€5,300 Main Event Day 1b | 2015 PokerStars.com EPT Season 12 Barcelona

08-25-2015 19:47 UTC+2

Player	Chips	Progress
Konstantin Puchkov	Busted
Marcin Horecki	Busted

Player	Chips	Progress
Jan Suchanek	14,800 -32,200	-32,200

Three players including 2015 World Series of Poker November Niner Pierre Neuville were engaged in a hand where the flop read . A substantial pot had already been built and there were two checks on the flop over to Neuville. Neuville reached into his stack and fired out a bet of 8,000, sending the first player into the tank.

After about 90 seconds of pondering, Neuville's first opponent let his cards go. The second player followed suit and Neuville was awarded the pot. He let out a small laugh and flipped onto the table as he was awarded his new chips.

Neuville is climbing back toward starting stack with about 28,500 to his name.

Player	Chips	Progress
Pierre Neuville	28,500 4,000	4,000

Tags: Pierre Neuville

08-25-2015 20:03 UTC+2

Neymar and Piqué Not the Only Professional Footballers at the EPT

donpeters

Level 6 : 200/400, 50 ante

Neymar Jr. and Gerard Piqué aren't the only professional footballers to compete in the European Poker Tour, as we happened to find French player Camel Meriem seated in the back corner of the room.

At 35 years old, Meriem is a bit older than Neymar (23) and and Piqué (28), but he is still playing "the beautiful game" professionally. He made the most appearances for AS Monaco in Ligue 1 (110) while playing with the squad from 2005-2009, but most recently was involved with Apollon Limassol in the Cypriot First Division, where he made 61 appearances. According to reports, Meriem opted to leave Cyprus at the end of the 2014-2015 season.

From 2004-2005, Meriem appeared three times for the French National Team. His first national cap was in November 2004 against Poland. He scored 37 goals at the professional level, but none in his three national caps.

Meriem is currently playing the €5,300 Main Event, but looked to be down under 10,000 in chips when last laid eyes on him. We'll see if he can mount a counterattack going forward.

Player	Chips	Progress
Camel Meriem	8,000 8,000	8,000

Tags: Camel Meriem

08-25-2015 20:04 UTC+2

Luca Pagano Is Back

Josh_Cahlik

Level 6 : 200/400, 50 ante

It’s been a while since we last saw Luca Pagano on the EPT, but after a hiatus to focus on his burgeoning business affairs, the Team PokerStars Pro from Italy returns in Barcelona, looking to add to his 20 cashes and seven final table appearances. The PokerStars Blog reports.

08-25-2015 20:16 UTC+2

Dinner Time

Josh_Cahlik

Level 6 : 200/400, 50 ante

Players are now on a 75-minute dinner break.

Level: 7

Blinds: 250/500

Ante: 50

08-25-2015 21:52 UTC+2

Recent Eliminations

Josh_Cahlik

Level 7 : 250/500, 50 ante

Player	Chips	Progress
Jannick Wrang	Busted

Artur Koren	Busted
Sam Grafton	Busted

Yann Dion	Busted
Vanessa Selbst	Busted

Nicolas Chouity	Busted

08-25-2015 22:01 UTC+2

Lecomte Doubles Through Cody with Quads

donpeters

Level 7 : 250/500, 50 ante

From middle position, Jake Cody raised to 1,250. In the cutoff seat, Quentin Lecomte reraised to 3,500. Play folded back to Cody, and he moved all in for around 20,000. Lecomte called to put himself all in for 15,300.

Lecomte had the best of it with the , and Cody had the .

The flop, turn, and river ran out , and Lecomte went from holding a bigger pocket pair, to flopping a full house, to rivering quads to win the hand and double up.

Player	Chips	Progress
Quentin Lecomte	31,000
Jake Cody	4,000 -18,000	-18,000

Tags: Jake Cody Quentin Lecomte

08-25-2015 22:08 UTC+2

Neuville Sends Simaitis to the Rail

Josh_Cahlik

Level 7 : 250/500, 50 ante

Gintaras Simaitis was all in and at risk before the flop for approximately 6,500 against Pierre Neuville. The cards were turned over to find the two racing for Simaitis' tournament life.

Simaitis:
Neuville: