As Day 1A draws to a close, Alex Brand, a person from the Netherlands who won his seat on PokerStars, sits on the top of the primary flight leaderboard. His 178,800 in chips is sweet for the lead in a flight that drew nearly 500 players. Fewer than 300 of these runners remain because the chips go within the bag for the night.
Alex Brand
It was a crowded day within the Casino Barcelona EPT tournament room because the Main Event kicked off amid several final tables, new satellites, and a Right to Play charity event.
The first day crowd drew quite a lot of tested and true pros from the ranks of the touring crowd. We saw the likes of Jason Mercier, Leo Fernandez, Jason Koon, John Juanda, Shaun Deeb, Matt Stout, Sam Grafton, Faraz Jaka, Charlie Carrel, Dominik Nitsche, Andreas Hoivold, Davidi Kitai, and more in within the field.
In addition to the leader, listed below are some notable counts from stalwarts who're headed to Day 2.
Bernd Vogelhuber 167,600Kestutis Gecevicius 153,300Michael Addamo 153,100Dorian Rios 152,700Victor Bogdanov 150,200Shaun Deeb 136,700Andreas Hoivold 120,100Connor Drinan 68,100Jason Koon 66,600Jason Mercier 44,200Thor Hansen 17,100
A full count of the sphere is out there here.
While the primary Event is the principle attraction for a majority of the players here, it would not overshadow the 2 final tables that finished here tonight. Our concentration is going to now fix at the Main, but you can do well to test in on how the €50K Super High Roller and Estrellas Main Event finished. You are able to do that by clicking the links below.
Holz continues incredible run, claims latest Super High Roller titleMohamed Samri tops 3,447-player Main Event field, Teunis Kooij after heads-up deal
The €5K Main Event resumes Tuesday with Day 1B.
We'll be back with full coverage beginning at (an ungodly) 10am local time here in Barcelona. We'll even have full coverage of the 25K Single Day High Roller.
Join us right there for all of that action in precisely about ten hours.
Until then, search for a link to the chip counts within the black box at the right (or within the link a few paragraphs above) and be happy to scroll down through one of the crucial highlights from the day posted below.
Until then, goodnight from Barcelona.
Updates from Day 1A below
11:55pm: Day 1A ends
The first flight of the EPT Barcelona Main Event has come to an in depth. We'll have an entire wrap-up of the day coming shortly. --BW
11:35pm: The entire fun of the fairLevel 8 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
Charlie Carrel is out and was just spotted leaving the tournament room carrying the teddy bear he brought with him today, giving him the semblance of somebody walking home after a visit to the thrill fair. -- SB
11:30pm: Main Event Happy HourLevel 8 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
It's happy hour in general Event, literally and figuratively. Or it's on table 21.
Wine was ordered, and been taken over there, and it is the happiest table in town, led by chief enabler Chance Kornuth. Parker Talbot in seat one joined him with the CabSav. Eli Heath stuck to beer.
As usually happens at the moment of the day, when the majority of play (and dinner) is now behind them and the finishing line is entering view, guards are down, tempers eased, relaxation.
Bernd Vogelhuber could also be happy right now. He leant over to Talbot within the seat next to him and asked in the event that they all knew each other, such was this new founded bonhomie.
"No," said Talbot. "I DO KNOW two people because they're famous and most of these other idiots I DO NOT know."
The idiots laughed. Vogelhuber laughed to boot. He is not drinking, but could be high at the perfume he wears (he's keen on perfume as he explained in Malta last season).
Happy hour plays on for one more half an hour. - SB
11:01pm: I bid you goodbye. Wait, I'll stay.Level 8 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
Jason Koon was all in for around 11,000 and waiting at the guy who raised him, Isidoro Barrena, to make the decision.
"If he does get me, it has been a pleasure fiddling with you all," Koon said to everyone across the table.
A few more seconds ticked by, and Barrena finally made the call.
"I think I'm good if it took that long," Koon said. He flipped over A♣J♦, and he was right. Barrena only held A♠5♠. Koon's hand held, and he doubled to greater than 22,000. --BW
10:45pm: Farrell closing in on a six figure stackLevel 8 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
More from Niall Farrell, in which we mean more for Niall Farrell.
