. The three went to a flop, and the dealer spread the 782. It checked to Glaser, but he chose not to c-bet.

The turn came the A and it checked to Glaser once more, who now put in a delayed continuation of 10,500. Munoz got out the way, but Fenner jammed for around 35,000 total and Glaser snapped it off. The Brit had the A10, way ahead of Fenner’s A5. The river wasn’t a five and Glaser moved up to 410,000. –JS

ESPT7_barcelona_main_event_day2_benny_glaser.jpg

More chips for Glaser

10:20am: One small step for Moorman
Level 14: Blinds 1,500/3,000, Ante 500

Chris Moorman might be the biggest winner in online tournament poker history, but he’s also pretty nifty on the live felt too. With $4,132,263 live to go with his incredible $13,475,616 online, it’s no surprise we find him with a decent stack (176,500) here on Day 2.

He’s hit the ground running, opening to 6,500 on the button and getting one caller in Niko Koop out of the big blind. The flop fell 10AK and Moorman put in an identical c-bet of 6,500 after it was checked to him. Koop made the call, but check-folded to Moorman’s 15,500 bet on the 9 turn. –JS

10:15am: Tales of ace-king
Level 14, Blinds 1,500-3,000 (500 ante)

It’s a typical start to Day 2 here in Barcelona with plenty of short stacks getting their chips over the line.

Nick Newport isn’t one of those players, but he raised it up with AK and called off the extra when Ricardo Lorenzo shoved for roughly 29,000 with A8. The 84848 board connected rather nicely with Lorenzo’s hand and he doubled up, Newport still has a comfortable stack of 160,000.

Meanwhile, one table over Abdullatif Attia chanced his arm, moving his final 30,500 in whilst holding A9. That aggression got rid of a number of players but not Stefano Locorotondo. The Italian called with AK and held on the 62527 run out to eliminate Attia. –NW

10:10am: Shuffle up and deal
Level 14: Blinds 1,500/3,000, Ante 500

Cards are in the air here on Day 2. –JS

LEVEL SMALL BLIND BIG BLIND ANTE
14 1500 3000 500

9:40am: Let the survivors combine

Buenos días! We’re up early once again as today is Day 2 of the Estrellas Poker Tour Season 7 Main Event here in Barcelona. We’ve had a record breaking turnout for this event, with a colossal Day 1C that brought the total amount of individual entries to 3,450.

EPT13_Barcelona-384_Lounge.jpg

The tournament rooms at the Casino Barcelona were jam-packed yesterday as 1,755 players tried their luck. When all was said and done just 449 players survived, which means that when combined with the Day 1A and Day 1B survivors we’ll have a Day 2 starting field of 862.

The man that leads them all right now surged to a huge chip stack late in the day yesterday. Hungary’s Gabor Szabo won a string of hands – including one huge one – that shot his stack up to 454,000.

EPT13_Barcelona-395_Gabor Szaboa.jpg

Gabor Szabo

His closest competitors are Frenchman Hilal Merabet (410,000), the UK’s Louis Salter (378,000), and end-of-Day-1A chip leader Benny Glaser (360,000). Here is a combined list of all 862 players’ chip counts heading into Day 2.

We’re about to take the next steps to finding out who will become the ESPT7 Barcelona Main Event champ, so sit back and keep hitting refresh for the latest updates. –JS


Ready to play the EPT yourself? Sign up for PokerStars and begin your journey. Click here to get an account.


Take a look at the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for EPT13 Barcelona and the rest of the season.

Also all the schedule information is on the EPT App, which is available on both Android or IOS.

PokerStars Blog reporting team on the ESPT7 Barcelona Main Event: Jack Stanton, Martin Harris, and Nick Wright. Photography by René Velli and Carlos Monti. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter @PokerStarsBlog.

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