€1,100 Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event Day 1g | 2023 PokerStars EPT Barcelona

08-24-2023 22:26 UTC+1

270 Players Advance in Day 1g of Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event

Ollie Garland

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

The PokerStars Estrellas Poker Tour (ESPT) at Casino Barcelona continued today with another record-breaking Day 1 flight; 1,800 new entries amassed over the nine hours of play; up 333 entries from the former largest flight Day 1e yesterday. At the end of the night, 270 players bagged and tagged and will be returning for Day 2 tomorrow, after the completion of Day 1f later today.

As this chaotic flight died down, Benjamin Tessier bagged the overall chip lead taking through a total of 1,016,000 for the Day 2 restart. Tessier is nearly 400,000 in front of his two closer competitors Christian Sargues Hernandez and Dalibor Mijic who still managed to accumulate an impressive 647,000 and 605,000 chips respectively.

Day 1g Top 10 Chip Counts

NAME	COUNTRY	CHIP COUNT
1	Benjamin Tessier	France
2	Christian Sargues Hernandez	Spain
3	Dalibor Mijic	Croatia
4	Gabriel Schroeder	Brazil
5	Damien Beziau	France
6	Alon Mor	Israel
7	Xavier Servais	Belgium
8	Eduard Barsegyan	Russia
9	Richard Dromzee	France
10	Erik Friberg	Sweden

Day 1g welcomed some of the best players in Europe and beyond, including PokerStars Team Pro member Rafael Moraes from Brazil. However, it was not to be for Moraes as he was seen to depart the tournament floor during Level 14.

More familiar faces to not find a bag for Day 2 include Will Kassouf who had a roller coaster of a tournament before ultimately busting both his entries of flight 1g. Joining Kassouf, other notable names to hit the rail included Benny Glaser and Dara O'Kearney, all three of whom found their way into Day 1h for their last chance of progression in the ESPT Main Event.

Of those to cash this event and progress onto Day 2 include many accomplished players such as David Lappin (88,000), Gabriel Schroeder (595,000), Conor Beresford (78,000) and Antoine Vranken (129,000).

Day 2 will commence tomorrow, the 25th of August at 12 p.m. The official size of the field and prize pool will be confirmed upon the completion of Day 1h, which will be concluding later tonight.

Stay tuned as the PokerNews team will return tomorrow for continued coverage of the Estrellas Main Event action here on the Barcelona coast.

Tags: Alon Mor Antoine Vranken Benjamin Tessier Benny Glaser Christian Sargues Hernandez Conor Beresford Dalibor Mijic David Lappin Eduard Barsegian Erik Friberg Gabriel Schroeder Rafael Moraes Richard Dromzee Will Kassouf Xavier Servais

08-24-2023 21:12 UTC+1

Four Doubles & One Suckout

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Connor Richards

Level 18 : Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante

There were lots of groans in the tournament area as five all in and calls resulted in four consecutive double-ups. On the fifth hand, Tudorel Costache found himself at risk after calling off in the big blind after a shove from Ewen Trevidy in the small blind.

Tudorel Costache: 10♠10♥
Ewen Trevidy: 8♣3♦

There were some snickers as the floor announced Trevidy's holding, but the room got tense as the flop of 2♥6♦8♦ paired his eight and the 4♦ turn gave him a flush draw. The 9♦ on the river then gave him the flush and Costache was eliminated in brutal fashion one player off the money.

Player	Chips	Progress
Ewen Trevidy	400,000 400,000	400,000
Tudorel Costache	Busted

Tags: Ewen Trevidy Tudorel Costache

08-24-2023 19:55 UTC+1

Silva Makes Huge Hero Call

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Ollie Garland

Level 16 : Blinds 2,000/5,000, 5,000 ante

With the pot stood at 100,000 and the full board dealt 3♣7♥5♣2♥3♦, Timo Laasonen in the small blind checked the action to Marcelo De Medeiros Silva in middle position.

Silva bet out 50,000, which prompted Laasonen to move all in for approximately 110,000. Silva went deep into the tank, thinking for so long that the clock was eventually called.

In the last seconds of Silva's countdown, he made the call. Laasonen tabled A♦K♦ while Silva showed 4♥4♦ for the winner.

Player	Chips	Progress
Marcelo De Medeiros Silva	500,000 500,000	500,000
Timo Laasonen	Busted

Tags: Marcelo De Medeiros Silva Timo Laasonen

08-24-2023 18:32 UTC+1

Small Double For Srenscik Barely Damages Scafini

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David Salituro

Level 14 : Blinds 1,500/3,000, 3,000 ante

Julien Srenscik moved all in for 21,000 from early position and big stack Lucas Scafini called in the cutoff.