On a flop of 3♥K♠5♣ he was up against Vladimir Troyanovskiy. Farrell had checked to the Russian who bet 3,200. Farrell, taking his time, called for a 5♦ turn card.
Both players checked that to get to the 9♣ river card. This time Farrell led the betting, 7,700 which gave Toryanovskiy reasons to pause. A minute later he called, but mucked immediately as Farrell turned up A♠K♥.
That was good to win the pot and to take his stack as much as around 90,000 now. - SB
10:15pm: Last levelLevel 8 - Blinds: 400/800 (100 ante)
The remaining players are beginning their final 75-minute level of the night. --BW
| 8 | 400 | 800 | 100 |
10:15pm: The Mask of GruissemLevel 7 - Blinds: 300/600 (100 ante)
It's over people. Philipp Gruissem has arrived.
Admittedly we're fans, but we are saying this out of a growing hunch that whatever Gruissem does he succeeds at, whether it's poker ($10million in tournament winnings), performing some good (see his REG charity), or table tennis, whic hhe demonstrated his prowess with earlier as a part of the #StarsFun activities here.
He arrives late, dressed all in black (I'm giving my Gruissem as Douglas Fairbank's Zorro comparison a break), and places his chips down with a nonchalance reserved exclusively for players who've been there, done that, and with witnesses. That may include the eight players at his table.
He didn't sit immediately. Instead, he went to get himself a cup of water after which do a couple of stretches, his shoulders, his calves, his back, looking up briefly to look at David Peters crack aces with 6♥[4] (he made a flush) to double up.
Then he did sit down, casually taking a look at who he was up against - in addition to Peters there has been Jack Salter and Paul Berende. It was time to play.
Gruissem started by raising. The action moved across the table: fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold, fold and fold.
A solid start. - SB
10:35pm: Same coinflip, same resultLevel 7 - Blinds: 300/600 (100 ante)
Just a couple of minutes after mentioning the queens versus ace-king coinflip that ended with an ace at the river against Faraz Jaka, we saw the very same thing happen. Alex Brand came in for a raise and Fabiano Kovalski came in excessive all-in for 12,800. Kovalski held Q♥Q♠ to Brand's A♦K♣. The ace hit the river again, and Kovalski was gone.--BW
10:23pm: Jaka goneLevel 7 - Blinds: 300/600 (100 ante)
Before the break we wrote concerning the unfortunate ending to Faraz Jaka's queens vs. ace-king coinflip. Though he had chips when it was over, he doesn't anymore. Jaka is not any longer in his seat and is presumed gone for good. --BW
10:06pm: It is your decision, DavidiLevel 7 - Blinds: 300/600 (100 ante)
You never know what to anticipate when Davidi Kitai gets fascinated with a hand. The most recent episode proved that in addition to any example can. Kitai called a raise to 1,300 by Sam Grafton and watched as two other folks called behind him. A kind of people was Jan Nader Zadeh. Understand that name.
Grafton led into the K♣5♣8♦ flop for 3,000, and Kitai didn't waste much time bumping it up 8,800. THAT WILL not has been so suprising but for the fact, after one fold, Zadeh cut out 21,200 and put it in front of his cards. Grafton mucked quickly, but Kitai looked tortured. For almost five minutes he studied the fast stack he'd picked up in his hand. He checked out it, mumbled, after which slammed it down...behind his cards. He did this no less than thrice before asking Zadeh an effortless question.
"Show me if I fold?" he asked.
Zadeh held his tongue for a couple of seconds before saying quietly, "IT IS GOING TO cost you your tournament if you wish to see my hand."
Without any ointment for the sick burn, Kitai was left to determine just what he desired to do. He looked agonized, but finally picked up a card in each hand, turned both over, and laid them at the felt in front of him. He swished them from side to side around the felt along with his fingers, quietly begging Zadeh to show anything. Zadeh would not.
So, Kitai took one last take a look at his face up cards, and eventually let the dealer pull his two red aces into the muck.--BW
9:55pm: Fearless FarrellLevel 7 - Blinds: 300/600 (100 ante)
Back from the dinner break Niall Farrell was pressing on within the same fashion as earlier. He opened for 1,300 before Carlos Arias within the seat next to him raised to 3,100. O.k. then. Farrell would call it, they usually saw a flop.
