€5,300 EPT Main Event Jour 1a | 2023 PokerStars EPT Barcelona

2023-08-27 10:45 UTC+2

Day 1a of Event #25: €5,300 Main Event Set to Begin at 12 PM

OHairDJ

Welcome back to the PokerStars European Poker Tour (EPT) here at Casino Barcelona, where players are gathering to take their shot at poker glory in the €5,300 Main Event.

Last year, Italy's own Giuliano Bendinelli came back from a single big blind to best the 2,294-player field and take home the €1,491,133 first-place prize.

This year, the field is expected to be even larger, as has been the general trend throughout the history of the EPT. Here's a look at previous champions, field sizes, and prize pools over the years:

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

Play is set to kick off at 12 p.m. local time. Players will begin with 30,000 in chips with blinds starting at 100/100 with a 100 big blind ante. Levels will last 60 minutes, and players will be sent on 20-minute breaks after every two levels. An extended 75-minute dinner break will be held after Level 6.

Each player will be allowed a single reentry across both Day 1a and Day 1b. Play will end for the day after Level 10, and all remaining entrants from both flights will reconvene on Tuesday, August 29 at noon for Day 2.

Be sure to stick with PokerNews as we continue to bring you all the action from the tournament floor leading to the next EPT Main Event champion!

Tags: Andre Lettau Giuliano Bendinelli John Juanda Mikalai Pobal Piotr Nurzynski Sebastian Malec Sebastian Sorensson Simon Brandstrom Tom Middleton

2023-08-27 14:46 UTC+2

Helppi Check-Raises River

connorrichards

Niveau 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Juha Helppi was in the big blind in a heads-up pot against Oshri Lahmani in middle position on a board of 9♥5♣9♦10♥.

Helppi checked on the turn and Lahmani checked back. Helppi checked again on the 8♥ river and Lahmani bet 2,000. Helppi check-raised to 7,300 and Lahmani quickly laid it down.

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Juha Helppi	30,000 4,500	4,500
Oshri Lahmani	19,000 19,000	19,000

Tags: Juha Helppi Oshri Lahmani

2023-08-27 14:58 UTC+2

Schroeder Finds a Double

OHairDJ

Niveau 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Gabriel Schroeder shoved for his last 6,100 from the hijack and action folded to Loris Gauthier in the big blind, who asked for a count and tanked for some time before deciding to call and put Schroeder at risk.

Gabriel Schroeder: 7♣7♥
Loris Gauthier: K♠Q♣

It was a race, but the 6♦2♣J♣3♣J♠ runout kept Schroeder's sevens best and he scored a much-needed double-up.

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Loris Gauthier	18,000 1,000	1,000
Gabriel Schroeder	12,500 12,500	12,500

Tags: Gabriel Schroeder Loris Gauthier

2023-08-27 15:15 UTC+2

Shahade Shows The Goods

OHairDJ

Niveau 3 : Blinds 100/300, 300 ante

Allan Robin raised to 800 from early position and was called by David Farkas in the small blind and Jen Shahade in the big blind.

Action checked through on the 4♠4♣3♦ flop and it was checked to Robin on the K♠ turn, who bet 900. Farkas folded, but Shahade check-raised to 3,000, which Robin called.

The 8♥ completed the board and Shahade bet 7,000. Robin announced a call and Shahade turned over 3♣3♥ for a flopped full house. Robin couldn't beat it and mucked — conceding the sizable pot to Shahade.

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Jen Shahade	38,000 8,000	8,000

David Farkas	28,000 28,000	28,000
Allan Robin	20,000 20,000	20,000

Tags: Allan Robin David Farkas Jen Shahade

2023-08-27 15:39 UTC+2

Big Pot For Ho

MaximeTaldir

Niveau 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

In a hand that lasted more than 10 minutes, Igor Pihela Jr opened to 800 from under the gun, and was called by Gab Yong Kim in middle position. In the cutoff, Maria Ho chose to three-bet to 2,800. But Markkos Ladev on the button wasn't done yet, and he four-bet to 5,600. Pihela and Kim folded at this point, while Ho made the call.

The dealer fanned a flop of A♣4♠J♥, Ho checked and saw Ladev bet 2,500. She called, then check-called again when Ladev fired a second barrel of 4,500 on the turn A♥.

