Sebastian Ruthenberg is the newest champion on the European Poker Tour after a thrilling finale to the season opener in the Gran Casino, Barcelona. The self-styled “luck box” proved to be anything but, starting second in chips this afternoon and navigating a steady and skilful course through a day where the blinds threatened to swallow even the largest stacks.

PokerStars Shooting Star, World Series bracelet winner, and now EPT Barcelona champion, Sebastian Ruthenberg

Ruthenberg was at times the dominant bully; at others he was under threat himself. But showing consummate versatility he made the most from each situation to claim the winner's cheque of €1,361,000, plus a seat into the EPT Grand Final in Monte Carlo.

The PokerStars Shooting Star basked in what has been some electric form this year. This title follows his great form displayed at the World Series in July where he overcame Chris Ferguson heads-up to win the seven card stud hi/lo bracelet in Las Vegas. Flash forward two months, and his performance today displayed ample evidence of how it takes far more than just cards, with some great reads on his heads-up opponent and PokerStars qualifier Fintan Gavin to amass the huge stack with which he delivered that last crushing blow.

It all started at 4pm on day five of this tournament. Already the blinds were beginning to bite thanks in part to more than three hours of tense play late last night when nine-handed. The blinds would always be a factor but meant players had to adapt or fail. An hour and a half passed before the first elimination. The unlucky player was Denmark’s Martin Nielsen, whose late charge yesterday earned him the chip lead coming into today. But he fell victim to the tournament’s history-seeking PokerStars player Jason Mercier, who was aiming to become the first ever EPT double champion.


Martin Nielsen: from chip leader to first out

Five minutes later the Canadian Samuel Chartier met with the same fate, this time busted by the amiable PokerStars qualifier from Ireland, named Gavin. He accounted for Chartier and then turned the knife into Mercier, ending that particular chapter in EPT history.

Mercier had doubled through Gavin, but ultimately the Irishman took his revenge a full two hours later, ending Mercier’s chances in sixth place for €227,000, sevens against Gavin’s pocket tens. An eye-opening performance regardless from the Floridian, who continues to light up the EPT.

It wasn’t until after the dinner break that play would be reduced to four players and it was the German PokerStars qualifier Dren Ukella out next for 290,000, another casualty of Gavin’s ferocious campaign. Gavin's pair held up against Ukella’s busted nut flush draw.

In fifth spot was the Italian Daniele Mazzia. His €351,000 was probably the hardest earned of all, and only came after he had dodged countless bullets and had a good case to have the river card renamed after him, surviving three all-ins on fifth street. Alas it was a crippling hand before his eventual exit that cost him dearly. A pot of more than two million against the Belgian Davidi Kitai’s pocket tens to his own pocket nines. He’d been there before, but the miracle could be repeated yet again. Then, with just 101,000 left, it was a matter of the sharks circling to finish him off.

Kitai went next. The Belgian’s day was not unlike the Italian’s, one that seemed full of rigorous defence and agonising decision-making, watching his fortunes rise and fall in rapid swoops.

It came in the kind of massive hand that can only really take place after five full days of play, starting when the then-chip-leading Ruthenberg moved all-in pre-flop. Kitai called for his tournament life but not until a good deal of anguish. Gavin folded, showing his A-Q, which was like a knife in the heart for the Belgian who turned over the same hand. Ruthenberg showed pocket fours.

With two of his outs gone, Kitai found small mercy in an inside flush draw on the flop but it was not to be and Kittai, who himself was extending his World Series bracelet success form from this year, busted in third place, earning €455,000.

By now the tournament had taken a distinctly lop-sided appearance with Ruthenberg sitting with nearly five times the stack of Gavin.

The PokerStars qualifier Fintan Gavin, in raising mood

Few people were therefore surprised when it all ended just a few minutes later. With all the chips in the middle, Ruthenberg holding Kc-9c to Gavin’s 7c-4h, the flop looks set to extend the night a little longer, 2h-Ac-7h for middle pair and a backdoor flush draw. The turn changed all that, though, bringing a Kh to match Ruthenberg’s for top pair. Fintan's flush never got there, instead sending a first EPT crown Ruthenberg’s way.

Fintan Gavin was gracious in defeat, collecting €792,000 for a hard day at the table. But the new champion collects €1,361,000 and a ticket to the Monte Carlo Grand Final next spring.