6♦9♦4♦
That was checked, for the J♣ turn card. Farrell checked to Arias who bet 3,500. O.k. then. Farrell would call it, and so they saw a river card.
8♦
Farrell checked and Arias took one last stab at it, betting 5,000. All righ... whatever, you get the purpose. Farrell called, watched Arias turn over 5♠3♠ for a busted straight draw, and took the chips with J♠T♠, which got a faucet at the table from one player.
Farrell continues to do well today, now as much as around 60,000. Arias meanwhile drops to 7,000. - SB
9:40pm: Silver onto the following oneLevel 7 - Blinds: 300/600 (100 ante)
After finding no luck within the €50K and no better in general Event, Max Silver is popping his sights to tomorrow's €25,000 one-day High Roller. --BW
9:40pm: Back in actionLevel 7 - Blinds: 300/600 (100 ante)
The dreadful 25 denomination chips are gone, the rest players are back, and the general two levels of the night have begun. Everybody left might be coming back to 3600-600-100 blinds and antes and two 75-minute levels.--BW
| 7 | 300 | 600 | 100 |
8:10pm: Paella time!
After a snappy chip race to do away with the 25 chips, the players might be out on a 75-minute dinner break. We'll be back after they are.--BW
7:55pm: Why does it need to be the river?Level 6 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
They can't just put the ace available in the market at the flop, can they?
Faraz Jaka knows this all-too well. Folded to him at the button, he made it 1,200 to play. Alessandro Borsa sat within the big blind and re-raised to 4,000. That is where it became clear Jaka wasn't joking. He four-bet to 10,200. In came Borsa's five-bet shove for 34,450. Jaka snap-called with Q♦Q♣. Borsa turned up A♦K♥.
Jaka dodged the flop and switch in every way possible. He needed only to circumvent one of the most six outs left. He didn't. The A♠ at the river took greater than half his stack. And that was that.--BW
7:45pm: Farrell picking up where he left offLevel 6 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
Niall Farrell and John Juanda, who yesterday featured within the Super High Roller, are actually seated on the same table typically Event.
Juanda won a hand from the large blind and is enjoying what's best described as a face massage. Meanwhile Farrell, not a massage man, was calling a gamble from Jose Schwaiger from the large blind for a flop of T♣4♥8♠.
Farrell checked to Schwaiger who bet another 1,300, which Farrell then called for the 9♣ turn. That was checked for the 2♣ river card. Both checked, Farrell's Q♠J♥ getting the simpler of Schwaiger's ace-jack.
That put him on greater than 50,000. The following handcrafted that figure more like 55,000. And all without the desire of a massage. - SB
7:10pm: Sergey Lebedev loses race, is completed anywayLevel 6 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
Sometimes you simply must wonder: should I just flip for it here? Sergey Lebedev found himself in precisely that position a pair minutes ago. He'd are available for a raise to 1,200 and left himself 8,000 behind. He made it through everyone however the big blind, Michael Addamo, who put out enough to position Lebedev all in. Lebedev held A♣J♥ and decided his remaining 16 bigs were getting into. He couldn't have asked for far more. Addamo held 2♦2♣, a hand that held up the entire way. Lebedev can now consider himself a number of the eliminated.
| 6 | 250 | 500 | 75 |
6:55pm: Jacobson shinesLevel 5 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
Martin Jacobson is one of the field today. The previous WSOP Main Event winner is the image of health. The one thing that glows more brightly than his yellow t-shirt is his skin. Being a skilled and successful poker player agrees with him.
He just opened for 1,000 from the cut off, getting a choice from Henri Koivisto within the big blind. The flop came 6♣7♠9♦ which Koivisto checked to Jacobson who bet another 1,500. Koivisto called once more.
The turn was the 2♥. Koivisto checked but sensed he was beaten when Jacobson made it 3,500 to play. It was. Jacobson as much as greater than 50,000. - SB
6:30pm: Fernandez doesn't love a chop potLevel 5 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
Leo Fernandez spent the vast majority of the early a part of his his day getting the choppy-choppy from a massage therapist. Now, with the therapist gone, he can't stop.
