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€1,100 Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event
Day 1b Completed
2024 PokerStars EPT Barcelona
€1,100 Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event
Day: 1b
Event Info
2024 PokerStars EPT Barcelona
Final Results
Event Info
Level Info
Players Info - Day 1b
Buy-in
€1,100
Prize Pool
€6,852,480
Total Entries
7,138
Level
42
Blinds
1,000,000 / 2,000,000
Ante
2,000,000
Entries
199
Players Left
30
Players Left 1 / 7,138
Filter
Level 18
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona kicked off today with two of the eight opening flights in the PokerStars Estrellas Poker Tour (ESPT) Main Event playing out at the Casino Barcelona. Day 1b drew 199 entries and came to its conclusion at the last second of Level 18 with 30 players advancing to Day 2 and into the money.
France's Sebastien Compte bagged up the biggest stack after he amassed 474,000 chips at the end of play, and was also responsible for bursting the bubble after his pocket kings were too good for the ace-ten of Gerard Rubiralta.
Day 1b Top Ten Chip Counts
| Place | Player | Country | Chip Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sebastien Compte | France | 474,000 |
| 2 | Domenico Zappia | Italy | 420,000 |
| 3 | Michel Molenaar | Netherlands | 333,000 |
| 4 | Mathias Bayer | Austria | 331,000 |
| 5 | Jose Criado | Spain | 323,000 |
| 6 | Lluis Jo Balague | Spain | 312,000 |
| 7 | Fabrizio Ortolomo | Italy | 292,000 |
| 8 | Piero Alioto | Italy | 291,000 |
| 9 | Jean-Claude Thomas | France | 275,000 |
| 10 | Laurence Stein | United States | 258,000 |
Michel Molenaar managed to bag the third-biggest stack of the flight with 333,000, which puts the Dutchman in a great position once Day 2 gets underway. Molenaar has over $1,200,000 in live tournament earnings according to The Hendon Mob which includes cashes in three European Poker Tour (EPT) final tables.
Spain's Jose Criado was active throughout the day and raked in a healthy pot when his ace-king was too good against the ace-jack of Italy's Mario Laterza. As the day's play ended, Criado bagged up 323,000 chips which was good for sixth on the leaderboard.
Japan's Shiina Okamoto also managed to make it through to Day 2 and finished just outside the top ten with a stack of 249,000, which puts her eleventh in the counts. Okamoto's best finish in an EPT event came two years ago right here in Barcelona where she final table bubbled a €2,100 event.
There are six more starting flights in the Main Event with two taking place on each of the 27th, 28th, and 29th of August. The survivors from all eight flights will combine for the first time on Friday, August 30 to play out Day 2.
Keep it with PokerNews as we continue to bring you all the action as the PokerStars Estrellas Poker Tour Main Event is just getting started.
Level 18
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Level 18
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
The surviving 30 players are currently bagging up their chips and will bring them forward into Day 2.
Stay tuned for a recap of the day's action.
Level 18
: 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Gerard Rubiralta committed himself with a raise to 100,000 from the button and Sebastien Compte shoved from the small blind. When the action got back to Rubiralta, he made the call which put him at risk of being the bubble boy.
Gerard Rubiralta: A♥10♦ 
Sebastien Compte: K♠K♣
Rubiralta needed to find an ace but it never arrived as the runout of 8♣2♠9♠4♠J♥ kept Compte's pocket kings in the lead.
Level 18
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
With 31 players remaining the tournament staff have announced the start of hand for hand play. After the next elimination all remaining players will be in the money and advance to Day 2.
Level 18
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Eduard Anufriiev opened to 16,000 from middle position and Shiina Okamoto defended from the big blind.
Both players checked the Q♦6♥6♠ flop leading to the 4♣ turn. Okamoto bet 13,000 and Anufriiev called.
Okamoto bet again for 42,000 on the 6♦ turn. Anufriiev made the call. Okamoto tabled sixes full of queens with Q♣J♣ and Anufriiev's hand hit the muck.
Level 18
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Laurence Stein opened to 14,000 from middle position and Jean-Claude Thomas shoved from the button for 114,000. Raviteja Obili, who started the hand with about 140,000, moved all in from the small blind, forcing Stein out of the pot and leaving Thomas at risk.
Jean-Claude Thomas: A♥A♠
Raviteja Obili: 10♣10♦
The board ran out 2♥6♣8♠A♦8♣ giving Thomas aces full of eights to score the double up while Obili was left with just under five big blinds.
Level 18
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
Luka Sorainen opened to 16,000 from under the gun and Jose Criado called from middle position.
On the 9♥5♣8♦ flop, Sorainen check-called a bet of 12,000 from Criado.
Both then checked to showdown on the 7♥ turn and J♦ river where Sorainen showed A♣Q♠ for ace-high, but Criado flipped the winner holding K♠7♠ for a pair of sevens.
Level 18
: Blinds 4,000/8,000, 8,000 ante
With 60,000 chips in the pot on a board of 8♣Q♣K♥7♠3♥, Marc Padrosa Cabello checked the river over to Shiina Okamoto, who bet 28,000. Cabello needed some time to think about the decision but eventually settled on a call.
Okamoto tabled A♦Q♦ for a pair of queens, and Cabello mucked.
