Hugo Pingray Tops Estrellas Barcelona Coming Into Weekend

French pro Hugo Pingray is leading the 485 players who made it through the final start day of Estrellas Barcelona Friday.

The WSOP bracelet winner has 290,900, but is still behind several of Day 1b's players; the current chip leader is EPT Vienna finalist Pablo Gordillo from Spain who returns for Day 2 with 353,100.

Day 1c attracted at least 1,570 players which, combined with the 1,122 Day 1b entries and 592 on Day 1a, means the event is well over the 3,200 player mark and has easily surpassed last season's record-breaking 2,560-strong field.

There will be 981 players back for Day 2 tomorrow: today's 485 survivors plus 166 from Day 1a and 330 from Day 1b.

Among those who survived Day 1c is the very first EPT champion - Alex Stevic from Sweden - who bagged up 72,900. Also through are Team PokerStars Pros Matthias De Meulder (31,300), Andre Akkari (105,700) and Eugene Katchalov (73,000). Last year's Estrellas champion - Matias Ruzzi, - bust today. He defeated a 2,560-strong field last year to take €198,550 back home to Argentina.