EPT Barcelona Open Main Event Day 1a | 2008 PokerStars.com EPT Barcelona Open

09-11-2008 00:25 UTC+2

Wernick Shoves

Mickey "The Worm" Wernick pushed all in preflop for 4,000 just moments ago, but received no callers. The British veteran will be looking for further spots to shove in the upcoming rounds, but it's not going to be easy. He has Michael Keiner (62,000) and Chad Brown (39,000) on his table, whilst Dennis Bejedal has also just sat down with multiple racks. If anyone knows how to grind though, it's Mickey.

Tags: Mickey Wernick

09-11-2008 00:32 UTC+2

Alexander the Great

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Russian WSOP hero and PokerStars pro Alex Kravchenko has doubled up courtesy of buttering his coin the right side. He moved all in with {A-Clubs}

for 6,900 and was looked up by {J-Diamonds}

. "I think I'm dead," confessed his opponent as the flop came a rather clinical {A-Diamonds}

. He wasn't dead, but he was by the {2-Spades}

turn and

river.

Kravchenko now on over 14,000.

Tags: Alex Kravchenko

09-11-2008 00:35 UTC+2

Michael Mizrachi Eliminated

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While it's technically considered hearsay, we overheard the scoop from "The Grinder" himself.

Apparently Mizrachi had top set holding {8-?}

on an

flop with two clubs. He got all his chips in against {K-Clubs}

and came up short when the turn was a club and the river failed to pair the board.

Despite the beat, Mizrachi is in good spirits, strolling around the tournament area and checking in on his friends and brother.

Tags: Michael Mizrachi Mizrachi

09-11-2008 00:36 UTC+2

Monty Python

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Scott Montgomery is slowly but surely slithering his way up the poker ladder and looking likely of ending the night in good shape. On a {4-Diamonds}

board, he check-raised his opponent's bet of 4,000 to 9,900 before pushing his final 10,000 to 15,000 across the line on the {J-Clubs}

river. After smooth-calling the turn, his opponent mulled over his decision for a good couple of minutes, before shaking his head and making the fold.

He was scooping in his chips at the time, but I would estimate that the November Niner now has around the 35 to 40,000 mark.

Tags: Scott Montgomery

09-11-2008 00:54 UTC+2

Likely Chip Leader

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With just 20 minutes remaining on the clock, it's looking increasingly likely that the seemingly unstoppable Michael Murra will be the overnight chip leader with 87,000. Of course, there is still time for it to all turn sour, and there may well be another player who has quietly been amassing a similarly formidable stack.

Tags: Michael Murra

09-11-2008 00:58 UTC+2

Fingers Caught in the Cookie Jar

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Scott Montgomery has had his fingers, toes, and any other body part for that matter firmly caught in the cookie jar after doubling up Rafe Furst. I didn't catch all the action, but when the chips went in on an {8-Clubs}

flop, Furst's {A-Hearts}

was in dominant shape against Montgomery's {7-Diamonds}

, which was met with more raised more eyebrows than a Rock appreciation night. The {3-Clubs}

turn was defiant, and the {5-Spades}

river academic, meaning Montgomery slips back down to 28,000.

Tags: Rafe Furst Scott Montgomery

09-11-2008 01:02 UTC+2

Ed de Haas Hits the Flop....Hard!

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The exact action is unclear but Ed de Haas, playing from the big blind, got his last 14,050 chips in the center before the flop holding {6-Clubs}

against the {A-Diamonds}

of his cutoff-seat opponent.

De Haas called for a six, but was much happier to see the flop come {10-Clubs}

. His opponent was drawing dead to a chop and de Haas let out an expletive-laden triumph chant.

The turn and river fell the {A-Spades}

and

respectively and de Haas now commands a stack just shy of 30,000 chips.

Tags: Ed de Haas

09-11-2008 01:04 UTC+2

Setback for Paasonen

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On the table that looks like a more important table than the others but isn't (it is central and has a rail surrounding it), Finnish pro Mika Paasonen called a prefop all in of 6,925 from his neighbor. Relieved that his {K-Clubs}

was coinflipping against {6-Clubs}

, his relief was in vain as the flop came a uneventful {3-Hearts}

.

As a result, Paasonen drops to 25,500.

Tags: Mika Paasonen

09-11-2008 01:07 UTC+2

Five More Hands

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The clock has been stopped with 11:40 remaining in Level 8 and 112 players remaining in the field. Five more hands will be played at each table before wrapping up for the night.

09-11-2008 01:18 UTC+2

Day 1A Concludes, Action Resumes at 3 PM Tomorrow

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Day 1A of the PokerStars EPT Barcelona has come to a close, with 102 of out 292 starters still in the field. Michael Murra, Ramzi Jelassi, Jason Mercier, and Andre Akkari are among the tournament's big stacks, while big names like Michael Mizrachi, David Williams, Erica Schoenberg, Mike "Timex" McDonald, and Annette "Annette_15" Obrestad were all early casualties.

Official chip counts will be posted when they become available, which we are told will be around the mid-morning hours.

Play will resume at 3 p.m. local time (GMT+1) tomorrow as our second flight of players begin their quest for an EPT title. Join us again for continuing live updates from the Casino Barcelona.

Until then, buenos noches y buena suerte!