Arthur Thiriart raised to 700 in early position before Stephen Song three-bet to 2,500 in the hijack. Philippe Barouk called on the button, but Thiriart put in a four-bet to 7,200. Song then five-bet to 12,000.
There was a dispute over how much the legal raise was and it took a few minutes before it was resolved and Song's raise stood. Barouk got out of the way, but Thiriart stuck around to see the 7♥Q♣7♠ flop.
Song continued for 3,000 and Thiriart called. The turn was the 7♦ and Song bet another 6,000. Thiriart again called and checked to Song on the 8♣ river, and this time Song checked back.
Thiriart turned over Q♥Q♦ for a flopped full house and Song mucked to surrender a pot that took nearly 10 minutes.
Four players each put in 2,500 before the flop as the dealer spread out 8♠8♥4♠. Mario Trattou then led out for 3,900 in the small blind, Jussi Hietalahti folded the big blind, Gonzalo Gottlieb called in early position, and Timur Margolin folded in the hijack.
Trattou checked the Q♣ turn and Gottlieb bet 2,000. Trattou called to the 3♥ river, where Gottlieb moved all in. Trattou quickly called for his last 13,000 and Gottlieb turned over 9♥9♣.
Trattou tossed 7♣7♠ into the muck as he made his exit.
Stefano Schiano had a raise of 1,500 in front of him from the cutoff before Andriy Lyubovetskiy reraised to 4,500 in the big blind. Schiano called and they went heads-up to the J♠J♣3♦ flop.
Lyubovetskiy continued for 3,500 and Schiano called. The turn was the 2♥ and Lyubovetskiy bet 6,000. Schiano called once more to see the 7♦ river.
Lyubovetskiy then moved all in and Schiano, with around 17,000 remaining, snap-folded.
Barny Boatman bet 700 from early position on a flop of Q♣6♥4♦ before Darius Neagoe raised to 2,700 in the big blind. Boatman called.
Neagoe led out for 4,500 on the 10♠ turn and Boatman called once more. The river was the 9♣ and Neagoe moved all in for 9,500. Boatman tanked for a few minutes but eventually called with A♣Q♥, but Neagoe had 4♠4♥ for a flopped set to win the pot and double up.
Maximilian Silz raised to 300 from middle position and Mateo Velerdas moved all in from the next seat across with a short stack of 5,600. Silz called and players flipped their cards.
Mateo Velerdas: 8♦9♦
Maximilian Silz: Q♦J♦
The board ran out 7♥K♦J♣9♠10♥ and both players made a straight. Silz made the higher straight to win the pot and Velerdas was sent to an early exit.
Frederic Delval and Zaki Hamani built a pot of around 15,000 as they went heads-up to the turn on a board of J♦4♠5♣3♠. Delval then bet 11,000 from under the gun and Hamani called in early position.
The river was the 5♥ and Delval moved all in. Hamani tanked for nearly five minutes until he eventually called for his last 14,400. Delval turned over A♠J♥ for two pair, but Hamani had A♦A♣ to win the pot and double up with a better two pair.
Dante Goya was seen with A♥K♥ face up all-in against Gabriel Moura, who had A♣J♣ on a board of 10♦2♥8♣4♦J♠. De Moura won the pot and Goya was the first to be eliminated from the main event.
Pablo Jimenez raised to 300 in the hijack and John Duthie called in the big blind.
The flop came A♥8♥5♠ and Jimenez continued for 600. Duthie then raised to 2,600 and Jimenez called.
The turn was the K♦ and Duthie tossed in 12,000. "The ace is dangerous," he told Jimenez, who went into the tank for several minutes before folding A♦Q♦.
"I had eight-five suited. My birth year. I was born in 1985," Duthie joked after the hand.
Jack Oliver raised to 300 from late position, Zaur Zulfiyev called on the button and Giovanni Bellini called in the big blind.
All three players checked on the 5♠5♣2♣ flop. The turn was the 3♠ and Bellini bet 1,100, which both Oliver and Zulfiyev called.
The river came the 9♠ and Bellini bet 3,300. Oliver folded and Zulfiyev raised to 6,600. Bellini called and Zulfiyev showed A♠Q♠ for the ace-high flush.
It's time for the €5,300 Main Event here at the PokerStars European Poker Tour Barcelona, running at the Casino Barcelona on the stunning Mediterranean coast.
Last year, Simon Wiciak topped a field of 2,120 entries for a career-best score of €1,134,375 after cutting a three-way deal with João Sydenstricker and Carl Shaw to become the most recent EPT Barcelona Main Event champion.
Previous EPT Barcelona Main Event Champions
YEAR
ENTRIES
PRIZE POOL
CHAMPION
COUNTRY
1ST PRIZE
2012
1,082
€5,247,700
Mikalai Pobal
Belarus
€1,007,550
2013
1,234
€5,984,900
Tom Middleton
United Kingdom
€942,000
2014
1,496
€7,255,600
Andre Lettau
Germany
€794,058
2015
1,694
€8,215,900
John Juanda
Indonesia
€1,022,593
2016
1,785
€8,657,250
Sebastian Malec
Poland
€1,122,800
2017
1,682
€8,157,700
Sebastian Sorensson
Sweden
€987,043
2018
1,931
€9,365,350
Piotr Nurzynski
Poland
€1,037,109
2019
1,988
€9,641,800
Simon Brandstrom
Sweden
€1,290,166
2022
2,294
€11,125,900
Giuliano Bendinelli
Italy
€1,491,133
2023
2,120
€ 10,282,000
Simon Wiciak
France
€1,134,375*
This year, players can take a maximum of two combined entries across both starting flights, up until late registration closes at the start of Day 2.
Players will start with 30,000 stacks with blinds beginning at 100/100 with a 100 big blind ante. Levels increase every 60-minutes, with a 20-minute break every two levels and a 75-minute dinner break at the end of Level 6.
Day 1a is the first of two chances for hopefuls to find a bag for Day 2 and starts at midday local time.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for regular updates straight from the tournament floor as reporters follow the event from start to finish until a new champion has been crowned.
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