591 entries. 591! That’s where the last high roller of the European Poker Tour Barcelona festival ended up after late registration concluded at the start of today’s Day 2. The €10K buy-in event (with a single re-entry) has a €5,732,300 prize pool, and when the 36 returners come back for tomorrow’s third and final day all will be eyeing the massive €849,200 up top for the winner.

Positioned most favorably to start play on Sunday will be Ilkin Amirov of Azerbaijan who concluded a wild ride of a Day 2 as the chip leader, writing an even 1.7 million on his chip bag at night’s end. 

Ilkin Amirov

Amirov’s rise came after several other players took turns enjoying the chip lead during the late afternoon and evening.

Benjamin Pollak first emerged from the pack as they played down to 119 players and the money. As they got close play slowed, and it wasn’t until just a little before the dinner break that Shyam Srinivasan got his chips in on the turn with top pair versus Amirov’s set and soon was out in 120th, one spot shy of the cash.

The floodgates opened thereafter, with Anthony Zinno zooming to the top as the first player to 1 million chips, Luiz Duarte darting up right after him to be the second to do so and to assume the chip lead, then Pascal Hartmann manned up and took over the top of the counts after busting Adrian Mateos.

Ari Engel then surged ahead of them all, but fell back to the pack as the chips swung back and forth across the tables. Through it all, though, Amirov was steadily building, having won races on the bubble and afterwards to climb up through the ranks to the top of the day’s final list of counts.

Also bagging up big stacks at night’s end were Engel (1,645,000), Julian Stuer (1,500,000), Connor Drinan (1,463,000), Joseph Cheong (1,412,000), and Joe Serock (1,318,000). Others making it through were Oleksii Koroshenin (1,096,000), Anthony Zinno (939,000), Natasha Barbour (910,000), Ivan Luca (656,000), Mike McDonald (509,000), Robin Ylitalo (486,000), and Davidi Kitai (297,000). 

Meanwhile the late night eliminations included Laurynas Levinskas, Igor Yaroshevskyy, Luc Greenwood, Charlie Carrel, Friend of Team PokerStars Pro Felipe Ramos, Sebastian Veghinas, and Erwann Pecheux. 

Click here for complete end-of-day-3 chip counts and check the payouts page for a full list of where the cashers have finished. And look below for blow-by-blow action throughout Day 2.

Play resumes at 12:30pm Barcelona time tomorrow, and we’ll be here from start-to-finish in what promises to be a lengthy, challenging battle from which a worthy champion will no doubt emerge. See you back here mañana! –MH

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2:05am: 36 advance to Day 2
Level 21 – Blinds: 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

During the last three hands both Sebastian Veghinas and Erwann Pecheux were eliminated meaning 36 players will return at 12:30 tomorrow and play to a winner. –NW

1:55am: Last three hands
Level 21 – Blinds: 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

Just three more hands to go until Day 2 is over. –NW

1:41am: Erlandsson doubles
Level 21 – Blinds: 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

Daniel Erlandsson just survived a small double-up after a preflop all-in 10♣ 10♥ versus Rafael Da Silva Moraes’s K♣ J♥ . A ten on the flop meant Erlandsson had it sealed up by the turn, but he’s still on the short side with about 300,000. Meanwhile Moraes is comfortably on around 820,000 as the last level winds down. –MH

1:35am: Joseph Cheong wins a big pot against Davidi Kitai
Level 21 – Blinds: 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

It might be the last level of the night but there are plenty of big pots about with the latest involving Davidi Kitai and Joseph Cheong. On the river of a 2♠ 10♦ J♠ 5♠ 8♣ board Cheong bet 194,000 and Kitai went into the tank. He stayed there for over two minutes before eventually deciding to call. Cheong turned over A♠ 4♠ for the nut flush and Kitai mucked. That hand sees Cheong climb to just over a million and Kitai drop back to 400,000. –NW

1:25am: Sebastian Veghinas doubles through Ari Engel
Level 21 – Blinds: 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

This one went raise button (Ari Engel), shove small blind (Sebastian Veghinas) and call the all-in from Engel. The Romanian had 187,000 left and showed Q♠ J♠ which needed to hit against Engel’s A♠ 10♦ .

It did as the 9♠ 4♣ J♥ 4♥ 5♦ board kept him in the tournament. 38 players remain. –NW

1:15am: Carrel sings his last song
Level 21 – Blinds: 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

Down to what looked to be around four big blinds, Charlie Carrel moved all-in from the cutoff and Connor Drinan stuck in the extra from the big blind. It was a good spot for Carrel as he had Drinan dominated with 10♦ 8♥ vs 10♣ 3♣ . That is until a 6♣ 3♠ J♣ flop fell. The K♣ turn gave Drinan a flush and the meaningless 9♥ completed the board. –NW

1:05am: Chip leaders
Level 21 – Blinds: 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

As the final level of the night gets underway there are 41 players left in and the players below lead the way:

Ilkin Amirov – 1,800,000
Julian Stuer – 1,525,000
Luiz Duarte – 1,400,000
Ari Engel – 1,350,000
Christopher Frank – 1,150,000
Aaron Lim – 1,100,000

1:03am: Vousden over Kamatakis
Level 21 – Blinds: 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

Samuel Vousden open-shoved from the small blind and Iliodoros Kamatakis — after some “do you want me to call?”-type chatter — called all-in from the big blind.

Kamatakis had K♠ 3♠ and couldn’t have been too pleased to see Vousden’s A♥ 3♦ , but the board ran out 4♠ K♣ 5♥ Q♣ 4♣ to favor Kamatakis and he’s up to 404,000. Vousden is still on 1 million. –MH

1:02am: Last level of the night
Level 21 – Blinds: 10,000/20,000 (3,000 ante)

With 41 still in they’ve reached the last level of the night and are playing right through without a break. –MH

12:55am: Misstep from Hartmann
Level 20 – Blinds: 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

Pascal Hartmann has been one of the big stacks for much of the latter part of Day 2 but he just lost a chunk of chips to Aaron Lim. The German opened to 35,000 from early position and Lim then three-bet to 105,000 from the button.

Hartmann took a look at the Australian’s stack and then moved all-in, Lim snap called and was all-in for 529,000 in total. Hartmann turned over 9♥ 9♣ and would need help to win this million chip pot as Lim held pocket kings. An uneventful 8♦ 4♦ A♥ 3♥ 3♠ board rolled off and Lim doubled to around 1,100,000 while Hartmann drops to 650,000. –NW

12:41pm: Kitai runs over Rudoy
Level 20 – Blinds: 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

Mikhail Rudoy of Russia was all-in and at risk versus the Belgian Davidi Kitai, holding A♠ 6♣ versus Kitain’s A♣ 8♦ .

The flop came 9♥ 8♥ K♥ , and Rudoy was already out of his seat at the sight of the eight on the board. He lingered a moment as the 3♥ came on the turn, presenting chopportunities (as they say on EPT Live). But the river was the 4♦ , and Rudoy is out.

Make it 645,000 for Kitai with 41 players left. –MH

12:35am: Salas doubles through Cheong
Level 20 – Blinds: 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

From early position Joseph Cheong opened to 35,000 and Damian Salas then three-bet to 108,000 from the button. After getting a look at the remaining chips of Salas (he had about 325,000 behind), Cheong announced all-in and Salas duly called.

