The money bubble burst in the 2012 European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona Main Event Wednesday as the tournament continued marching towards this week’s final table. 207 players started the day with chips and after 47 eliminations, the remaining players were all guaranteed at least €8,400. By the end of Day 3, just 61 players remained, led by the relatively unknown Antonin Duda of the Czech Republic, the proud owner of 1.47 million chips.
Duda’s rise to the top of the leader board is a prime example of how one’s fortunes can change in a minute in the game of poker. Guy Bachar, the chip leader coming out of Day 1B, was cruising along late in Day 3, holding around 1.2 million chips, one of the largest stacks in the field. For whatever reason, possibly a stubborn bluff, Bachar six-bet all-in pre-flop (we’ll stop the hyphenated word streak at three) with just 7♠-8♣. Duda called for all of his 574,000 with two red Kings. Bachar barely got anything to sweat, only having a chance at a gut-shot going into the river. That, needless to say, never came to fruition and he fell to 350,000 chips. Duda was now up to 1.2 million.
Less than an hour later, Duda finished off Bachar, completing a wild chip swing for both players. With about 200,000 chips in the middle a board reading 9♥-4♣-9♣-8♣, Bachar shipped the rest of his 300,000 chips and was called by Duda. Bachar had A♣-J♥ for two overcards and the nut flush draw, while Duda showed 9♦-T♦, giving him trips. The 3♠ on the river did nothing for Bachar and just like that, he went from riding high to out of the EPT Barcelona Main Event. In the meantime, Antonin Duda saw his stack rise to 1.7 million, putting him atop the field.
Duda lost a couple hundred thousand chips in the final hour, but he held on to just enough chips to maintain a slight edge over Spain’s Samuel Rodriguez, 1.47 million to 1.416 million. Just one other player, Ilari Sahamies, has over a million (1.269 million).
Because Duda is already guaranteed at least €14,150, he will blow away his biggest all-time cash. According to The Hendon Mob poker tournament database, he has just one cash for $723 in his career. He may have won a bit more, as there is an “Antoine Duda” from the Czech Republic also listed with one lifetime cash for $1,998, but even so, Duda is on his way to multiplying his lifetime poker tournament winnings many, many times.
Though Guy Bachar has hit the rail, the chip leaders from the other days are still alive and well. Day 1A (and overall Day 1) leader Aku Joentausta is in 10th place with 862,000 chips and Day 2 leader John Juanda is in 4th place with 968,000.
Day 4 will pick up on Thursday at noon local time.
2012 European Poker Tour (EPT) Barcelona Main Event– End of Day 1B Chip Leaders
1. Antonin Duda – 1,470,000
2. Samuel Rodriguez – 1,416,000
3. Ilari Sahamies – 1,269,000
4. John Juanda – 968,000
5. Fatima Moreira De Melo – 955,000
6. Zimnan Ziyard – 940,000
7. Marcos Fernandez – 926,000
8. Lucille Cailly – 902,000
9. Felix Kretchmann – 867,000
10. Aku Joentausta – 862,000
