The Main Event field may need grown smaller on its Day 4, but everything else here on the Casino Barcelona was getting bigger and larger. The tournament packing out the room today was the last big buy-in event of the festival - the €10K High Roller - and boy did it get bums in seats.
The problem was...there were far more bums than seats. At one point the alternates screen read 250! But in spite of everything we had 470 unique entries, 95 re-entries, and 565 total entries, which smashed last year's turnout making this the most important €10K High Roller in EPT history.
A total of 263 people made it through to Day 2 of this one, but that does not mean they will not be joined by a couple of more faces. Every player had a re-entry option, and that does not expire until the beginning of play tomorrow. At this time the person out in front is Marc-Olivier Perrault with 404,000. He busted Georgios Zisimopoulos in a single of the last hands of the night when the Greek five-bet jammed with ace-king off into his Kings.
Amazing end for Perrault
Others ending the night well were Vicente Delgado (352,000), Nabil Sasso (301,200), Team PokerStars Pro Felipe 'Mojave' Ramos (284,000), Jerry Odeen (259,300), and Max Silver (232,700). You'll discover full overnight chip counts here.
Daniel Negreanu waited until the top of Level 8 to register for this one, sitting down with 41 big blinds. He'd end the night with 61,700.
Late start for Negreanu
Joining Ramos and Negreanu in wearing the red spade into Day 2 were Team Pros Yaxi Zhu (181,400), George Danzer (19,900), Jason Mercier (47,100), and Luca Pagano (108,300). Fellow Team Pro Leo Fernandez was crippled within the last hand of the night, and can be coming back tomorrow with not up to ten big blinds.
Great day for Mojave
Other notable stacks in a room stuffed with them include Fedor Holz (107,900), Davidi Kitai (144,300), Mike McDonald (138,700), and Charlie Carrel (92,500).
Most individuals who busted their first bullet are still in on their second, however we did have a few two-bullet misses. Folks who fired €20K at this one and left before chips were bagged include Mustapha Kanit, Pierre Neuville, Ali Reza Fatehi, David Yan, Salman Behbehani, Steffan Sontheimer, and Francesco Delfoco.
Kanit won't be back
Tomorrow is Saturday. Get up late, have a lie in, enjoy a pleasant breakfast, after which join us at the PokerStars Blog at 12:30pm for your whole High Roller updates. Whilst you're clicking refresh on those, you may also take a look at the business end of the primary Event, which went through Day 4 today.
Until then, sleep tight. --JS
1:05am: Day 1 is doneLevel 10 - Blinds: 800/1,600 (200 ante)
This monster day one has run its course. The tournament boards is telling us that 565 players entered - including 95 re-entries - around 291 of these have advanced to Day 2. A wrap of the day's play is at the way. --NW
12:45am: Last five handsLevel 10 - Blinds: 800/1,600 (200 ante)
Five more hands until play is completed for the day. --NW
12:35am: Grimaldi trending upwardsLevel 10 - Blinds: 800/1,600 (200 ante)
Pasquale Grimaldi is as much as 240,000 after eliminating Dmitry Yurasov and the Russian wasn't happy about something concerning the hand, be it his own play or that he was outflopped. I picked up the action on a 7♣A♣T♥ flop, Yurasov had bet 20,000 from a stack of approximately 60,000 and Grimaldi had set him all-in.
Yurasov spent a very long time within the tank checking and rechecking his cards and stack before eventually calling. Grimaldi opened A♦T♣ and Yurasov slammed A♠K♦ at the felt in frustration. The 5♠ turn and 4♥ river completed the board sending Yurasov to the rail. Grimaldi is as much as almost 300,000 now. --NW
12:25pm: Nice call by Kid PokerLevel 10 - Blinds: 800/1,600 (200 ante)
Daniel Negreanu need to be within the zone tonight. It would not has been the biggest, however the call he made today against Hassan Fares was superb indeed.
The Team Pro kicked off the hand at the button with a 3,500 open. Fares defended his big blind and the 2 saw a Q♣T♥4♥ flop fall, which Negreanu continued on for 5,000 after it checked to him. Fares called.
The turn came the 7♣ and both decided to test. It's worth noting that inside the whole hand Negreanu was having an excellent chat with Tobias Reinkemeier.
A 2♥ river hit the felt and Fares led out for 10,000. "10000"!? Negreanu said, before thinking for roughly five seconds. He checked out Fares and shrugged. "Okay," he said as he called, tossing in two blue 5k chips.
Fares looked deflated. He shook his head, showing he had nothing with the J♠8♥. Negreanu turned over the A♠2♣ for only a rivered pair of deuces and that was good. He's as much as 76,000 now.--JS
12:15am: Latest exitsLevel 10 - Blinds: 800/1,600 (200 ante)
The late night casualties include: Pierre Neuville (second bullet), Igor Yaroshevskyy, Dimitar Danchev, Stephen Chidwick (who's now back in), Yury Gulyy, Martin Jacobson, Vitaly Lunkin, Ben Heath, Michael Tureniec, Georgios Sotiropoulos, Jorma Nuutinen, Alexandros Kolonias, Aaron Been and Brian Yoon.
Most of these have the second one bullet open to them so we may even see them tonight or in the beginning of day two. --NW
12:10am: Keep 'em comingLevel 10 - Blinds: 800/1,600 (200 ante)
The numbers on this event continue to move even higher and with 45 minutes left within the day there at the moment are 555 players entered into this massive event, including 89 re-entries. There are 313 players remaining currently. --NW
11:55pm: Chip leadersLevel 10 - Blinds: 800/1,600 (200 ante)
As the overall level of the night gets underway these are the present chip leaders:
Walid Bou Habib - 276,000Iliodoros Kamatakis - 270,000Ari Engel - 256,000Andrei Chernokoz - 253,000Davide Marchi - 242,000Felipe Ramos - 220,000Martin Kozlov - 214,000David Vamplew - 207,000Dario Sammartino - 190,000
| 10 | 800 | 1,600 | 200 |
11:46pm: Carrel and Muehloecker collideLevel 9 - Blinds: 600/1,200 (100 ante)
Charlie Carrel opened to 3,000 and was instantly three-bet to 9,000 by the person on his left - Lee Hon Cheong. It folded to Thomas Muehloecker within the big blind and he four-bet it as much as 19,600.
Carrel glanced from side to side from Cheong to the Austrian, and decided this was the time to...almost go all-in. He five-bet to 68,000, leaving himself just 6,600 behind. Cheong took his time but eventually decided to go away these two to it. He folded, and action was on Muehloecker.
Carrel started smiling, as though he was more worried about Cheong. "Show the bluff!" he called over to Muehloecker. But he wasn't folding. Muehloecker's icey exterior even warmed for a moment as he cracked a smile, stacked up his chips, and slammed them down for an all-in. The cards were flipped.
Ace King vs Ace King.
