EPT BARCELONA: TONS AT STAKE FOR SHORT STACKED KATCHALOV

PHOTO/SOURCE: POKERNEWS.com

It's final table time in beautiful Barcelona, Spain as EPT Barcelona is ready to name it's new champion on Thursday.

Tomeu Gomila will enter Final Table play as the chip leader for the second straight day. Gomila managed to risk very little chips today while other were raising and 5 betting as if they were playing a quick $5 sit 'n go at their buddy's kitchen table.

Second place in chips is Saar Wilf, who had some success in 2010 - Wilf was one that was throwing some chips around - seems like it worked out well.

But let's not kid ourselves, one player is earning everyone's attention - and for good reason. Eugene Katchalov will be last in chips when play begins on Thursday. However, he is by far the most experienced player, especially in these types of situations - his six world-class tournament final tables this year serve as indication.

But there is more than just a tournament win at stake for Katchalov. A top-7 finish (in other words, survive one elimination) and Katchalov will takeover from Ben Lamb as the #1 ranked player on the PTPR Tournament Player of the Year Leaderboard ... although Lamb will have a mega opportunity to take the lead back come November.

This will be Katchalov's sixth PTPR Score of the season. He would need a win to surpass is current season high in tournament points - earning 128 PTPR Points in his WSOP Seven Card Stud bracelet win.

Katchalov also stands to takeover the new GPI - Global Poker Index rankings - taking over from Jason Mercier on the list (Mercier currently sits second on the PTPR Leaderboard).

But more importantly, Katchalov is a EPT title away from becoming the fifth player to win Poker's Triple Crown (a WPT title, EPT title and a WSOP bracelet). Earlier this summer, both ElkY and Jake Cody joined Gavin Griffin and Roland De Wolfe as the only players to ever achieve this feat.


FINAL TABLE SEAT ASSIGNMENT / CHIP COUNTS:
Seat 1. Saar Wilf - 4,555,000
Seat 2. Martin Schleich - 2,260,000
Seat 3. Juan Manuel Perez - 1,090,000
Seat 4. Eugene Katchalov - 690,000
Seat 5. Isabel Baltazar - 2,270,000
Seat 6. Dragan Kostic - 2,155,000
Seat 7. Raul Mestre - 4,260,000
Seat 8. Tomeu Gomila - 6,985,000

EPT BARCELONA FINAL TABLE PAYOUTS:
1 €850,000
2 €532,000
3 €315,000
4 €244,000
5 €185,000
6 €145,000
7 €105,000
8 €73,000

RELATED:
THE FINAL 24 IS SET - INCLUDES SOMEONE NAME EUGENE?
CARRUGGI GRABS LEAD LATE, LEADERS BRACE FOR SELBST ATTACK
DARCOURT LEADS, KATCHALOV LURKS AS BIG FIELD INVADES BARCELONA
HOW SWEDE IT IS: 22-YEAR OLD LUNDMARK WINS EPT BARCELONA (2010)


PTPR PREMIER EVENT
European Poker Tour Barcelona
EPT Barcelona NLH Main Event
August 27-September 1, 2011

Casino Barcelona | Spain
Buy-in: $7,635 | Prizepool : $5,843,660 | Entries: 811

PTS AT STAKE:
EPT Barcelona Champion 133
2nd position 83
3rd position 53
4th position 43
5th position 38
6th position 33
7th position 33
8th position 18
JOSE MIGUEL ESTEBAN 18
MATTHIAS de MEULDER 18
MARTON CZUCZOR 18
MASSIMILANO MARTINEZ 16
MARCOS FERNANDEZ 16
JAVIER CONTRERAS 16
EVGENY ZAYTSEV 16
MIIKKA ANTTONEN 13
TOME MOREIRA 13
SIGURD ESKELUND 13