“My plan was to play tight to begin and then loosen up” said Ruthenberg, before quipping, “It’s more money than the World Series and money means a lot to me, not the title. So I’m more happy.”

Ruthenberg had overcome violent swings a period of being card dead but brought his natural ability to the table securing him an EPT title after coming close twice before. “I know I’m just running good” he said. “Nothing more.”

Congratulations to Ruthenberg, one of the PokerStars family on the German side. On now to the EPT London and the high-roller event.

A full list of all 64 prize-winners can be found HERE.

Take a look back on the final day of action, no matter what language you speak. Click HERE for Spanish, click HERE for German, click HERE for Italian and click HERE for Swedish.

And all of these links tell the story:

Final table profiles
Record breakers?
Level 25 updates
Level 26 updates
Level 27 updates
Level 28 updates
Level 29 updates
Level 30 updates

Our video blog team set the scene for the day:

Watch EPT Barcelona 2008 Final Day intro on PokerStars.tv

And caught up with the Team PokerStars Pro Luca Pagano as the action progressed:

Watch EPT Barcelona 2008 Final Day Luca Pagano on PokerStars.tv

Watch videos from the whole of EPT Barcelona, plus an archive of all other PokerStars events, all for free, at PokerStars.tv

The next EPT event takes place in London from October 1-5. Full details of qualifying, hotel information, EPT structure, etc., is all available on the official EPT website.

We're playing blinds of 50,000-100,000 with an ante of 10,000. Three players remained at the start of the level. Watch all the action at EPT Live.com, and find the prizewinners to date HERE.

Sebastian Ruthenberg, PokerStars player, Germany, wins EPT Barcelona, earning €1,361,000
Fintan Gavin, PokerStars qualifier, Ireland, eliminated in second place, earning €792,000
After accounting for Davidi Kitai, Sebastian Ruthenberg was left with a huge heads-up chip lead over Fintan Gavin. And it didn't last very long at all. All the money somehow found itself into the middle of the table with Ruthenberg holding Kc-9c and Gavin holding 7c-4h. The flop favoured the Irishman: 2h-Ac-7h, giving him middle pair and a backdoor flush draw. The turn was the Kh, giving Ruthenberg the top pair, but adding to the flush possibilities. The river, however, did not bring a heart -- it was the 9d -- and Ruthenberg was the champion.

Davidi Kittai, Belgium, eliminated in third place, earning €455,000
A huge, huge hand, the kind that comes about after five long days of poker. Sebastian Ruthenberg, the chip leader, moves all-in pre-flop. Davidi Kitai, in the small blind, doesn't fold instantly, which means we know he's got a genuine decision for his tournament life. And he calls. Finton Gavin is also still to act behind him and reluctantly folds, flashing A-Q. Kitai winces because he also tables A-Q and Ruthenberg shows pocket fours. Kitai knows that two of his outs are gone, and although the flop gives him hope for an inside flush draw, it bricks out and Kitai, the only Belgian World Series bracelet winner, is out, giving a monstrous chiplead to the other bracelet owner at the table, Ruthenberg. This one might not last long.

12.40pm -- Another pot with Sebastian Ruthenberg emerging as the beneficiary, re-raising all-in behind a Gavin raise. The Irishman eventually folded sending Ruthenburg's count to over 3 million.

12.35pm -- Play restarts with all three players with roughly 20 big blinds. There's a call and a check as Gavin and Ruthenburg play a pot from the blinds. The flop comes 7d-8c-8s. Gavin makes it 140,000 which Ruthenburg calls. the pot is starting to build. the turn is a 3c which both players check for a river card 2s. Ruthenburg bets out 220,000 after Gavin checked, but is then check-raised to 600,000. Ruthenberg thinks it over, eventually saying "what the heck" and calling. It's a good decision as he wins the pot with a pair of sevens and becomes the new chip leader with 2,660,000.

12.30pm: The players have taken a quick break. Play will resume soon.

Chip counts at 12.20am, with three players remaining:

Fintan Gavin, PokerStars qualifier, Ireland -- 2,539,000
Davidi Kitai, Belgium -- 1,990,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg, PokerStars player, Germany -- 1,584,000

There's some confusion as to what precise level we're playing, since the tournament director Thomas Kremser has tinkered with the blind structure to allow more play. The key fact, though, is that we're playing blinds of 40,000-80,000 with an 8,000 ante. Click here for the latest prize winners, and for non-stop coverage of the final table don’t forget you can see it all on PokerStars.tv.