All that for nothing! No flush draws came the 2 just chopped it up. --JS
Charlie Carrel
11:35pm: No rest for KavermanLevel 9 - Blinds: 600/1,200 (100 ante)
You've just busted the primary Event in 32nd place after four long days of grinding. So what do you do? You hop straight into the 10K in fact. That is the story of Byron Kaverman's day, who's now sitting with a fresh 50,000 stack. --JS
11:25pm: Kanit out, for nowLevel 9 - Blinds: 600/1,200 (200 ante)
Mustapha Kanit is certainly one of poker's great characters so it's usually a shame to peer him knocked out of a tournament. He shoved his final 17,100 in with K♣Q♠ and Sergey Sergeev gave him a spin with A♣Q♣. The dominating hand-held on J♥5♦6♣J♠8♠ and Kanit wished the table good luck.
With this being a single re-entry event he's more likely to be back in and indeed as he left the table he said to Sergeev. "I make re-entry," so this tournament will only be Kanit-less for brief time one suspects. --NW
He'll be back
11:18pm: Fernandez folds, head in handsLevel 9 - Blinds: 600/1,200 (100 ante)
Argentinian Team Pro Leo Fernandez is as laid back as they arrive off the felt, but when the last hand is anything to head by he's a bit of hard on himself when playing.
He opened to 3,000 and action folded around to Hassan Fares within the small blind. He made the call, as did Senh Ung within the big. It was three to the T♣3♦5♦ flop and it checked to Fernandez. He installed a 4,000 c-bet, Fares called, and Ung folded.
The 7♣ turn came next, and that - as such a lot of turn cards do - temporarily killed the action. Then the 4♦ river came and Fares now led out for 8,000. It didn't take too long for Fernandez to provide his hand up, but after he did buried his head in his hands like he'd lost an enormous one. In reality, he still has 83,000 and an excessively healthy stack. --JS
Leo Fernandez in happier times
11:10pm: May the fours be with youLevel 9 - Blinds: 600/1,200 (200 ante)
Down to simply 30,300 Igor Yaroshevskyy three-bet all-in from the small blind and Andrey Zaichenko, who'd raised from the button, had a gander on the Ukranian's stack before deciding to name it off. The Russian didn't look particularly happy about it though.
Yaroshevskyy: 4♥4♦Zaichenko: A♣J♠
"Four please," requested Yaroshevskyy and he got his wish because the 4♠6♣T♠ flop gave him a grip at the hand. The 6♥ turn improved him to a full-house and the meaningless A♦ completed the board. He's as much as around 64,000 and Zaichenko is all the way down to 33,000. --NW
11pm: Breaking records for breaking recordsLevel 9 - Blinds: 600/1,200 (200 ante)
We hate to sound like a broken record, but we've just broken another record. The High Roller is as much as 540 entries now (78 of these are re-entries) and that smashes the former record of 506, which was set last year. There's still two hours of late-registration this evening and it is usually open until play starts tomorrow.
The result, we are going to want a bigger boat. --NW
10:32pm: Break timeLevel 8 - Blinds: 500/1,000 (100 ante)
Daniel Negreanu barely had time to play a hand before the players were sent on a 20 minute break. --NW
10:31pm: DNegs within the houseLevel 8 - Blinds: 500/1,000 (100 ante)
Daniel Negreanu has just taken his seat within the High Roller. He's sat to the direct right of Tobias Reinkemeier and the 2 of them struck up conversation immediately. -NW
Kid Poker
10:30pm: Delfoco doubles through MuehloeckerLevel 8 - Blinds: 500/1,000 (100 ante)
Francesco Delfoco shoved for his last 14,300 excessive of Thomas Muehloecker's 2,300 open. It wasn't a lot more for the Austrian to name so he did with pocket deuces. Delfoco had ace-eight and an ace at the flop won it for him. --JS
10:23pm: Now Yeung gets NitscheLevel 8 - Blinds: 500/1,000 (100 ante)
Edmund Yeung just likes to three and 4 bet from the small blind. Well, if the last two hands we've caught him in are anything to head by.
This time Dominik Nitsche opened to 2,200 and Yeung three-bet to 5,300. The German called and the 2 went to a flop. The dealer spread the 5♣9♥8♦ and Yeung continued for 4,000, just for Nitsche to lift to 9,000. Yeung tossed in a 5k chip and it was turn time.
The K♦ is what the dealer laid and that led to two checks. A 5♦ river re-ignited the betting fire and Yeung made it 11,400, leaving himself 15,200 behind. Nitsche gave it some thought, but opted to put it down. Both have roughly 45,000 after that one. --JS
10:11pm: When two all-ins equal no all-insLevel 8 - Blinds: 500/1,000 (100 ante)
An interesting hand between Patrick Leonard and Raoul Refos just played out with the river being where the controversy, or a minimum of action, happened.
I picked it up on a 8♣5♣9♠6♠ board with Refos (big blind) betting 16,000 and Leonard (cutoff) calling. The 7♣ river put a straight on board and made a flush possible. It slowed Refos down as he checked to Leonard.
The British player had him covered and thought for roughly 10 seconds before appearing to transport all his chips towards the betting line. No sooner had he done so than Refos instantly - and quite aggressively - picked up his own chips in readiness to name. Leonard saw this and stopped forward motion of his chips, leaned back in his chair and commenced to grin. It should be said that Leonard had barely moved his chips forward before Refos had given the sport away and that he'd not said all-in and that it was pretty clear that Leonard's actions weren't an angle.
A few seconds passed and Leonard then opened his hand to show A♠A♣, while Refos showed 9♥8♠ meaning the pot was chopped. Discussion after the hand centered on whether Leonard's 'move' should've been declared as an all-in. Leonard himself said: "I FEEL it's close and that i couldn't have argued if it were ruled an all-in."
As it's there has been no use for the floor, no dispute of any kind and play continued as normal. --NW
10:02pm: More casualtiesLevel 8 - Blinds: 500/1,000 (100 ante)
Timothy Adams, Jans Arends, Reiner Kempe, Guillaume Diaz, Simon Deadman, Zvi Stern, Christopher Kruk, Ali Reza Fatehi, Benjamin Nicolas, Vladas Tamasauskas, Anton Bertilsson, Javier Zapatero, Nicolas Chouity, Ivan Gabrieli, Joao Vieira, and Saar Wilf have all busted. However, they have got until tomorrow morning to fireplace another bullet. --JS
10pm: Farrell loses chunks after calling ChristnerLevel 8 - Blinds: 500/1,000 (100 ante)
Niall Farrell had a difficult decision on his hands. He had a button bet of 5,800 in front of him and Germany's Christian Christner had moved all-in from the small blind for around 43,800. Farrell had already re-entered, was he willing to risk nearly all of this second stack too?