When we arrived on the table, the board was already fully out: T♣Q♦]A♠2♥K♦. Fernandez was locked in a everlasting raising battle with Adrian Ioan Ionescu, and everyone knew both men had jacks, and if considered one of them didn't, he was going to feel mighty stupid. Because it turned out, that was precisely the case. Fernandez were ahead the entire technique to the river with A♥J♠. Ionescu had managed a chop with J♣T♥. Fernandez was...well, his face looked so much like this.
6:30pm: More from GraftonLevel 5 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
Pratyush Buddiga just sent a player to the rail, but was procuring it with friendly banter from his friend Sam Grafton.
With the board reading [j][9][t] the chips were in (in this a part of the tale we're short on detail). Buddiga called Rojas who had shown [k][q] for the straight. Buddiga had 9♦T♦ for bottom two.
Buddiga looked beaten until the turn [q] and river [9]. The last card gave him the entire house, and sent Rojas to the rail.Cue Grafton. He took to explaining the prowess of Buddiga to Davidi Kitai next to him, who laughed his way through it.
"He didn't even realise a straight was possible!" he told Kitai as Buddiga laughed too. "Unbelievable!" he said, turning to Buddiga. "You bust the poor guy as well!"
It was true. Rojas was picking up his bags while everyone was laughing, a river card clear of a unique future entirely.
Grafton laid into Buddiga somewhat more. "What did you think that he was going to turn you?"
"I'm happy to run over king-queen, he replied."
"I'm just going to relax and watch... stay out of how until I AM GETTING bottom two pair... then go ballistic."
6:15pm: Picasso within the houseLevel 5 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
You know why we love Sam Grafton? He's good for a quote. On this case, in a handy guide a rough analysis of Davidi Kitai's tricky play, screams to the table: "We're attending to see the genius at work. Now we have Picasso here! We wish to see how he uses the f---ing paintbrush!"
You don't even need context for that. It's wonderful just because it is.--BW
6:05pm: MacPhee vs. KoonLevel 5 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
One of the tougher tables within the field features Simon Deadman, Kevin MacPhee, and Jason Koon, the latter two tangling in a pot just now.
MacPhee opened for 900 which was called by Oscar Kroon in addition to Koon within the bring to an end and Vítor Monteiro within the big blind.
The flop came 4♦A♠8♥ which went checked four ways. That's exactly what happened at the Q♣ turn too.
The river card was the 7♣, which Monteiro checked. MacPhee was ready with a raffle of 1,300. That might get folds from Kroon and Monteiro but Koon called in between.
"Kings" announced MacPhee, sensing he was beaten. Koon nodded politely and turned over his A♥5♥ to take the pot.
MacPhee is relatively short on the moment, with roughly 7,300. Koon meanwhile is as much as greater than 40,000. - SB
Jason Koon (right)
5:55pm: And we're back
Everybody is now back in action with 200/400/50 blinds and antes.--BW
| 5 | 200 | 400 | 50 |
5:13pm: Break time
The players at the moment are on their second 20-minute break of the day.--BW
5:13pm: Annnnnnd...action!Level 4 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
Let's be honest with one another here. It is the early levels of Day 1. It is not that there's no action, but in a room with 450 or so players, it's hard to be within the right spot on the right time.
Unless you locate Table 47.
That's where we find, sitting side-by-side-by-side the follow: Sam Grafton, Dominik Nitsche, and Andreas Hoivold. There there be action, friends.
It's hard to knock where to start, because every hand is a hand. There is not any limping. There are just raises, and thee could be very little folding. There appears to be no regard exactly for the pre-flop value of a hand. It is a post-flop table, and Nitsche is calling to become involved almost every hand.
As we join the table, Nitsche has raised it to 700, Hoivoid has called, and Gregory Dupuy has decided to make it 2,100 out of the massive blind. Both Nitsche and Hoivold call without blinking. The flop caomes down J♣J♠7♣. Dupuy leads for 2,500 and gets two snap-folds. It's that easy.
So, move directly to the following hand where Nitsche again makes it 700. Dupuy, apparently enjoying the action, calls within the small blind. Now Byron Kaverman makes it 2,800 out of the massive blind. It gets two quick folds.
