There's just one more day of poker left in Barcelona, and it promises to be the biggest one of all. On one side of the room, the €5,300 Main Event will play down to a winner and look to award one fortunate player more than €1.4 million in first-place prize money. On this side of the room, though, it's all about the €10,300 High Roller, which will return with the final 30 players from a jaw-dropping field of 506 entries.
Leading the way is Aliaksei Boika, who bagged up 1.985 million in chips after yesterday's action. Hailing from Belarus, Boika will look to bring the title back to his home country for a second year running after Ihar Soika was victorious last year. Boika is already making a near best for the largest live tournament score of his career ($44,950), and with the chip lead he's amassed, we like his chances of being to surpass that.
Other notables still remaining are Adrian Mateos, Ami Barer, Nick Petrangelo, Mustapha Kanit, Jani Sointula, and Mike McDonald.
With 30 players left, a player-friendly structure, big stacks, and big prizes up for grabs, Day 3 has all the ingredients to be a very long one. In anticipation of the length of Day 3, the tournament staff made an adjustment to the schedule late last night that added a level of play to Day 2 and shortened today's levels to 55 minutes.
Last year, Day 3 returned with 21 players and took just over 12 hours to conclude. The staff this year is estimating a finishing time of around 1 or 2 a.m. local time.
As for the start of the event, that will be at 12:30 p.m. local time. PokerNews will be your live coverage provider from the get go, so be sure to stay tuned for all of the poker action coming your way.
On yesterday's Day 2 when the tournament was on the bubble, Jason Mercier had his pocket aces cracked by Adrian Mateos' . Now with 20 players left on Day 3, it was Mateos turn to have aces cracked — twice.
On the first hand, Mateos checked the river on a board with four diamonds. His opponent, Mustapha Kanit, checked behind. Mateos tabled the , and Kanit was surprised because he thought he had the in his hand. Instead, Kanit had the and had checked behind with the nuts, as there was no straight flush possible. The floor gave Kanit a warning and play went on.
On the very next hand, Niklas Astedt raised to 65,000 from under the gun, and play folded to Mateos in the big blind. He reraised to 200,000. Astedt moved all in for 1.025 million, and Mateos snap-called with the . The table couldn't believe it.
Astedt had the .
The board ran out , and for the second hand in a row Mateos had lost with pocket aces. This time it was for a lot more than the first, and he was knocked back to 1.415 million.
In a blind-versus-blind battle, Mateos was all in with the against MacPhee's . The flop kept MacPhee in the lead, but the on the turn have Mateos some further hope with a flush draw. The river was black, but it was the .
With that, Mateos was eliminated in 17th place and the final two tables were formed.
Jack Salter moved all in for about 650,000 from the cutoff seat. Gerald Karlic quickly called when action got to him in the big blind, and he did so because he had the . Salter had the .
The flop, turn, and river ran out , and Salter was out in 16th place for €47,100.
Dmitry Ivanov moved all in from under the gun for his last roughly 650,000 and it folded all of the way around to Nick Petrangelo who instantly called from the big blind.
Petrangelo:
Ivanov:
Ivanov managed to pair up on the flop, but could not improve to beat Petrangelo's aces with the on the turn and the on the river. Ivanov hit the rail in 15th place and collected €53,000 for his efforts.
Action folded around to Aleksandr Denisov on the button who moved out a raise to about 320,000. This was a raise for most of his stack, leaving himself with just about 110,000 behind. It folded to Mustapha Kanit in the big blind and he announced a raise all in. Denisov called for his tournament life and the hands were rolled on their backs.
Kanit:
Denisov:
The board came down , pairing Kanit's ace and eliminating Denisov from play. Kanit's stack increased to about 3.52 million in chips with this win.
Jyri Merivirta was all in and at risk before the flop for his last 725,000 against Niklas Astedt. The hands were exposed to find that Merivirta was in need of some help.
Merivirta:
Astedt:
The flop came out , keeping Astedt's ace-queen high out in front. That all changed in an instant, however, as the drilled fourth street and gave Merivirta the lead with a pair of queens. That lead was quickly given back to Astedt, however, as the finished the board and allowed him to score the knockout.
Merivirta was eliminated in 13th place and took home a payday of €60,900.
Nick Petrangelo raised from late position, and Niklas Astedt called from the big blind. The duo saw the flop, and Niklas Astedt check-called a bet from Petrangelo before the dealer dealt the on the turn. Astedt checked again, and Petrangelo fired 260,000. Astedt called.
The river was the , and Astedt checked. Petrangelo fired a bet of 465,000, but Astedt decided to play for it all and check-raised all in. Petrangelo snap-called and turned over the for a turned full house. Astedt showed the for trip sixes.
The dealer counted down Petrangelo's stack on the river to announce that it was worth 1.855 million. Astedt paid the amount, leaving himself with 1.075 million, and Petrangelo shot up to 4.7 million and into the lead.
Nick Petrangelo opened the action with a raise to 135,000 from middle position. It folded around to Mike McDonald who moved all in for less - 55,000 to be exact - from the small blind. Ami Barer was in the big blind and he moved forward a three-bet to 375,000. Petrangelo moved all in over the top and Barer quickly let his cards go.
Petrangelo:
McDonald:
The two watched on as the board ran out , failing to improve McDonald's hand.
"Good game," said McDonald as he stood from the table and made his way out of the tournament area.
Petrangelo increased his chip lead to about 5.165 million with this win.
Ami Barer opened the cutoff to 120,000 and Christian Jeppsson moved all in from the button for approximately 750,000. The two blinds folded and Barer instantly announced a call.
Jeppsson:
Barer:
Jeppsson could not improve on the board and he fell in 11th place. Barer took down the pot and now holds about 2.63 million in chips.
![[user68268]](/img/avatars/avatar.svg){kind=avatar}
. Now with 20 players left on Day 3, it was Mateos turn to have aces cracked — twice.
, and Kanit was surprised because he thought he had the 
and had checked behind with the nuts, as there was no straight flush possible. The floor gave Kanit a warning and play went on.
.
, and for the second hand in a row Mateos had lost with pocket aces. This time it was for a lot more than the first, and he was knocked back to 1.415 million.
against MacPhee's 
flop kept MacPhee in the lead, but the 
on the turn have Mateos some further hope with a flush draw. The river was black, but it was the 
.
.
flop, but could not improve to beat Petrangelo's aces with the 
on the turn and the 
, keeping Astedt's ace-queen high out in front. That all changed in an instant, however, as the 
for a turned full house. Astedt showed the 
