EPT National Draws Over Thousand Runners on Day 1a; Bura Takes the Lead
One conclusion can be drawn right away at the PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona: the stop is as popular as ever. While not surprising in the very least, players once again showed up in droves to the popular Catalonian city to try their luck in the €1,100 EPT National. The first of four starting days started at noon local time and lasted a whopping fourteen hours. 189 out of 1,264 players, or 15% of the original field, were able to make it through the day.
Leading the way after seventeen full levels is Maksim Bura, who build his stack from 30,000 to 736,000 on the first day. Other players that are in prime contention after Day 1a are Camilo Hernandez Henao (698,000) and the Portuguese Miguel Silva (565,000) and Andre Moreira (564,000). Biggest notable in the top of the counts is two-time WSOP bracelet winner Upeshka De Silva, who bagged 548,000 on top of taking out the bubble boy. Holding queen-jack, De Silva had flopped two jacks and received a call from Leonid Timonin with pocket tens, ending the latter's run in the dreaded spot.
Other notables that will return in the money include Joey Weissman (404,000), Ari Engel (393,000), Matthias De Meulder (222,000), Heidi May (217,000), Michael Tureniec (128,000), Thomas Boivin (58,000) and Erwann Pecheux (52,000).
Those that failed to make Day 2 on their first attempt include Jasper Meijer van Putten, Dominik Panka, Maria Lampropulos, Sander van Wesemael and Adam Owen. They, as well as many others, will have up to three more shots as one reentry per starting flight is allowed.
The turbo Day 1b will conclude shortly after Day 1a is done. Day 1c will be a regular starting day again and commence at noon on Thursday. The Day 1d turbo to wrap the starting days off commences at 7 p.m. on the same day. PokerNews covers the event wire-to-wire so make sure to check back regularly as to not miss anything of the EPT Barcelona National!
against 
and despite flopping and turning a world of outs, he didn't get there on a 
board.
on a 
board. His opponent, Upeshka De Silva, showed 
for trip jacks and Timonin would also end up empty-handed.
and Jason Wheeler, in early position, was up against the two players in the blinds. They both checked to Wheeler, and he bet 1,800. The player in the small blind called before the big blind folded. 
flop, Merlin checked, Engel bet 400, Merlin check-raised to 1,600 and Engel called.
turn and Engel stuck around. On the 
river, Merlin bet 5,100 and Engel called after ten seconds.
for a backdoor flush to drag a sizable pot right off the bat.