Chips counts as the blinds go up to 50,000/100,000 with an 8,000 ante.
Finton Gavin, PokerStars qualifier, Ireland, 3,477,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg, PokerStars sponsored player, Germany, 1,636,000
Davidi Kitai, Belgium, 999,000

11.30pm – Sebastian Ruthenberg moves all-in, finding a hand he can call Fintan Gavin with, showing pocket tens to the Irishman’s As-7h. The board came 9h-3s-Qc-4s-2s, bringing now help to Gavin as Ruthenberg doubles up, raising his arms and allowing himself a quick smile.

11.08pm -- Daniel Mazzai, Italy, eliminated in fourth place, earning €351,000
Danielle Mazzia’s exit was inevitable but came only after he dodged a string of unfavourable all-ins to finish an impressive fourth. He watched as Sebastian Ruthenberg called on the button, watched as Davidi Kitai check from the small blind before he moved in. the other two came along and whilst there was a side pot the hand was checked down to the river. A board of Jd-Qh-Th-Ac-8s. Mazzia had made two pair, queens and eights, but Ruthenberg had that topped, showing J-9 for a queen high straight. We’re three-handed.

11.05pm -- Daniele Mazzai takes a huge hit when he plays a two million chip pot against Davidi Kitai, armed with pocket nines. They get it all in pre-flop and Kitai showed tens -- the hand of the final table so far. This time they hold up and the Italian player is down to the very felt beneath his finger nails. Still, he has been here before.

11pm -- The very steep blinds mean that there is not a great deal of play left in this one, even four handed. Expect fireworks.

We’re now into level 28, with new blinds set at 30,000-60,000 with a running ante of 5,000. Click here for the latest prize winners, and for non-stop coverage of the final table don’t forget you can see it all on PokerStars.tv.

10.50pm -- Players have returned and play resumes.

10.35pm -- Players take a short break in play.

10.30pm -- With four players remaining the chip counts are as follows:

Fintan Gavin, PokerStars qualifier, Ireland, 2,987,000
Davidi Kitai, Belgium, 1,265,000
Daniele Mazzia, Italy, 1,104,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg, PokerStars player, Germany, 796,000

10.21pm -- Dren Ukella, PokerStars qualifier from Germany, is eliminated in fifth place, earning €290,000.
Fintan Gavin raised pre-flop and was called by Dren Ukella, for a flop of 9c-Th-2h. Dren checked to Fintan who wasted no time in making it 200,000 to go. Ukella announced "all-in" and Gavin's pause suggested he might fold. But it was not so. He called, showing his Qd-9h for a pair, whilst Ukella showed Ah-4h for a nut flush draw. A seven on the turn and a ten on the river came, but neither in the form of a heart that Ukella needed. Four players remain.

10.10pm -- Fintan Gavin and Sebastian Ruthenberg play out a sizeable pot with the honours this time going to the Irishman. Gavin makes it 160,000 to go and Ruthenberg calls. They see a flop of Kh-Qh-8c and Gavin bets 185,000. Sebastian calls. The turn is the 2c and and Gavin moves all in, having his opponent covered. This time Ruthenberg tanks, Gavin chatters, Ruthenberg says "Wow" and then passes a top pair king. Gavin also shows a king although no kickers were exposed.

9.55pm -- Another all-in, this time Fintan Gavin calling the all-in of Dren Ukela. The Irishman showed K-T but it was unable to overcome Ukela's A-K which held out despite a straight draw on the flop. A pot of 836,000 to the German.

9.45pm -- Chip leader Fintan Gavin's dinner tasted the best, but it was Daniel Mazzia's that contained the pep pills. First hand back, he's all in against Dren Ukella and the Italian has the German dominated. It's ace-jack against jack-queen and the better hand stays that way through five streets. Mazzia is past a million, Ukella is down to half that and the blinds are massive.

8.35pm -- And with that, they take a dinner break. These five players will return in an hour.

Fintan Gavin, PokerStars qualifier, Ireland, 2,419,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg, PokerStars player, Germany, 1,408,000
Dren Ukella, PokerStars qualifier, Germany, 1,099,000
Davidi Kitai, Belgium, 839,000
Daniele Mazzia, Italy, 458,000

Internet connection permitting, so will we.