He was - nevertheless it turned out to be the inaccurate decision. Christner had the A♠K♥ and Farrell turned the A♥Q♠ over on the same time, then slammed them face down after he saw what bad shape he was in. After all the dealer re-flipped them and went to deal the board. There wasn't a queen in sight (only a king at the river) and Farrell dropped to simply 5,800. Christner, meanwhile, is up around 89,000. --JS
9:52pm: Wong gets YeungLevel 8 - Blinds: 500/1,000 (100 ante)
This hand didn't even make it to a flop, but it's usually nice to a fair pre-flop raising war. Dominik Nitsche kicked it off with a 2,200 open, which was then three-bet to 5,000 at the button by Jerry Wong. Edmund Yeung was within the small blind and he then four-bet to 12,200, which removed Nitsche, but Wong then re-popped it with a five-bet to 21,000! Yeung needed to fold with a sigh. --JS
9:50pm: Lampropulos loses oneLevel 8 - Blinds: 500/1,000 (100 ante)
Maria Lampropulos is likely one of the latest players to take their seat in an event now as much as 513 runners (including re-entries) and she or he just played a tight sized pot against Olov Jansson. Ari Engel lit the kindling with an open to 2,500, Jansson called and Lampropulos then squeezed to 8,600. Jansson was the one caller.
The 3♠A♠3♥ flop checked through and the J♠ fell at the turn, Jansson check-called a gamble of 9,500 and the 4♦ completed the board. Both players checked and Jansson's A♦T♣ was good. He climbs to 180,000 while Lampropulos slips to 40,600. --NW
9:45pm: King StevenLevel 8 - Blinds: 500/1,000 (100 ante)
Steven van Zadelhoff and Francisco Benitez created an enormous 120,000 pot pre-flop and it ended with the Dutchman being all-in for his final 60,000. He opened K♦K♥ but Benitez had A♥A♠ for the one hand that might top him.
Steven van Zadelhoff: Big pot
The Q♥K♠Q♠ flop vaulted Van Zadelhoff into the lead and he stayed there at the turn and river. The stacks were very close and Benitez was left with just four ante chips and was eliminated soon after. --NW
9:40pm: Biiiiig numbersLevel 8 - Blinds: 500/1,000 (100 ante)
The latest news from the tournament floor is that there are 375 players left on this one, from 513 entries. That's a 25 percent increase on last year already, and registration continues to be open. -- HS
A lot of people, today
| 8 | 500 | 1,000 | 100 |
9:40pm: Bust-outsLevel 7 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
The latest to has been felted include:
George Wolff (twice), David Yan (twice), Oleksii Khoroshenin, Daniel Dvoress, Matthew Stout, Antoine Saout, Julien Stuer, Andrei Konopelko, Tom Hall, Jason Wheeler, Jonathan Karamalakis, Niall Farrell, Frank Williams, and Kully Sidhu.
Every player has one re-entry option though, so do not be surprised if you happen to examine any of this in future posts. --JS
9:35pm: Another dent for HolzLevel 7 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
Another minor hiccup for Fedor Holz as he just lost a pot against Bernd Vogelhuber. The latter opened to 2,000 from middle position and Holz, who was in position, called. The 2 players checked all of it the best way down on a 6♥4♥T♦3♣8♥ board and Vogelhuber's pocket twos were good. Despite that loss Holz still has plenty to work with. He has 40,000 left. --NW
9:30pm: Ung gets DiazLevel 7 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
Not an excessive amount of to report here instead of Guillaume Diaz has fallen by the hands of Senh Ung. The 2 got it in pre-flop - Ung's ace-king against Diaz's pocket nines - and a king at the flop was all it took. --JS
9:20pm: Holz gets angryLevel 7 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
Fedor Holz is as cool as ice when playing poker...about 95 percent of the time We saw him have just a little blow-up back on the EPT12 Grand Final in Monte Carlo, and he just had an excessively( minor) tantrum here in Barcelona.
He was in a hand with Nicholas Chouity and the 2 had checked the 7♠Q♦T♠ flop. Chouity installed a 5,500 bet at the T♣ turn and Holz called, followed by the 2♦ river which both checked again. Chouity showed pocket sixes and Holz couldn't believe it. I'd say he was angry at himself greater than anyone else, in a "I'LL have won if I'd have bet" more or less way. He tossed his cards into the muck with slight venom and shook his head.
Fedor worked up...
"Are you going to report this hand?" Chouity asked me. "Maybe," I replied. Holz had gotten over it by that time and was back to being all smiles. --JS
...Fedor chilled out
9:15pm: Tough luck for KrukLevel 7 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
Early chip leader Christopher Kruk have been eliminated. I DID NOT catch the hand, but it surely was Adrian Mateos who played executioner. --JS
9pm: On the lookout for Akkari, found OdeenLevel 7 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
I strolled past Andre Akkari's table and thought I'd try to catch the Brazilian in a hand. I did - albeit very briefly - however the hand after his departure was interesting enough to maintain me around.
There he is, there's Andre Akkari
Benjamin Lebor made it 2,000 to play and Akkari chucked in a choice. Jerry Odeen then squeezed it as much as 5,600 and only Lebor would call. Bye Andre, always a pleasure.
The two went to a K♥6♣6♦ flop and Lebor checked to the raiser, allowing Odeen to continue for 4,800. This didn't leave him much behind - just 18,300. Lebor called.
A 9♦ turn hit the felt and both checked it, bringing the Q♠ at the river. Lebor then stared on the short stack, got a count, and put Odeen all-in. The Swede had a fair think for a few minutes before calling, which really took the wind out of Lebor. He sheepishly turned over the A♣J♣ for Ace-high, and Odeen doubled as much as 55,000 along with his K♦J♥. Lebor was left with 22,000. --JS
8:55pm: Behbehani bustsLevel 7 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
Salman Behbehani got his final 35,000 in pre-flop with A♦Q♣ and he could tell by the velocity of Justas Semaska's call that he probably wasn't fit. The Lithuanian player turned over A♣K♥ and was never in any danger because the board ran K♣A♥9♦6♣7♦ to eliminate Behbehani. --NW
8:55pm: Dimov felted by MillerLevel 7 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
In maybe only the second one or third hand back from the break, but Bulgaria's Ognyan Dimov has busted. There had clearly been somewhat back-and-forthing by the point I arrived, as Thomas Miller had made it 12,500 and Dimov moved all-in excessive. He had the A♣K♣ and would have to hit against Miller's Q♣Q♠, however the board ran out 7♠J♥T♠7♣4♦ and he was out the door. --JS
8:50pm: Maintaining with the JonesesLevel 7 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
Rhys Jones was all smiles once I stopped by his table. No surprise given his stack of 210,000 makes him probably the most chip leaders. --NW
8:34pm: Kanit chit-chatLevel 7 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
They're back from dinner and Romania's Sebastian Veghinas has found a chum and neighbour who loves to talk up to him: Mustapha Kanit, who was recently moved to his table. Once we hear a captivating conversation break out, we'll bring it to you in all its glory. --JS
Mustapha Kanit
| 7 | 400 | 800 | 100 |
7:05pm: Dinner breakLevel 6 - Blinds: 300/600 (100 ante)
They're taking a 75-minute dinner break.
