The last hands of Day 1A of the Estrellas Main Event have been dealt here at the Casino Barcelona, and among the 166 survivors from the 592 who began the day Spain’s own Fernando Heredia has bagged the most chips of anyone with 336,200.

Fernando HerediaIncidentally, that total of 592 for today exceeds last year’s Day 1A by a remarkable 154 players. (A record-breaking field of 2,560 played Estrellas Barcelona Main Event a year ago.)

Of course, the ESPT Main (Event #5) was just part of the action from this busy Tuesday to report. Today’s first full day in the EPT12 Barcelona series featured eight different events, including a couple more satellites for the Estrellas Main Event (Events #4 and #9). Winners in those events will have the option to play either tomorrow’s Day 1B or Friday’s Day 1C.

Of the five other events in action, the €300 Barcelona Cup (Event #7) completed the first of six Day 1 flights a little earlier, and is now playing out a second one. From the 142 who entered Flight 1A, 21 made it through to Day 2 (and into the cash), with Spain’s Daniel Del Rio Bronce the chip leader among that group with 319,000 and Jamila von Perger surviving with a short stack of 43,000.

Jamila von PergerIt already appears Flight 1B of the Barcelona Cup will draw more, and with four more Day 1 flights over the next three days the field — and prize pool — will surely swell to something, well, swell.

Another side event capturing our attention today was the €5K Limit Razz 8-Handed (Event #6), the third-largest live razz tournament in poker history. A total of 14 took part, with EPT11 Player of the Year Dzmitry Urbanovich among the heavy hitters failing to make the top three and the cash.

Ultimately it was the Russian, Andrey Zhigalov, taking the silver spade trophy and a €25,925 prize following a heads-up deal at the final table.

Andrey ZhigalovThe Norwegian Adam Owen took runner-up, and he also took a larger share of the prize pool — €28,395 — thanks to having had more chips at deal-making time. And mixed game specialist Matt Grapenthien took third for €13,580.

The other three events on today’s schedule included two turbo NLHE events and a hyperturbo NLHE, all three of which are still in action as we write.

The €1K NL Turbo (Event #8) attracted huge field, with 209 players and a €202,730 prize pool. They were down to the last two tables at last walk through, with Simon Ravnsbaek and Ami Barer among those who’ve already cashed as the others continue to battle for the €44,910 first prize.

The Estrellas Poker Tour is back!The €2K NL Turbo 8-Handed (Event #10) got a later start, with 114 taking part in that one to create a €221,160 prize pool, €55,640 of which will go to the winner. And at last check the nightcap of the day, the €500 NL Hyperturbo (Event #11), had close to 200 getting involved with late registration still open.

Getting back to the star of today’s starring event, Heredia grabbed the ESPT Barcelona chip lead late in the night while sitting to the left of Danyl Amri who’d been leading the field shortly after the dinner break.

Amri still finished up the night with 248,400 to stay among the leaders, with William Hani (260,000), Luis Navas (252,200), and Slav Sariyski (220,000) also bagging big to end play.

Javier Garcia Concha (214,400), Carlos Mora (207,700), and Niall Farrell (157,000) were also among those ending the night well above the average. And down at the other end of the survivors’ list is Sebastien Sabic (63,400), Vladimir Troyanovskiy (61,100), Niels van Leeuwen (60,700), Heinz Traut (23,500), and Team PokerStars SportStar Fatima Moreira de Melo (22,100). For a full list of counts for all 166 Day 1A survivors, click here.

Luis Navas

Slav SariyskiIt all gets going once again tomorrow with Day 1B of the Estrellas, two more Barcelona Cup Day 1 flights, and a €5K 8-game mixed tournament among the half-dozen events that will be in action. Click here for all of the side event reports from the EPT Barcelona festival, and don’t forget about the continually updated side events results page which also contains the full remaining schedule for the 71-event festival.

Until then, buenos noches!

To get all the latest news, chip counts and payouts from EPT12 Barcelona, don’t forget to download the EPT App on both Android or IOS.

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Martin Harris is Freelance Contributor to the PokerStars Blog.

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