€1,100 Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event
Day 1a Completed
2024 PokerStars EPT Barcelona
€1,100 Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event
Day: 1a
Event Info
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1a
2024 PokerStars EPT Barcelona
Buy-in
€1,100
Prize Pool
€6,852,480
Entries
7,138
Level
42
Blinds
1,000,000 / 2,000,000
Ante
2,000,000
Entries
338
Players Left
51
Level 17
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
The 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona got off to a hot start today, with Day 1a of the PokerStars Estrellas Poker Tour (ESPT) Main Event drawing 338 entrants by the time late registration ended. Following nearly 17 levels of play, just 51 managed to find a bag and secure their seat into Day 2.
Leading the way by a large margin is Mexican poker pro Jose Nadal, who managed to bag up a staggering 882,000 by the time the final hand was completed. His next closest competitor is Valentino Konakchiev, who ended with 512,000. Rounding out the top three is Brian Battistone, who also cleared the half-million mark with 510,000 here at Casino Barcelona.
Day 1a Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jose Nadal | Mexico | 882,000 |
| 2 | Valentino Konakchiev | Bulgaria | 512,000 |
| 3 | Brian Battistone | United States | 510,000 |
| 4 | Tero Laurila | Finland | 505,000 |
| 5 | Borja Martinez | Spain | 478,000 |
| 6 | Tudor Zapsa | Moldova | 441,000 |
| 7 | Jose Gonzalez Sanchez | Spain | 394,000 |
| 8 | Bogdan Petrascu | Romania | 370,000 |
| 9 | Sergiy Antonov | Ukraine | 347,000 |
| 10 | Kevin Kent | United States | 333,000 |
Day 1a Action
Day 1a began with 86 players taking their seats and it didn't take long for the chips to start flying. EPT Paris Main Event Winner and PokerStars Ambassador Barny Boatman got off to an eventful start after doubling up with a runner-runner flush early on. Boatman had a bit of a roller coaster day, finding himself amongst the chip leaders at various points before slipping to a below-average stack late in the day. Boatman ultimately ended with a respectable 300,000 after doubling up through fellow PokerStars Ambassador Maria Konnikova during the last level with pocket queens.
Nadal was responsible for several eliminations throughout the day en route to emerging as the chip leader and, despite taking a big hit to his stack late in the day after running pocket jacks into Konachiev's cowboys, Nadal wouldn't be denied.
Nadal added massively to his stack during the Day-2 bubble after forcing a tough laydown from Anton Gililov and fading a lot of outs to eliminate Sean Jazayeri on the stone bubble to end play for the night.
Other notables who made it into Day 2 include "Hollywood" Dave Stann (38,000), Konnikova (75,000), Vladas Tamasauskas (146,000), Archibald Seaton (202,000), and 2024 Irish Open Main Event Champion Tero Laurila (505,000).
All players who earned a Day-2 berth have already made the money, although the exact amount of a min-cash won't be calculated until after all starting flights have been played to completion.
Among the less fortunate who entered but fell short of Day 2 include Fabian Rolli, Nicholas Palma, PokerStars Ambassador Parker Talbot, Shiina Okamoto, and Jari Mahonen, who lost a race with queens against Borja Martinez's big slick late in the day.
All players who failed to make it to Day 2 still have several chances left as the event has six more starting flights. Day 1c is the next flight, which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, August 27 at 11 a.m. local time. Day 2 will take place on Friday, August 30 at 11 a.m.
Be sure to stick with PokerNews as we continue to bring you all the action as the PokerStars Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event is just getting warmed up!