7:05pm: More selected chip counts!Level 6 - Blinds: 300/600 (100 ante)
And here's some from the opposite 1/2 the room...
David Vamplew - 173,000Mihails Morozovs - 152,000Christian Favale - 135,000Martin Kozlov - 134,500Bernd Vogelhuber - 134,000Thomas Muehloecker - 124,000Nicolas Chouity - 115,000Christopher Frank - 110,000Felipe Ramos - 92,000Martin Jacobson - 90,000Benny Spindler - 70,000Mohsin Charania - 69,500Dimitar Danchev - 66,000Rocco Palumbo - 64,700Juha Helppi - 64,000Georgios Zisimopoulos - 61,000Patrick Leonard - 56,000Antoine Saout - 53,600Stephen Chidwick - 53,000Vladimir Troyanovskiy - 52,000David Yan - 52,000Fedor Holz - 51,400Niall Farrell - 50,000Gaelle Baumann - 43,000Connor Drinan - 42,200Steven van Zadelhoff - 40,300Luca Pagano - 38,500Martin Finger - 38,500David Peters - 38,000Mikita Badziakouski - 38,000Jack Salter - 37,000Jason Wheeler - 32,000Alexandros Kolonias - 31,400George Danzer - 24,500Scott Margereson - 22,000Nicolas Astedt - 9,400Parker Talbot - 7,600
7:02pm: Selected chip countsLevel 6 - Blinds: 300/600 (100 ante)
Andrey Kotelnikov - 216,000Rhys Jones - 132,000Davidi Kitai - 112,000Ivan Luca - 95,000Philipp Gruissem - 87,000Kitty Kuo - 80,000Eugene Katchalov - 78,000Adrian Mateos - 73,000Leo Fernandez - 60,000Nick Petrangelo - 57,500Paul Newey - 55,000Andre Akkari - 55,000Max Silver - 51,000Chance Kornuth - 50,000Dario Sammartino - 46,000Jason Mercier - 45,000Mike McDonald - 41,500Chris Moorman - 38,800Dominik Nitsche - 35,000Daniel Dvoress - 23,500Reiner Kempe - 13,500
6:55pm: A classic raceLevel 6 - Blinds: 300/600 (100 ante)
Julien Rouxel and Patrick Leonard just engaged within the most classic of races, the old ace-king vs queens match up.
Rouxel three-bet at the button to 4,000 and Leonard cold four-bet out of the massive ignorant of 13,000 total. Rouxel then moved in for 38,125 and Leonard quickly called. It was Rouxel who had the pair on this fight and he held up on a 8♦9♥4♠9♠4♥ board. He's as much as around 80,000 while Leonard slips to 56,000. --NW
6:47pm: Carrel barrelsLevel 6 - Blinds: 300/600 (75 ante)
Charlie Carrel opened to 1,500, and next as much as act was Sebastian Veghinas. These two had just a little tiff earlier, so when Veghinas called I made certain to stick around. Sergey Sergeev called too and the 3 saw a 4♣8♥Q♠ flop. Sergeev checked, Carrel continued for 2,300, and Veghinas folded. Sergeev wouldn't budge though.
The turn came the A♦ and Sergeev check-called another 6,000 bet from Carrel. Finally the K♥ completed the board and Carrel bet 7,000 after it checked to him a last time. Sergeev snap called and Carrel snap mucked, meaning Sergeev did not have to turn his hand. He still showed the A♣ though, and raked within the pot which brought his stack to 70,000. Carrel dropped to 18,575. --JS
6:45pm: Chouity cracks acesLevel 6 - Blinds: 300/600 (100 ante)
There was already 55,000 within the pot by the point Nicolas Chouity and Carlos Mejia reached the river of a 5♣8♠A♥2♥9♥ board. Mejia set Chouity in for his final 30,000 and the EPT6 Grand Final winner couldn't get his chips in fast enough. He showed 5♥3♥ for a rivered flush that had cracked Meija's flopped set of aces. Ouch! -- NW
6:30pm: Kanit doublesLevel 6 - Blinds: 300/600 (75 ante)
After a coarse start, things may well be looking up for Mustapha Kanit. He just doubled after his pocket eights beat ace-ten on an 8♣A♦K♦2♠6♦ runout, bringing his stack to 17,500. --JS
| 6 | 300 | 600 | 75 |
6:25pm: Second Chance saloonLevel 5 - Blinds: 250/500 (75 ante)
Plenty of bust outs to inform you about, including Chance Kornuth. But this can be a single re-entry event and he's already hopped back in, as has Pierre Neuville. Other players who've lost their first set of chips include: Jaroslaw Sikora, Yingui Li, Mark Radoja, Dario Sammartino, Yang Wang, Ryan McEathron and Shaun Deeb. --NW
5:35pm: You'll be able to lead McAllister to rivers, but you cannot make him loseLevel 5 - Blinds: 250/500 (75 ante)
You might know Phillip McAllister because the man who hit the royal flush deep within the PCA Main Event back in January of this year. In that hand he hit the royal at the river, and ended up winning a large pot that helped him ultimately finish in third place for $356k.
So really, Sebastian Von Toperczer will need to have known better than to let McAllister get the entire technique to the river. He did not have anything until then, but hit his hand on fifth street.
The Brit had opened to 1,300 and was three-bet by Von Toperczer to 3,900. McAllister came along and the dealer spread an 8♠T♣7♥ flop. It went check-check to the 5♥ turn, and now McAllister led out for 7,200. That bet was called.
A J♠ river finished off the board and after some thinking McAllister just checked. Von Toperczer checked it back and mucked with a nod when he saw his opponent's J♦K♦ for a rivered top pair. Von Toperczer drops to 28,000, while McAllister is as much as 80,000. --JS
6:20pm: Who blinks first?Level 5 - Blinds: 250/500 (75 ante)
I've seen numerous five-betting or even six-betting pre-flop within the early stages of this tournament and Joao Vieira vs Dorian Rios Pavon was the newest chapter to be added to that specific book.
I picked up the action to look 3,500 in front of Pavon (a possible three-bet) and a raise to 9,250 in front of Vieria, who was within the small blind. "How much you were given left?" asked Pavon to the Portuguese player. "I BEGAN with 49,000," replied Vieria.
A few moments later there has been a wager of 20,000 in front of Pavon and it was decision time for Vieria. This wasn't a raffle he could call, so all-in or fold seemed the available options. He stalled for a few minutes then opted for the fold. --NW
6:12pm: Bad start for Kanit, loses half his stackLevel 5 - Blinds: 250/500 (75 ante)
Mustapha Kanit's first level on this tournament hasn't provided the red hot start he'd have liked. The reigning champ dropped just over half his stack, most of which went in in this hand.