Cheong: 7♥ 7♠
Salas: A♠ K♣

The 2♣ 6♣ K♠ flop gave Salas the lead and he held it on the 9♣ turn and Q♥ river. He was all-in for 439,000 so is up to 920,000 and Cheong is down to 495,000. –NW

Salas survives

12:26am: Flush over flush
Level 20 – Blinds: 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

Here’s a “livin’ right”-type hand for Luiz Duarte for you. And a hard luck one for Marc MacDonnell.

Following a 7♠ 6♠ 2♠ flop, MacDonnell got all of his chips in against Duarte with K♠ J♠ only to discover Duarte held A♠ 9♠ . That made the remaining community cards of no consequence, and MacDonnell was on the rail in 44th place.

Duarte moves up again, and now sits with 1.55 million. –MH

12:21pm: Kamatakis continues campaign
Level 20 – Blinds: 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

Iliodoros Kamatakis — who final-tabled the EPT12 Dublin Main Event, finishing fifth — is still in with less than 45 players left with a short stack of about 15 BBs.

We’ve kind of had an eye Kamatakis since early on in this event, not just because of his success in Dublin earlier this year. The Greek player grabbed our attention during the first part of the first level, in fact, thanks to his having check-raised all-in on the turn in a hand versus Rhys Jones. 

It was startling enough to be the first hand report of the tournament to appear on the PokerStars blog. As noted, he’s short, but one of just six tables’ worth of players all striving still to play the last hand reported from this tournament, too. –MH

Iliodoros Kamatakis

12:15am: Kempe and Delgado depart
Level 20 – Blinds: 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

They’re falling like dominoes with Rainer Kempe and Vicente Delgado both losing races to bust shortly after one another. First to go was Kempe his A♣ 10♦ was up against the K♥ Q♠ of Gregory Goldberg. Despite a J♣ 10♣ 8♦ flop giving him an open ended straight draw he failed to hit the 2♠ turn or J♠ river.

As for Delgado he got his stack in with A♣ K♣ and was looking to outrace the pocket tens of Samuel Vousden. But a 7♦ 8♠ 6♦ Q♣ 10♥ board favoured the Finn and he moves up to 1,050,000. –NW

12:02am: Pecheux takes out Ung
Level 20 – Blinds: 8,000/16,000 (2,000 ante)

After an all-in with a short stack from Erwann Pecheux, Senh Ung called all-in with a slighly shorter one and turned over Q♠ J♠ which was racing with the 4♣ 4♥ of Pecheux.

The 10♦ 7♠ 4♦ gave Pecheux a set and nearly ended the race right then and there, then the 7♣ turn did just that, giving Pecheux a full house and leaving Ung drawing dead to finish in 48th.

Pecheux collects some needed chips, but still has about 375,000. –MH

11:55pm: More for Cheong as Davidovitz is gone
Level 19 – Blinds: 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

A blind on blind encounter ended with Doron Davidovitz on the rail. He shoved his short stack across the line holding 10♦ 2♦ but ‘the Brunson’ didn’t come to his rescue against Joseph Cheong’s A♠ K♦ . Cheong’s up to 750,000 now. –NW

11:49pm: Zinno busts Greenwood
Level 19 – Blinds: 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Following the elimination of Igor Yaroshevskyy in 52nd, it was Luc Greenwood all-in with a short stack with Q♦ 2♦ against Anthony Zinno’s K♠ K♥ .

The 4♦ 6♦ 10♠ invites speculation that the chips went in on the flop, but after the board brought no further diamonds it’s no matter for Greenwood who is on the rail in 51st. Zinno bounces back to about 940,000 on that one, still keeping him near the top of the counts. –MH

11:45pm: Engel moves in front
Level 19 – Blinds: 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Ari Engel has moved ahead of the pack during a level that has seen a lot of chip movement and several bustouts.

Engel just took out Iegor Zarev in 53rd place, claiming his short stack and moving up around 1.48 million to move into first position in the counts. –MH

Rarefied Ari

11:40pm: Ylitalo doubles through Pollak
Level 19 – Blinds: 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

On the river of a 10♦ 3♦ 4♦ 5♣ 7♣ board Benjamin Pollak bet 100,000 into a pot of roughly 270,000 only for Ylitalo to shove for 237,000 total. There was no insta-call from Pollak, indeed he took so long that the clock was called.

Before it reached zero he called and Ylitalo instantly showed A♦ 7♦ for the nuts, while Pollak had K♥ 10♥ . After that hand Ylitalo is up to 730,000 and Pollak drops to 700,000. –NW

11:37pm: Marchi marched out by MacDonnell
Level 19 – Blinds: 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Davide Marchi is done, his last chips going to Marc MacDonnell.

We caught the aftermath, with Marchi having committed 120,000 or so versus MacDonnell holding K♦ 4♦ versus the latter’s 3♠ 3♣ . The A♥ 2♥ 6♠ A♣ J♠ runout added up to a Marchi’s ouster and a win for MacDonnell, who’s playing around 760,000 now. –MH

11:32pm: Big three-way all-in goes Ferreira’s way
Level 19 – Blinds: 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Following a cutoff open to 24,000 by Laurynas Levinskas, Elliot Smith reraised all-in for his last 87,000. Jean Ferreira called Smith’s shove, then watched Levinskas reraise all-in himself over the top and Ferreira called again to commit his entire stack of more than 480,000.

Ferreira: A♠ K♦
Smith: 10♥ 10♦
Levinskas: Q♦ Q♣

Three big hands, and the 2♠ 3♠ A♥ flop favored Ferreira’s. The turn was the 8♠ and river the 8♣ , and Ferreira bounds way up to 1.1 million, Levinskas sinks to 265,000, and Smith is out. –MH

11:24pm: Hartmann busts Mateos, grabs chip lead
Level 19 – Blinds: 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

A lot of knockouts here at the start of the new level, including one that saw Pascal Hartmann take out Adrian Mateos to vault into the chip lead.

With Hartmann being dealt K♦ K♣ and Mateos J♦ J♣ , the pair traded preflop bets until Mateos was all-in for his last 400,000 or so. The board came 2♠ 4♥ 8♠ A♣ 5♣ and Mateos was out.

Hartmann is stacking about 1.22 million, the presumed chip leader at the moment. By the way, the chip counts were all just updated at the last break, so take a look to see who’s got what. –MH

11:20pm: Platonov straightened out by Leonard
Level 19 – Blinds: 6,000/12,000 (2,000 ante)

Aleksei Platonov is out in 60th after losing the last of his chips to Patrick Leonard. The Brit opened and then called when Platonov shoved for just over 100,000. The Russian had pocket twos to Leonard’s A♠ J♦ and the latter made a straight on the 8♠ 4♦ 10♥ 9♠ Q♦ board. He’s up to 650,000 now. –NW

10:46pm: Break time

They’ve reached the end of Level 18 and players are off on a 20-minute break. –MH

10:45pm: Jones busts to McDonald
Level 18 – Blinds: 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

Rhys Jones was all-in with the K♥ 10♦ against Mike McDonald’s K♣ Q♥ . The board ran out 9♣ 7♣ A♦ J♦ 4♥ and Jones shipped his 128,000 the Canadian’s way, bringing his stack up to 650,000. –JS

10:44pm: And it’s goodnight from Nitsche
Level 18 – Blinds: 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

Dominik Nitsche has just been eliminated from this one. He was all-in pre-flop with ace-nine against Conor Drinan’s king-queen, and the flop brought an ace. However, it also contained a ten, and when the turn came a jack Drinan had made broadway. –JS

10:38pm: The McDonald-Carrel stare down (featuring Veghinas)
Level 18 – Blinds: 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

This was a long old hand (and I only picked up the action on the river!) but still one that ended with a bang. Mike McDonald was giving his famous stare down to Charlie Carrel, who was staring straight back. The two were locked in with each other, almost oblivious to their tablemates who were having a bit of giggle. Sebastian Veghinas was so amused he took out his phone and started filming the pair, before the floor came over to tell him off.

“Like this I can stay?” said the Romanian, holding his hands behind his head. “Ah thank you, thank you”

But back to the hand. The board showed the 8♦ 10♥ A♣ Q♥ 10♣ and McDonald had made just about a pot-sized bet of 120,000. Action was on Carrel and he was in the tank even longer than McDonald was to act. Rhys Jones eventually called the clock as he was short stacked (apologising to Carrel after the hand), and after half a minute Carrel made the call.

McDonald showed the J♦ 10♦ for trips, and that was good as Carrel mucked. The Canadian is up to 534,000, while the Brit drops to 513,000. –JS

10:30pm: Another million chip stack emerges
Level 18 – Blinds: 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

Luiz Duarte Ferreira Filho is up to 1,150,000 after eliminating Emil Ekvardt. The Swede got his final 160,000 in holding K♥ 9♠ and was ahead of the Brazilian’s Q♦ J♣ . But the A♠ 5♠ J♥ 2♣ Q♣ board meant Ekvardt was knocked out. –NW

Luiz Duarte-ing up the leaderboard

10:24pm: Double up for Smith
Level 18 – Blinds: 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

Elliot Smith was all-in for 76,000 with K♦ 10♠ and was delighted to see he was ahead of the hand Aaron Lim called him with — K♠ 6♠ .

He couldn’t have been happy with the 7♥ 6♠ A♣ flop though. Nor the J♥ turn, although it did give him four more outs. His mood quickly changed when the Q♣ landed on the river to give him a straight.

“Whoopeeee!” he said as he raked in the chips. Lim is on 655,000 after that one.–JS

10:15pm: Zinno cracks the million mark
Level 18 – Blinds: 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

Anthony Zinno is the first player to accumulate a seven-figure stack and he did it by eliminating Federico Sztern Castanola. The latter moved all-in for 63,000 with A♣ 2♥ and Zinno had him crushed with pocket aces.

A 7♥ 10♦ Q♠ 3♣ 7♦ board meant Castanola was drawing dead before the river and Zinno is up to 1,060,000. –NW

Zinno zooms up

10:10pm: Cheeky side wager
Level 18 – Blinds: 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

It seems like either:

A) A few of the players left in the field are spicing things up a bit (as if playing for €849,200 wasn’t spicy enough) by organizing a private “last longer” bet, OR:

B) Charlie Carrel and Patrick Leonard have just decided to cross-book each other. That means whoever cashes for the most, the other player has to pay them that amount.

Leonard stood up and called over to Carrel: “Only final table counts. If you cash for seventy-eight A♠ it counts as zero.”

“That might change play a bit!” Carrel said jokingly. –JS

10:02pm: Karlic cut down by Barbour
Level 18 – Blinds: 5,000/10,000 (1,000 ante)

Gerald Karlic final-tabled this same event a year ago, taking seventh at EPT12 Barcelona. He’s cashing again this year, albeit going out a bit sooner in 79th.

In his final hand all the chips went in on a A♠ J♥ 6♠ , and when his 8♣ 8♠ was revealed it proved well behind Natasha Barbour’s A♦ 5♥ . The 3♣ turn and 6♦ sealed it, and the Austrian headed to the cashier’s desk.

Barbour has 570,000 now. –MH

Barbour clips Karlic

10pm: Double bubble
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

With 80 players left there began a bit of an impasse and a fair amount of stalling as there was almost a €6,500 pay jump between 80th and 79th place. So when action passed to Eddy Maksoud in the small blind and he took some time over a decision, Rafael Da Silva Moraes decided to call the clock.

“I’m not stalling, I have a decision,” said Maksoud who had a stack of about 155,000 left. After a few more seconds he moved all-in and Da Sliva Moraes snap called. Maksoud opened A♦ 3♠ and was way behind the pocket queens of his opponent. The Q♥ 5♦ 3♦ 4♠ 8♥ run out kept the Brazilian in front and reduced the field to 79. –NW

9:50pm: Carrel gets the double through Diaz
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

You could say Charlie Carrel played this hand to perfection. You could say he got fortunate that Gilbert Diaz is the type of player who’d make the kind of move he did on the river. Whatever you say, Carrel got the desired outcome: a full double up.

Diaz opened to 18,000 and Carrel (to Diaz’s left) three-bet to somewhere around 48,000. It folded back to Diaz and he made the call pretty sharpish. The flop came down 8♣ Q♦ J♥ and again Diaz acted quickly, this time leading into the last aggressor with a 50,000 bet. Carrel made the call.

The turn was the 5♠ and that made Diaz check. Carrel slid out a bet of 75,000 and Diaz made a quick call. Finally the J♦ landed on fifth street, pairing the board. In a blink of an eye Diaz had moved all-in, Carrel had snap-call, and Carrel was counting his stack ready to receive the same amount from the Frenchman. Turns out Diaz jammed with the 10♣ 10♥ but that was way behind Carrel’s Q♠ J♣ for a full house. He’s up to 573,000 now, while Diaz dips to 286,000. –JS

Carrel-ing along

9:48pm: Two eliminations, three all-ins, four queens
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

Whilst I was covering a long, drawn out, and ultimately unexciting hand between Reiner Kempe and Gregory Goldberg, a far more interesting one was happening on the table behind me. I turned around to see Pierre Calamusa all-in with pocket nines, Luiz Duarte Ferreira Filho all-in with pocket queens, and Kristoffer Edberg all-in with pocket aces. Filho had them both covered, and it was flop time.

Q♠ Q♦ 10♥ .

Quads for Filho, and just like that it was all over. Calamusa and Edberg didn’t really pay attention to the turn and river (and therefore neither did we) as they were both eliminated and sent to the cage to collect their cash. Filho, meanwhile, has shot up to an enormous stack of 952,000. –JS

9:46pm: Luca correctly calls Levinskas
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

The board showed Q♦ 2♣ 5♣ 6♠ 5♥ , and with about 175,000 in the middle already, Ivan “Negriin” Luca checked over to Laurynas “LaurisL91” Levinskas who bet all-in. Levinskas had the 200,000-plus Luca had behind well covered, so for the Argentinian to call and be wrong would be the end of his tournament.

Luca did call… and he was right. He tabled K♥ Q♥ for queens, while Levinskas had K♣ 8♣ .

That’s 570,000 now for Luca, while Levinskas slips to 260,000. –MH

Ivan more chips

9:46pm: Pecheux gets more gold
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

The action folded to the small blind, where Erwann Pecheux shoved for 131,000. The decision was on Gregory Goldberg and he tanked for a long time. So much so that Noah Vaillancourt’s exit hand (see below) started and finished while Goldberg was in the tank. Eventually he called though and showed Q♠ J♣ . He was behind to Pecheux’s A♦ 5♥ and the Frenchman’s hand held up on a A♠ 9♦ 2♠ 2♣ 9♥ board. He doubles, while Goldberg drops to 560,000. –NW

9:40pm: Noah no more
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

Noah Vaillancourt is the latest in the money finisher as his K♠ Q♠ failed to outrace the pocket eights of Jiri Horak. –NW

9:33pm: One happy Kempe
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

Rainer Kempe took another shot on an all-in with A♦ 2♦ , and this time he was looked up by Dorian Rios who had the big preflop edge with A♣ Q♦ .