8.30pm -- For the second consecutive hand, Davidi Kitai moved all in pre-flop and Fintan Gavin thought about it, stating that he had "a good gambling hand." He said "I think I have to call," but then didn't and was shown 6-6. Fintan returned the compliment and showed Q-J; they would have been racing.

8.20pm -- Chip counts after Jason Mercier's elimination:

Fintan Gavin, PokerStars qualifier, Ireland, 2,425,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg, PokerStars player, Germany, 1,564,000
Dren Ukella, PokerStars qualifier, Germany, 1,015,000
Davidi Kitai, Belgium, 764,000
Daniele Mazzia, Italy, 464,000

8.15pm -- Jason Mercier, PokerStars player from the United States, eliminated in sixth place earning €227,000
After sucking out once today with an underpair (sixes against Daniel Nielsen's tens), Jason Mercier's tournament life again depended on winning an unlikely race. This time he had sevens against Fintan Gavin's tens, but this time he couldn't find the two-outer. The search for our first two-time EPT champion continues.

We’re now in to level 27, with new blinds set at 25,000/50,000 with a running ante of 5,000. Click here for the latest prize winners, and for non-stop coverage of the final table don’t forget you can see it all on PokerStars.tv.

8pm: After Mazzai's double up, he's still been prepared to get his chips in and has picked up a few pots pre-flop by moving all in. Then two hands played out between Fintan Gavin and Davidi Kitai, which first profited the Belgian but then gave it all back to Gavin, and more. On the second one, Gavin raised from the button pre-flop, Kitai called from the big blind. The flop was 3s-4s-2s and Gavin bet 200,000, which was called by Kitai. On the turn of 10c, Gavin bet 400,000, and Kitai folded.

7.45pm: Two minutes, two all-ins. The first by Dren Ukella that went uncontested, the second by Danielle Mazzia who found a caller in Davidi Kitai. Q-T for the Italian, pocket tens for Kitai who only seemed to need to dodge a queen to eliminate the Italian. But it hasn’t proved that easy to dislodge Mazzia. The flop came 9-J-9 giving him an open ended straight draw and whilst the three on the turn didn’t help the eight on the river certainly did. Italians in the Casino erupted in cheers as their man doubled up. For Kitai dire straits.

7.30pm: Daniele Mazzia's life support machine remains active. He and Davidi Kitai get it all in pre-flop and although Mazzia is the shorter stack and is dominated -- A-K v A-8 -- the board ends up showing two queens and two sixes meaning a chop with two pair, ace kicker.

7.10pm: The two short stacks are Daniel Mazzai and Davidi Kitai and each push all in a couple of times and get it through. Mazzai actually triples up his micro-stack on one occasion when his pair of nines is good against Jason Mercier's ten-high and Sebastian Ruthenberg's king high.

7pm -- The new level starts with a frenetic few minutes for Daniele Mazzia and Davidi Kitai. Kitai moves in first but gets no takers. Mazzia tries a raise in the next but is re-raised all-in by Sebastian Ruthenberg and is forced to muck. So almost in retributution he moves in two hands in a row, the first being uncontested, the second being called by Kitai, the other short stack, who shows As-Ks. Mazzia shows pocket sevens. The J-2-J flop advances neither hand but the ace on the turn doubles up the Belgian and leave Mazzia very short.

6.40pm -- Chip counts at the start of the new level

Davidi Kitai, Belgium, 497,000
Dren Ukella, Germany, 561,000
Jason Mercier, PokerStars player, United States, 1,141,000
Daniele Mazzia, Italy, 768,000
Finton Gavin, PokerStars qualifier, Ireland, 1,588,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg, PokerStars sponsored player, 1,677,000

We’re now in to level 26, with new blinds set at 20,000/40,000 with a running ante of 4,000. Click here for the latest prize winners, and for non-stop coverage of the final table don’t forget you can see it all on PokerStars.tv.

6.15pm – Samuel Chartier, PokerStars qualifier from Canada, eliminated in seventh place for €178,000.
It was a simple all-in called for Samuel Chartier. The PokerStars qualifier from Canada pushed in with K-T and was called by Finton Gavin who showed A-Q. With less of the drama of Mercier’s double up earlier, the board helped neither player coming as it did 7-J-2-J-3 and Chartier was eliminated. Six players remain.

