Blinds: 4,000-8,000 (500 ante)

6.05pm: Aces bueno for Bueno - Pt II
Again Patrick Bueno won a pot of more than 200,000, this time when Cornel Cimpan had aces. The flop was [10c][7c][6c], which fit very well with Bueno's [kc][5c]. The turn was [jc] though, which probably slowed down the Frenchman with the flush. He check-called Cornel's 70,000 bet on the river of [6d] (also giving house possibilities), and Cornel tossed his non-club aces into the muck in disgust.

6pm: Aces bueno for Bueno
Patrick Bueno found aces at the same time as Markus Ross had kings. Unsurprisingly, the pot went to the Frenchman and he moved up to 600,000, with Ross pegged back to 240,000.

5.54pm: Walthaus welcome
Goodwin has beat down Jorn Walthaus with a solid three-bet on his first hand on his new table. Michael Greco mucked his hand muttering, 'It's so sick,' before the action folded back round to Walkthaus who tank folded. --RD

5.49pm: Quereda holding firm
Four tables left and Jose Alberto Carreres Quereda has just survived another all-in. The Spaniard shoved for 110,000 over the top of Samer Rahman's 26,000 open raise. The short stack's [ad] [js] beat down Rahman's [ac] [4h] but Rahman's stack is still heaving. --RD

5.45pm: Cirstea crushed
The Romanian Ciprian Cirstea is out. He and Georgios Kapalas got it all in pre-flop and Cirstea's [ad][qh] was behind Kapalas' [kc][ks]. The flop brought a queen, but it wasn't good enough and thanks to a recent double up, Kapalas had him covered in chips too. Cirstea departs. - HS

5.42pm: Here's to you Mr Robinson
David Robinson opened with a raise from early position to face a three-bet all in from Georgios Kapalas in the big blind. Robinson made the call with [ac][qc] and saw he was in bad shape against the Greek's [ad][ks]. The board came [kh][5d][jc][js][4s] to hand Kapalas the pot and a 340,000 stack. Robinson down to 85,000 as a result. --MC

5.39pm: Thomas Traboulsi has left the building
Pocket jacks are a great hand to pick up when you're short stacked - obviously not as great as aces, kings or queens but a great hand nonetheless. So given that bit of information Thomas Traboulsi was thrilled to get it in, but less thrilled when Cornel Cimpan's [kh] [7h] caught top pair on the flop. The German departs in 34th for €20,000. --RD

5.35pm: Our man ElkY

5.30pm: Sepman slain
Yulius Sepman has just been coolered out of the tournament. "Cooler" in that he found queens at the same time Mike McDonald found kings and it was always going in. Sepman finishes 36th for €20,000, and McDonald is moves beyond half a million. - HS

5.27pm: Goodwin and Phillips take it to the river
Carter Phillips and Marc Goodwin see a flop of [2s][10d][9d] and tentatively check their way through the [3h] turn to the [qd] river. Phillips bet 26,000, sending Goodwin into the tank for a minute or so before he folded pocket sizes face up. Phillips has on his war face. - SB

Marc Goodwin

5.26pm: Goodwin's read scarily good
Cornel Cimpan limps on the button and Marc Goodwin in the big blind tells the American that he's more scared by the limp than a raise, 'If you raise I can put you on four-five up to aces. When you limp you could have anything!' quips the Brit. The flop comes down [10c] [10d] [9h] and Goodwin checks to Cimpan who bets the pot and Goodwin insta-passes showing [9d] [2c] for flopped two-pair. Cimpan flashes his own nine back at Goodwin. Nice fold, sir! --RD

CLICK HERE FOR CHIP COUNTS

5.20pm: De Wolfe de double
Roland de Wolfe has managed to get his tournament back on track with a double-up through Carter Phillips. De Wolfe open shoved for 105,000 from mid position and Phillips gave him a spin from the big blind [6d][6c]. The board ran [8h][kd][7h][js][th] to make a straight for the Englishman. He's up to 215,000. --MC