But a 3♣ 10♥ 2♠ flop swung things Kempe’s way, and the K♥ turn and K♦ river kept things right there. Kempe doubles to about 210,000 while Rios still sits with a comfortable 800,000. –MH

9:28pm: Two more down
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

Following that knockout of Alex DiFelice in 89th, both Stefan Schillhabel (88th) and Sergey Sergeev (87th) were likewise sent to the rail. –MH

9:20pm: Chop it up
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

After an open from Damian Salas, there followed an all-in shove of 115,000 from Jannis Brauer. Back on Salas he had a think and then called the all-in.

Salas: 8♦ 8♣
Brauer: 10♠ 10♣

A fun 5♥ 3♣ 2♣ 6♣ 4♥ board ran out and with a straight ton board they chopped the pot. I’m pretty sure Salas loved it, but Brauer looked none too pleased. –NW

9:18pm: Ducks work out for MacDonnell
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

Marc MacDonnell looked down at 2♦ 2♥ and decided he’d open-raise his last 113,000 from middle position with the hand. Alas for him he wasn’t too pleased to get called by Joe Serock who’d picked up K♣ K♥ on the button.

The dealer spread the flop… a 6♦ in the window, slid over to reveal a A♥ , then slid again to show… the 2♣ !

Okay, then!

The 5♥ turn and J♦ river kept MacDonnell in front, and he’s up to 246,000 now. Serock still has a very healthy 935,000. –MH

9:09pm: Updated chip counts
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

Head over to our chip counts page for the latest counts.

9:09pm: Vousden downs DiFelice
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

Alex DiFelice risked his last chips with 9♣ 8♣ versus Samuel Vousden’s A♠ K♦ . But a runout of 2♣ Q♣ 6♠ J♥ 3♥ was no good to DiFelice and he’s on the rail.

Vousden has 560,000. –MH

9:02pm: Short stacks battle
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

Following an Ari Engel open, Rainer Kempe reraise-pushed from the blinds to earn a fold. Just after that Federico Castanola open-raised his short stack all-in from under the gun and got no takers.

All three of those players are sitting on relatively short stacks just now. Engel is the best off of the three with 192,000, Kempe has 135,000, and Castanola 120,000. –MH

8:55pm: Buddiga bounced
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

There will be no second high roller title in Barcelona for Pratyush Buddiga as he was just eliminated from this tournament by Felipe Ramos. The Brazillian moved all-in from the small blind for about 75,000 and Buddiga, who was down to about 50,000, called all-in.

Ramos: A♦ K♠
Buddiga: A♥ 5♣

The Q♥ Q♠ 3♥ Q♣ K♣ board favoured Ramos and he climbs to around 130,000. –NW

8:50pm: Bou Habib, Brandi fly away
Level 17 – Blinds: 4,000/8,000 (1,000 ante)

The “dropping like flies” phrase was dropped near the tournament area just now, a reference to the 17 quick post-bubble knockouts that came during the last 40 minutes or so prior to dinner.

But really, it must be asked… when is the last time you saw flies dropping? They don’t, do they? They fly around.

However you want to describe it, the knockouts are continuing apace here after the dinner. Walid Bou Habib went out on the first hand back in 92nd, then Martin Finger felted Iacapo Brandi soon thereafter to put him out in 91st.

That’s the early buzz here from the tournament area. –MH

7:28pm: Dinner

Players are now on a 75-minute dinner break. –BW

7:20pm: In the money finishers
Level 16 – Blinds: 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Finishing just the right side of the bubble line were:

119th – Koray Aldemir
118th – Shivan Abdine
117th – Nuno Pereira Ascensao
116th – Jerry Odeen
115th – Patrick Mahoney
114th – Alain Goldberg
113th – Mohsin Charania
112th – Felix Courdin
111th – Max Silver
110th – Diego Zeiter
109th – Alex Komaromi

They all picked up €11,695. –NW

7:08pm: Khoroshenin and Kempe survive
Level 16 – Blinds: 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Two doubles up to tell you about. First Oleksii Khoroshenin got his final 124,000 in with A♦ J♣ and found himself up against Patrick Leonards’ pocket tens. He made a straight on the river of a 8♦ 3♠ 5♦ 4♣ 2♣ board to double up, while Leonard slips to 245,000.

Next to chance his arm was Rainer Kempe. He moved all-in for 66,000 with A♦ J♣ and Piotr Franczak looked him up with pocket sixes. The 9♥ A♣ K♣ flop gave Kempe the lead and he held onto it courtesy of the 2♣ turn and 2♥ river. Franczak drops to 66,000 after that hand. –NW

7:13pm: Amirov isn’t folding
Level 16 – Blinds: 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Ilkin Amirov was active on the bubble, knocking out the penultimate player before they reached the cash. He’s continued to be so now that they’re in the money, as shown in a recent hand with Andrey Andreev.

Amirov opened the action from the button with a raise to 13,000, then Andreev reraised all-in for 72,500 from the small blind. It folded back to Amirov who thought out loud for about 15 seconds, then called the push, tabling Q♦ 6♦ while Andreev showed 7♦ 7♠ .

The flop fit Amirov’s hand neatly, coming 5♦ Q♠ 3♦ to provide top pair and a flush draw. The turn was the 5♥ and river the J♥ , and Andreev joined the parade of players heading railward.

7:08pm: Komaromi busts to McDonald
Level 16 – Blinds: 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Alex Komaromi opened to 14,000, Mike McDonald moved all-in and Komaromi called off for 84,500 total. He opened A♣ Q♠ and was looking to spike against McDonald’s Q♣ Q♥ to survive. The 8♣ K♣ 2♣ K♥ 2♥ board kept McDonald in front and he climbs to 210,000. –NW

7:01pm: Now let’s play some poker
Level 16 – Blinds: 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

On the first couple of hands after the bubble bursting, there was a predictable spate of all-ins all around as the short stacks could finally loosen up now that profit has been guaranteed.

For Nuno Ascensao, Shivan Abdine, and Koray Aldemir, the shoves culminated in each player being knocked out — the first three to hit the cashier’s desk.

Meanwhile for Keith Johnson, Niklas Astedt, and Robin Ylitalo, the shoves were all successful as each earned small double-ups to give themselves some breathing room.

“Now let’s play some poker,” said Ylitalo upon winning his hand, articulating the thoughts of all of those with newly maneuverable stacks. –MH

6:55pm: Shyam Srinivasan bubbles
Level 16 – Blinds: 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

This wasn’t your average bubble hand. On most the chips go in pre-flop, here we had to wait until the turn for the good stuff.

Joseph Cheong opened to 14,000 from under-the-gun+1 and picked up three callers including Shyam Srinivasan (hijack) and Ilkin Amirov (small blind). On the 4♦ 2♦ 3♠ flop Cheong bet 24,000 and all three players stuck around. The J♣ turn is where the fireworks went off though. Action checked to Srinivasan, he jammed for 151,500 and Amirov damn near snap called. Everyone else folded (Cheong claimed to have let go of queens) and we then had to wait until all other hands had completed before the showdown.

