Steve O’Dwyer Leads at EPT Barcelona €50,000 Super High Roller 2012

America pro Steve O’Dwyer is leading the EPT Barcelona €50,000 Super High Roller with 36 players remaining from the 54 who started the day. After eight levels of play, O’Dwyer was in good shape with a massive chip stack of 1,249,000, almost double his next rival, fellow American Erik Seidel. O’Dwyer, who hails from Pennsylvania, had a stonking year during last year’s EPT season, including runner-up finishes in the EPT London Main Event and the EPT Campione €10,000 event.

Other Day 1 survivors include Team PokerStars.com Pro Jason Mercier, Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier and Eugene Katchalov. There were 18 bust-outs during Day 1 and O’Dwyer was one of three players to re-load; the other two were Team PokerStars Pro Jonathan Duhamel and Japanese player Masa Kagawa. Team PokerStars Pro Daniel Negreanu bust early on, but may re-load tomorrow morning. Players can buy in right up to start of play on Day 2 which is when the seat draw will take place.

The three-day €50,000 event is the first tournament of EPT Barcelona – and is just one of four high roller events taking place during the 11-day Barcelona Poker Festival. With unlimited reloads on Day 1 today, the tourney is set to provide some dynamic poker action - with players battling it out for a prize pool of at least €1.8 million. As well as their prize, the winner will receive a stunning bracelet from Shamballa Jewels, the Official Bracelet Sponsor of all EPT9 High Roller and Super High Roller events.

The Super High Roller final table will be webcast on PokerStars.tv on Sunday, August 19 13:00 CET.