€5,300 EPT Main Event Day 1a | 2024 PokerStars EPT Barcelona

09-01-2024 14:21 UTC+1

Thiriat Sets a Trap For Song in Lengthy Pot

David Salituro

Level 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Arthur Thiriart raised to 700 in early position before Stephen Song three-bet to 2,500 in the hijack. Philippe Barouk called on the button, but Thiriart put in a four-bet to 7,200. Song then five-bet to 12,000.

There was a dispute over how much the legal raise was and it took a few minutes before it was resolved and Song's raise stood. Barouk got out of the way, but Thiriart stuck around to see the 7♥Q♣7♠ flop.

Song continued for 3,000 and Thiriart called. The turn was the 7♦ and Song bet another 6,000. Thiriart again called and checked to Song on the 8♣ river, and this time Song checked back.

Thiriart turned over Q♥Q♦ for a flopped full house and Song mucked to surrender a pot that took nearly 10 minutes.

Player	Chips	Progress
Arthur Thiriart	75,000 75,000	75,000
Stephen Song	16,000 -16,000	-16,000

Philippe Barouk	12,000 12,000	12,000

Tags: Arthur Thiriart Philippe Barouk Stephen Song

09-01-2024 12:57 UTC+1

Trattou Calls Off Against Gottlieb

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David Salituro

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Four players each put in 2,500 before the flop as the dealer spread out 8♠8♥4♠. Mario Trattou then led out for 3,900 in the small blind, Jussi Hietalahti folded the big blind, Gonzalo Gottlieb called in early position, and Timur Margolin folded in the hijack.

Trattou checked the Q♣ turn and Gottlieb bet 2,000. Trattou called to the 3♥ river, where Gottlieb moved all in. Trattou quickly called for his last 13,000 and Gottlieb turned over 9♥9♣.

Trattou tossed 7♣7♠ into the muck as he made his exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gonzalo Gottlieb	85,000 31,000	31,000
Jussi Hietalahti	28,000 28,000	28,000
Timur Margolin	15,000 15,000	15,000
Mario Trattou	Busted

Tags: Gonzalo Gottlieb Jussi Hietalahti Mario Trattou Timur Margolin

09-01-2024 12:47 UTC+1

Lyubovetskiy Shoves on Schiano

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David Salituro

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Stefano Schiano had a raise of 1,500 in front of him from the cutoff before Andriy Lyubovetskiy reraised to 4,500 in the big blind. Schiano called and they went heads-up to the J♠J♣3♦ flop.

Lyubovetskiy continued for 3,500 and Schiano called. The turn was the 2♥ and Lyubovetskiy bet 6,000. Schiano called once more to see the 7♦ river.

Lyubovetskiy then moved all in and Schiano, with around 17,000 remaining, snap-folded.

Player	Chips	Progress
Andriy Lyubovetskiy	58,000 58,000	58,000
Stefano Schiano	17,000 17,000	17,000

Tags: Andriy Lyubovetskiy Stefano Schiano

09-01-2024 12:35 UTC+1

Neagoe Doubles Off Boatman

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David Salituro

Level 2 : Blinds 100/200, 200 ante

Barny Boatman bet 700 from early position on a flop of Q♣6♥4♦ before Darius Neagoe raised to 2,700 in the big blind. Boatman called.

Neagoe led out for 4,500 on the 10♠ turn and Boatman called once more. The river was the 9♣ and Neagoe moved all in for 9,500. Boatman tanked for a few minutes but eventually called with A♣Q♥, but Neagoe had 4♠4♥ for a flopped set to win the pot and double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Darius Neagoe	35,000 35,000	35,000
Barny Boatman	25,000 -5,000	-5,000

Tags: Barny Boatman Darius Neagoe

09-01-2024 12:00 UTC+1

Velerdas Busts to Higher Straight

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Matt Warburton

Level 1 : Blinds 100/100, 100 ante

Maximilian Silz raised to 300 from middle position and Mateo Velerdas moved all in from the next seat across with a short stack of 5,600. Silz called and players flipped their cards.

Mateo Velerdas: 8♦9♦ All in
Maximilian Silz: Q♦J♦

The board ran out 7♥K♦J♣9♠10♥ and both players made a straight. Silz made the higher straight to win the pot and Velerdas was sent to an early exit.

Player	Chips	Progress
Maximilian Silz	36,000 36,000	36,000
Mateo Velerdas	Busted

Tags: Mateo Velerdas Maximilian Silz

09-01-2024 11:59 UTC+1

Hamani Makes a Big River Call to Leave Delval on Fumes

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 100/100, 100 ante

Frederic Delval and Zaki Hamani built a pot of around 15,000 as they went heads-up to the turn on a board of J♦4♠5♣3♠. Delval then bet 11,000 from under the gun and Hamani called in early position.

