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

09-14-2008 00:16 UTC+2

Play Has Paused

With the elimination of Salvatore Pengue, play is now nine-handed. The tournament clock has paused while some of the red (T1000) chips are being colored up. We will need to lose just one more player before tomorrow's final table is set, thus concluding play for the evening.

09-14-2008 00:29 UTC+2

Updated Chip Counts

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As we head into nine-handed play, here's how the chip counts look.

Dren Ukella - 1,880,000
Jason Mercier - 1,007,000
Samuel Chartier - 931,000
Mikael Lundell - 913,000
Daniele Mazzia - 621,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg - 483,000
Davidi Kitai - 458,000
Martin Nielsen - 392,000
Fintan Gavin - 320,000

09-14-2008 00:32 UTC+2

Shuffle Up and Deal!

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Play resumes.

09-14-2008 00:44 UTC+2

Nine Players, Eight Countries

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It's like the Nations Cup out there, the remaining nine players representing eight different countries.

Martin Nielsen - Denmark
Jason Mercier - United States
Fintan Gavin - Ireland
Mikael Lundell - Sweden
Samuel Chartier - Canada
Daniele Mazzia - Italy
Davidi Kitai - Belgium
Sebastian Ruthenberg, Dren Ukella - Germany

09-14-2008 00:51 UTC+2

Dren Ukella Widens the Gap

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Samuel Chartier opened for a raise to 48,000 and Dren Ukella reraised to 100,000 total. Chartier made the call and they took the {A-Diamonds}

flop heads up. Both men checked and the dealer wasted no time laying the {7-Clubs}

out on the turn. Ukella bet a relatively small 50,000 and Chartier came along.

When the river fell the {J-Hearts}

, Ukella grabbed a handful of chips, without counting them, and pushed them across the betting line. It was 75,000 for Chartier to call, and despite the generous pot odds being offered, he thought the better of it and threw his hand away. Ukella is now over two million chips on the hand.

Level: 24

Blinds: 12,000/24,000

Ante: 2,000

09-14-2008 01:05 UTC+2

Dane Shows the Bluff

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Martin Nielsen min-raised to 48,000 preflop, Samuel Chartier called, as did Sebastian Ruthenberg on the big blind. On the {4-Clubs}

flop, Nielsen took it down with a small bet of 70,000 before showing {K-?}

.

Tags: Martin Nielsen

09-14-2008 01:07 UTC+2

Ruthless Ruthenberg

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Mikael Lundell made a standard raise preflop, but Sebastian Ruthenberg was lying in wait behind and pushed all in for a total of 413,000. Lundell snap-folded.

Tags: Sebastian Ruthenberg

09-14-2008 01:22 UTC+2

Hang Tough

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Fintan Gavin moved all in for just over 250,000 and took the blinds down uncontested. "Thought you'd call with any two," the Irishman said to the big blind's Jason Mercier. Either way, Gavin survived, and gave us a glimpse of what appeared to be a black king.

Tags: Fintan Gavin

09-14-2008 01:29 UTC+2

Business is Business

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Jason Mercier opened the pot for a raise to 72,000. Next to act, Samuel Chartier, made it 140,000 to play. Action folded around back to Mercier and he grimaced as he reluctantly threw his hand away. Chartier mucked without showing and stacked the pot.

Mercier and Chartier have recently become friends and, according to EPT announcers, are actually splitting a hotel room for the tournament here in Barcelona. In fact the two have routinely been seen high-fiving and celebrating during the breaks. With €1,361,000 on the line, however, we can only assume that neither man is cutting the other any breaks on the felt.