Roland de Wolfe, happy days

5.12pm: Miracle on fifth street
Jose Alberto Carreres Quereda has been nursing a short stack all day. He started day 3 with 64,000 and had just under that when he shoved all-in from middle position with [ad] [js]. Mihai Manole called on the button with [ac] [qc] and Thomas Traboulsi shoved for 90,000 with kings from the small blind. The [4c] [qd] [kd] flop gave Traboulsi top set, a [9c] gave Manole a flush draw but a [10d] on the river saved Quereda with a backdoor straight who is now on 200,000. Traboulsi is short on 60k. --RD

4.55pm: And now, level 18
And that's another level done. We're now beginning level 18 with 37 players remaining. Matt Lapossie has been at the summit of the chip ladder throughout the day, but Samer Rahmen is now up there too. -HS

CLICK HERE FOR CHIP COUNTS

CLICK HERE FOR PRIZEWINNERS TO DATE

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.

Jason Mercier started with the chance to be the first double EPT winner

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.

Davidi Kittai, feeling the strain of four long days

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

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.

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.

Dren Ukala

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.

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3.35pm: Mikael Lundell, Sweden, eliminated in 9th place, earning €74,000
When play has lasted this long, and all the remaining players are looking for a sacrificial lamb to see themselves into the final, attention naturally turns to the short stack. Tonight that was Mikael Lundell. Faced with the prospect of a short stack Lundell pushed in with A-4 and was called by Davidi Kitai with Q-7.

It was not to be Lundell's night with the first card out a queen, Q-J-2. Lundell needed an ace but the ten on the turn was no use. Neither was the river card eight. At a little after 3.30am local time day three was over with Lundell exiting in 9th place for €74,400.

3.30am: The latest nine-handed chip count:

Martin Nielsen 1,130,000
Davidi Kitai, 544,000
Dren Ukela, 793,000
Mikael Lundell 322,000
Jason Mercier 498,000
Samuel Chartier 943,000
Daniele Mazzia 383,000
Fintan Gavin 397,000
Sebastian Ruthenberg 1,026,000

3.25am: Big hand doubles up Sebastian Ruthenberg. He gets all the chips in pre-flop with pocket nines against Jason Mercier's A-Q. They're off to the races and for the second time, the nines hit a set on the flop. Mercier also hits an ace, but it's largely academic. Ruthenberg vaults high on the chip ladder, Mercier takes a hit, although it's Martin Nielsen who seems most aggrieved by the coup: the Dane claims to have folded jacks, which would have given him a higher set and knocked two players out.

3.20am: The EPT commentators have pointed out, quite rightly, that tomorrow's final table (when it is finally set) will feature a number of short stacks relative to the blinds. This is a wonderfully deep-stacked structure, but the pre-final table play has now gone on so long, that several players will have fewer than 20 big blinds when it starts. There's a chance that the blinds may be rolled back by the tournament director, but we don't know yet.

2.55am: An all-in and a call. It's the Canadian Samuel Chartier who has all his money in the middle behind pocket kings. Mikael Lundell calls with queens and the PokerStars qualifier Chartier is a big favourite to double up. The flop is relatively safe. So is the turn. And...so is the river. Chartier is up to more than a million, Lundell is down to 367,000. On we go.

2.50am: As you can no doubt see, the chip counts have flattened dramatically on this pseudo final table, meaning we're all prepared for a very late night. Finton Gavin is the big hope for those of us looking for a passport back to the hotel: he's the shortest stack, with about 10 big blinds. But hold on, what's this...?

2.15am: The most recent chip counts for the final nine are as follows:

Dren Ukella, Germany, 889000
Jason Mercier, PS Player, USA, 819000
Daniele Mazzia, Italy, 765000
Mikael Lundell, Sweden, 755000
Davidi Kitai, Belgium, 739000
Sebastian Ruthenberg, PS Player, Germany, 718000
Martin Nielsen, Denmark, 653000
Samuel Chartier, Qualifier, Canada, 604000
Fintan Gavin, Qualifier, Ireland, 385000

2am: The players are taking a 15 minute break before starting the new level and playing down to a final eight.