When that time arrived, Amirov was first to show, he’d flopped a set with 2♦ 2♣ and Srinivasan was drawing thin with A♠ J♠ . The river was the 9♣ and the usual ripple of applause echoed around the room as the 119 remaining players are all in the money. –NW

Shyam Srinivasan

6:37pm: The Tao of Kamatakis
Level 16 – Blinds: 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Iliodoros Kamatakis has a playable stack on the bubble, and he’s fine with that. He doesn’t even care that it’s not a big stack. In fact, he has a sort of zen approach to it: “When I have a short stack, I make small mistakes. When I have a big stack, I make big mistakes. When I have zero chips, I make zero mistakes.”–BW

6:37pm: Margolin out; 120 remain
Level 16 – Blinds: 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

On the first hand of hand-for-hand play, Ilkin Amirov open-raised for 13,500, and it folded to Timur Margolin who reraised all-in with his last 25,000. It folded back to Amirov who thought a short while, then called the push.

Amirov had K♣ Q♠ while Margolin showed A♣ Q♣ , then the 6♦ 4♠ 3♣ flop and 2♣ turn were both very good for Margolin. He was still ahead, had flush and straight draws, and Amirov had but three outs to beat him.

Then came the river — the K♥ ! That was one of the three, and Margolin is out in 121st while Amirov is up to 540,000.

It’s the stone bubble, as they say. Stay tuned to find out which one of these last 120 players will be the last out before the cash. –MH

6:35pm: McEathron over Mahoney
Level 16 – Blinds: 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Ryan McEathron got his final 129,500 in with pocket jacks and needed to hold against Patrick Mahoney’s A♣ K♠ to avoid soft bubbling this tournament. He did just that as the board ran 6♦ 5♣ 4♣ 10♥ 2♣ . Mahoney is down to 80,000 after that hand. –NW

6:25pm: No magical comeback for Merlin
Level 16 – Blinds: 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

Pierre Merlin is out in 122nd after losing a flip to Kyle Keranen. The Frenchman had pocket queens and Keranen was looking to send him out with A♦ K♣ . A K♠ 8♠ 6♦ 3♥ 8♥ board favoured the overcards. We’re now two off the money and going hand for hand. –NW

6:20pm: Timex tanks
Level 16 – Blinds: 3,000/6,000 (1,000 ante)

This was a hand that started in level 15 but ended in level 16…

“I’d have taken 30 minutes if you’d let me,” said Mike McDonald after he folded his hand. “I was calling if we reached the money.”

The situation was thus. The Canadian had opened to 11,000 and Luiz Duarte Ferreira Filho had shoved for 250,000. He covered McDonald, who had about 156,000 back.

“I feel like I have the best hand, I feel like I should call this,” began McDonald. “Will you show if I fold?” he added. A couple of minutes passed before McDonald said. “I’m not hollywooding, if I fold I’ll show.”

Eventually Benjamin Pollak decided to call the clock and there was no animosity from McDonald. “That’s perfectly reasonable,” he said and after his minute had ticked down he was good to his word and showed pocket nines. Filho did show, he had A♥ K♦ . –NW

6:20pm: Serock picks up big one
Level 15 – Blinds: 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

Picking up a three-way hand on the flop with about 40,000 in the middle and the board showing J♣ 10♠ 6♣ . It checked around to Joe Serock in middle position who bet 27,000. Playing from the small blind, Shan Huang called, then Natasha Barbour check-raised to 62,000.

Serock thought a while, then called. Huang called, too, and there was about 225,000 in the middle when the turn came the 2♥ . Huang checked to Barbour who bet 100,000, and only Serock called as Huang had had enough.

The river was the 4♣ (a third club), and this time Barbour checked. Serock pushed all-in for his last 235,000 so. Barbour had that covered, but after thinking for a good while about it — stealing looks at Serock along the way that suggested incredulity — Barbour finally let her hand go.

Serock bumps all the way up 640,000 on that one, Barbour keeps her stack of about 405,000, and Huang has right at 500,000. –MH

6:06pm: Survival mode for short stacks
Level 15 – Blinds: 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

They’re still four off the money — with 123 players left — after a couple more players survived their all-ins. Play has slowed down considerably, by the way, with the bubble so close.

Anton Wigg was in for his last A♥ 5♦ versus Erwann Pecheux’s A♦ 10♣ , but a board came in such a way as to create a split pot and Wigg survived.

Meanwhile Diego Zeiter had his short stack all-in behind K♥ K♦ and managed to survive with a small double. –MH

6:07pm: Paging Father Time
Level 15 – Blinds: 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

With only four eliminations until we hit the money bubble, the stalling has begun. At this rate, we expect to hit the money sometime around Halloween.–BW

5:55pm: Keranen turns his micro stack into a short stack
Level 15 – Blinds: 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

Kyle Keranen was left with just a few big blinds after losing a big three-way pot (see below) and he didn’t hang around in getting his chips in. He pushed for 16,500 with J♠ 10♦ and Pierre Merlin made the call from the big blind with K♣ 4♣ .

The 10♠ K♥ 5♥ 7♦ 2♠ board doubled Keranen to 39,000. –NW

5:52pm: Fresh and hot chips!
Level 15 – Blinds: 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

Here are the most recent selected counts we’ve put together as we approach the bubble.

5:52pm: Keranen wins race, keeps place
Level 15 – Blinds: 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

Kyle Keranen just open-raised all-in for just over 40,000 and it folded around to Danut Chisu in the big blind who called.

Keranen had A♠ J♣ and needed to improve to avoid missing the money versus Chisu’s 6♦ 6♠ . The A♣ 8♠ 8♦ flop did just that for Keranen, with the 5♦ turn and A♥ river sealing it for him.

He’s up over 90,000 now while Chisu has 165,000. –MH

5:45pm: Vamplew loses race to bust
Level 15 – Blinds: 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

By the time I arrived at the table David Vamplew’s cards were already face down and he was taking his leave. His stack was being pushed in the direction of Julian Stuer and his cards were still visible. He had pocket jacks and told me that Vamplew had got his last 110,000 in with ace-queen. The pair had held up on a 10♠ K♥ 5♥ 7♦ 2♠ board.

Stuer is up to 650,000 as a result of that hand. –NW

5:36pm: When did you like your hand, Mr. Cheong?
Level 15 – Blinds: 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

You know when you go to a party feeling pretty good and thinking, “Man, it can only get worse from here,” but then it just gets better and better? It’s a rare occasion, but when it does, it’s not something you soon forget.

Well, consider Mr. Joseph Cheong, who felt pretty good from the beginning. He opened to 11,000 with K♠ K♥ and got not one but two callers, Thomas Muehloecker on the button and Kyle Keranen in the big blind. On a flop of 10♦ K♣ 5♣ , Keranen checked, Cheong bet 21, and both of his opponents called.

The turn was the A♥ . This time both Keranen and Cheong checked and let Muehloecker bet 56,000. Kernanen called out of the blind, and then Cheong moved all in for 148,000. That’s when the party got crazy. Both Muehloecker and Keranen called. It was pretty easy to see why.

Cheong: K♠ K♥
Muehloecker: 5♦ 5♠
Keranen: A♣ 4♣

The 2♥ fell like a brick on the river and Cheong stacked a massive pot worth more than 675,000. Meanwhile, Muehloecker busted just a few hands. –BW

5:29pm: The bubble looms
Level 15 – Blinds: 2,500/5,000 (500 ante)

Oof, what a post title. Sounds like a tagline for a horror film. A really, really bad horror film. The bubble… looms! (Shudder.)