6.10pm -- Here are the chip counts following the elimination of Martin Nielsen.
Davidi Kitai, Belgium, 502,000
Dren Ukella, Germany, 822,000
Jason Mercier, PokerStars player, United States, 1,376,000
Samuel Chartier, Canada, 405,000
Daniele Mazzia, Italy, 776,000
Finton Gavin, PokerStars qualifier, Ireland, 938,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg, PokerStars sponsored player, 1,410,000

Play started today in level 25 after the tournament director Thomas Kremser altered the structure to give more play today. The blinds were pegged back slightly to 15,000-30,000 with a 3,000 running ante. We play today until we have a new EPT Barcelona champion. Updates will be posted here level by level with the latest information at the top. Click refresh to update the page. You can also watch the action live on PokerStars.tv. Click HERE for prizewinners so far.

6.10pm -- Martin Nielsen, Denmark, eliminated in eighth place, earning €119,000
And Jason Mercier puts the final nail in Martin Nielsen's coffin, pocket tens again haunting the Dane. This time it's Mercier who has them, and the American raises from early position. Nielsen re-raises all in from late position and Mercier calls. Nielsen has A-2 but can't catch up and this time the tens are good, sending the former chip leader to the rail. One down.

Eighth place finisher Martin Nielsen

5.50pm -- As a Danish flag appears in the background, slung over the barriers in support of Martin Nielsen, Dren Ukalla makes it 82,000 pre-flop from early position. Next to him is Jason Mercier who slides his stack into the middle of the table, 447,000 in all, and awaits his fate. It's expected to return to Ukella but instead action stops with the Dane Nielsen who calls the all-in. Ukella gets out of their way for the showdown.

Nielsen is ahead, turning over pocket tens, with Mercier showing pocket sixes. Mercier needs help, especially on a flop of A-Q-2. His face fills the TV screens and a huge roar errupts as the six hits the turn. Mercier doubles up. He cannot help but laugh before apologising to Nielsen for his lucky break. EPT history still possible.

5.40pm: There are a few plays being made here, with Sebastian Ruthenberg, among others, prepared to mix it up with plainly substandard hands. Fintan Gavin called from the button (30,000) and Ruthenberg bumped it to 90,000. He then went into statue mode as Gavin went into chatterbox mode. Ruthenberg didn't crack, even to give a count, end eventually Gavin folded claiming a highly-dubious pocket nines. Ruthenberg showed Q-4.

5.20pm -- The first double up of the day falls to Italian Daniele Mazzia. He moved in for less than 300K and the action was folded to Dren Ukella who thought for a second before declaring himself all-in, intending to isolate Jason Mercier alongside. Mercier looked at his cards but folded them, pocket sevens. Mazzia had been standing up but returned to show his As-2h. For Ukella pocket tens, leaving the Italian needing an ace.

The flop comes 3d-9h-6h. That seemed harmless enough until the turn card, 8h, gave Mazzia a flush draw. He may have felt blessed when the river card Kh hit the board doubling him up.

5.10pm: A very strange hand ends up with Dren Ukella taking down a pot of close to 700,000. He raises under-the-gun, the first hand he has played this final table. Samuel Chartier, with four players to act behind him, flat calls, and Sebastian Ruthenberg, on the button, also calls. On the flop of Jd-Js-7c, Ukella bets 86,000 into a pot of 315,000 and both Chartier and Ruthenberg call behind him. The turn is the Qc and Ukella bets 106,000 into a 400,000+ pot, which again is called by Chartier. Ruthenberg gets out of the way. The innocuous 2s comes on the river and Ukella now bets a meagre 72,000, which is a mandatory call for Chartier. Ukella shows K-Q, for two pair queens and jacks, and that was good enough. Chartier mucks.

5pm: In a battle of the blinds, Sebastian Ruthenberg and Martin Nielsen, the two tournament big stacks, get involved in what is a mini-cooler. Ruthenberg makes up Nielsen's big blind and they see a flop of Ac-Kh-2s. Check, check. The turn is 4c and Nielsen follows Ruthenberg's check with a bet of 45,000. Calls. The river is the 9c and Ruthenberg checks again, prompting Nielsen to bet 75,000. Ruthenberg calls, showing K-9 for two pair, kings and nines. Nielsen's K-4 is rivered.