Kanit opened to 1,200 and was immediately three-bet to 3,400 by Andreas Samuelsson. Damien Salas made the call, as did the Italian. All of them checked the 8♦8♥Q♣ flop, bringing the J♠ at the turn. Salas then led out for 3,500 which Kanit called, and after Samuelsson folded the 2♥ completed the board. Kanit checked a last time and saw Salas make a large bet of 15,000. After a few minutes thinking time Kanit called, but mucked when he saw the K♠Q♠.
Last year's winner of this event is now right down to 24,700. --JS
6:10pm: Kings good for KabrhelLevel 5 - Blinds: 250/500 (75 ante)
Martin Kabrhel is as much as 68,000 after doubling through Ramin Hajiyev. The Azerbaijani's cards were already within the muck but Kabrhel's hand - K♠K♦ - was still visible and had held up on a J♥J♣A♦4♠5♣ board. Whatever Hajiyev had it couldn't crack kings and he's left with just 8,500 in consequence. --NW
5:55pm: Happy home (game)Level 5 - Blinds: 250/500 (75 ante)
"This is ridiculous, it's like a house game plus friends," said Niall Farrell as Daniel Strelitz took up residency within the open seat at table 10. In addition to Farrell, Noah Vaillancourt and Brian Yoon also are at that table. It kind of feels the four are/were housemates at one point, they're attending to play against one another again today and Farrell, for one, seems to be enjoying the contest. --NW
5:50pm: Did Luca have it? We'll never knowLevel 5 - Blinds: 250/500 (75 ante)
Well this escalated quickly!
Justas Vaiciulionis got the chip party started, opening to 1,400 from under-the-gun. Ivan Luca was next to act, and the Argentinian smooth called the raise. It folded to Jiachen Gong, who was within the small blind, and he three-bet to 6,200 total. That bet was called by Mounir Filfili (big blind) and Vaiciulionis and action was now back on Luca.
He sat there riffling chips and debating his options, before electing to transport all-in. He placed his big chips over the road and cut them down in order that the volume was easier to peer. It was around 55,000 in total to play now and that quickly removed Gong. But Filfili was not so quick to act, he took a few minutes to fold and once he'd surrended his cards then Vaiciulionis did likewise.
Pot to Luca who's now as much as around 64,000. --NW
5:35pm: Lebor-ious for HeathLevel 5 - Blinds: 250/500 (75 ante)
The flop showed the 7♠3♥8♠ and Ben Heath checked to his sole opponent, Benjamin Lebor. Lebor put a chance of 3,500 out there, leaving himself 22,850 behind, but he'd soon be playing for all of it as Heath jammed and Lebor shoved.
Heath: T♣8♣Lebor: J♠9♠
Heath was ahead with top pair but Lebor had a large draw; any spade, nine, ten, or jack would give him the double up. The turn was indeed the 9♦, followed by the A♥ river. Heath counted out calling chips and handed them to Lebor, leaving himself with around 60,000. --JS
5:30pm: Kornuth's out, but is there still a Chance?Level 5 - Blinds: 250/500 (75 ante)
We saw Chance Kornuth stand up out his seat and make his strategy to the exit, the entire while smiling and carrying a smiley faced cushion. Not many people could be smiling after losing 10K, but hey - he still has the risk to re-enter, so that's something, right? --JS
5:22pm: More for MojaveLevel 5 - Blinds: 250/500 (75 ante)
Team Pro Felipe 'Mojave' Ramos has just taken down a pleasant pot. It started along with his open to 1,200 and a three-bet to 4,100 by Robin Hegele, which both Ramos and Kyle Keranen called. The flop fell the A♥9♦8♦ and it checked to Hegele who continued his aggression for 6,800. Keranen called, but if it came to Ramos he had other ideas. He took his time but eventually counted out a raise to 17,800, and only Hegele called.
Ramos then shoved for 28,825 at the 4♠ river, and that got Hegele to fold. The Brazilian is as much as around 84,000 now. --JS
5:30pm: Kully and KanitLevel 5 - Blinds: 250/500 (75 ante)
The latest list of eliminations includes: Akin Tuna, Andrey Shatilov, Imad Derwiche, Patrick Serda, Gianluca Bernardini, Michael Rocco, Connor Drinan, Kevin MacPhee, Lee Wai Kiat, Diogo Cardoso, Pascal Hartmann, Craig Varnell, Andrei Boghean, Federico Macori, Ye Zhang and Glib Kovtunov.
We at the moment are as much as 407 entries to this tournament. The entire list of buy-ins are over at the entry-list page.
| 5 | 250 | 500 | 75 |
4:52pm: Kully and KanitLevel 4 - Blinds: 200/400 (50 ante)
Kully Sidhu and Mustapha Kanit have just taken their seats five minutes before the top of Level 4 and a break. --JS
4:47pm: Warburton's toastLevel 4 - Blinds: 200/400 (50 ante)
We've just lost Steve Warburton, who has fallen by the hands of Thomas Miller. The board showed the 9♣J♦8♣2♠3♠ and Warburton was all-in for his last 12,700 with around 18,000 within the pot. I never quite caught his hand as Warburton made a rapid exit when Miller showed the 9♥9♠ for a flopped set. --JS
4:40pm: Aido out in six-bet potLevel 4 - Blinds: 200/400 (50 ante)
Sergio Aido's has had some good days at the EPT but this, so far, isn't one in every of them. He was just eliminated from this event by Eddy Maksoud but he didn't seem overly fazed by it.
Maksoud was the pre-flop aggressor, opening to 950 from middle position, Aido was next to behave and he three-bet to 2,600. Christian Favale was within the small blind and he decided to up the cost of poker further, cold four-betting to 5,200.
Back on Maksoud he thought for some time before five betting to 13,100. At this point Aido, who have been taking a look at his phone, sprang into life. He took out his headphones and looked right at Maksoud's stack. After a temporary dwell he then moved all-in for 13,750. Favale had seen enough to understand he was beat, he folded his hand and Maksoud installed the extra.
Aido: Q♥Q♦Maksoud: A♥A♠
Aido went back to his phone only glancing up on the end of a T♣6♦8♣3♠2♣ board to look that he'd been eliminated. Maksoud is now as much as 75,000. --NW
4:30pm: The 100K+ clubLevel 4 - Blinds: 200/400 (50 ante)
There are just a handful of stacks within the room presently above 100,000, but you can now add Raoul Rafar to that list. He's won a string of pots recently, including this one during which built his stack to greater than double what he started with.
Niall Farrell opened to 1,000 and was called by Mikhail Rudoy, before Rafar three-bet to 4,000 at the button. Farrell gave it up, but Rodov called to peer the 5♠3♦J♦ flop. The Russian then check-called a 4,700 c-bet.