The fact is, the bubble is getting closer Ilkin Amirov just ended Thomas Miller’s tournament run, bringing the total number of players down to 129 — that’s just 10 knockouts away from the money.

Ten players won’t be making the money. Who will be next? Who will survive?

Stay tuned… more scares await (and we’re not just talking about the post titles). –MH

5:05pm: Break time

Players are now on their second 20-minute break of the day.

5:04pm: Huge pot for Calamusa
Level 14 – Blinds: 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

Pierre Calamusa and Quan Zhou just clashed in a huge 550,000 chip pot. Pre-flop Calamusa opened to 10,000, Zhou, who was in position, three-bet to 20,500. Call from Calamusa. The flop fell Q♣ A♦ 3♣ , Calamusa checked to Zhou, who bet 32,000. Calamusa then check-raised to 60,500 – but was told it had to be 64,000 minimum – so he made up the extra. Zhou then re-raised, Calamusa shoved and Zhou called off.

Calamusa: Q♠ Q♦ – for a flopped set
Zhou: A♣ 4♣ – top pair and the nut flush draw

The J♦ turn and A♥ river kept Calamusa in front he was all-in on the flop for 252,000 and is now amongst the chip leaders with 555,000. –NW

Pierre Calamusa

5:02pm: How the buy-ins shook out

After a full audit of the 591 entries, here’s how the money went in: 472 players + 119 re-entries.–BW

4:51pm: Stuer shoves, collects
Level 14 – Blinds: 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

Following a 7♠ 4♠ A♠ flop, Julian Stuer (under the gun) checked, Kyle Keranen (UTG+1) bet 16,500, David Vamplew (hijack) called, then Stuer check-raised to 38,000. With some deliberation, Keranan called the raise, while Vamplew stepped aside.

Stuer then fired 72,000 on the 8♥ turn card, and again acting with circumspection, Keranen called once more.

The river brought the 9♥ and an all-in push from Stuer. That was enough to cross the line Keranen had set for himself in the hand, and he folded.

With the level nearing its close, Stuer is up around the big stacks with 555,000, Keranen has 218,000, and Vamplew is at 95,000. –MH

4:44pm: Chip leaders
Level 14 – Blinds: 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

As we approach the end of the level the following players appear to have the biggest stacks in the room:

Benjamin Pollak – 630,000
Natasha Barbour – 570,000
Jean Ferreira – 540,000
Igor Yaroshevskyy – 515,000

Natasha Barbour

4:41pm: Huang eliminates Rudnik
Level 14 – Blinds: 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

From under-the-gun+1 Michal Rudnik limped into the pot, this being a high roller he wasn’t going to get away with that. Marc Macdonnell applied the limpers tax by making it 13,500 on the button and Shan Huang then smooth called from the small blind. Back on Rudnik he re-raised all-in for 101,500, Macdonnell folded but Huang called to put the Pole at risk.

Rudnik: 2♦ 2♣
Huang: 7♠ 7♣

The 8♣ 6♣ 8♠ A♣ K♠ board kept Huang in front. –NW

4:37pm: Recent eliminations
Level 14 – Blinds: 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

Here are some of the bigger names who are no more in the High Roller: Jonathan Karamalikis, Chris Moorman, Peter Eichhardt, Tobias Reinkenmeier, and Christoph Vogelsang. –BW

4:26pm: Sergey Sergeev surging
Level 14 – Blinds: 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

The 28th-place finish of the Lebanese player Chebli Chebli in the Main Event yesterday had the media room thinking of other examples of reduplicated names.

You know, Humbert Humbert, Sirhan Sirhan, Marky Mark, William Carlos Williams, Boutros Boutros Ghali… and (so offered one wag), Grape Ape (the cartoon purple ape known to say “Grape Ape, Grape Ape”).

Depending on how strict you want to be with the list, we might add another to it — Russia’s Sergey Sergeev. Whether we do or not, he’s definitely on the list of players with big stacks in this €10K High Roller, as he’s crossed the 500,000-mark after just now knocking out his fellow countryman Viacheslav Goryachev.

In the hand, Goryachev open-raised all-in for 22,000 from the cutoff, Pratyush Buddiga called from the small blind, and Sergeev called from the big. The flop came 6♥ J♣ Q♥ , prompting a check-fold from Buddiga when Sergeev bet, and the latter quickly showed his Q♠ 7♠ for top pair. Goryachev had A♥ 10♠ , and neither the Q♣ turn nor 4♠ river helped him avoid elimination.

Buddiga has about 135,000. Meanwhile Sergeev sits with 530,000 now, and that’s a lot of chips. We trust we don’t have to say it twice. –MH

4:20pm: Suck and re-suck
Level 14 – Blinds: 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

The thing about races, is that you win some and you lose some. But, it always feels a little bit worse when you lose if you start behind, take the lead and then get overtaken again. It’s a feeling that Sergey Sergeev just experienced in a hand against Zoltan Szabo.

The latter was all-in pre-flop for 48,500 with J♥ J♠ and Sergeev had two overs in the shape of K♦ Q♦ . The 7♦ 8♠ K♠ flop vaulted Sergeev into the lead but the J♣ turn gave it back to Szabo and left Sergeev drawing dead. He’s still got a very healthy stack of 365,000 though. –NW

4:04pm: Pollak KOs Kozlov
Level 14 – Blinds: 2,000/4,000 (500 ante)

As the new level begins, they’re down one more player as Martin Kozlov is no more.

We arrived just in time to witness the last pertinent details adding up to Kozlov’s departure. The board showed an ace and a ten, which meant Kozlov’s J♥ 10♥ was good for second pair. But Benjamin Pollak’s A♥ K♣ gave him top pair and the pot, and Kozlov is out.

With 170 players left, Pollak is riding high with 450,000, now challenging Jean Ferreira for the chip lead. –MH

Benjamin Pollak

4pm: Selected chip counts
Level 13 – Blinds: 1,500/3,000 (500 ante)

Below are the top five chip stacks, you’ll find selected chip counts of the 178 players who remain right here.

Jean Ferreira

3:50pm: Vousden vanquishes Schulz
Level 13 – Blinds: 1,500/3,000 (500 ante)

Finland’s Samuel Vousden opened for 7,500 from middle position, then Robert Schulz of Germany reraised all-in for his last 50,000 or so from the next seat over. It folded back around to Vousden who took no time at all tossing a chip forward to signify a call, then he showed his A♦ A♠ right away.

A disappointed Schulz turned over his A♣ K♦ with slightly less celerity, and after the 10♦ J♦ 8♥ 10♣ 2♦ runout Schulz shuffled off while Vousden vaults to 258,000. –MH

3:43pm: Shyam shove succeeds
Level 13 – Blinds: 1,500/3,000 (500 ante)

Shyam Srinivasan just captured a needed double-up on a hand in which he picked up A♣ K♥ and put his chips at risk versus Michael Kane’s A♥ Q♥ . The community cards came 6♠ 9♦ K♠ , then 2♦ , then A♦ , giving Srinivasan two pair to Kane’s one and awarding Srinivasan the pot.

Srinivasan is stacking up about 80,000 now, while Kane sits with 45,000. –MH

3:41pm: Recent eliminations
Level 13 – Blinds: 1,500/3,000 (500 ante)

More big names are hitting the list of bust-outs. They include Yaxi Zhu, Dylan Linde, Dan Heimiller, Martin Jacobson, Sam Chartier, Raymond Wu, and Byron Kaverman.