Julien Srenscik: A♦6♦
Lucas Scafini: A♥K♠

Srenscik was dominated but got some hope on the J♠3♦J♦ flop with the nut flush draw as a collection of "oohs" arose from the table. The 6♥ turn didn't complete his flush, but it did give him two pair and the lead.

The flush came in on the 2♦ river and Srenscik doubled up. Despite the hit, Scafini is still sporting a massive stack.

Player	Chips	Progress
Lucas Scafini	340,000 80,000	80,000
Julien Srenscik	45,000 45,000	45,000

Tags: Julien Srenscik Lucas Scafini

08-24-2023 15:13 UTC+1

Zaffagnini Bluffs a Multi-Way Pot

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Connor Richards

Level 9 : Blinds 600/1,200, 1,200 ante

Serhii Kachynskyi opened to 1,200 in middle position and Emmanuel Wiss and Umberto Zaffagnini both called out of the blinds.

The flop of 7♦K♥9♣ checked through and Wiss led out for 2,500 on the 2♣ turn. Zaffagnini raised to 9,000 and Kachynskyi cold-called before Wiss also called.

Wiss checked on the 6♠ river and Zaffagnini bet a sizable 19,500. Kachynskyi gave it some thought and folded and Wiss followed suit, leading Zaffagnini to turn over Q♠10♦ for a stone bluff with queen-high.

Player	Chips	Progress
Umberto Zaffagnini	85,000 85,000	85,000
Serhii Kachynskyi	75,000 75,000	75,000
Emmanuel Wiss	50,000 50,000	50,000

Tags: Emmanuel Wiss Serhii Kachynskyi Umberto Zaffaghnini

08-24-2023 13:55 UTC+1

Big Swings for Kassouf

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Ollie Garland

Level 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

The player in middle position opened to 1,800, Cillian O'Donnell on the button moved all in for 3,500, Maxim Weingardt shoved all in for his remaining 8,000 from the small blind and Will Kassouf moved all in from the big blind for his last 30,000. The original raiser folded.

Cillian O'Donnell: A♦J♥
Maxim Weingardt: A♣J♠
Will Kassouf: 9♣9♦

Kassouf was in good shape until the flop landed Q♥A♠5♦. The turn and river came the 4♥ and 7♦ respectively and Kassouf had to pay off both his opponents.

The very next hand O'Donnell moved all in from the cutoff for his last 6,100. Kassouf called the bet in the small blind and the hand went to a showdown.

Cillian O'Donnell: 7♠7♥
Will Kassouf: A♥A♦

Kassouf preemptively called that a seven was coming on the flop, and he wasn't wrong; the dealer spread 7♣6♥10♦.

The 10♥ turned and Kassouf sarcastically announced "Go on! 7♦ on the river!". However, the dealer placed the A♠, and Kassouf sent O'Donnell to the rail.

Player	Chips	Progress
Will Kassouf	30,200 30,200	30,200
Maxim Weingardt	16,300 16,300	16,300
Cillian O'Donnell	Busted

Tags: Big Swings Maxim Weingardt Will Kassouf

08-24-2023 13:24 UTC+1

Pichierri Folds Out Kyte

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Connor Richards

Level 6 : Blinds 300/600, 600 ante

Jon Kyte opened to 1,400 in early position and Alessandro Pichierri called in late position.

Kyte continued for 1,500 on the flop of K♣Q♥A♦ and Pichierri called. Kyte then checked on the 9♠ turn and Pichierri bet 3,000. The Norwegian laid it down.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alessandro Pichierri	33,000
Jon Kyte	25,000 -5,000	-5,000

Tags: Alessandro Pichierri Jon Kyte

08-24-2023 11:22 UTC+1

Dias Scores Double Elimination

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Ben Weiss

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Yucheng Liu opened to 900 from middle position, before Saymon Dias in the cutoff made it 3,200. Marius Lussi called from the small blind, and so too did Liu as it went three ways to the flop.

It came 2♥3♣3♥. Both Lussi and Liu checked, prompting Dias to make it 3,500. Lussi called, but Liu chose to raise to 10,000. Dias, the original raiser, then shoved all in. It didn't take long for Lussi and Liu to make the call for all of their remaining chips, with Dias having them both covered, and it was a three-way showdown with the turn and river to come.