The river was the 5♥ and Delval moved all in. Hamani tanked for nearly five minutes until he eventually called for his last 14,400. Delval turned over A♠J♥ for two pair, but Hamani had A♦A♣ to win the pot and double up with a better two pair.

Player	Chips	Progress
Zaki Hamani	66,000 66,000	66,000
Frederic Delval	1,000 1,000	1,000

Tags: Frederic Delval Zaki Hamani

09-01-2024 11:45 UTC+1

Goya First Out

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Matt Warburton

Level 1 : Blinds 100/100, 100 ante

Dante Goya was seen with A♥K♥ face up all-in against Gabriel Moura, who had A♣J♣ on a board of 10♦2♥8♣4♦J♠. De Moura won the pot and Goya was the first to be eliminated from the main event.

Player	Chips	Progress
Gabriel Moura	35,000 35,000	35,000
Dante Goya	Busted

Tags: Dante Goya Gabriel Moura

09-01-2024 11:23 UTC+1

Duthie Blasts Jimenez Off an Ace

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David Salituro

Level 1 : Blinds 100/100, 100 ante

Pablo Jimenez raised to 300 in the hijack and John Duthie called in the big blind.

The flop came A♥8♥5♠ and Jimenez continued for 600. Duthie then raised to 2,600 and Jimenez called.

The turn was the K♦ and Duthie tossed in 12,000. "The ace is dangerous," he told Jimenez, who went into the tank for several minutes before folding A♦Q♦.

"I had eight-five suited. My birth year. I was born in 1985," Duthie joked after the hand.

Player	Chips	Progress
Pablo Jimenez	35,000 35,000	35,000
John Duthie	29,500 -500	-500

Tags: John Duthie Pablo Jimenez

09-01-2024 11:21 UTC+1

Zulfiyev Makes Ace-High Flush

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Matt Warburton

Level 1 : Blinds 100/100, 100 ante

Jack Oliver raised to 300 from late position, Zaur Zulfiyev called on the button and Giovanni Bellini called in the big blind.

All three players checked on the 5♠5♣2♣ flop. The turn was the 3♠ and Bellini bet 1,100, which both Oliver and Zulfiyev called.

The river came the 9♠ and Bellini bet 3,300. Oliver folded and Zulfiyev raised to 6,600. Bellini called and Zulfiyev showed A♠Q♠ for the ace-high flush.

Player	Chips	Progress
Giovanni Bellini	36,000 36,000	36,000
Zaur Zulfiyev	24,000 24,000	24,000

Tags: Giovanni Bellini Jack Oliver

09-01-2024 09:54 UTC+1

Welcome to Day 1a of the €5,300 EPT Main Event

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Matt Warburton

It's time for the €5,300 Main Event here at the PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona, running at the Casino Barcelona on the stunning Mediterranean coast.

Last year, Simon Wiciak topped a field of 2,120 entries for a career-best score of €1,134,375 after cutting a three-way deal with João Sydenstricker and Carl Shaw to become the most recent EPT Barcelona Main Event champion.

Previous EPT Barcelona Main Event Champions

YEAR	ENTRIES	PRIZE POOL	CHAMPION	COUNTRY	1ST PRIZE
2012	1,082	€5,247,700	Mikalai Pobal	Belarus	€1,007,550
2013	1,234	€5,984,900	Tom Middleton	United Kingdom	€942,000
2014	1,496	€7,255,600	Andre Lettau	Germany	€794,058
2015	1,694	€8,215,900	John Juanda	Indonesia	€1,022,593
2016	1,785	€8,657,250	Sebastian Malec	Poland	€1,122,800
2017	1,682	€8,157,700	Sebastian Sorensson	Sweden	€987,043
2018	1,931	€9,365,350	Piotr Nurzynski	Poland	€1,037,109
2019	1,988	€9,641,800	Simon Brandstrom	Sweden	€1,290,166
2022	2,294	€11,125,900	Giuliano Bendinelli	Italy	€1,491,133
2023	2,120	€ 10,282,000	Simon Wiciak	France	€1,134,375*

This year, players can take a maximum of two combined entries across both starting flights, up until late registration closes at the start of Day 2.

Players will start with 30,000 stacks with blinds beginning at 100/100 with a 100 big blind ante. Levels increase every 60-minutes, with a 20-minute break every two levels and a 75-minute dinner break at the end of Level 6.

Day 1a is the first of two chances for hopefuls to find a bag for Day 2 and starts at midday local time.

Stay tuned to PokerNews for regular updates straight from the tournament floor as reporters follow the event from start to finish until a new champion has been crowned.

Tags: Andre Lettau Carl Shaw Giuliano Bendinelli João Sydenstricker John Juanda Mikalai Pobal Piotr Nurzynski Sebastian Malec Sebastian Sorensson Simon Brandstrom Simon Wiciak Tom Middleton