1.40am: Double up for Davidi Kitai, which gets him high-fiving his packed rail and takes him out of the danger zone. He found pocket nines against Jason Mercier's A-K and all the money was in pre-flop. There was a king in the window, and it looked like Mercier was on the way to eliminating the Belgian. But the flop also brought a nine, giving Kitai the set and he has survived. Now Finton Gavin is the only really short stack and will have to get busy soon.

1.30am: Davidi Kitai, who also had the chip lead at some point in this tournament, is now also one of the short stacks under threat. Martin Nielsen, to his right, has adopted the policy of making up the big blind and then tempting Kitai to peel off a flop. It doesn't happen too often: Kitai has developed a tendency to move in pre-flop and take down the blinds and antes. We're still nine.

1.10am: We might have expected a rush to a fnal table once we compressed the field to a final table of nine. But it's been very, very cagey in in the past two rounds with little occuring of any note. The Irishman Finton Gavin ia the short stack, with less than 250,000. The big stacks are Jason Mercier and Dren Ukella, who each have more than 1million.

12.50am: Since we went down to nine players towards the end of the last level, and compressed the field to just one table, we have seen a total of one flop. Any pre-flop raise takes it, and a re-raise is always good. During the lull in action, take a look at some of the work of the EPT video blog team, who have been out on the tournament floor for all four days so far. Another reminder: you can see a list of all the prizewinners so far by clicking HERE.

Kara Scott gives her day three update:

Watch EPT barcelona 2008 Day 3 Update on PokerStars.tv

What do players think about? A delve into the most sordid areas:

Watch EPT Barcelona 2008 Inside Their Minds on PokerStars.tv

Seat 1 - Martin Nielsen, Denmark, 398,000
Seat 2 - Davidi Kitai, Belgium, 365,000
Seat 3 - Dren Ukella, Germany, 1,088,000
Seat 4 - Mikael Lundell, Sweden, 914,000
Seat 5 - Jason Mercier, PS Player, USA, 1,100,000
Seat 6 - Samuel Chartier, Qualifier, Canada, 911,000
Seat 7 - Daniele Mazzia, Italy, 621,000
Seat 8 - Gavin Fintan, Qualifier, Ireland, 359,000
Seat 9 - Sebastian Ruthenberg, PS Player, Germany, 483,000

12.10am: Salvatore Pengue, Italy, eliminated in 10th place, earning €49,600
Salvatore Pengue's rocket-shaped stack of chips had to go in sooner or later, weighing as it did just 260,000. Samuel Chartier was not long in calling, asking for a count first before announcing his intentions and turning over As-Jc. Pengue had hope with pocket tens but the race was on.

The flop was an inoffensive 7d-3h-Ks, but the turn sealed it for Chartier. The jack sent Pengue out in tenth place with his pockets full of €74,400. We're down to nine players who are convening around one table. A full chip count will follow.

11.45pm: Jonas Klausen, Denmark, eliminated in 11th place, earning €49,600
Shortly after running jacks into aces, leaving him with a short stack, Jonas Klausen saw an ace in early position and shoved all in. Dren Ukella had him well covered and also this time had jacks. No ace came on flop, turn or river and the Dane is out.

11.35pm: Benianmino Speroni, Italy, eliminated in 12th place, earning €49,600
Big drama on the secondary table results in the elimination of the Italian player Benianmino Speroni. He moves all in from the button and is called by Mikael Lundell in the small blind. Sebastian Ruthenberg then moves all in over the top of Lundell, an under-raise but another 170,000-odd, on top of Speroni's 240,000 original raise. Priced in, Lundell makes the call. As it turns out, both Lundell and Ruthenberg have the same hand -- an unsuited ace-king -- and Speroni'a Q-10 isn't in too bad shape. But a king flops, and an ace rivers. Speroni is out.