The 8♦ landed at the turn and again Rodov checked. Rafar fired again, this time for 6,200, and that bet was called. A river card of the T♥ slowed the action as both checked. Rodov showed the 9♥9♦, but Rafar was playing it safe with the Q♣Q♦ and his bigger pair took it down. He's playing 115,000 now, while Rodov sits with 37,000. --JS
4:25pm: Geilich gets busyLevel 4 - Blinds: 200/400 (50 ante)
Ludovic Geilich made it 1,050 to play and collected two callers in JC Alvarado and Hady El Asmar. The 3 saw a 9♥4♥2♠ flop and Geilich continued for 1,600, which only Asmar would call. The 2♥ hit the turn, and now the Scot checked allowing Asmar to take the betting lead for 3,000. That was called.
The river came the A♠ and Geilich checked yet again. Asmar then made it 8,500, just for Geilich to shove for around 30,000. That was enough to get a fold and take down the pot. --JS
4:15pm: Lithuania leads the wayLevel 4 - Blinds: 200/400 (50 ante)
Justas Vaiciulionis looks to be the present chip leader. He's greater than trebled his stack over the outlet three levels to 168,000. He just padded it further when he won a pot against Jiachen Gong. Gong was the unique raiser. He made it 1,000 to head and he called when Vaiciulionis three-bet at the button to 2,900.
On the 6♥7♦4♠ flop Vaiciulionis bet 2,700 and Gong stuck around. There has been no further action at the K♠ turn or 5♠ river though. Gong showed pocket nines, but he'd been rivered by the 5♣4♣ of Vaiciulionis. --NW
| 4 | 200 | 400 | 50 |
4:05pm: How high are you able to go?Level 3 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
How many bets are you able to get in pre-flop? Five was the solution on this hand. There has been an open to 800 from under-the-gun, Kiryl Radzivonau called from the seat to his left just for Matthew Haugen to three-bet from the button. I COULD NOT hear the precise amount, and he only put a single 5,000 chip within the pot, however it was a three-bet and at most it was to 3,250 because Pasquale Grimaldi then four-bet to 6,500 from the small blind.
It folded back to Haughen and he wasn't done yet, he upped it to 15,000 total and Grimaldi called. At the 9♠2♣7♠ flop Haugen moved all-in for 16,500 and Grimaldi tank-folded to go away himself with 34,500. --NW
4pm: BustoLevel 3 - Blinds 150/300 (50 ante)
The following players have lost their first buy-in on this event:
Max Silver, Sergio Aido, Denys Shafikov, Senol Karahasan, Igor Pihela, Michael Eiler, Shaun Deeb, Antonio Estorino Da Silva, Atanas Kavrakov, Nikolay Komcharokov, Doron Davidovitz, Akin Tuna, Benjamin Lebor, Massimo Mosele, Enrico Coppola, Andrey Andreev, Timothy Adams, George Wolff.
Some of them will likely re-load, although we are not certain at the present who they're. They are able to re-enter any time up until the beginning of play tomorrow. Meanwhile Dietrich Fast is actually out for good. He has lost two 50,000-chip stacks. -- HS
3:45pm: Floor and security for Veghinas, argues with CarrelLevel 3 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
Sebastian Veghinas is causing a little bit a stir over in his corner of this High Roller tournament. Veghinas is talking so loudly - when in hands and when not - that at the beginning a Casino Barcelona security guard asked him to maintain it down, and eventually the ground was called to offer him a speaking to. That's when Veghinas started his rant, which went something like this:
"When I start playing poker...ten years ago...we could discuss. Today I come here...I register for this tournament for fun...I didn't know that is like...this is sort of a jail. Only thing you'll be able to do...is have a moustache [no - we do not know either]. I paid 10000 Euro to play!"
He was then reminded that everybody else had paid that too. Oh, and that i also needs to mention that he was in a hand while all this was happening.
On a 9♠K♣9♣ flop, Stefan Schillhabel checked, as did Chris Lee, and Veghinas made it 1,400. Everyone called (including Sergey Sergeev) and the turn came the 2♥. It checked to Veghinas again and he made it 7,000, which only Lee called. Finally the river came and it was the Q♥. Both checked, Lee showed the A♦9♦ for flopped trips, and Veghinas let it visit continue his conversation with the floor.
Charlie Carrel was on his table and didn't like one of the most things Veghinas have been saying. "I'm sorry but you're lacking self-awareness right now," Carrel told him. "IT IS NOT that you are talking, it's what you're saying. You're giving for free information, you gave away information on my hand!"
"I'm sorry, I DO KNOW you are a essential person here," Veghinas said, with a touch of sarcasm.
"I do not believe I'm more important than anyone else on this room," Carrel replied.
Stay tuned for more from these two, as this does not look like it is going to end any time soon. --JS
3:40pm: Kitai chips back upLevel 3 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
Martin Staszko opened to 1,000 - or no less than a part of it as there has been only a single orange chip in front of his cards. That open was called by Mark Radoja but Davidi Kitai then three-bet to 2,800 from the large blind. Both opponents called the bet.
A dry looking 6♠J♣J♥ flop hit the felt and nobody liked it, so that they all got a free have a look at the Q♦ turn. Kitai fired out 2,200 and only Radoja called. The 8♥ completed the board, Kitai checked, Radoja bet 7,200 and Kitai quickly called.
Radoja had K♠T♠ for a busted draw, while Kitai had A♥Q♣ for two-pair. He's back as much as 45,200 now, Radoja is all the way down to 35,400 and Staszko has 45,025. --NW
3:30pm: Who's playing?Level 3 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
There's just about no way we will be able to keep 350 players' chip counts, however the chip-count page now a minimum of shows the list of players who've entered, so that you have an concept who's playing. The chip-count page will revert to its proper function tomorrow. -- HS
3:25pm: What a wife!Level 3 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
Sebastian Veghinas can multi-task, that's evidently. He was playing hands, getting a massage and likewise holding a talk with the player to his left. Talk then turned to the Romanian's card protector that is lovely metallic shark. Other players desired to know where it had come from. "My wife made it for me as a birthday present," he said proudly. -- NW
3:20pm: Petrangelo and Buddiga in search of more big buy-in successLevel 3 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
It's always an excellent feeling when you've got a large win at first of a visit. No less than that is what I HAVE BEEN told by players who've achieved such things. Two players, then, who must be floating on air on this event (they are going to well float with air too after all) are Nick Petrangelo and Pratyush Buddiga.
The former took down a €10,000 event on the very start of the festival, banking €413,000 and Buddiga won the one-day €25K High Roller for a corpulent €690,275. Both are playing today and Buddiga was interested by a contemporary pot.
He was heads-up in position against Kilian Kramer at the turn of a J♣7♦Q♦2♠ board. Kramer (middle position) bet 3,700 right into a pot of 6,800 and Buddiga (button) called. The 4♣ river was checked through and Buddiga's A♠K♦ was good against Kramer's 9♥8♥. After that hand Buddiga is as much as 56,000.