Next hand...you know the deal. Nitsche makes it 700 to go, Hoivold calls, Marco Frenken calls, and Sam Grafton calls out of the large blind. THe flop drops 5♦4♣4♦. Grafton and Nitsche both check and open the door for a 900 bet from Hoivold. Frenken release his hand, and great point he does, because Grafton is able to raise it to 2,200. Nitsche is again happy to carry (remember, we're post-flop...), but Hoivold doesn't believe Grafton yet. At the J♠ turn Grafton leads for 4,100 and gets Hoivold to name again. The river? J♥ Now, Grafton comes for 6,200 and Hoivold calls again. Grafton is quick to flip up 4♥3♦ for the win.
On the following hand, Nitsche cannot raise to 700 because he's within the big blind, so Hoivold does it for him under the gun. That isn't going to forestall Grafton or Nitsche from playing out of the blinds. This one goes quick. It is a rainbow flop of babies, and Hoivold takes it down for a 700 bet.
The next hand is remarkable for a lot of reasons. First, Dominik Nitsche doesn't play it. Second...well it goes like this. Frenken limps in, but Kaverman makes it 1,100 to play. Hoivold, now within the big blind, makes the decision. So does Frenken. They see an all club flop: 4♣7♣A♣. Frenken stabs at it for 600 and Kaverman calls. But wait only a second, because Hoivold has check-raised to 2,000. Only Frenken calls, and it seems badly for him. He pays on two consecutive streets to further enrich Hoivold who flopped the nuts with K♣9♣.
So, if you want action, listed for the sound of raising, follow the sunshine of Sam Grafton's mustache, and produce your writing fingers. The entire action is at Table 47. --BW
Andreas Hoivold
4:50pm: Arrivals and departuresLevel 4 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
More and more players from the high rolling end of the poker spectrum are arriving, but one in every of them just departed.While the likes of Jason Mericer, Kevin MacPhee, Jason Koon, and Steve O'Dwyer are taking their seats, Stephen Chidwick is leaving his, and making his technique to the exit. - SB
4:20pm: Hard GraftonLevel 4 - Blinds: 150/300 (50 ante)
Filling the time in these early levels is usually important. Phones help those seeking a handy guide a rough fix. Actually earlier I saw one player this phone while getting a massage by a therapist who was also on her phone.
For other players though they like conversation, players like Sam Grafton, and one day talk will turn to drinking.
Grafton has a brand new search for today. PARTIAL TO changing styles and retro-fashion, he sports the horn rims and moustache of the well-respected man of the 1960s, carried off with roughly post-modern sprezzatura.
But the conversation is ready powerful drinking nations, of which Germany featured highly - or did, until Andreas Hoivold warned of the Norwegian Championship, telling a cautionary tale that held everyone's attention.
"Some strong nations involved, I'm sure" deadpanned Grafton, with the gravity of a sports analyst. Unprompted, and maybe tellingly, he then got as much as buy coffee for everybody. - SB
4:13pm: Meanwhile...table tennis!
As the principle Event grinds directly to its halfway point, the action outside is decidedly faster as table tennis Olympian Darius Knight is taking up all challengers. (He's playing nice, as near as we will tell.)
| 4 | 150 | 300 | 50 |
4:03pm: Picking Kid Poker's brain
Today before the beginning of play, Daniel Negreanu offered what amounted to free lessons to anyone who desired to appear at 10:45am. In the course of the process his hour-long Q&A, Negreanu fascinated by how smaller-stakes players could begin to feel comfortable in bigger buy-in tournaments. Within the coming weeks, we'll bring you a few of that advice here. --BW
4:00pm: They come...and they goLevel 3 - Blinds: 100/200
As the sphere swells to 430 Day 1A entries, there were greater than 30 bust-outs within the early levels. Among them were Christoph Vogelsang and Jason Lavalee. --BW
3:57pm: Right this way, Mr. MercierLevel 3 - Blinds: 100/200
With only some minutes left within the third level of the day, WSOP Player of the year and Team PokerStars Pro Jason Mercier has arrived to play Day 1A of the principle Event. --BW
3:50pm: Hard luck story (Cont.)Level 3 - Blinds: 100/200
An update at the man we mentioned earlier, you know, the player with the worst seat attract the arena? Well it just got worse.
