EPT Barcelona Open Main Event Day 3 | 2008 PokerStars.com EPT Barcelona Open

09-14-2008 01:35 UTC+2

Kitai Awakes

After playing few hands in the last couple of levels, Davidi Kitai suddenly awoke from his slumber to push all in from the big blind. The commentator said, "Martin [Nielsen] wasn't trapping," as he made the fold from the small blind.

Tags: Davidi Kitai

09-14-2008 01:47 UTC+2

Davidi Kitai Doubles Through Jason Mercier

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Davidi Kitai moved all in for roughly 355,000. Action folded around to Jason Mercier on the button and he announced "all in" as well. The blinds got out of the way and the players showed:

Mercier: {A-?}

Kitai:

The flop was dramatic, falling {K-Hearts}

. Mercier hit top pair but was drawing thin. The {2-Diamonds}

on the turn meant the pot belonged to Kitai and the river {5-Diamonds}

was a mere formality.

Kitai doubled up to 775,000 on the hand, leaving Mercier with 894,000 chips.

09-14-2008 01:55 UTC+2

Players Are on a Break

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Play will resume in 15 minutes.

09-14-2008 01:58 UTC+2

Chip Counts at the Break

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Dren Ukella 1,003,000
Jason Mercier 885,000
Daniele Mazzia 768,000
Davidi Kitai 766,000
Mikael Lundell 758,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg 721,000
Samuel Chartier 607,000
Martin Nielsen 452,000
Fintan Gavin 385,000

Level: 25

Blinds: 15,000/30,000

Ante: 3,000

09-14-2008 02:12 UTC+2

Play Resumes

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The cards are back in the air.

09-14-2008 02:31 UTC+2

Nielsen Takes One Down

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Daniele Mazzia raised to 78,000 preflop, Martin Nielsen called from the button and the two remaining players saw a {10-Diamonds}

flop. Mazzia checked, Nielsen bet 119,000 and Mazzia folded.

Nielsen now has an even 800,000.

Tags: Daniele Mazzia Martin Nielsen

09-14-2008 02:48 UTC+2

Squeaky-Tight

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Over two hours into nine-handed play, we still have yet to lose a player. The table has tightened up significantly, with no one thus far willing to make a move or take a big risk. Even three-betting machine Jason Mercier has been rather subdued, managing his big stack well and choosing his spots wisely. Perhaps the tightest player at the table, though has been the short stack, Fintan Gavin, who has made several open-shoves, but received no action, his opponents giving him the respect that his snug play has earned.

Here's how the chip counts are stacking up at the moment. You'll notice that things have evened out quite a bit, with most of the field bunched together around the 700,000-800,000 range:

Jason Mercier 1,054,000
Dren Ukella 862,000
Mikael Lundell 839,000
Martin Nielsen 784,000
Davidi Kitai 709,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg 670,000
Daniele Mazzia 570,000
Samuel Chartier 472,000
Fintan Gavin 370,000

09-14-2008 02:58 UTC+2

Samuel Chartier Doubles Through Mikael Lundell

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Samuel Chartier opened the pot for a raise to 73,000 from early position. Action folded around to Mikael Lundell in the big blind and he announced a raise. After a few moments, Lundell said "all in" while gesturing his hands towards the center.

Chartier made a very quick call and the players showed:

Chartier: {K-Clubs}

Lundell:

The board ran out {J-Spades}

and Chartier's cowboys were best. He took the chip lead on the hand and now sits with 1,094,000 while Lundell is now the short stack with 368,000.

Tags: Mikael Lundell Samuel Chartier

09-14-2008 03:03 UTC+2

Staying Alive

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Fintan Gavin raised an eyebrow under the gun as he checked his cards, ummed and aahed momentarily as if contemplating a push with a marginal hand, before indeed sliding his stack across the line. Although the play paused at Davidi Kitai, the Belgian bracelet winner folded, as did the rest of the table. Gavin showed pocket jacks.

Tags: Fintan Gavin