As for Petrangelo, in poker terms he is not got the most productive seat in the home as Mike McDonald is to his direct left. But the two are friends and are the conversation is flowing once they aren't excited by hands. Petrangelo has dipped a bit below starting stack as he's all the way down to 44,000.
As for the third big winner of the festival to this point - Fedor Holz - he's yet to turn up but with late registration open until the beginning of Day 2 there's various time for that to switch. --NW
3:15pm: High and mighty MuehloeckerLevel 3 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
What's it like up there to your pedestal, eh Thomas Muehloecker? I should clarify that the Austrian hasn't been arrogant, condescending or snobbish; he's just literally sitting on something--one of these posture-defining wedges--that is making him tower way above his tablemates.
Perhaps his high and mighty posture is playing the intimidation card on his opponents. Dinesh Alt made it 700 from early position, Kilian Kramer called at the button, and Muehloecker popped it as much as 3,100 from the small blind.
That got everyone to fold, and Muehloecker stretched to rake within the chips. --JS
3:10pm: The Gong showLevel 3 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
Jiachen Gong and Aaron Been had built a hefty pot of around 17,000 by the river of the 5♥3♣4♦3♦7♥ board. As I arrived, Gong had only 12,600 of his 50,000 starting stack behind and moved it all-in, so the action was on Been. After a few minutes he made the decision and showed the 9♠9♦ for an over-pair, however the Gong had truly been hit: he'd flopped the wheel along with his A♣2♣ and got the double up. --JS
3:05pm: Pretty in pinkLevel 3 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
A little while ago Eugene Katchalov busted out of the principle Event and has immediately reinvested two thirds of his €15,410 prize money by entering the High Roller. He's decked out in pink shorts and a blue polo shirt.
Eugene Katchalov: Pink shorts obscured
Pink shorts have gotten slightly a trend here in Barcelona. We've spotted a lot of players wearing shorts of assorted shades of pink, including Steve Warburton, who was runner-up in last year's Main Event here. --NW
2:55pm: Back within the gameLevel 2 - Blinds 150-300 (50 ante)
We're just into Level 3 and 6 players have already used their re-entry option. Shaun Deeb, Nikolay Komcharokov, Andrey Andreev, Akin Tuna, Dietrich Fast and Timothy Adams are in for 2 bullets already. -- HS
Shaun Deeb: In for €10K? Make that two
| 3 | 150 | 300 | 50 |
2:41pm: Break timeLevel 2 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
That's the primary 20-minute break of the day.
2:40pm: How the High Rollers playLevel 2 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
I haven't seen Frederic Delval in a High Roller event before, but he's chancing his arm within the €10,000 here in Barcelona. He just got a snappy lesson in how these tournaments are played when he clashed with Mikhail Rudoy.
Delval opened to 500 from under the gun and Rudoy, one seat to his left, three-bet to 1,800. Everyone else quickly got out of the way, but Delval called.
The flop came T♦2♦Q♠ and Delval checked. Rudoy bet 1,500 but Delval now fancied a check-raise. He made it 5,700. Rudoy called.
The 4♠ came at the turn and Delval checked again. Rudoy bet again, this time 6,800. Having not managed to get the check-raise to work last time, Delvel folded and Rudoy scooped up the chips. -- HS
2:30pm: Silver missed draw, picked off by CheongLevel 2 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
Joseph Cheong opened to 600 from early position and collected two callers: Max Silver, within the small blind, and Raffaele Carnevale, within the big.
No one seemed bothered by the flop of 6♣T♦5♥ and so they all checked. Then the 2♦ came at the turn and, after action checked to Cheong, he bet 1,200. Silver raised to 5,000, and Carnevale folded.
Cheong said, "What you got?"
"Twenty-eight," Silver said.
Cheong called they usually saw the J♠ at the river. Silver led for 11,000 and Cheong called immediately. Silver turned over his missed draw. He had 7♦8♦ and had various potential at the turn. Cheong's pocket queens took it. -- HS
2:10pm: Broken recordLevel 2 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
There at the moment are 320 players registered and it's just about certain we'll push past last year's 401 entries. Yawn. Broken records are so passe.
We'll get an inventory up of players soon but, basically, in case you are sitting there asking, "Is [INSERT PLAYER'S NAME HERE] playing, the answer's almost certainly, "Yes, yes he/she is." -- HS
2pm: George Danzer, linguist, mind-readerLevel 2 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
Having spent a very long time living in Brazil when he was a child, George Danzer is in a position to speak greater than just his native German and English, the language of poker. "He was allowing you to take the blinds for him in Portuguese," Danzer told a bewildered dealer after Antonio Estorino Da Silva wandered clear of the table while simultaneously babbling and gesticulating on the stack he was forsaking. "We probably will need to have told him we might be taking them anyway, simply to tilt him," Danzer added.
George Danzer
Da Silva had just lost a pot to Danzer, where the Team PokerStars Pro also attempted some mind reading on Michal Rudnik. Rudnik, Danzer and Da Silva were a board of 5♥J♥A♣2♣J♦ and Rudnik bet 6,500. Both Da Silva and Danzer called, with Danzer saying, "I'M HOPING you may have pocket eights," to the bettor. Rudnik didn't let on if that was the case (it seemed likely to not be) as he just mucked when faced with two calls.
Da Silva showed his 5♣6♥ but Danzer had 9♥9♣ and that scooped it for him. -- HS
1:55pm: More Red SpadesLevel 2 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
The ranks of Team PokerStars Pro has swelled on this €10,000 High Roller event. Joining the early arriving Luca Pagano and George Danzer are Yaxi Zhu and Andre Akkari, and Chen-An Lin also just arrived too. I AM NOT sure if he's buying into the event, but it is a long walk from his hotel simply to watch.
No sign yet of Daniel Negreanu, who hasn't enjoyed the most productive of times in Barcelona to this point in this trip. But he's got over the lurgy that undermined his €50,000 Super High Roller campaign, so may yet appear for a stab at this juicy tournament. -- HS
1:40pm: Level up, but not the blindsLevel 2 - Blinds 100/200 (25 ante)
We're into Level 2 now, although the blinds are the exact same as they were in Level 1. Let's call it Level 1.1. "IT ISN'T a sequel, it is a reimagining," as my colleague Martin Harris puts it. -- HS
| 2 | 100 | 200 | 25 |
1:35pm: Interesting(!) early level hand updateLevel 1 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
Kiryl Radzivonau has joined Luca Pagano's table and, with Adrian Mateos and Dietrich Fast also there, it's becoming a predictably difficult place to be. Radzivonau raised to 600 from under the gun and Ilkin Amirov called at the button.
Fast, within the small blind, squeezed to what gave the look of 1,800 (it's going to has been more) but, after Pagano folded his big blind, the opposite two called.
They went three option to a flop of 5♣6♣K♠ and Fast led for 3,500. Radzivonau called and there has been also no shifting Amirov.