Byron Kaverman

Yaxi Zhu

3:31pm: Hitting the kicker
Level 13 – Blinds: 1,500/3,000 (500 ante)

Pedro Marques open-pushed his last 27,500 from the cutoff and it folded to Eddy Maksoud in the small blind who after confirming the amount called the raise. The big blind folded, Maksoud opened A♦ 9♦ and Marques showed A♥ 6♥ .

The flop fell A♠ 10♦ 6♣ , bringing both aces and pairing the kicker of Marques to put him in front. The turn was the J♠ and river the 8♥ , and Marques survives, now with 61,000. Maksoud, meanwhile, slips to 125,000. –MH

3:20pm: Negreanu Out
Level 13 – Blinds: 1,500/3,000 (500 ante)

Not long after resisting committing significant percentage of his stack with those big suited connectors a short while ago, Daniel Negreanu did pick up another big suited hand behind which he was willing to risk his last 70,000 or so — A♣ Q♣ — and found himself up against the Q♠ Q♥ of Igor Yaroshevskyy.

The board ran out an uneventful seven-high — 4♥ 7♦ 6♦ 2♥ 6♥ — and Negreanu wished the table good luck before departing. Yaroshevskyy has about 225,000 now. –MH

3:20pm: Kempe takes out Wu
Level 13 – Blinds: 1,500/3,000 (500 ante)

From late position Rainer Kempe opened to 7,000 and Raymond Wu then moved all-in for 23,000 total. When it folded back to Kempe he got a confirmation of the shove amount and then called.

Kempe: 5♦ 5♣
Wu: A♥ Q♣

A 10♦ 2♦ K♣ 8♥ 9♠ J♣ .

With just over 200 players left, the average stack is around 145,000, and right now both Negreanu (at about 85,000) and Lewis (at 60,000) are looking to chip up. –MH

3:05pm: Payouts

We’ll have a full payout table shortly, but in the meantime, we can report this event will be paying 119 places, staring with an €11,695 min-cash. First place will earn €849,200. –BW

2:55pm: Total entries

Based on what we’re hearing, the total number of entries to this High Roller is now confirmed at 572 Correction: Official number is 591 entries. –BW

2:33pm: Break time

Players have gone on a 20-minute break. –JS

2:31pm: Leonard talks Chernokoz one way or the other
Level 12 – Blinds: 1,200/2,400 (400 ante)

Patrick Leonard opened to 5,000 but was then three-bet to 13,500 by Andrei Chernokoz on the button. Leonard looked a little perturbed by the raise, but called anyway.

They saw a 6♦ 10♦ 5♦ flop and Leonard check-called a 15,000 continuation bet. The 2♥ turn fell and it went pretty much the same, only now Chernokoz’s bet was 25,000.

Finally the 10♥ completed the board and now it was Leonard doing the betting. He counted out a bet of 53,000 and slid it over the line. Chernokoz started thinking, and Leonard started talking.

“What’s your online name?”

“You have aces? Black aces?”

“If you fold I’ll show you a red ace.”

Steven van Zadelhoff was so amused by it all he started filming it on his phone. In the end Chernokoz folded leaving himself with 95,300. Leonard did indeed show a red ace – the A♥ = but whether he actually wanted a fold or not we’ll never know. He’s up to around 300,000 now. –JS

2:28pm: Finger takes one from Luca
Level 12 – Blinds: 1,200/2,400 (400 ante)

Ivan Luca made it 5,500 under the gun and it folded to Martin Finger on the button. He made the call, as did both the blinds, and it was four-way to the 2♣ 8♥ 3♠ flop. It checked around to Finger (Luca opted not to c-bet) and the German led for 9,000. Only Luca called.

The Q♠ turn landed and Luca checked again. Finger fired another bullet, this time worth 25,000, and that was enough to take it down. Finger now has 130,000, while Luca is still very healthy with 320,000. –JS

2:22pm: Veghinas keeping it friendly, not quiet
Level 12 – Blinds: 1,200/2,400 (400 ante)

After a scene that required security being called on Sebastian Veghinas and Charlie Carrel accusing the Romanian of lacking self-awareness, the Romanian is keeping it cool today. But that does not mean he’s keeping it quiet.

“¿Qué pasa? Nice to meet you!” he called at a new arrival. Perhaps recalling yesterday’s dust-up over his non-stop patter and long decisions, Veghinas seems pleased with his new opponents’ tolerance for his verbosity. “See? Friendly game! Friendly people. ♪ ♫ Ba da ba ba ba! I’m lovin’ it! ♪♫”

That didn’t mean his decisions came any faster. After getting involved in a hand on a baby flop, he launched into a riff about the diminutiveness of the cards. “Small board. Your board! I need to check.” So he did, and another baby came out putting two clubs on board. He checked again to see a little bet come out.

“You bet small again with nothing,” he said. The lesson continued for another 30 seconds before he finally said, “You want I give you the pot? I let you win!”

He conceded the pot, claiming ace-king and then confirming it by turning it face-up. Once dealt another hand, he said, “Finally, not a good hand. I can fold.”

That didn’t stop him from launching into a lesson on marriage vis a vis geography and, best we could tell, his belief that men all over the Asian continent have specific countries from which they prefer to find a wife. It became hard to follow, which is to say, nothing had really changed at all. –BW

2:15pm: More early bust-outs
Level 12 – Blinds: 1,200/2,400 (400 ante)

Among the people getting a chance to hit the beach before 3pm: Mikalai Vaskaboinkau, Artur Klein, Ben Heath, Ikar Soika, Chun Ho Law, Christian Jeppsson, Nick Yunis, Andres Munoz, Imed Ben Mahmoud, Jeffrey Hakim Andreas Christoforou, Andrey Zaichenko,Nikolay Komcharokov, Raoul Refos, Oliver Weis, Jan-Eric Schwippert, Paul Dando, Ludovic Geilich, Phil McAllister, and Yorane Kerignard. –BW

2:10pm: Perrault putting big stack to good use
Level 12 – Blinds: 1,200/2,400 (400 ante)

When I arrived at the table the action was on Tobias Reinkemeier. He faced a river bet of 16,500 from overnight chip leader Marc-Olivier Perrault on a Q♠ A♠ 4♥ 2♦ 4♠ board, and it was clearly a tough decision. There was 43,000 in pot already before the bet, so the odds were there.

Was Perrault just using his big stack to push people around, I thought? Reinkemeier had 77,000 behind, less than a fifth of Perrault’s stack. In the end the German made the call, but nodded and mucked when he saw the Canadian’s 10♠ 9♠ for a rivered flush. Perrault has just less than what he started the day with, but is still right up among the chip leaders. –JS

2:03pm: Unconventional
Level 12 – Blinds: 1,200/2,400 (400 ante)

Canada’s Francis-Nicolas Bouchard is doing things a little differently. All around the room, you see just about the same opening bets being made (this level, anywhere from 5k to 6k would be pretty standard). But when action folded to Bouchard in the cutoff, he made it 8,400 – three and a half times the big blind.

That got Chris Moorman’s interest who called on the button, as it did with Cornelis Van Gent (small blind) and Walid Bour Habib (big blind) who both called.