He happens to back onto the rail, at the other side of that is the Estrellas Main Event (read updates from that here).
Inevitably railbirds breach the stretchy perimeter and are pouring in to observe. The most productive spot? That will be right behind our man.
He's keeping his cool, while man of substantial proportion uses him as a back rest. Luckily floor staff is to be had to transport people along, but crowd control is traditionally a losing battle, especially when there is a final table happening. - SB
3:30pm: A PERSON called OikonomouLevel 3 - Blinds: 100/200
Sometimes it is not the best way a player plays a hand that stands out, but jus the player themselves.That would apply to Panagiotis Oikonomou.
Oikonomou is unquestionably easy to spot, not only for the mane of brown hair flowing all the way down to his chest, or for the beard, or the deep tan, but for a baritone that might match the perfect narrator at the Discovery Channel.
The remainder of the look is made of a protracted sleeve t-shirt, jeans, and a big keychain, at the end of that's a big key - seriously big - which might only really unlock a church, or even a jail from the center ages.
But judging his appearance, that of somebody who have been on retreat for 20 years, I'm guessing the important thing unlocks something else entirely. Something that may be different in each of us, and that only we will be able to discover ourselves: the important thing to Happiness.
Actually no, it's only a chain. No key. Dammit. He still stands proud though. - SB
3:20pm: Double Deeb!Level 3 - Blinds: 100/200 (Ante: 25)
Shaun Deeb has wasted no time getting things rolling here. Not up to four hours into the day, he's sitting on around 65,000, greater than double his starting stack. --BW
3:20pm: Still getting biggerLevel 3 - Blinds: 100/200 (Ante: 25)
As we make our way during the third level of the day, the Day 1A field entries now numbers 426. --BW
3:05pm: What's in Jason Koon's bag?Level 3 - Blinds: 100/200 (Ante: 25)
As we now have noted intimately before, Jason Koon is a specimen. He's the image of health. He's an example to anyone who desires to live a healthy life. (And given his $1 million in within the SHRPO last week, he can also teach you a specific thing or two about poker.)
He's arrived for the primary Event with a bag filled with food he's cooked for himself. It (and plenty of hours of exercise) will save him from having a body just like the members of the PokerStars Blog who've recently been subsisting on snack bar hot dogs and hotel room minibar Toblerones.
When we passed him last, he had what gave the impression of...well, we didn't know what it looked like. A HANDY GUIDE A ROUGH glance made it look as though he had a bag of crystal methamphetamine and was dipping a work of tree bar in it. Turns out...it's a work of nearly pure cacao and a bag of dried coconut flakes.
Million-dollar winner? Healthiest man within the room? Biggest smile you can find? Bag of coconut flakes? That's Jason Koon, folks. --BW
2:50pm: Action resumesLevel 3 - Blinds: 100/200 (Ante: 25)
Everyone is now back in action with the primary antes of the day --BW
| 3 | 100 | 200 | 25 |
2:30pm: Break time
Players at the moment are at the first first break of the day. --BW
2:25pm: Big pot for Level 2
EPT Prague final table player Ilkin Amirov isn't seeking to play small today. We wandered up at the table to look 10,000 already within the pot on a 4♣4♦J♣5♠ board. He'd put out a 4,500 bet and Sergio Cabrera, after thinking for a bit, made the decision. The river brought the J♥, and Amirov quietly tapped the table in front of him. Cabrera had just 7,850 left in front of him. He pushed all of it in front of him. Amirov rose an inch out of his seat and cut the air together with his hand as though to say, "TAKE A LOOK AT this guy!"
The decision took about three minutes. After resting his head on one hand and grimacing a couple of times, Amirov finally pushed his cards forward and gave up the danger to win a pot worth greater than 25,000 in Level 2. --BW
2:10pm: Careful with those aces...Level 2 - Blinds: 75/150
It's early, and nobody desires to go broke with aces. Especially not Spain's Andres Nadal Boluda. Sitting within the small blind, he was facing a raise to 525 from France's Jeremy Sitbon. Boluda, holding two red aces, made it 1,100 to move and got the decision from Sitbon. On a 8♣6♣8♥ flop, Boluda led for 1,200. In came the call.