4.52pm – The first bit of action on the day starts with PokerStars sponsored player Jason Mercier raises pre-flop from the cut-off, 73,000. The button folds leaving it up to the blinds. The small blind folds but Fintan Gavin in the big blind asks for a count. Mercier has 429K and Gavin starts to think, announcing “raise” and making it 190,000 more.

PokerStars player Jason Mercier

Mercier rests his head on the table before sitting back up with a decision to make. He starts talking to Gavin by gets just a smile. “Every time I talk I give away information. I should just shut up!” jokes the Irishman.

But Mercier continues, trying to persuade Gavin to show if he folds, which Gavin is having none of. It’s an all-in or nothing decision for Mercier. The banter continues until he folds after Gavin agrees to show. The American flips over A-8 whilst the Irishman a less threatening T-6, telling Jason he thought he had pocket tens.

4.45pm -- The first few hands have been raised and folded before the flop. Like a hitless first inning players are easing into the game.

4.40pm -- Play is now under-way, with this bunch playing for the millions:


EPT Barcelona final table line-up. From left to right: Martin Nielsen, Davidi Kitai, Daniele Mazzi, Samuel Chartier, Sebastian Ruthenberg, Jason Mercier, Dren Ukella. Note: Fintan Gavin absent.

4.30pm -- Players have completed their pre-match obligations of interviews and photographs and are waiting for the order to shuffle up and deal.

Alexander Stevic, Jan Boubli, Bjorn Erik Glenne, Sander Lylloff. No prizes for recognising the names of the first four champions at EPT Barcelona, the now-traditional venue for the opening event on each season of the EPT. But how about this similar list: Luca Pagano, Christer Johansson, Patrik Antonius, Gus Hansen, Dario Alioto, Phil Ivey, Jeff Lisandro, Mark Teltscher, Trond Eidsvig, Adam Junglen, Nicholas Jedlicka and Patrick Bruel.

All of those heavyweights of the world game have woken up one morning in Barcelona knowing that they're about to sit around the final table of this spectacular tournament. It gives an idea of how the EPT has always attracted the biggest names in poker and how this final table is always one to relish. Today, we welcome Martin Nielsen, Davidi Kitai, Dren Ukella, Jason Mercier, Sam Chartier, Daniele Mazzia, Fintan Gavin and Sebastian Ruthenberg to the exclusive club. Which one goes into that super-exclusive bracket will be decided at some time between 11pm and 4am, at a rough estimation. We'll follow it all the way here.

And there will be a couple of sub-plots. Last season, the final table gave the tantalising prospect of our first double EPT winner. Having won on season two in London, Teltscher had the chance to earn that coveted second title. But he came second. Today, the EPT San Remo champion Mercier has the same chance. Can he be the one to navigate those unchartered waters?

Last year also launched the career of Trond Eidsvig, the Norwegian who went on to cash another xx times on the EPT and was crowned newcomer of the year at this week's EPT awards. Is today's chip-leader Martin Nielsen destined for a similar rise to prominence? Or will the established PokerStars Shooting Star Sebastian Ruthenberg add an EPT title to his World Series bracelt-winning summer?

Stay right here for all the answers.

The final table of the EPT Barcelona, the first event of fifth season of the tour, is just a few hours away, starting at 4pm local time. Among the last eight are familiar and not so familiar names. Full details of each of them is below.

Seat 1: Martin Nielsen, 34, Jutland, Denmark -- 1,229,000 chips
They don't come much more relaxed than Martin Nielsen, the former merchant banker now competing at his second major final table this summer. After earning $120k at the Bellagio in July, Martin resigned from his job of five years, figuring that there was more to life than battling the rat race in London. "I bought a ticket to Indonesia for the autumn," he said. "That's my only plan for this year. But that plan might have to change now." He admits that he's much less experienced at poker than most of the other finalists but has been using some instinctive mathematical knowledge to make solid decisions based purely on odds. It has served him well. He's never appeared flustered and has eased to the final table with a chip-leader's stack of more than a million. "I may have found another job now," he said.

Seat 2: Davidi Kitai, 28, Brussels, Belgium - 600,000 chips
Poker pro Davidi made his first impression at EPTs when he made the TV stages of EPT Barcelona last year, eventually finishing 11th for his biggest ever live win: €46,000. His reputation then shifted from ‘solid’ to ‘spectacular’ when he went on to win the $2,000 Pot Limit Hold’em event at the World Series, the first Belgian ever to win a coveted WSOP bracelet. He reached his 2nd WSOP final table only a week later. Davidi perfected his poker skills during a trip to Los Angeles in 2003. He had gone to the States to learn English, but it was Texas Hold’em that he mastered. In 2006 he also took down the Euro Finals of Poker in Paris.