The 4♥ landed on the river, and Ho checked a third time. But after Ladev bet 6,000, she raised to 13,000. Ladev took a few seconds to think about it, but eventually folded.

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Maria Ho	58,000 21,000	21,000

Gab Yong Kim	49,000 49,000	49,000
Igor Pihela Jr	19,500 19,500	19,500
Markkos Ladev	14,000 14,000	14,000

Tags: Gab Yong Kim Igor Pihela Jr Mario Ho Markkos Ladev

2023-08-27 16:07 UTC+2

Orpaz Joins the Field

connorrichards

Niveau 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Tom Orpaz has joined the Day 1a field after busting out of the €2,200 Estrellas Poker Tour High Roller.

Orpaz has had a good EPT stop so far, first finishing third in the €10,200 Mystery Bounty for €143,200 and later taking down €25,000 No-Limit Hold'em for €255,480.

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Tom Orpaz	30,000 30,000	30,000

Tags: Tom Orpaz

2023-08-27 16:19 UTC+2

Lin's Reputation Pays Off

connorrichards

Niveau 4 : Blinds 200/400, 400 ante

Ren Lin was in a heads-up pot against Tarash Chazmava on a board of 6♣J♠8♦K♣3♦.

With an array of chips already in the middle, Lin moved all in to send Chazmava into the tank. Eventually, Chazmava called with a bigger stack.

Lin showed 6♠6♦ for a set of sixes and Chazmava was forced to show A♣5♣ before surrendering the pot.

"You called me with ace-high?! You are my man!" Lin laughed as he gave Chazmava a fist bump.

"Good call?" asked Chazmava.

"Not this time," replied Lin. "No bluff this time. Dealer error."

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Ren Lin	40,000 10,000	10,000

Tarash Chazmava	8,000

Tags: Tarash Chazmava Ren Lin

2023-08-27 16:51 UTC+2

Seidel Takes a Pot

connorrichards

Niveau 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Erik Seidel was in the cutoff in a heads-up pot against Loris Gauthier on the button on a flop of 9♠J♣K♦.

The flop checked through and both players checked again on the 3♦ turn. Seidel then bet 3,000 on the 4♥ river and Gauthier folded to earn the creative Poker Hall of Famer the pot.

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Loris Gauthier	26,000 8,000	8,000
Erik Seidel	25,000 3,000	3,000

Tags: Erik Seidel Loris Gauthier

2023-08-27 17:07 UTC+2

Six-Hei Good at Table 72

connorrichards

Niveau 5 : Blinds 200/500, 500 ante

Dan Heimiller was in middle position in a heads-up pot against Lucheng Liu in the big blind.

Liu checked on the flop of 2♦7♥A♥ and Heimiller bet 1,500. Liu called. Liu checked again on the J♣ turn and Heimiller checked back.

Liu checked once more on the Q♠ river and Heimiller also checked. Liu showed 5♦3♥ for five-high after missing his wheel draw, leading Heimiller to turn over 6♥4♥ for just six-high and a missed flush draw to win the pot.

"I missed a bet," Heimiller joked as he raked in the pot.

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Lucheng Liu	355,000 355,000	355,000
Dan Heimiller	40,000 14,500	14,500

Tags: Dan Heimiller Lucheng Liu

2023-08-27 20:13 UTC+2

Maekelberg Sends Lin Out

OHairDJ

Niveau 7 : Blinds 400/800, 800 ante

Yi Ang Lin shoved for his last 9,000 on the button and Karim Maekelberg verified his chip count before sticking in a call from the big blind to put Lin at risk.

Yi Ang Lin: A♠5♠
Karim Maekelberg: K♣9♣

Lin held a slight lead, but the 6♥9♥4♠ flop gave Maekelberg a pair of nines and left Lin drawing slim.

The K♠ turn gave Maekelberg two pair and Lin a flush draw, but the K♥ river left Maekelberg with a full house and Lin was eliminated late in the evening.

Joueur	Jetons	Progression
Karim Maekelberg	77,000 77,000	77,000
Yi Ang Lin	Eliminé

Tags: Karim Maekelberg Yi Ang Lin