This is where things get...well...commentary aside, that is when the 8♠ hits the turn. You understand the sound a car makes whilst you stomp at the brakes on dry asphalt? That was Boluda, checking his eights filled with aces over to Sitbon after which simply calling a chance to 1,500. Say what you'll. It's Level 2, and Boluda isn't about to head broke here.
But, lo! There! At the river! It's what? By goodness, that's right. It is the A♣. Angels fly! A choir sings! The sound of timpani goes boom-boom-boom!
And Boluda checks. Yes, yes, he does.
Sitbon now has to feel pretty good. Why? Well, he's just managed to river a whole house with A♠9♦. Not knowing what danger lurks around the table, blind to the enormous crocodile with the second one nuts in his claws, Sitbon ignores the likelihood he's crushed and puts out a 2,500 bet.
Oh, that poor man. That poor, poor man. He's never seen what he's about to peer. He may never see it again.
Boluda simply called together with his aces full. Yes, yes he did.--BW
2:00pm: And Leon is getting laaaaaaaaarrrrger!Level 2 - Blinds: 75/150
The Day 1A field continues to grow. As of right now, there are 386 people signed as much as play this primary of 2 starting day flights. --BW
1:50pm: Vogelsang takes flightLevel 2 - Blinds: 75/150
What does a perfect High Roller do when facing an all-in for his tournament life? He does exactly what the remainder of us do. He agonises about it and hopes for the best.
This could be a non-technical account of what Christophe Vogelsang just went through, in a hand that took off and remains to be flying straight towards the sun.
It got started properly when Majid Noubarian three-bet to 1,100 from the button. Vogelsang was within the small blind with pocket kings, and 4 bet 3,200. Noubarian, who plays while holding an unlit cigarette, and infrequently takes long draws on it, five bet 8,500. Vogelsang moved his chips around a little bit and called. Noubarian took another heave.
The flop came 4♦6♣T♥
Vogelsang checked and Noubarian made it 5,000 to play shortly. Vogelsang called (although he thought the bet were 4K not 5K).
The turn was the 9♥. Another check from Vogelsang, and another insta-decision from Noubarian who moved all-in, and waving his cigarette forward to shed light on his intentions.
Vogelsang recoiled somewhat. "IF IN CASE YOU HAVE the most efficient hand in poker you win... otherwise".
What followed would take Vogelsang nearly ten minutes to conclude. A period of agonizing while Noubarian stared blankly on the board holding his cards a couple of millimetres off the table.
"You have ladies, or jacks..." said Vogelsang. "I DON'T BELIEVE I WILL fold this."
"You have flush draw?" said Noubarian perhaps thinking he must no less than say something.
"I told you what I have," replied Vogelsang. "I'm super strong. I WILL NOT ever fold this."
A short while later Vogelsang had made little progress.
"Whatever you might have you played the hand very well."
Eventually the clock was called. In these cases you get the inevitable sense while watching that the clock will count down, the hand may be mucked, and you may never discover what all of the fuss was about. But with 20 seconds left at the count Vogelsang called.
Noubarian turned over A♥Q♥ for a flush draw. Vogelsang visibly perked up, showing his K♦K♥. There has been only one card to come.
The river: 4♥
That made Noubarian the flush.
"Yes! Yes!" said Noubarian as though watching football on television. Vogelsang made an involuntary "sheesh" noise, and his hands went to his head. You sense he was rightly gutted.
Noubarian took a heave on his cigarette. Vogelsang made a bee-line for the door. - SB
1:45pm: International relationsLevel 2 - Blinds: 75/150
It's slow going at Charlie Carrel's table, but he's passing the time chatting to Canada's Christopher Kruk. Kruk, who had a fair WSOP this year and placed third in a $3,000 shootout, is seemingly vexed by America's tax system which wasn't kind to him. Carrel seemed shocked by the details.