Marius Lussi: A♠3♠
Yucheng Liu: A♥K♥
Saymon Dias: 10♦10♣

A stunned gasp was heard from the table, as the 10♥ turn completed Liu's flush draw, but in the process gave Dias a full house. Lussi was then drawing completely dead and Liu had to hit the last remaining three in the deck to survive.

It didn't come, as the 8♣ landed on the river, sending both Lussi and Liu to the rail in dramatic fashion and seeing Dias emerge as one of the chip leaders.

Player	Chips	Progress
Saymon Dias	82,000 82,000	82,000
Yucheng Liu	Busted
Marius Lussi	Busted

Tags: Marius Lussi Saymon Dias Yucheng Liu

08-24-2023 10:42 UTC+1

Full House vs Trip Aces for De Michele

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Ben Weiss

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Levon Donabedian limped in from late position, before Alessandro De Michele made it 600. Vladimir Lipnitskii called from the big blind and so too did Donabedian, making it three ways to the flop.

It came out A♣3♥4♦ and Lipnitskii acted first with a check. Donabedian checked as well, before De Michele led out for 1,000. That was enough to get Lipnitskii out of the hand, but Donabedian stayed around and made the call.

He checked again on the K♠ turn, but was again bet into by the Italian who made it 2,500. Donebedian called.

The A♥river proved to- be an interesting one. Donebedian checked for a third street, but turned aggressor after De Michele bet 8,600. The Frenchman quickly raised to 20, but was snap-called by De Michele who turned over 3♦3♣ for a full house. Donabedian could only table A♠10♠ for trip aces, leaving him on the brink of an early elimination.

Player	Chips	Progress
Alessandro De Michele	53,800 53,800	53,800
Vladimir Lipnitskii	27,000 27,000	27,000
Levon Donabedian	4,200 4,200	4,200

Tags: Alessandro De Michele Levon Donabedian Vladimir Lipnitskii

08-24-2023 08:43 UTC+1

Players Get Another Chance to Enter Massive Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event Field on Day 1g

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David Salituro

A massive crowd has already come through Casino Barcelona for the €1,100 Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event at the 2023 PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona. The field will only get bigger today when Day 1g begins at 11 a.m. local time, presenting another chance for players to join what could be a record-setting field.

Day 1g is the seventh of eight starting flights. There have already been 4,331 entries through the first six, with 650 players qualifying for Day 2. Avihai Smadga of Israel took the overall tournament chip lead yesterday with 983,000, followed close behind by Emmanuel Lopez (829,000) and James Akenhead (804,000).

Overall Top Ten Chip Counts

Rank	Player	Country	Chip Count
1	Avihai Smadga	Israel	983,000
2	Emmanuel Lopez	Argentina	829,000
3	James Akenhead	United Kingdom	804,000
4	Pavlos Xanthopoulos	Greece	799,000
5	Oleksii Natoptanyi	Ukraine	781,000
6	Theodoros Ampelikiotis	Greece	772,000
7	Marcos Diego	Spain	767,000
8	Nabil Benchaouch	France	729,000
9	Vasyl Laba	Ukraine	671,000
10	Jose Rodriguez Zurita	Mexico	610,000

Other players who are already in the money and waiting for Day 2 include Jack Salter (410,000), Francisco Benitez (240,000) Team PokerStars Pro Arlie Shaban (206,000), Adam Hendrix (121,000), and Martin Jacobson (103,000). Irene Albarran, the Team PokerStars Pro and Twitch streamer better known as “Frogy,” has 146,000, while fellow Team Pros Ramon Colillas and Benjamin Spragg are on short stacks each with 59,000.

Players on Day 1g begin with 30,000 chips and will play 30-minute levels until only 15 percent of the field remains. Late registration is open through the end of Level 10, and players are allowed one reentry per flight. There are already nearly 530 players signed up for this flight, but that number should grow exponentially over the course of the day. There will also be a Day 1h flight at 6 p.m. local time featuring 20-minute levels.

The remaining players from the Day 1 flights combine tomorrow at noon for Day 2, at which point the prize pool will be confirmed. It’s the goal of every player who takes to the felt today to be among them, and PokerNews will be following their journey the entire way and providing live updates.

Tags: Adam Hendrix Arlie Shaban Avihai Smadga Benjamin Spragg Emmanuel Lopez Francisco Benitez Irene Albarran Jack Salter James Akenhead Martin Jacobson Ramon Colillas