The A♦ came at the turn and both Fast and Radzivonau now checked. That allowed Amirov to take over and he bet 11,200, that's a major bet for Level 1. Fast was anything but fast about his call, but eventually he did pay the cost. Radzivonau slipped away.
The 2♠ then came at the river and Fast was again slow and deliberate about his check. Amirov was a bit quicker but checked too, and Fast turned over A♣2♣ for a rivered two pair. Amirov had it beat. He had turned his two pair along with his A♠5♠ and seemed frustrated at the same time as the pot was pushed his way, perhaps ruing a missed value bet. -- HS
1:25pm: Boring early level hand update IIILevel 1 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
Govert Metaal opened his button, making it 500 to move. Alexandru Papazian defended his big blind with a choice they usually were heads as much as a flop of 9♠K♥7♦. Papazian, who made the general of the festival's first €10K event, at the back of a High Roller triumph on the Grand Final last season, checked. Metaal bet 500. Papazian called.
The A♦ came at the turn and Papazian check-called Metaal's bet of 1,150. Then the T♥ came at the river and Papazian checked. Metaal was clearly very tempted to make another bet, but eventually thought best of it and checked.
Papazian showed his K♥6♥ and Metaal revealed a winning A♥J♥. I BELIEVE he may need missed a price bet there.
If you ever sit there thinking there aren't enough updates from the early levels of major tournaments, have a read back through these three hand updates and learn the explanation why. -- HS
1:15pm: Boring early level hand update IILevel 1 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
Shaun Deeb opened to 600 from UTG+1 and Peter Dragar called within the big blind. The flop looked to be ideal for a raising hand. It came Q♠T♣K♥. Check, check. The 3♥ fell at the turn. Check, check. The 7♠ came at the river. Check, check. Ever get the sensation your life is pointless?
Dragar tabled 9♠9♦ and Deeb mucked. -- HS
1:10pm: Boring early level hand update ILevel 1 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
Martin Staszko opened to 500 and Jerry Wong called within the big blind. This was just a four-handed table, so the ranges were wide. (Although, to be honest, they're already wide enough when Staszko is concerned.)
The 7♣4♠9♥ fell at the flop and Wong check-called Staszko's bet of 600. They both then checked the 9♦ turn. Then Wong check-folded to Staszko's bet of 1,300 at the 8♦ river. That is the way it goes within the early levels folks. -- HS
1:05pm: Packing them inLevel 1 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
The field has now swelled beyond 230 and, at this rate, they'll want a bigger tournament room. It's remarkable how briskly this €10K specifically keeps growing. There have been 401 entries last time around (people are allowed one re-entry if necessary) and that i think we'd get there again.
A few other players now seated: Faraz Jaka, Manig Loeser, Shaun Deeb, Phil McAllister, Christoph Vogelsang, Anton Astapau, Alexandar Ivarson, Darrel Goh. George Danzer may be within the field and fans of the Mohawk rejoice: it's back. (Danzer went a little bit limp during his Main Event appearance, but he's proudly spiked again today.)
12:50pm: All-in in first levelLevel 1 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
There's a small a part of this mystery missing on the very beginning, as if a confused saboteur snuck right into a library and tore out the primary page of an Agatha Christie novel in place of the last. It's as if we all know who murdered the colonel within the drawing room, but do not know who the colonel is.
I got to the table and saw Rhys Jones, at the button, with 1,800 at the table in front of him and Iliodoros Kamatakis with 5,300 around the line in front of him. The item is, it's hard to mention what position Kamatakis was sitting in since the table had stuffed with new players who may or won't has been there when this hand started. Kamatakis might have been within the big blind, or within the cutoff.
That means I AM NOT sure what number of bets there were to get to this stage. Perhaps Kamatakis installed a regular open, Jones three-bet his button and the 5,300 was now a four bet from Kamatakis.
Anyhow, it didn't end there. Jones called and so they went to the flop: 3♠8♠6♣. Kamatakis fired 6,200 at it and Jones called, which took them to the 2♥ at the turn. Kamatakis now checked, allowing Jones to take over the betting. He moved forward 12,600.
Kamatakis then began counting out a check-raise, eventually deciding that it wasn't worth splitting his stack of 37,000. He moved all-in and the red triangle got its first run out for this tournament.
Jones looked confused, perplexed, peeved and disappointed as he eventually folded. -- HS
12:35pm: Away they goLevel 1 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
Chris Moorman, Niall Farrell, Cate Hall, Steven van Zadelhoff, Gaelle Baumann, Simon Deadman and Paul Newey are among those seated early. It's miles from fully populated on the moment, but they're dealing to sufficient seats to play and cards are within the air. -- HS
Cate Hall: Early starter
12pm: Popular? You betchaLevel 1 - Blinds 100-200 (25 ante)
What has always been a well-liked tournament seems sure to be reliably massive this time around. With still 20 minutes to move until the beginning of play this afternoon, there are already 125 players registered, a lot of whose names I DON'T recognise, suggesting a primary stab at a High Roller event. Sixty-one players won their seat in a live satellite held here at Casino Barcelona.
Here's a handful of the familiar names already registered:
Mike Telker, Chance Kornuth, Harrison Gimbel, Joe Elpayaa, Charlie Carrel, Patrick Leonard, Jack Salter, Michael Tureniec, Alexander Ivarsson, Alexandru Papazian, Govert Metaal, Imad Derwiche, Joni Joukimainen, Lic Greenwood, Dan Heimiller, Louis Salter, Ari Engel, Ludovic Geilich, Robin Ylitalo, David Yan, Vitaly Lunkin, Martin Kabrhel, Martin Staszko, Ognyan Dimov, Bart Lybaert, Luca Pagano. -- HS
10:30am: Welcome back to the High Rollers, bro?
Anyone else got that Friday feeling?
Well, it's Day 4 of the EPT Barcelona Main Event, but it is usually the beginning of the €10,300 Single Re-entry High Roller tournament, that is always an absolute monster. Three days are scheduled to get this one done, and they'll need them all.
Last time, there have been 401 entries to this, including 105 re-entries, and Mustapha Kanit took the most productive a part of €740,000 for the win.
Mustapha Kanit: Last year's winner, bro
It will start slowly--it always does--at 12:30pm today. They are going to have a 50,000 starting stack and can play 10 one-hour levels today, with a 75-minute dinner break after Level 8. Blinds start at 100-200 (25 ante).
We'll be here from begin to finish, so bookmark this page and we'll bring you all of the action. -- HS
Take a glance on the official website of the EPT, with tournament schedule, news, results and accommodation details for EPT13 Barcelona and the remainder of the season.
Also all of the schedule information is at the EPT App, that's available on both Android or IOS.
PokerStars Blog reporting team at the EPT13 Barcelona €10,000 High Roller: Jack Stanton, Howard Swains and Nick Wright. Photography by Carlos Monti. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter:@PokerStarsBlog
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