Seat 3: Dren Ukella, 36, Cologne, Germany - 734,000
Dren Ukella has been playing poker “forever” and first kicked off with five card draw. A brick builder by trade, Dren was born in Germany but grew up in Kosovo until his family returned to Germany when he was 14. Married with three children, Dren’s biggest cash to date was winning €37,000 in a NLHE tournament in Belgium. Although he has studied the game and read various poker books, he says “I know the other guys are better than me”. If he wins, he plans to take some time off and go on a two-three month vacation with his family.

Seat 4: Jason Mercier, 21, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, PokerStars qualifier - 526,000 chips
Jason first came to attention at the PokerStars.com EPT Season 4 event in San Remo in April. It was his only second live event and he’d qualified online with PokerStars but – facing one of the toughest final tables in EPT history - he secured a stunning victory worth €869,000. His opposition included Team PokerStars Pro Dario Minieri, William Thorson and Eric Koskas. He followed up the San Remo triumph with three WSOP cashes in the summer, adding another $50,000 or so to his bank roll – and now seems set to be a dominant force at poker tournaments across the globe. Outside of poker, Jason – who had studied to be a maths teacher before discovering online poker - is a huge basketball fan and coaches the team from his former high school.

Seat 5: Sam Chartier, 22, Montreal, Canada – PokerStars qualifier - 879,000 chips
French-Canadian Sam has been playing poker for five years and turned pro three years ago. He is great friends with Jason Mercier after meeting him on the first day of EPT San Remo. All Sam’s friends had gone on a trip to Italy so Sam and Jason ended up sharing a room. He said: “I played a side event in San Remo which I won, with Jason railing me all the way. Then I railed him in the main event.” While in San Remo, Sam qualified online for the Season 4 Monte Carlo Grand Final but busted on Day 2. His biggest cash before today was 80th place at the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in January for $16,000.

Seat 6: Daniele Mazzia, 33, Imperia, Italy - 359,000 chips
Daniele Mazzia has been playing poker professionally for the last two years and, as a regular competitor in tournaments all over Europe, has a string of notable results to his name. In July 2007, he took down the Velden Masters event for over €70k and since then has cashed in a further seven events, including first place in the Italian Championship’s $500 NLHE event in October. Daniele is great friends with Italian-speaking pros Claudio Rinaldi and Alessio Isaia – the three travel to events together - but his biggest supporter is girlfriend Carla Solinas, also a highly successful poker player.

Seat 7: Fintan Gavin,40 , Galway, Ireland – PokerStars qualifier – 701,000 chips
Although one of the less well-known faces at today’s final table, Finton Gavin is no poker novice and works in the industry – as the card room manager at the Eglinto Casino in Galway. Thanks to his casino duties, Fintan says he doesn’t get to play as much as he’d like but, having played poker for 30 years and NLHE for six years, he has a wealth of experience to draw on. This is his first EPT but he’s so impressed with the way PokerStars run things that he’s planning to try and qualify for many more. This is his best result to date although he cashed in the Aussie Millions main event last year for AS$ 20,000.

Seat 8: Sebastian Ruthenberg, 24, Hamburg, Germany – PokerStars sponsored player - 1,204,000 chips
Sebastian took up poker while studying IT at college. Six months later, after he graduated, he turned pro and swiftly climbed the levels from 50/$1 to $3/6 Limit, later changing to SNGs and No Limit cash games. In 2006, he won the German Open in 2006 and was runner-up last year at a WCOOP event as well as coming 3rd in EPT3 Dortmund. This summer he crowned his achievement by winning a WSOP bracelet – in the Seven Card Stud Hi-low event. He is one of seven pros who make up the PokerStars.de ShootingStars team – alongside top players such as Benjamin Kang, Jan Heitmann, Johannes Strassman and George Danzer. He starts today as chip leader.

We have our final. After four days of play, 619 competitors and 56 of 64 places paid so far, just eight players remain. It was a day of heroic effort and tragic defeat, and at the end of play there exists the possibility of a remarkable record being broken, in what has been the biggest EPT Barcelona so far.