They all saw an A♦ 9♦ 6♦ flop and it checked to Bouchard. He continued for 8,000 which got rid of Moorman and Van Gent, but Habib wasn’t done. He raised it up to 23,800, and got Bouchard to fold. –JS

1:58pm: Barbour’s stack not trim
Level 12 – Blinds: 1,200/2,400 (400 ante)

Jason Mercier might be out, but his soon-to-be-better-half is thriving here on Day 2. Natasha Barbour (Mercier’s fiancée) started the day with 136,400, but has already increased her stack to 335,000. –JS

1:55pm: Back to recreational playing
Level 12 – Blinds: 1,200/2,400 (400 ante)

After coming out of “retirement” to play (and subsequently win) the €50,000 Super High Roller, Fedor Holz decided he could afford to take a shot in the €5,000 Main Event. He went bust. Then he thought he might be good enough to play the €10,000 Re-Entry High Roller. Alas, it looks like it’s back to being a recreational player for poker retiree Fedor Holz. He’s gone bust again.

He’s joined on the rail most recently by Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano and David Peters. –BW

1:47pm: Busting a move redux
Level 12 – Blinds: 1,200/2,400 (400 ante)

And more from the land of the dearly departed: Nick Petrangelo, Jerry Wong, Faraz Jaka, Andrey Pateychuk, Mark Radoja, Zvi Stern, Dario Sammartino, Bryn Kenney, Alexander Lynskey, Michael Eiler, Jonathan Bensadoun, Roman Voronin, Ori Miller, Simon Mattsson, Christian Christner, Ramin Hajiyev, Colm Tuite, Pascal Lefrancois, and George Ana.–BW

1:40pm: Busting a move
Level 12 – Blinds: 1,200/2,400 (400 ante)

Those who have busted in the opening level of the day are:

Team PokerStars Pros George Danzer and Jason Mercier, Kitty Kuo, Aston Astapau, Cate Hall, Daniel Dvoress, Artem Metalidi, Leonardo Balague, Aymon Hata, Terence Jordan, Manig Loeser, Igor Pihela, Basem Hamed, Jans Arends, Alexander Kuzmin, Nariman Yaghmai, Marius Gierse, Imad Derwiche, Jesper Feddersen, Ru da Silva, David Llacer, Georgios Sotiropoulos, Alexandros Kolonias, Apostolos Bechrakis, Aram Sargsyan, Gleb Tremzin, Jorma Nuutinen, Uwe Ritter, Danyel Boyaciyan, and Ryan Mcgarry. –JS

1:34pm: Kings folded face-up
Level 12 – Blinds: 1,200/2,400 (400 ante)

A big pot had built between Ryan McEathron and Andrey Zaichenko, but it swelled even more on the river. The board showed the Q♣ Q♥ 4♥ Q♠ 5♥ , so quads, full houses, and flushes were all possible holdings. Zaichenko led out for 21,000, but was then raised to 65,000 by McEathron.

Zaichenko was tortured; did McEathron have the case queen? After several minutes in the tank the clock was called, and not long into the countdown Zaichenko slammed down his K♦ K♣ for an aggressive fold. McEathron slid his hand towards the dealer but kept his fingers on them just long enough that it looked like he might show…but alas, he did not.

Zaichenko is down to 68,000, while McEathron climbs to 222,000. –JS

1:22pm: Cheong takes some from Thorel
Level 11 – Blinds: 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Joseph Cheong opened to 4,600 and picked up two callers – one of whom was Jean-Noel Thorel in the big blind. The dealer spread a 9♥ 4♥ 4♠ flop and Thorel checked, allowing Cheong in for 6,000 continuation bet. Only Thorel called to see the 5♠ turn.

I could have predicted what happened before it did – check check. Turn cards are so often the quiet after the storm; but sometimes they’re in the eye of it too, with the most chaos still to come.

The 2♣ hit the river and Thorel checked, only to see Cheong jam for 35,300. Chaos was avoided as Thorel let it go. –JS

1:12pm: Don’t fall victim to The Shout
Level 11 – Blinds: 1,000/2,000 (Ante: 300)

At this point in the day, when re-entries have closed and there is no more opportunity to play a big money event, the people left in this tournament have a choice: pick up some chips or become one of the Shouted, the people who become no more than a dealer’s opportunity to raise her voice and shout, “Seat open!”

With 30,400 left in his stack, Fady Kamar was in danger of becoming just one of those people when he got it all in pre-flop with 8♣ 8♠ . He got looked up by Andrey Pateychuk and his A♥ Q♠ . The board ran clean and Kamar managed to avoid hearing his set number called across the room.–BW

1:05pm: A matter of economy
Level 11 – Blinds: 1,000/2,000 (Ante: 300)

Event Daniel Negreanu, a man who has seen almost everything, is amazed at how big EPT Barcelona is. “They are breaking records everywhere,” he marveled. “It’s crazy how many people are in this tournament. So much money. People have so much money!”

Look! Over there! More money!

As Negreanu arrived from his broken table, he filled in his new opponents with his brief investigation into Greece’s current financial standing. He’d apparently asked a Greek opponent how the economy was doing in his country.

Negreanu recalled, “He said, ‘It’s doing good. The poor people are poor, but the rich people are doing okay.’ That doesn’t sound good!”

For today, anyway, the only economy of concern is one of poker chips and who can collect the most by the end of the day. –BW

1pm: The Raptor
Level 11 – Blinds: 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Back in the day, David ‘Raptor’ Benefield basically wrote the book on single table sit-and-go strategy. His forum posts became one of the go-to resources for up-and-comers learning the game.

Benefield survived Day 1 yesterday, and has just shown that he’s still keeping up with the current MTT trends. In Daniel Negreanu’s Q&A session earlier this festival, he was asked what trends are taking place right now, and Kid Poker pointed out that making your c-bets smaller than your opens is all the rage.

It folded to Benefield on the button and he tossed in five orange 1k chips, and Andrey Shatilov called the 5,000 from the big blind. The flop came the 8♦ 6♣ K♠ and Shatilov checked, allowing Benefield to c-bet…for 4,000. That was enough to get a fold. –JS

12:50pm: When will it end? Turns out pretty early
Level 11 – Blinds: 1,000/2,000 (300 ante)

Bad news for all y’all Jason Mercier fans: the Team Pro has busted.

Vlado Banicevic opened to 5,000 and Mercier peaked and a pair of red nines on the button. He moved all-in for around 26,000 (so he must have already taken a big hit this morning as he started with 47,100) and Banicevic called with the A♣ 10♥ . The board ran out 8♣ J♣ A♦ J♥ 3♦ and Mercier made his exit, but not without wishing his tablemates good luck. –JS

12:40pm: New and re-entries
Blinds: 1,000/2,000 (Ante: 300)

So far we have counted 20 more people in the field than there were last night when it finished. Here are the Day entries and re-entries.

12:31pm: Play underway
Blinds: 1,000/2,000 (Ante: 300)

In what could be a very long day, the remaining 287 players have started their campaign to make the final table. Settle in with us to see who can make it happen.–BW

12:30pm: Seat draw

Here’s the EPT Barcelona €10K High Roller Day 2 seat draw. –BW

12pm: Hundreds and hundreds

Day 2 of the €10K High Roller event begins at 12:30pm and it could potentially go on very late. The field of more than 430 will swell again this morning as late registrants use the last moments to register. The full number will only be known once play begins and this finally becomes a freezeout.

The original idea to play to eight today has long been abandoned, but we wait news on a revised schedule. — HS

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 EPT13 Barcelona Main Event: Martin Harris, Jack Stanton and Brad Willis. Photography by Neil Stoddart and Carlos Monti. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter:@PokerStarsBlog

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