Level 17
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
882,000 | |
|
||
|
512,000 | |
|
510,000
193,500
|
193,500 |
|
505,000
27,000
|
27,000 |
|
478,000
148,000
|
148,000 |
|
441,000
25,000
|
25,000 |
|
394,000
16,000
|
16,000 |
|
370,000
60,000
|
60,000 |
|
347,000
27,000
|
27,000 |
|
333,000
13,000
|
13,000 |
|
308,000
101,500
|
101,500 |
|
300,000
-33,000
|
-33,000 |
|
||
|
288,000
288,000
|
288,000 |
|
263,000
148,000
|
148,000 |
|
229,000
168,300
|
168,300 |
|
||
|
218,000 | |
|
202,000
-35,000
|
-35,000 |
|
192,000
-15,000
|
-15,000 |
|
189,000
-11,000
|
-11,000 |
|
179,000
107,000
|
107,000 |
|
169,000
169,000
|
169,000 |
|
165,000
-35,000
|
-35,000 |
|
163,000
-117,000
|
-117,000 |
|
|
158,000
-17,000
|
-17,000 |
|
|
150,000
150,000
|
150,000 |
Level 17
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
51 players remain as they begin to bag their chips. Day 2 will resume on Friday, August 30th, and all remaining players will be in the money.
Level 17
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Three ways on a 10♠9♣7♠ flop, Sean Jazayeri check-raised all in for his last 80,000 from the big blind facing a bet from Jose Nadal, who was in middle position. Valentino Konakchiev folded from early position and Nadal put in a single chip to indicate a call.
Sean Jazayeri: 8♠4♠
Jose Nadal: Q♠10♣
Jazayeri held a combo draw against Nadal's top pair, but the K♣K♦ runout bricked out for Jazayeri — eliminating him on the stone bubble and ending play for the day.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
882,000
122,000
|
122,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
512,000
-22,000
|
-22,000 |
|
Busted | |
Level 17
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Jose Nadal opened 18,000 in the hijack and only Anton Gililov called from the button.
The dealer fanned a flop of 4♠4♣2♠, and Nadal continued for 15,000. Gililov snap-called.
When the Q♠ hit the turn, Nadal flung 47,000 across the line. This time Gililov took a bit more time, but decided to make the call once again.
The 4♦ completed the board, and Nadal showed no signs of slowing down as he announced all-in. Gililov went deep into the tank, taking more than four minutes before deciding to let his hand go.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
760,000
215,000
|
215,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
218,000
-87,000
|
-87,000 |
Level 17
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
With 52 players remaining, the hand-for-hand portion of the tournament has begun.
Level 17
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Stefan Leenen was already all in and at risk for his short stack from late position against Kevin Kent, who was under the gun.
Stefan Leenen: A♥J♠
Kevin Kent: A♠A♦
Leenen found himself in terrible shape against Kent's aces, and the 5♠10♥3♦5♣5♦ runout was of no help to Leenen — eliminating him two off of the money and a Day-2 berth.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
320,000
54,000
|
54,000 |
|
Busted |
Level 17
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Jose Nadal opened 12,000 under the gun, and both Barny Boatman and Anton Gililov called before Maria Konnikova put in the squeeze to 60,000. Only Boatman stuck around with a call.
When the J♣7♠2♣ flop hit the felt, Boatman took the lead as he jammed for 87,000. Konnikova thought about it for about 45 seconds before sigh-calling.
Barny Boatman: Q♦Q♠
Maria Konnikova: A♠K♠
Boatman was ahead with his pair of queens and was able to fade the two overcards as the board completed with the 5♣ turn and the 6♥ river.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
545,000
-105,000
|
-105,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
333,000
186,000
|
186,000 |
|
|
||
|
|
305,000
84,000
|
84,000 |
|
107,000
-142,000
|
-142,000 |
|
||
Level 17
: Blinds 3,000/6,000, 6,000 ante
Kevin Kent opened in the cutoff and called the jam of 36,000 from Carlos Lopez in the small blind.
Carlos Lopez: A♦2♦
Kevin Kent: 5♦5♠
Lopez only had one overcard to the pocket pair of Kent and the K♥K♣2♠ flop gave him a couple of extra outs. The 6♣ fell on the turn, and the 6♠ completed the board on the river for Lopez to remain seated with two pair, aces and sixes with an ace-kicker.
| Player | Chips | Progress |
|---|---|---|
|
|
266,000
-40,000
|
-40,000 |
|
84,000
-46,000
|
-46,000 |