"I thought America was the land of the free," he laughed. "Land of the taxed!"--BW
1:30pm: Early action loosey-gooseyLevel 2 - Blinds: 75/150
It's early, the stacks ate deep, and ace-high goes to be good much more often than it is going to be down the road, so evidenced by a hand just played initially of Level 2. After satellite winner Antonio Perez limped in, Italy's Michele Guerrini raised to 1,100 out of the small blind. Both players checked throughout the flop and switch on a Q♣T♠4♥9♦ board. When the river came the T♥, Guerrini checked again, and Perez tossed out 2,000. Guerrini didn't think for long before making the decision. Perez didn't even wish to show his hand (apparently an unsuited 7 & 8), but he needed to. It was, no surprise not good against Guerrini's ace-high. --BW
| 2 | 75 | 150 | N/A |
1:05pm: Ever wondered what the worst seat in the home looks like?Level 1 - Blinds: 50/100
"What's the problem!?"
This was asked by a woman within the two seat of a table by the rail, who was speaking in an agitated fashion to someone she knew at the rail, and at a volume loud enough to wake the Super High Rollers.
"You're loud and you're driving everybody nuts!" said one lone voice. "I'm the one one saying it, but everyone thinks it."
This was from the player next to her, within the three seat. We can't give away his name but he seems like a person coming to terms with the reality he's been drawn into the worst seat within the house.
"I did not have cards," she said by the use of defence, both to him and to the tournament director asking her within the politest possible terms to close the hell up. Her friend at the rail, who kept coming from side to side to speak to her, was either oblivious to protests, or just didn't care.
You may need met this kind of people before, people who undergo life not caring at what volume people hear their private conservations. This couple might well be the prototype on which the entire others are based.
She retook her seat, folded a hand, after which stood up directly behind the seat three player, the one position within the room towards him that the seat she was originally in.
We have enormous sympathy for this guy, and we'll keep tabs on his progress within the day. If he goes deep he'll have a "within the face of adversity" story befitting ESPN. - SB
12:45pm: Different event, same faceLevel 1 - Blinds: 50/100
There's not always much to mention at this point in a primary Event, that time being halfway in the course of the first level of play. As we've become acquainted with there are gaps within the field, no tables have an entire complement, and pots are small. But there's always something to select from the crowd.
Even if it's simply because they happen to be taller than most people.
Stephen Chidwick has the posture that yoga instructors promise you'll have after a 10 week pay up front course. But greater than that, he has his game face. Actually it's possibly his normal face, because whether he's 23 minutes into the primary Event, or 23 levels right into a high roller his expression barely changes. The kind of event is irrelevant. It is all handled with the similar intensity. It's one you'd need to say has worked well for Chidwick thus far. - SB
12:28pm: Paging the next players...Level 1 - Blinds: 50/100
While not everyone has shown up today, listed here are one of the crucial people we think to sit for Day 1A.
Leo Fernandez, Christian Christner, Steve O`Dwyer, Pratyush Buddiga, Jason Lavallee, Adrian Mateos, Joseph Cheong, Shaun Deeb, Joe Serock, Pascal Lefrancois, Jack Salter, Chance Kornuth, Per Linde, Simon Persson, Max Silver, Andreas Hoivold, Sam Grafton, and Sam Chartier.--BW
12:15pm: Play underway...sort ofLevel 1 - Blinds: 50/100
No one shows up on time anymore. The primary event started QUARTER-HOUR ago, and there are few tables with greater than three or four people at them. That is Barcelona where the nights go long and morning is an abstraction. Also, we hear there has been a PokerStars party last night. That may make for a slow start for anyone who could have been involved.
To fill out the seats, Charlie Carrel has positioned a teddy bear within the seat to his right. Asked if the bear has any game, Carrel responded, "He's pretty good, but I'VE position on him. It's be a very tough day for him."
Smile, Teddy!
Among the others who've managed to turn up on time (and without soft toys): Stephen Chidwick, Juha Helppi, Vitaly Lunkin, Jani Sointula, and Paul Newey. --BW
| 1 | 50 | 100 | N/A |
11:55am: Play to start soon
The EPT13 Main Event is scheduled to kick off in exactly a couple of minutes. Persist with us here for live coverage for the following 12 hours!--BW
Dealers prepping for the principle Event
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 Main Event: Stephen Bartley and Brad Willis. Photography by Neil Stoddart. Follow the PokerStars Blog on Twitter:@PokerStarsBlog
Read More... [Source: PokerStarsBlog.com :: European Poker Tour]
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