If there was an underlying theme to this tournament's third day it would be the unfinished business of the EPT in San Remo several months ago. Back then several players showed the world an ability most learned to respect and fear. The likes of Randall Flowers, Jonas Klausen and PokerStars player Jason Mercier rocked the Italian stage on partisan surroundings and two EPT events later have done the same in Spain. Whilst Flowers and Klausen fell short of the final in Italy, finishing in 10th and 12th respectively, Mercier remained in the field tonight, and is within sight of becoming the first player ever to win two EPT titles.

All that will come tomorrow, but for now there is a day of poker to look back on, one that started in quick fashion when the short stack on the day Andrey Chesnakov busted soon after play resumed. A steady trickle of eliminations would follow, including the likes of the last remaining Team PokerStars Pro Chad Brown, out in 34th place.

Brown had started in good shape, found jacks twice but lost with them both times, the second time badly enough to send him to the rail and a pay-out of €17,300.

The remaining PokerStars qualifiers proved once again that not only is PokerStars the best way to win a seat to an EPT event but that it is also a profitable one. Henri Koivisto, a PokerStars qualifier from Finland, collected €19,800 for his 26th place finish, whilst Malte Strothmann from Germany made €24,700 for 21st, disappointed to be out but pragmatic in light of a superb second EPT appearance.

More was to come in the shape of PokerStars qualifiers Steven Wuesten from Holland (18th place for 24,700), Stephen Chidwick from Kent, UK, (15th place for €29,700) and Randall Flowers (13th place for €37,200).

Chidwick’s story was among the most interesting. As reported on the PokerStars blog earlier this week Chidwick is a renowned PokerStars qualifier having won 102 packages for the World Series this year alone and countless others for EPT and LAPT events. Sadly for the man of Kent, he fell short of replicating that success at a final table, but his 15th place finish is one worth saluting.

Sebastian Ruthenberg also continued his quest to light up the poker scene, bringing his world class form to Spain. It follows the German's success at the World Series this summer that culminated in a bracelet in the seven card stud hi/lo event. Still playing dynamite poker, Ruthenberg starts tomorrow second in chips with 1,204,000 and is looking to top his third place finish in Dortmund in season three.

But for all the talk of records being broken the man standing in the way of that is Denmark's Martin Nielsen, the overnight chip leader with 1,229,000, who started as one of the short stacks when the last nine sat around one table. Ironically that was the same for Sebastian Ruthenberg who finished just as strong. If Mercier is to achieve the impossible he’ll need to beat them both, five others with the same intentions, and a whole load of precedent.

Brandon Schaeffer came close to the record in season one, winning his first in Deauville and coming second in the next in Monte Carlo. Mark Teltscher did something similar; winning the EPT London in season two before finishing runner-up here in Barcelona twelve months ago. Now Jason has chance to better both of them.

It proved to be a long day, with the gap between nine players and eight lasting three and a half hours with the chip counts often being evenly matched. But we now have a great final table to look forward to. Here’s how it will look.

1. Martin Nielsen, Denmark, 1,229,000
2. Davidi Kitai, Belgium, 600,000
3. Dren Ukala, Germany, 734,000
4. Jason Mercier, PokerStars player, United States, 526,000
5. Samuel Chartier, PokerStars qualifier, Canada, 879,000
6. Daniele Mazzia, Italy, 359,000
7. Fintan Gavin, PokerStars qualifier, Ireland, 701,000
8. Sebastian Ruthenberg, PokerStars sponsored player, 1,204,000

It's been a long day, with a lot of action, and you can catch up at your leisure by clicking on the links below.

Players return for day three
Chad Brown eliminated
Tightening the restrictions
Exclamations of joy
More bust outs
A face in the crowd
Slimming the field again
Down to 23
Out, out, out, out and out
Pause in the action
The state of play at the dinner break
Klausen and Ukella battle for lead
An Italian down
Man of Kent, spent
Shooting star shoots another down
Randall Flowers eliminated
Level 23 updates
Level 24 updates

In the meantime, you can look back at all of today's action in any variety of European languages, including Spanish, Swedish, German and Italian.

Televisual excitement is always available at PokerStars.tv.

Players get an extra hour of rest tonight with the final resuming tomorrow at the later time of 4pm local time. With the long night tonight that may be a good thing. See you then.